Whether or not the eccentric slugger will actually report is anybody's guess, but the Boston brass is keeping its fingers crossed.

01:00 AM EST on Wednesday, March 1, 2006

BY STEVEN KRASNER
Journal Sports Writer

FORT MYERS, Fla. -- "Waiting For Manny."

That's the prequel to what the Boston Red Sox are hoping, in some ways, will be another season of "Manny Being Manny," complete with 40 homers and 140 RBI and maybe fewer distracting antics.

Today is the day Manny Ramirez is supposed to join his teammates for spring training. He asked for, and was granted, permission to report today for his first workout, which, according to the Basic Agreement, technically is right on time.

But will Manny show?

The Sox were taking the party line that Ramirez will be in uniform today, giving him plenty of time to be ready for the season opener in Texas on April 3.

"Nothing new. He'll be here (today)," general manager Theo Epstein said yesterday when asked if he had heard from Ramirez.

"Yeah, I think he'll be here," said manager Terry Francona. "For me to view it any other way wouldn't be fair to Manny."

Then again, does anyone really know if Manny will be on the field today? Or if he'll change his mind and decide to report to Orlando on Friday to join the Dominican Republic team for World Baseball Classic?

The door is open on those possibilities, acknowledged Francona.

"Don't slam it shut," said Francona with a chuckle. "Keep it ajar."

As of yesterday, though, Francona was counting on Manny not only arriving in camp for his first spring workout, but reporting in exemplary shape. And he said he fully expected Ramirez to be in left field against the Rangers on April 3 despite Ramirez's offseason request to be traded.

Still, there will be a conditioning process that has to take place in camp, said Francona.

"I know he'll show up here in great shape. I remember talking to a minor leaguer who worked out with him for one day and he was shocked at how hard Manny worked," said Francona.

"But you can't simulate the work you get in down here. At home, the guys do their workouts, get their work in and go home. Here, it's different. You'll be on the field for three or four hours, guys' legs get tight. It's just different," said Francona.

That being the case, and presuming Ramirez does show up today, Francona will scale back the left fielder's work early in the exhibition schedule. Boston opens its exhibition season tomorrow night against the Minnesota Twins across town, and on Friday there will be a home doubleheader at City of Palms Park, with seven-inning contests against Boston College and Northeastern.

If the college pitchers were hoping to test their stuff against one of the game's greatest and most productive hitters, they likely will be out of luck.

"Those kids will likely be disappointed, but we'll back him off a bit," said Francona.

Ramirez's teammates, meanwhile, seem to be taking the attitude that whether the slugger shows up today or not it's not that big a deal.

"I hope he's here. I'd like to see him (today)," said Trot Nixon. "If he's not here, I'm not going to wilt up and go away. He's a big part of this ballclub, so you always want to see him here. I want to see him walk in to see what haircut he has. You never know what he's going to look like. I'm sure he'll come in and play baseball like he does every year."

Curt Schilling wasn't about to get drawn into any Manny controversies, electing to not even speculate as to whether Ramirez will be in uniform as promised today.

"I don't expect anything," said Schilling. "I'll be here to get my work in. I have no control on whether Manny comes through the door or not. How I feel about it is not going to change anything."

And if Ramirez is here, Francona is sure all the trade demands will be put in the past, and the hits will keep on coming, which is what matters most to the Red Sox.

"Because of what he did go through this winter, him showing up a little late, but being in the right frame of mind is worth it to me," said Francona. "If that's what it takes, I'm OK with it."

skrasner@projo.com / (401) 277-7340