FORT MYERS, Fla. – Here we go again.

Pitchers and catchers reported to camp yesterday, the long and winding road to the 2006 regular season underway. The rest of the roster – infielders, outfielders, and DH David Ortiz – won’t get here for another three or four days, but the answers to the biggest questions in Red Sox Nation will start to take shape now.

The troubles for last year’s team started in October of 2004, when Curt Schilling had to pitch on his now famous bloody ankle. It was a sacrifice he made to help end an 86-year championship drought. The Sox won it all, but Schilling essentially lost a year in the process.

Now, Big Schill is back, and looking better than ever. He’s lost weight, and has undergone the kind of full off-season regimen that he couldn’t go through last season.

“It’s a relief,” Schilling said in yesterday’s first meeting with the media. The once and future ace said he has one goal in mind for 2006.

“Two hundred and forty-five innings,” said Schilling. “That’s 35 starts, seven innings a start.”

If Schilling can do that, the Sox can accomplish great things this season. They’ve got plenty of question marks, to be sure, and Schilling is one of them. If he answers the call – all season – that question mark becomes an exclamation point.

“I’m ready to be good again,” said Schilling. “I don’t know what that means.”

We do. It means he’ll be one of the game’s elite pitchers. A man who won 21 games in that championship season, and believes he can be even better in the future.

“I’ve got two years’ learning under my belt,” he said. “I know more about myself. I could be a little better pitcher, potentially.

“This is the first time since April of 2004 that I have no physical limit on getting ready. I’m ready to take the ball on opening day. Throwing 120 pitches will not be something I’m concerned about.”

That’s all we can ask for, right now. In an off-season dominated by Toronto Blue Jays signings, Schilling still believes the Sox can be as good as anyone in the A.L. East.

“In our division, the team whose pitching staff stays off the disabled list will be on top at the end of the year,” said Schilling.

It’s not even the start of the year. The first workout of the preseason was Sunday. If hope springs eternal on Opening Day, the wellspring of that hope begins here in Fort Myers.

That wellspring – and the ace of the Red Sox staff – is gushing as spring training begins.

Lewiston native Tom Caron covers the Red Sox for NESN.