matsuzaka

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, sidelined with back spasms for a week, is scheduled to play catch on flat ground today.

Beckett was scratched from his scheduled start March 8 after throwing just a few warmup pitches and he’s expected to throw from 60 feet at City of Palms Park today.

“It’s good news,” said Red Sox manager Terry Francona after the Sox defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 16-6, at City of Palms Park yesterday afternoon. “He’s gone through all of his workouts and he’s feeling good. He’s been doing all his arm exercises and now we’ll just get him back to playing catch on flat ground. The [medical staff] thought it would be about a week and they were right on.”

Beckett, who has been in a good mood around the clubhouse the last two days, could remain in Florida when the team travels to Japan on Wednesday even though the team has not made an official announcement.

Wake sorry to see him go

Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield isn’t too thrilled about the team’s decision to release Doug Mirabelli, but the knuckleball pitcher broke his silence yesterday and said he’d turned the page.

The Red Sox gave Wakefield’s personal battery mate his unconditional release Thursday, to the surprise of every player in the clubhouse.

“Shocked,” said Wakefield yesterday morning “Very shocked. I don’t know what else to say about it. … I’m saddened by the whole situation, but it’s a business decision on their part. I feel like (Kevin) Cash can do a really good job, but I’m going to really miss Doug — not only his professionalism and the way he handled me, but also his friendship.”

Wakefield wouldn’t elaborate on his conversation with Mirabelli, but did say his former catcher was also caught off-guard by the transaction. Before the 2006 season, the Red Sox traded Mirabelli to the San Diego Padres only to reacquire him in May of that season at the urging of Wakefield.

Wakefield knows this time it’s permanent; Mirabelli won’t be back.

“It’s worse now knowing that, more than likely, he won’t be back,” Wakefield said. “It’s sad. Dougie was a great teammate and not just my personal catcher and friend. A lot of guys in that clubhouse respected his opinion. He cared about everybody on this team. He was a factor in this clubhouse and a factor with the team’s chemistry.”

Wakefield is scheduled to start for the PawSox today with Cash catching. As Francona explained, it’s better for the battery to start working together in a minor-league game.

“In no means do I want to take anything away from Kevin Cash; he did a great job with me last year and he can handle the job,” Wakefield said.

Wakefield, and the rest of the Red Sox, hope that Mirabelli hooks up with another team. If not, the veteran pitcher believes, because of Mirabelli’s knowledge of the game, he would make a good major-league manager some day.

Lugo feeling better

Red Sox shortstop Julio Lugo returned to action yesterday after missing 13 days due to tightness in his lower back. He had a double and single in three plate appearances, and said afterward that he felt good. He showed no ill effects at the plate or in the field, and said he didn’t feel any pain. After his second hit of the game, a single in the bottom of the fourth inning, Lugo was replaced by pinch-runner Jed Lowrie. Lugo will be the DH today when the club travels to Bradenton to face the Pirates. If all goes well, he plans on making the trip to Japan on Wednesday.

Son for Dice-K, wife

Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his wife, Tomoyo, welcomed a baby boy into the world yesterday morning. Both mom and son are doing well. The child, whose name is not being released, weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces. He’s the couple’s second child. Dice-K is expected to be back in camp in the next couple of days and now it appears he’ll be able to make the trip to Japan with the Sox next week.

“Everybody is healthy and that’s good,” Francona said. “We’ve had things lined up, but we’ll wait for the proper time and make it public when we need to. But we’re in pretty good shape.”

Around the bases

Red Sox slugger David Ortiz showed off his base-running abilities yesterday, proving that his surgically repaired knee is just fine. He legged out a double to lead off the bottom of the third inning as he slid safely into second. Manny Ramirez followed and drove a ball to right field, allowing Ortiz to tag and advance to third, again sliding. Mike Lowell then provided a sacrifice fly that scored the “speedy” slugger. He was met with high-fives when he got to the dugout. … Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s grandkids served as the Sox’ bat boys yesterday. … Red Sox senior adviser and Rhode Island native Jeremy Kapstein will represent the Red Sox this summer during Bristol’s annual Fourth of July Parade.

jmcdonal@projo.com