Let the fun begin. The most anticipated baseball season in New England history is still more than a month away, but the Red Sox are back to work. Pitchers and catchers have been in Fort Myers for a week, and now the rest of the boys are back in town.

It was a good first week for the Sox in Fort Myers. This is a Big Payroll team loaded with Super Stars and Big Personalities, players we refer to on a first-name basis. Pedro. Normar. Manny. Curt.

Even the TV analyst is a cult hero. The Rem Dawg will be hitting the Sunshine State next week.

There was nothing minor about the scene at the Minor League Complex this week. The players came filing in, meeting with the southern outpost of the Boston media hoard. Martinez and Garciaparra held press conferences.

Ellis Burks got reacquainted with Red Sox Nation. Think he felt a little like Rip Van Winkle? The Sox have come a long way from Winter Haven.

Johnny Damon showed up looking like an extra from Mel Gibson’s movie about Jesus. Manny didn’t show up until the next day, and met with the key members of the Sox ownership group (while photographers snapped pictures through the sliding glass doors.)

Of course, all eyes (and ears) were on Pedro and Nomar, two members of the Big Four free-agents-to-be (along with Derek Lowe and Jason Varitek.) The Nation loves its players, but they want to know if the players are feeling the love.

Clearly, Nomar is not. “The priorities are obviously not for me,” said No. 5. “They’re obviously for someone else. That was pretty evident throughout this whole winter.”

Make no mistake, the Sox could still step up to the plate and keep Garciaparra in Boston over the long term. Talks are reportedly going on, but Nomar made it clear that he doesn’t have any concrete plans about his future in Boston.

Pedro seemed less perturbed by his uncertain future. “I’m pretty sure I’ll probably get a job with somebody else,” said Martinez.

Yes, he will. In fact, there’s probably a pinstriped uniform waiting for him in The Bronx. In fact, writers in New York are already speculating about Pedro joining the Yankees rotation in 2005, with Nomar playing second base (wouldn’t that be something – the three best shortstops in the American League sharing the same infield?)

The future is uncertain, that much is clear. Can I just make one suggestion? Don’t obsess over it. This team is a contender now, and 2004 promises to be a great summer to be a baseball fan in these parts. There are tough decisions facing the Red Sox brain trust, but those decisions are for the future. Right now, the toughest decision is whether Brian Daubach will make the club. When your question marks are centered around your 24th and 25th players, you’ve got a pretty good club.

Nomar feels jilted, Pedro is coming up with reasons why he feels disrespected. It’s Red Sox baseball, 2004 style.

You know what? It’s already a lot of fun to watch, isn’t it?

Lewiston native Tom Caron is a NESN studio host for Bruins and Red Sox telecasts.

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