01:00 AM EST on Friday, February 25, 2005

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- While Curt Schilling was taking a major step, throwing off the mound for the first time this spring, fellow pitchers Keith Foulke and Wade Miller were taking smaller-yet-significant ones of their own.

A few hundred yards away from the bullpen where Schilling was throwing, Foulke and Miller were testing themselves in a long-toss session at distances that reached about 180 feet.

Foulke is being limited by a blister on his right index finger. He is being kept off the mound until it heals better.

Miller, meanwhile, is trying to strengthen his frayed right rotator cuff through exercises and a progressive throwing program. Miller, a former ace in Houston who was signed as a free agent, had not thrown 180 feet yet in camp.

While neither pitcher is ready to get on the mound today, they are getting closer.

"They both have good arm strength. They did so well," said manager Terry Francona, who watched the duo long-toss, causing him to miss the beginning of Schilling's session.

Miller is expected to long-toss again today from 180 feet. Once he has done that a few times, Francona said, a side session may not be all that far away. The Sox, though, will not rush Miller, preferring to keep him on his throwing program as long as it takes for him to be healthy enough for the rigors of the starting rotation, even if that means leaving him in Florida for extended spring when the team heads north to start the season.

Foulke, meanwhile, missed some time last year in camp because of a tight calf muscle. He apparently doesn't need a lot of innings to be ready. Despite a late spring debut, Foulke went 5-3 with 32 saves and a 2.17 earned-run average.

McCarty pitching in

David McCarty threw about 25 pitches in his first bullpen session of the spring.

A year ago, McCarty was trying to keep up with the pitchers' workouts while also trying to get in some batting and fielding practice as a first baseman/outfielder. This spring, he's going to cut back on his mound work, though he still wants the Sox to consider him as a left-handed option.

"I'm going to throw once a week just to stay fresh," said McCarty. "That's a good balance, not too much to where it takes away from my primary job of hitting, playing first and the outfield. Last year was too overwhelming."

McCarty made his first three big-league pitching appearances last year, allowing one run in 3 2/3 innings.

Cedeno impressive

Francona was impressed with left-hander Juan Cedeno, who is in his first big-league camp. Cedeno threw batting practice yesterday.

"He has a nice arm. I can see why they put him on the (40-man) roster," said Francona.

Cedeno, 21, was 7-6 with a 4.64 earned-run average for Sarasota last year.

Around the bases

Today's workout was slated to begin a half-hour early because the Red Sox will participate in an annual charity golf tournament. . . . Manny Ramirez got in some extra work yesterday. He arrived early and went into the cage for some swings. Then, after the workout officially ended with some conditioning drills, Ramirez went out to left field and had coach Lynn Jones hit him more fungos. . . . David Wells' side session went well, said Francona. "Wells didn't make the catcher move."