01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, March 30, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- After toying with the idea of having Nomar Garciaparra serve as DH in a minor-league game yesterday, the Red Sox scrapped that plan and allowed the injured shortstop to take part in a limited batting practice session with the big-league club.

"He's not ready to do that yet," said manager Terry Francona. "I think he felt, when he went home [Sunday night] after the workout, he was a little bit stiff. He's trying to use his head and not go backwards."

Francona was unsure whether Garciaparra would play in another minor-league game this week. The Sox leave Florida Thursday afternoon and Garciaparra has already been ruled out of the two final exhibition games in Atlanta this weekend.

"He's swinging the bat great," said Francona. "If he's healthy and thinks he's ready to play, that's when he'll play. Opening Day is a target date, but it's not [essential]. They want to clear out [the tendinitis] before he starts to play."

Meanwhile, third baseman Bill Mueller remained out of the lineup, hampered by a hyperextended elbow. Mueller won't play until Atlanta, but Francona left little doubt about his availability for Sunday's opener in Baltimore.

Wakefield at a fever pitch

Like Curt Schilling and Bronson Arroyo before him, Tim Wakefield saved his best for last. Last Florida outing, that is.

Wakefield went six innings and gave up just two earned runs while reaching 90 pitches.

"I think it was his best start," Francona said. "I thought he was solid and aggressive with his pitches. Our starters are in good shape."

"This was the best I've felt all spring," Wakefield agreed. "I threw a lot of strikes, used my other pitches and had good movement [with the knuckleball]. Everything came together nicely for me today."

Heavy on the homers

The Sox rode the long ball to an 8-3 win over the Baltimore Orioles, getting second-inning homers from Kevin Millar (solo), Johnny Damon (three-run shot) and David Ortiz (two-run blast) to account for seven runs.

The Sox have hit 32 homers this spring. Heading into yesterday, only Oakland (35) had more.

The homer was the first of the spring for Damon, which means 17 different Boston players have hit homers in Grapefruit League action. For Ortiz, it was his seventh homer, the most by a Sox player since Trot Nixon had seven in 2001.

By contrast, Sox pitchers have yielded just 17 homers this spring, third-fewest behind Milwaukee and the Yankees.

Around the bases

Trainer Jim Rowe drove Nixon across the state to the rehab center in Miami, where the outfielder will spend the next two weeks on a strength-and-conditioning program . . . Catcher Jason Varitek stands to be the first Red Sox catcher to be in the Opening Day lineup five straight seasons since Sammy White (1953-1957) . . . Rule V lefty Lenny DiNardo pitched a scoreless inning, walking one and striking out two. Frank Brooks will get an inning of work today against Toronto . . . Three Red Sox pitchers got some work in at the minor-league complex yesterday morning, taking part in a intrasquad game. Scott Williamson pitched two scoreless innings while David McCarty and Alan Embree pitched a scoreless inning each . . . In addition to setting a record for most regular season tickets sold before Opening Day (approximately 2.4 million already), the Sox will set an attendance mark for spring training, too. With one home date left -- tomorrow against Pittsburgh -- the Sox are on a pace to sell better than 119,000, eclipsing the 106,076 sold in the spring of 2001.