FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Gabe Kapler is confident he can do a good job filling in for injured Trot Nixon. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein shares his optimism.

With Nixon sidelined until early May with a mild herniated disc, Kapler, Boston’s fourth outfielder, will play more than he expected.

“I played (right field) pretty extensively (at) different times of my career so I don’t, by any means, feel anything but excitement about playing right field,” Kapler said. “I will, if given the opportunity, perform well.”

First baseman Kevin Millar also will spend time in right field.

He played the outfield with Florida, where he spent four years before joining Boston before last season.

Ellis Burks, Boston’s right-handed designated hitter, also is likely to see more playing time until Nixon returns.

“We have to suck it up and play without Trot for a month,” Epstein said, “but if we can’t withstand that, we’re probably not a championship club anyway.”

“Those at bats for a month will fall to Gabe Kapler and Ellis Burks and that’s something we’re very comfortable with.”

Kapler reached the majors in 1997 with Detroit, playing seven games. He had at least 400 at bats the next three years, one with Detroit and two with Texas.

He played for Texas and Colorado in 2002 and appeared in 39 games for Colorado in 2003 before signing with Boston as a free agent June 26.

Manager Terry Francona was bench coach in 2002 with Texas while Kapler was there and knew him when both were with Detroit.

“I remember when he was a kid with the Tigers when I was over there as a coach,” Francona said. “He’s never going to shortchange you on effort.”

Kapler is 11-for-32 in spring training with 19 total bases, second most on the team. He has three doubles, a triple and a homer.

Last season he played right field when Nixon missed 13 of the last 18 regular-season games with a calf strain. He finished the season for Boston with a .291 batting average, four homers and 23 RBIs in 68 games.

Millar, who doesn’t have Kapler’s speed, also is confident about playing right field, where he started Friday.

“That’s fine. I did a lot of that (12 games) last year,” he said. “I played a lot of right field in Florida. … This team’s not going to skip a beat.”

Notes:Pitching coach Dave Wallace was pessimistic about RHP Byung-Hyun Kim being ready for the regular season. Kim has been sidelined with inflammation behind his right shoulder and is to be evaluated Saturday. “It’s going to be difficult” for him to get his first start, as originally planned, on April 8, Wallace said. … The news was better on RHP Ramiro Mendoza, sidelined all spring training with an abdominal strain. He threw 35 pitches in batting practice Friday. Wallace said he will appear in a game early next week. … RHP Reynaldo Garcia, who appeared in 17 games with Texas last season, had arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his right elbow on Thursday in Boston. He’s not expected to throw again for four to six weeks.

AP-ES-03-19-04 1918EST