Struggling southpaw still listed as Red Sox’s No. 5 starter

WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (AP) – Before he became manager of the Boston Red Sox, Grady Little came to spring training here three times. It was enough experience to tell him the clouds in the west meant rain and lots of it.

Sure enough, two hours after Little, perched on a golf cart outside Boston’s clubhouse, scanned the horizon and predicted fans at Chain of Lakes Park wouldn’t see a game Friday, the skies opened up and washed out what Little hoped would be the game where struggling left-hander Casey Fossum turned around his spring.

“I’d like to see him get a good outing where he can get his confidence back up to where it has been and where it should be,” Little said. “Right now the kid’s been really struggling with that part of his game. He just needs a little bit of that lift in his confidence and the only way you’re going to get that is to have a successful day out there on the mound.”

That will have to wait until Saturday. Little said Fossum would likely pitch against Philadelphia in Fort Myers, and he would bump scheduled starter Tim Wakefield to a Triple A game.

“What’s important for Wakefield is for him to get his work,” Little said.

With both Pedro Martinez and the Red Sox keeping mum on the dispute over his contract extension, and Little keeping quiet about precisely how he’ll handle the logjam of players he has at first and third base, Fossum’s struggles have become one of the bigger stories in the Red Sox’s camp this spring.

Fossum, mostly because of trouble controlling his fastball, is 1-2 with a 16.20 ERA, numbers that have already prompted a barrage of questions about whether Boston was right to refuse to give up Fossum in a possible trade with Shea Hillenbrand for Bartolo Colon.

Little doesn’t think it’s a question of pressure.

“I think that’s unwarranted,” Little said. “People can think what they want. It might have a little bit

to do with it, but I don’t think it has

all to do with it.”

Fossum also has Robert Person, a former starter in Philadelphia, breathing down his neck, though Person is still recovering from arm surgery and probably isn’t ready to start. He may join the team after an extended spring training to build up his strength.

Little has said the fifth starting spot is Fossum’s, and he wouldn’t even discuss at what point he might be in danger of losing the job.

“We’re not thinking to that point yet. That’s a little bit more negative than we want to be about Casey,” Little said. “We feel like this kid’s got a lot of success in his background. We feel like this kid’s going to be able to do a lot for us.”

Fossum could still get three more outings this spring. He’s now scheduled to pitch Friday, once midweek and then next Sunday in Boston’s final exhibition game in Atlanta.

“We’re just trying to get him to relax and have a little fun out there,” Little said. “He’s having a little trouble doing that right now, but it’s spring training. It’s really no different than Derek Lowe a little bit earlier in spring training. He hasn’t had the most comfortable of spring trainings either.”

Notes: Red Sox reliever Matt White tossed some Friday. He’s nursing a tweaked back muscle, and Little said he can’t be sure when White will next pitch. … Nomar Garciaparra and Manny Ramirez didn’t travel to Winter Haven on Friday. … Julio Zuleta, Earl Snyder, Damian Jackson and Lou Merloni were all in the lineup. Little has said he’ll start going with a more regular starting lineup next week, and extend the innings of the position players he’ll be using regularly. … INF Snyder, OF/1B/DH Zuleta and OF Lou Collier were reassigned to minor league camp. … Boston added seven players to its minor league roster, but Little remains tight-lipped about major league roster decisions. “Pedro’s going to pitch,” was all he said Friday, a joking reference to ace Pedro Martinez. Some decisions are expected early next week.

AP-ES-03-21-03 1747EST