Pokey

Reese

The Red Sox expect Reese to miss about three weeks’ worth of action. When he returns to active duty in early August, he will have to fight for playing time not only with Mark Bellhorn but with newly-acquired Ricky Gutierrez as well.

Reese, on the 60-day DL, is on schedule in his recovery despite some lingering soreness. It is unclear when he will go on a rehab assignment, but a mid-August return is still within reach.

Reese, who had been sidelined for eight weeks with a strained oblique muscle, went 0-for-2 yesterday, but did reach base on a Jose Lopez throwing error. He will find playing time scarce from here on in.

He will likely start again tonight. Cabrera is due to return in time for Wednesday’s game.

“I’d love to return home, that’s still my team,” Reese said yesterday. “My friends are there —- Sean Casey, Austin Kearns, Adam Dunn and Dave Miley, who I played for at Class AAA Indianapolis for two years.” The Red Sox likely will have some interest in bringing Reese back, but if he can get a starting job elsewhere, he should go for it.

The Red Sox second baseman still has a few obstacles in his way before returning to active duty next month when rosters expand.

At the end of the season, Reese to Cincinnati seemed like one of the better bets of the winter. However, it appears that Reese is more interested in the scenario than O’Brien is. The Reds need to be thinking about a long-term shortstop, so they could go into the season with Felipe Lopez as the starter and Anderson Machado as the backup.

Reese will get a deal worth about $2 million if he passes a physical. This might be the second consecutive January in which the Mariners have spent more money in order to downgrade at shortstop. Reese is certainly a better defender than Lopez, but he hit .221/.271/.303 last season and .215/.271/.262 in limited action in 2003. $2 million is at least twice what he deserves.

''It felt OK, but after the workout it was a bit sore,’' Reese said. ''One more day of limited work, then I should be good for a full workout.’'

''I should be able to hit (today),’' Reese said. ''But it’s still sore, so I don’t know if they’ll want me doing the drills.’'