FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Closer Keith Foulke reiterated on Saturday that he will be in the Boston Red Sox bullpen for Opening Day.

“I’m confident in how I feel and with the work that I’ve done in live batting practice and bullpen sessions,” Foulke said after throwing a simulated inning to minor league hitters for just the second time this spring and first time since March 10. “

“I have no reservations about being ready for Opening Day.”

Foulke threw 21 pitches, 12 for strikes, to four minor leaguers and reported no pain in either of his surgically repaired knees.

Foulke, 33, had surgery on his left knee last July and right knee surgery last fall.

He has had three injections of the joint lubricant Synvisc in his right knee this spring and will have a third and final injection in his left knee today.

“I can throw how I want to throw with no restrictions,” Foulke said.

With Jason Varitek behind the plate and calling balls and strikes, Foulke’s first six pitches were out of the strike zone.

However, he threw some sharp changeups and breaking balls during the remainder of the session.

Foulke said he will throw another simulated inning today, take a day off on Monday, and resume throwing again on Tuesday.

He said he will probably play in his first exhibition game on either Wednesday or Thursday, see action in four or five spring training games overall, and envisions working back-to-back outings at some point before the Red Sox open the season April 3 at Texas.

“Opening Day is no problem,” Foulke said, “unless something unforeseen happens.”

Meanwhile, Varitek and reliever Mike Timlin returned to Red Sox camp after competing for Team USA in the inaugural World Baseball Classic.

Both said they enjoyed the experience but were disappointed that the Americans were eliminated after a 2-1 loss to Mexico on Thursday night.

“The experience of being on a team with those guys and putting the red, white and blue on was awesome,” Timlin said. “But I am glad to be back here in camp.”

Varitek kept in touch with pitching coach Al Nipper and first base coach Bill Haselman and also kept tabs on his Red Sox teammates through daily box scores while he was gone.

“It was an awesome, awesome experience,” he said. “I think the U.S. can learn a lot from it and be even better prepared the next go round.”

Timlin, who threw 2 1-3 innings in the tournament, reported feeling a tired arm toward the end, and said Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein called WBC GM Bob Watson to ask that Timlin be shut down for the remainder of the tournament.

Timlin said he felt fine after a bullpen session on Saturday.

Timlin and Varitek said they lobbied Team USA teammate Roger Clemens to close his career with the Boston, the team he broke into the majors with in 1984.

“I told him we had a good team,” Timlin said. “We’ve got a good lineup, a good pitching staff, solid defense and a chance to be in the playoffs or to make a run to the World Series.”