FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – The Red Sox rotation is missing three major assets from last season: Pedro Martinez, Derek Lowe – and perfect health.

What’s left after losing those free agents hasn’t been impressive recently.

David Wells and Tim Wakefield each gave up six runs in their last spring training start, but manager Terry Francona keeps finding a bright side.

“I love that he gave up a lot of hits,” Francona said of Wells, an indication that the left-hander had good control Wednesday with pitches close to the plate.

After Wakefield’s outing on Tuesday, Francona said, “It was kind of a struggle for him. I’m not sure that’s always so bad. He got a lot of work. He turned a 1-6-3 double play. He made a throw to third. He fielded a bunt. He covered the plate. He about covered it all. He definitely worked up a sweat.”

Wells and Wakefield are critical to Boston’s early success since two other starters won’t be ready for the season. Curt Schilling is expected to miss up to two weeks after an offseason regimen slowed by ankle surgery and Wade Miller could miss a month coming back from a shoulder injury.

Last season, none of Boston’s pitchers missed a start because of injury. Francona said the attention the team pays to each pitcher’s particular physical needs helps keep them healthy.

“We have a little different view of things” than other teams by putting their rehabilitation coordinator, Chris Correnti, in charge of pitchers’ conditioning, Francona said.

The Red Sox don’t rush their pitchers back or risk losing them at a more critical time of the season.

Even though Schilling’s right ankle and arm feel fine, and he was extremely encouraged after pitching three innings in a minor-league game in Monday, he’ll throw three to four innings in another one Friday. That means he’ll have time for just one exhibition start against a major league opponent.

In his last two starts last season, a hobbling Schilling was outstanding in Game 6 of the AL championship series against New York and in Game 2 of the World Series against St. Louis.

“From when he took the mound against the Yankees, we had a feeling that he was going to pay the price a little bit,” Francona said. “He’s now on schedule to come back probably 10 days, two weeks into the season. We’re going to have him healthy.”

Miller didn’t pitch after going on the disabled list last June 26 with Houston with a frayed rotator cuff. But he was pleased after throwing 25 pain-free warmup pitches and 27 in his first batting practice session Wednesday.

“We’ve made a lot of progress the last few weeks,” he said. “I’m excited. It was good. It was better than what I anticipated.”

He’ll start the season on the disabled list but will stay with the team so he can continue working with Correnti. He’d leave the team for any games he pitches in extended spring training in Florida.

“We knew when we signed Wade Miller that it was a project to get him healthy,” Francona said. “I think right now it’s going very well.”

With several days off, Boston only needs four starters in its first 11 games. Schilling could get his first start in the 12th game against Tampa Bay on April 17.

Bronson Arroyo has been Boston’s best starter with a 2.87 ERA in four exhibition outings. Matt Clement has had some good outings but has a 5.54 ERA in four games.

The 41-year-old Wells and the 38-year-old Wakefield are scheduled to pitch two big games, both against the Yankees – Wells on opening day April 3 and Wakefield in the home opener April 11.

Wells has a 7.50 ERA in three starts and gave up 10 runs and 21 hits in 12 innings. He gave up just two runs in the first five innings of Wednesday’s 6-1 loss to Baltimore then allowed four in the sixth.

“I’m just building up stamina to go out there and last on a day like this,” he said. “It’s hot, sticky. I’m not a big day (game) guy like that, but to get through it and not feel fatigued at all, that’s a pretty good sign.”

One day earlier, Wakefield hoped to pitch five innings but left after 3 2-3. He gave up six runs on nine hits and Cincinnati won 6-4.

“The positive thing out of this is I got my pitch count up to 85 and I feel physically good and I didn’t really feel tired,” he said. “I don’t like the results, but this is spring training and they don’t count.”

AP-ES-03-24-05 1520EST