FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) – Pokey Reese’s face lights up like a child with a new present.

He looks across the aisle at the lockers of three batting champions and a teammate who was third in the AL in slugging percentage last year. He raves about the sinkerballs from Boston’s pitchers, who will give him plenty of grounders to field.

And his smile never goes away.

“How can you have a negative attitude coming in here?” the new Red Sox second baseman said Thursday. “American League East, playing the Yankees 19 times, going to Boston, 39,000 people every day. So how could you not get excited?”

So what if Reese’s enthusiasm led him to overestimate the capacity of Fenway Park, which is officially 36,298. His excitement matches that of the fans.

“It just feels like being drafted again, coming in here with all these all stars and being a part of the Boston organization,” he said. “It’s a dream come true.”

Reese won two Gold Gloves in the NL and thinks he can improve his hitting by watching batting champs Nomar Garciaparra, Manny Ramirez and Bill Mueller, plus David Ortiz, who led the team in slugging.

This is Reese’s second stint with the Red Sox, although the first lasted only two days and “I actually didn’t even get a hat.”

After five years with Cincinnati, he was traded to Colorado and then to Boston, both after the 2001 season. Two days later, he became a free agent when the Red Sox didn’t offer him a contract, which would have made him eligible for salary arbitration.

So he spent two years with Pittsburgh and, when he became a free agent again, he signed a one-year, $1 million contract with Boston.

“There were definitely quality clubs that were offering him what I would term as significantly more money,” said his agent, Mike Nicotera.

Reese said he feels fine after a torn thumb ligament limited him to 37 games and a .213 batting average last year.

He replaces second baseman Todd Walker, who had an outstanding offensive season. But Boston was baseball’s best hitting team and needed fielding help. Now Reese and Garciaparra make up an outstanding double-play combination.

“We can work wonders,” Reese said. “Nomar’s an all-star and I have two gold gloves.”

For Garciaparra, it means getting used to another second baseman after working with Rey Sanchez in 2002 and Walker last year.

“They’ve all been great,” Garciaparra said. “I’ve enjoyed every single one I’ve played with and Pokey’s another one everybody’s going to be excited about.”

Reese, a .251 career hitter with 41 homers and 138 stolen bases in seven seasons, could benefit from the wide gap in right-center at Fenway.

“If I can just concentrate on hitting the ball to right-center, I’m going to run for days,” he said.

His speed and defense, which should keep more balls from going through the infield, provide balance to a team with powerful hitters and outstanding pitchers. And his upbeat personality fits well in a locker room full of them.

“It’s a family and you don’t get that everywhere,” Reese said.

Besides stopping grounders, he knows his job is to hit line drives and use his speed to get on base. And, of course, to help beat the New York Yankees.

Reese played with Aaron Boone at Cincinnati and was rooting against him in the 11th inning of Game 7 of the AL championship series. But Boone’s homer gave New York a 6-5 win in 11 innings.

“I really wanted him to strike out,” Reese said. “I was hoping the Red Sox would win because I don’t care too much for the other team. You just get tired of seeing them.”

He’ll see them a lot more this season.

“In this lineup, in the American League East, playing against the Yankees,” Reese said, “What more would I want?”

Notes:Manager Terry Francona said Thursday Pedro Martinez will be his starter in the season opener, a night game April 4 at Baltimore. “It’s no big secret,” Francona said after confirming the obvious. … Curt Schilling was excused from Thursday’s workout to handle a personal matter. … The Red Sox returned to practice after a daylong rain limited hitters to the batting cages Wednesday. … Closer Keith Foulke threw after suffering a mild calf strain several days ago. Francona has said the injury won’t set him back.

AP-ES-02-26-04 1558EST