FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Mike Lowell was an expensive throw-in coming off a mediocre season when the Red Sox took him so they also could get pitcher Josh Beckett from Florida.

Now the third baseman is a keeper.

After an offseason in which his name was mentioned in trade talks, Lowell is happy to be starting his second season with Boston, especially after the moves the team did make.

“I’ve been in a lot of rumors all the way through the minor leagues and in my career, so I kind of take it as part of the business,” Lowell said. “I’m glad things worked out the way they did. I’m looking forward to a good season and we’ve got a really good team this year.”

In the trade before last season, Beckett was the big catch. The Marlins, unloading most of their high-priced players, also wanted the Red Sox to take Lowell and the $18 million in the remaining two years of his contract. Eager to get Beckett, Boston agreed.

Lowell was coming off his worst offensive season, a career-low .236 batting average with eight homers and 58 RBIs in 500 at bats.

“He’s not a dumb guy,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “He knew. He heard everything about getting Beckett. I think he felt like he had a lot to prove. I don’t think we felt that way.”

Lowell put up much better numbers last season – a .280 average, 20 homers and 80 RBIs. An outstanding fielder throughout his career, he made only six errors, his fewest in seven seasons.

“A guy like Mike, you get more than the numbers,” Francona said. “He plays the game correctly, every inning, every day. Hurt, not hurt. … He’s a pro’s pro.”

Lowell expects to be more comfortable and play better this year after familiarizing himself with AL pitchers after seven seasons in the NL.

“At least I have some at bats off guys like that,” he said. “It helps me and, hopefully with the team we’ve got, if we stay healthy, we have a very balanced lineup.”

The Red Sox began last season with three starting infielders in their first year with the team. Two of them, second baseman Mark Loretta and shortstop Alex Gonzalez, left after the season as free agents when the team showed little interest in them. They’ve been replaced by Dustin Pedroia at second and Julio Lugo at shortstop.

“Lugo adds a little bit more offense than Alex does. I think Alex was a little bit more of defensive wizard,” Lowell said. “I actually like the way Dustin swings the bat, but we’ll see how quickly he can adjust.”

One player who wanted to be traded after the season is still with Boston, but he’s not in camp yet.

The Red Sox said they gave left fielder Manny Ramirez permission to report March 1, the day after the first exhibition game, for personal reasons involving his mother’s health. Boston pitcher Julian Tavarez said she had surgery.

Ramirez also reported late to spring training a year ago and has asked to be traded several times.

“I’d like to see him here March 1 and be on board with everyone else and have a good year with us,” Lowell said.

Is he upset that Ramirez plans to show up late?

“Not when your owner says it’s OK,” he said. “It’s like (former Dallas Cowboys coach) Jimmy Johnson says. If Troy Aikman falls asleep in the video (session) he’ll nudge him and tell him to wake up. If a second-team, special teams guy falls asleep, he cuts him.”

Lowell said Ramirez works very hard, is “one of the guys” on the team bus and continues to hit extremely well.

“He could eat four bananas and a slice a pizza before every game,” Lowell said. “If it makes him hit that way, you’ll see a lot of guys eating four bananas and a slice of pizza.”

Notes: Mike Timlin, who turns 41 on March 10, cut his batting practice throwing short when his left side tightened after about 15 pitches.

He threw one more, then stopped. “I just thought it cramped up and figured it would go away in a second,” he said. “It was still there, so I just shut it down.” Pitching coach John Farrell said “he’s responded favorably.” … Timlin is expected to relieve starter Curt Schilling in Wednesday night’s exhibition opener against Minnesota. Others slated to pitch that game are Julian Tavarez, Joel Pineiro, Brendan Donnelly, J.C. Romero, Bryan Corey and Runelvys Hernandez.