It's Reese and Bellhorn for starters

08:22 AM EST on Tuesday, March 30, 2004

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

AP photo Mark Bellhorn, a bit late to make a play on the Cardinals' Marlon Anderson during an exhibition game earlier this month, was slated to make the Red Sox as a utility player, but instead will be the team's Opening Day second baseman.

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- When the Red Sox passed on re-signing Todd Walker and instead opted for Pokey Reese, it was with the idea of upgrading the infield defense at second base.

Research showed that last season the Sox allowed more ground singles through the right side of the infield than any other club in either league. Inserting Reese, a two-time Gold Glove winner at second, would tighten the Sox' porous defense and provide an immeasurable upgrade at the position.

But in an ironic twist, Reese may not get to play second until the second week of the season. Nomar Garciaparra is sidelined with tendinitis in his right Achilles heel and is almost certain to miss the season opener Sunday in Baltimore, forcing Reese to move across the second-base bag to play short.

With Reese re-positioned, Mark Bellhorn, set to make the team as the utility infielder, will open the season at second base.

Reese is a natural shortstop, so the shift, however brief, shouldn't be an issue.

"I feel fine there," he said yesterday before the Sox pounded Baltimore, 8-3. "There's nothing different -- you just have to catch it and throw it. The only difference is coming across the bag (on the double play)."

After flubbing a backhand try for an error behind Curt Schilling Saturday, Reese took grounders yesterday morning and fielded almost all of them backhanded, as if trying to exorcise the miscue.

Reese can only hope that his cameo at short goes better than the last time. In 1998 while in his second major-league season with the Cincinnati Reds, Reese took over at short on Opening Day, subsituting for starter Barry Larkin, who, like Garciaparra, was out with Achilles tendinitis. The usually sure-handed Reese made four errors -- half of his total for the entire season -- against the San Diego Padres.

"I'm not going to forget that," said Reese, a bit sheepishly. "It was just

one of those days, a freaky day."

There's little risk in that occurring again. Reese's range is nearly unmatched throughout baseball. At second base, he comfortably glides to the right, far behind the second base bag, or scoots far to his left, ensnaring virtually everything on the ground.

The same skills apply to shortstop, a position he hasn't played in the regular season since 2001, when he saw 78 games at the position.

"You can read the ball a little better at second," Reese said. "And you have a little more time with the throw if you bobble something or knock it down. Other than that, there's not much difference. It's not going to be a problem."

AP photo Pokey Reese, celebrating on a home run against the Yankees on March 7, likely will begin the season in Nomar Garciaparra's shortstop slot.

For as long as he's filling in for Garciaparra, Reese will be working with a new double-play partner in Bellhorn. For most of the spring, Reese has split time between second and short, while Bellhorn has been playing third in place of the injured Bill Mueller.

But it won't be long, Reese assured, before they're comfortable playing together.

"I'll just tell (Bellhorn), 'Get the ball around the bag and I'll handle the rest,' " Reese said.

Reese's offense is rather ordinary, as evidenced by his .251 lifetime average, the lowest of any regular in the Boston lineup. But situated at the bottom of the lineup, the Sox aren't asking Reese to be a big part of their attack. If he can make contact and use his speed on the bases -- Reese's 85.2 percent success rate makes him third among active players -- he'll be helpful to the Sox.

A succession of injuries has limited Reese the last two seasons, both in Pittsburgh. He played just 37 games for the Pirates last year thanks to a torn ligament in his left thumb. The year before, he missed chunks of games due to a hamstring strain and a jammed finger.

The missed time makes him eager to play, particularly at Fenway Park. After spending much of his career on non-contending teams in the American League, he's looking forward to playing in a more highly charged baseball atmosphere.

"I can't wait," Reese said. "I'm really looking forward to it."