Corey covets stability Reliever eyes berth in Red Sox bullpen

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FORT MYERS, Fla. – If there was some kind of award handed out at the end of spring training for determination and patience, picking the winner might be Terry Francona’s easiest managerial move all year.

Bryan Corey is the poster boy for refusing to give up on a dream, and after 13 seasons of doing just that, he’s hoping luck and timing will be on his side for a change.

The 34-year-old relief pitcher has been a professional baseball player since the Detroit Tigers selected him in the 12th round of the 1993 first-year player draft. It’s bad enough he has been unable to make an opening day big league roster in 12 straight spring training camps, but fate had to twist the knife a little bit along the way.

“It’s funny. I always seem to stick around a lot before going,” said the Mesa, Ariz., native. “In ’02, I was the last player sent out, and in ’03 I was the last pitcher cut by the Dodgers. In ’04, I was the last guy cut by the Cubs.

“It’s nice to be around and get a good look, but after 12 big league camps, I’d like to see what it’s like to have it go the other way and have that conversation with the coaches be about making the team.”

Maybe the 13th time will bring some good luck. It couldn’t hurt that he happens to occupy locker No. 31 in the Red Sox City of Palms Park home locker room.

“I never noticed that, but yeah, maybe that’ll turn my luck around,” said the 6-foot, 175-pound righthander.

The former position player-turned-persistent pitcher has been making his own luck so far in spring training and doing a lot to make Francona’s decisions on cutdowns and pitching even more difficult.

“I think if Bryan was 6-3, he’d have five years in the major leagues. He’s not 6-3, but we don’t want to lose him,” Francona said. “We think he’s pretty good, as I think was evidenced last year.”

Ah, last season – yet another in which fate found a way to tantalize Corey, who appeared in nine games for Boston, pitching 9 1/3 innings.

“He got in a situation last year where we couldn’t call him up because if we did and then had to send him down, we couldn’t,” Francona explained. “That put him in a dilemma, and we told him that.

“Now he’s worked himself into a situation where we have to make a decision where somebody else can take him and what I hope is it’s good for us. Either way it’s good for him, but I hope nobody takes him.”

In 2006, he worked 21 2/3 innings in 16 appearances for Boston. He went 1-0 with a 4.57 ERA and 20 hits, seven walks and 15 strikeouts.

“The way Tito’s used me the last two years when I’ve been up is pretty much at any time in the game,” said Corey. “It doesn’t matter to me what the situation is to me because I’ve faced so many situations in my career, they’re all pretty much the same to me. It’s kind of like being a utility player on the mound.”

So far this season, Corey is 0-0 with a 1.80 ERA in four appearances. He has allowed three hits and one walk in five innings.

Since being traded to the Red Sox by Texas in 2006, Corey has started his longest run with one organization since Arizona ended his three-year run with Detroit by taking him in the 1997 expansion draft. He was with seven organizations between 1997 and 2004.

“People have asked me why I’m still playing. I still believe I can still get guys out in the big leagues,” said Corey, who has been married for 81/2 years and has a 41/2-year-old daughter. “If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t be playing. So if someone still believes in me, I know I believe in myself, so I stick with it.”

While not translating into an opening day roster spot yet, that conviction has rewarded Corey in a unique way: a World Series championship ring.

“It’s been frustrating. I asked to be traded numerous times, but they wouldn’t do it. Then, all of a sudden, I got a ring,” he said. “For me to end up with a ring at this point in my career, I’m really thankful.”

And even more hopeful.

“I’d really like to be a part of that ceremony because it would mean a lot more to me to be there in Fenway and that atmosphere, but more importantly because it means I made the team,” he said. “It would be so much better than having it sent to me in the mail.”

First thing on Moss’ agenda

Outfielder Brandon Moss, rated one of Boston’s top 10 prospects, is trying out a new glove – and a new position – this spring.

Moss is working out at first base in an effort to increase his versatility and enhance his chances of getting called up to the big leagues.

“It’s definitely a new experience for me this year, but I’m enjoying it and I’m trying to do the best I can to get better at it as quickly as I can,” said the 24-year-old prospect who played two seasons (2005-06) for the Portland Sea Dogs. “It’s starting to come to me. At first it feels comfortable because you don’t really know what you’re doing and then you start really trying to learn, so it gets uncomfortable.”

Don’t look for Moss to start playing infield regularly anytime soon.

“I’m still an outfielder, but this is one way to increase my versatility and value,” said Moss, who played infield in high school and was drafted out of Loganville (Ga.) High School as a third baseman/shortstop.

“I think they’re pleased with my progress, but I’ve got a long way to go,” he said. “It’s so hard. It’s such a big glove and instead of just taking everything and following it in, you just kind of grab it with a first baseman’s glove.”

Regardless, Moss is sticking with it, and he’s as hard on himself as his coaches.

“I don’t want to be a guy who can just be thrown in there and block balls,” he said. “I don’t want to be any kind of liability so I’m not going to take it lightly.”

Kolb out of the fold

Less than four years ago, Dan Kolb was a Major League All-Star relief pitcher who set a then-team record for saves with the Milwaukee.

This spring, the man who converted 60 of 67 save opportunities for the Brewers in 2003 and 2004 has been trying to earn a spot on a big league roster after signing a minor league free agent contract with the Red Sox.

“I signed here because I know a lot of the staff members and it was a chance to go to the World Series. If you get that opportunity, you should take it,” said the 33-year-old right-handed sinkerball specialist. “I’ve been playing 13 years and eventually you know your day’s going to come and it’s getting closer all the time.”

That day got a little closer Wednesday as Red Sox manager Terry Francona informed Kolb that he wouldn’t be making the 25-man roster.

“Sometimes you’re asked to compete before you’re really ready to,” Francona said. “I think he just needs more command and to get that ball to where it’s going to sink again and we didn’t see that in camp so that’s why we had to make the move. He understood.

“We also spoke to [infielders Joe] Thurston and [Keith] Ginter, but they’re going to stay here until we leave.”

Normally, Francona would wait another week before doing anything, but the timetable has been moved up due to the team’s March 19 regular season-opening trip to Japan.

“We don’t want guys coming in not knowing what their status is because there’s some angst and anxiety there being just a week away,” he explained. “So we’ll try to approach the next couple of days that way and talk to people as much as we can.”

Injury update

Francona held his usual informal conference with reporters in the Red Sox dugout Wednesday and provided an update on the injured Josh Beckett, Julio Lugo and Coco Crisp.

“Josh had a little bit of a work day yesterday, which was good. He showed up today and felt some stiffness, which hopefully is from work, but he’s doing OK,” Francona said. “The big thing I stress to him is the timetable for him is there is no timetable. It’s when he’s healthy and he understands that.”

Francona had more upbeat information on the other two injured players.

“Lugo went out and did some stuff in the cage. The timing was so he could do that and go right into stretching,” he said. “The timing is if he plays here this soon and he’s ok, he can go play.

“Coco swung from both sides, but still feels it a little bit when he’s right-handed. Everything for him so far has been in the training room. He hit off the tee.”

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