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For J.D. Drew, signs look promising for the Red Sox

by SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer

TOKYO -- The season doesn't begin until Tuesday, but surely, J.D. Drew wishes it had begun already.
Drew capped a big weekend here with a grand slam in the sixth inning, leading the Red Sox to a 7-2 victory over the Yomiuri Giants in exhibition play. The grand slam came a day after Drew had homered Saturday against Hanshin, giving him two homers and seven RBI in the last two days.
``I've had a good spring,'' said Drew. ``I think I'm just going to try to keep a positive attitude, have good at-bats, try to pick up where I left off last year and have a good start to the season.''
``That was a pretty swing,'' said Terry Francona of Drew's blast. ``I hope it stays that way. He looks like the player (we want him to be).''

While most of the attention in the last week has been direction to Daisuke Matsuzaka, last night, Hideki Okajima found himself in the spotlight.
Returning to the ballpark where he pitched for a dozen years and facing his former team, Okajima pitched a scoreless seventh inning. His entrance into the game was greeted with a huge ovation and when he threw his first pitch, the cameras flashed.
``That was a great feeling -- pitching with the support of the fans,'' said Okajima, who joked that he was ready to retire after the reception he got. ``I was very happy. It was nice to be back.''
With one out in the seventh and a runner on, Francona was going to take him out after the second out was recorded so that Okajima could receive another ovation from the fans, but Okajima then got a double-play to end the inning and spoil the plan.
``That was neat,'' said Francona of the fans' reaction. ``We're very proud of him.''

Tim Wakefield was sharp in 5 2/3 innings. allowing two runs -- just one earned -- on five hits.
``I felt good,'' said Wakefield. ``Once I got out of the first, I settled down and threw a lot of strikes and did what I needed to do.''
Wakefield said he feels comfortable with new batterymate Kevin Cash, who replaces Doug Mirabelli as the the knuckleballer's personal catcher.
``(The switch) hasn't entered my mind,'' Wakefield said. ``Obviously, I miss Doug tremendously, but Kevin is doing a great job.''
Wakefield will next pitch next weekend in Los Angeles in an exhibition start against the Dodgers, then make his first regular season start in Toronto on the weekend of April 4-6.

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