FORT MYERS, Fla. — On the second day of full-squad workouts in Red Sox camp, pitchers threw to hitters for the first time. Position players ran the bases. Catchers continued their drills. Everyone kept smiling.
“Nothing to complain about. It’s 80 degrees, feels beautiful, everyone’s healthy,” manager Terry Francona said. “All the pitchers went through what they were supposed to. A nice productive day.”
Among the more notable scenes Sunday in Fort Myers was Tim Wakefield throwing to hitters. With most of them having seen no live pitching since last fall, the knuckleball offered a cruel, but comical, reintroduction to the craft.
“The hitters hate it but it’s strictly for the pitchers to get ready,” Francona said.
During one sequence when Wakefield was throwing to David Ortiz and Jarrod Saltalamacchia was behind the plate, Saltalamacchia covertly slid behind Ortiz and gave Wakefield a target on the back side of Big Papi.
An unsuspecting Ortiz jumped and screamed when Wakefield’s soft delivery sailed behind him. Everyone had a good laugh. Welcome to Camp Sunshine.
Sunday marked the first day of the last week before Grapefruit League games begin. The Red Sox, after hosting Boston College and Northeastern on Saturday at City of Palms Park, open their spring training slate next Sunday at Minnesota in cross-town Hammond Stadium.
