09:30 AM EST on Wednesday, March 2, 2005

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- The expectations were modest.

AP photo

Wade Miller threw for the first time off a mound since last August. Joining him were Curt Schilling, rear, and Keith Foulke.

No one thought Wade Miller would light up a radar gun at 97 mph yesterday in his bullpen session at the Boston Red Sox' minor-league complex. And he didn't. Hardly.

But just the fact that Miller was throwing off a mound without apparent discomfort was a major plus for the Sox and the right-hander, who was limited to 15 starts last season for Houston because of what ultimately was diagnosed as a frayed right rotator cuff.

Miller, who signed with the Sox as a free agent during the offseason, threw 27 pitches in his first appearance on a mound since last August, when he finally had to call it quits because of pain in his shoulder.

He has been trying to build up the muscles around the rotator cuff in an effort to avoid surgery, following the same successful path carved out by assistant trainer Chris Correnti for Pedro Martinez a few years ago.

And while Boston still plans to be patient with Miller, likely keeping him here for more work in extended spring when the team breaks camp, yesterday represented a positive day for him on his rehabilitation path.

"It was a nice step for him, but I don't want anyone to think it was a breakthrough step," said manager Terry Francona. "We'll be slow with him. We'll keep a tight rein on him, but he's making progress. We have to be patient. At some point, he's going to be a good pitcher for us. There's some risk, but the reward can be huge."

Miller, who throws with a short-arm type of motion, already was a good pitcher before shoulder tendinitis hampered him last year, when he went 7-7 with a 3.35 earned-run average. For his career, Miller, a 6-foot-2, 220-pounder who turned 28 last September, is 58-39 with a solid 3.87 E.R.A.

Miller has been projected as one of the Sox' five starters when he's healthy. But it wouldn't be a surprise if it takes him a couple of months during the regular season before he joins Boston, so for now the Red Sox' starters will be Curt Schilling, David Wells, Matt Clement, Tim Wakefield and Bronson Arroyo.

Miller still would like to think he can be in the rotation when the Sox head north. Yesterday, though, was more a time for getting re-acclimated to throwing downhill from a mound than it was for working on velocity and location.

Previous to yesterday's workout, Miller had progressed to throwing long-toss from 210 feet after several days of just playing catch on flat ground.

"It felt a little weird mechanically. I was just trying to think about throwing the ball with good mechanics, but I didn't have good mechanics today. It's been a while. Eventually I'll work that out," said Miller, who won 16, 15, and 14 games, respectively, in the three seasons preceeding his injury.

"This was not a (true) bullpen session," added Miller. "I was just getting used to the different angle from the mound. I wasn't airing it out or trying to put too much on it."

Miller is well aware that he has to proceed with caution, following the plans of Correnti and the Sox' medical staff. He had no illusions otherwise when he pulled into camp.

"I knew coming into spring training I was playing catch-up," said Miller, referring to the physical conditions of the Sox' other pitchers.

"My goal is to get healthy as soon as possible, but I'm not going to rush it," he said. "There's still a long way to go. It will take some time to get in a groove."

General manager Theo Epstein watched Miller's 10-minute session with interest. And he came away encouraged.

"He did a good job. It was a big step for him," said Epstein. "There's always adjustment throwing off the mound after throwing on flat ground. That process is just starting out. A lot of hard work went into him getting to this point. He's on a conservative-but-appropriate program. He has worked very hard and accomplished a lot."

Miller said he expects to throw a similar session either Friday or Saturday.

"I can imagine doing that quite a few times before I let it go," said Miller.

While Miller was satisfied with the step he took yesterday, he wasn't viewing his first time throwing off the mound in six months as a time to rejoice.

"It's not exciting," he said. "It's something I have to do to get ready for the season. It's still a work in progress. The biggest hurdle will be to have the confidence to air it out and trust my arm."

When that hurdle will be cleared is anyone's guess at this point. But Miller got one small step closer to it yesterday.