BOSTON -- Bryce Florie's arm is ready and his eyesight has
improved, but he might not know if he is ready to return to
baseball until he fields his first grounder back to the mound.
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Four months after his eye socket was broken by a line drive, the
Red Sox reliever is heading south to get a head start on spring
training. He was scheduled to leave Boston on Friday and begin
working out at the team's complex in Fort Myers, Fla., about a
month before the rest of his team reports.
"The eye still is bad. But the doctors have given me the OK to
see what I can do," he said Thursday before the annual awards
dinner for the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association
of America. "Next weekend, I'll be playing ball again."
Florie broke his eye socket and cheekbone when he was hit by a
line drive off the bat of Ryan Thompson of the New York Yankees.
Florie fell on his stomach, kicked his legs, then rolled over and
sat up with blood dripping from his face.
Although doctors at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary were
pessimistic at first, swelling in Florie's right eye has subsided
and the blood has cleared. He has been working out at his home in
Charleston, S.C. to stay in shape.
"I've talked about (being ready for spring training) since the
day it happened," he said. "I will be a relief to get started
again. I'm confident that, as hard as I know I will work, it will
be OK."
Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez said seeing Florie return will be an
emotional boost to the teammates who recoiled in fear at the
injury. As a pitcher, Martinez knows that he is helpless against a
sharply hit come-backer.
"We all have flashes of panic about balls being hit up the
middle," said Martinez, who was to receive his third Cy Young
Award at the dinner. "We think about it, but we try not to get it
in our minds."
More than 1,000 people were expected to crowd the hotel ballroom
for the 62nd annual dinner. Among the attractions were Martinez,
shortstop Nomar Garciaparra and new Boston outfielder Manny
Ramirez.
Former Negro leagues star Buck O'Neill was to receive the
prestigious Judge Emil Fuchs Memorial Award for long and
meritorious service to baseball. Boston pitcher Kent Mercker and
Tampa Bay pitcher Tony Saunders, the Tony Conigliaro Award for
overcoming adversity.
Florie was 0-4 with a 4.56 ERA and one save in 29 relief
appearances before the injury.
He has had his contact lenses refitted, and the vision has
returned to about 20-60. Looking at his face, there is no
indication of the gruesome accident that nearly blinded him on
Sept. 8.
He said he's been able to run and work out as he does every
winter. But he feels like he has to learn to see over again.
Three months ago he was having trouble catching easy tosses
while playing catch with friends. Even now, the glare when he
drives at night bothers him more than it used to; he has asked
pitching coach Joe Kerrigan to use him in night games to test his
vision right away.
"The pitching part will take care of itself," Florie said.
"I'm not the only guy that's ever been hit. And I've been hit
before. My brother got in a car accident a few months ago and he
was scared to turn left."
And if he's called upon to bat?
"I could hit," Florie joked. "I could strike out just like I
could with two good eyes."
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