DONNELLY

FORT MYERS, Fla. — From the time the Red Sox signed Joel Pineiro to a contract in January, it has been widely assumed that the former Seattle Mariner would emerge from the month-long open audition for the team’s vacant closer’s job.

Pineiro got a $4-million guaranteed salary from the Sox and incentives that reward him for games finished, a seemingly clear indication that they expected him to emerge as the closer.

But lately, there are subtle indications that the Sox may be rethinking their position and considering Mike Timlin as the odds-on favorite to open the season as the Red Sox’ ninth-inning man.

While Pineiro has struggled to find a consistent release point in his delivery, he has struggled mightily on the mound. In three appearances covering three and one-third innings, Pineiro has given up six hits, three walks and four earned runs.

Tuesday in Jupiter, Pineiro threw better, but still walked a batter and fell behind hitters.

Timlin, on the other hand, has yet to appear in a game, his spring slowed by a minor oblique strain that sidelined him for the last 10 days or so.

He threw a 40-pitch live batting practice session yesterday morning on a back field and will likely get into a game by the weekend. That would leave Timlin with just about three weeks time before the start of the regular season, which should be enough to get himself ready. In the past, Timlin has seemed almost indifferent to the role of closer, though he has performed the job fairly well out of necessity in parts of the last two seasons.

In 2005, when the Sox searched in vain for someone to take over for the injured Keith Foulke, Timlin led the club with 13 saves. Last year, after Jonathan Papelbon experienced shoulder woes on Sept. 1, Timlin took care of the role for the final month and finished with nine saves.

Over the course of his 16-year major-league career, Timlin has fared far better in a setup capacity. Until last season, when a shoulder injury kept him out for several weeks, Timlin was the Sox’ eighth-inning workhorse, averaging just over 76 appearances from 2003-2005. In fact, since 2003, only three pitchers in baseball have made more appearances than Timlin.

Only twice in his career has Timlin notched 20 or more saves in a season and the popular assumption has always been that he performs better in late innings other than the ninth.

The Red Sox understand all too well that Papelbon’s replacement won’t dominate opposing hitters the way rookie right-hander did last year.

In addition to 35 saves, Papelbon compiled a microscopic 0.92 ERA and held batters to a .167 average, the second-lowest figure in the major leagues.

But if the Sox can find someone to close out the ninth at an 85 percent clip, Timlin could be the choice for this season.

One factor under consideration internally is that while Pineiro — or fellow newcomer Brendan Donnelly — could come in in the seventh or eighth with runners on base, Timlin has stumbled in that capacity.

Having pitched as a starter, Pineiro should be capable of providing the Sox with more than an inning of work at a time. Donnelly, who also has struggled, could be the choice to come into the middle of inning with runners on base and the team in need of a strikeout.

Timlin, who turns 41 Saturday, is far more efficient when he comes into an inning “clean” — starting the inning without baserunners.

If the Sox narrow the job description somewhat and utilize Timlin solely to get the final three outs, he could lend them some stability to the back end of games. By limiting Timlin to three-out saves, they could reduce his workload and limit the stress on his shoulder. Worn down and perhaps thrown off by his appearance in the World Baseball Classic last spring, Timlin faltered in the second half of last season.

If Timlin could close as well as other journeyman veterans like Dustin Hermanson in 2005 with the White Sox or Todd Jones with the Tigers last year, the Sox would be more than happy.

The assignment, after all, would be temporary. By 2008, the Sox believe that either Craig Hansen or Bryce Cox — a third-round pick out of Rice last summer — will be able to assume the job long-term. If neither develops as hoped, the Sox could explore free-agent or trade options to fill the slot.

smcadam@projo.com