08:37 AM EST on Wednesday, March 23, 2005

BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Nearly fully recovered from a bout with cellulitis, center fielder Johnny Damon returned to the lineup yesterday following an absence of just over a week.

AP photo

A somewhat clean-shaven Johnny Damon shows his approval as teammate Doug Mirabelli homers during batting practice yesterday.

Damon last week discovered two growths -- one near his ankle, the other near his groin -- which were the result of a bacterial infection. He was placed on antibiotics and told to rest for a few days.

"I feel good," Damon said, who had resumed baseball workouts the last few days. "There's really no good time for this to happen, but if you're going to have something like this, it's best to happen now. I'll be ready to go (when the season starts).

"It's just weird how it happened. Whether it was a spider bite or a foul ball, we have no idea."

Damon will remain on antibiotics for the next five days or so, but is under no restrictions.

"I feel like I haven't missed much," he said. "I don't feel like I lost anything."

"He just needs to shake some of that rust off," said manager Terry Francona, "and get back to playing."

Damon went hitless in three at-bats last night.

Over the weekend, Damon shaved his beard, which already is showing signs of regrowth.

"I'd been seeing my face all over the place and got sick of it," he joked. "I forgot how good looking I was."

Damon will have plenty of promotional appearances over the next few weeks in conjunction with the publication of his new book. He's set to appear on the Regis and Kelly television show on April 4, the morning after the season opener, and be at a book-signing that afternoon.

That night, an off-day for the Sox, he and a handful of other players will appear on Late Night with David Letterman.

Schilling to be held back

The Sox amended Curt Schilling's schedule somewhat yesterday. He'll next pitch Friday in a minor-league game, and despite his wishes, will not accompany the club to Arizona next week.

On Monday, Schilling had left open the possibility of pitching one of the two games against the Diamondbacks, but Francona said yesterday that Schilling will remain in Florida, in part because if he pitches in Phoenix it will limit the Sox' flexibility in backdating him for the disabled list.

The veteran pitcher will begin the season on the DL, but if he pitches in a major-league exhibition game -- or any game in which admission is charged -- the Sox can't retroactively place him on the DL before that date.

In all likelihood, he will pitch March 30, making him eligible to come off the DL on April 14.

Francona guessed that Schilling would be available to pitch for the Sox "sometime in mid-April," or sometime during the second home series of the year.

The chance of Schilling starting the Sox' opener seems remote.

"I just don't think it's set up that that will work," he said. "But I'm not going to sit here and say it's not's going to happen."

Around the bases

Tim Wakefield was cuffed around last night, charged with six runs on eight hits in 3 2/3 innings in a 6-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. . . . David Ortiz hit a titanic homer in the sixth inning that nearly cleared the backdrop behind the center-field fence. The blast was estimated at 450 feet and was the fifth homer of the spring for Ortiz. . . . The crowd of 7,989 was the largest of the spring at City of Palms Park. . . . Outfielder Billy McMillon, out with a subluxed shoulder, has been cleared to hit, though he can't yet throw. The Sox will attempt to get him some at-bats as a DH in some minor-league games. . . . Keith Foulke continued to be nearly unhittable, retiring all seven hitters he faced yesterday, two by strikeout.