Back from Ft. Myers and a first look at Sox 2011 version, pitchers, catchers, some minor league positional players and a couple of early big boy arrivals, Pedroia and Youk....With a cloudless sky, temps in the upper 60s and the slightest of breezes about 300 fans mingled b/t the 5 fields. Some obervations at this early date;

It's already been reported that Beckett, Lackey and Dice K look slimmer....but so does (how can this be?) Buchholz. Pedroia has slimmed down a lot (another guy that was not heavy last year--either that or his pants were a couple of sizes too big) and Youk looks to be in very good condition...less doughy. Youk, Pedroia and Salty were hammering the ball consistently. After every liner that did not leave the field, Youk was razzing Kalish who was trying to run down the balls in center. Iglesias looks more rugged/physically mature than last year and actually knocked 4-5 out as well as spraying some nice opposite field liners. He made a beautiful, seemless backhand flip from his glove to Tejeda on double play work. Iglesias displayed a very good arm on throws to first. Zzziipp! I didn't recogize Tejeda at first because he too looks much bigger. He parked one ball over the left center fence across the adjoining road and into the top of a tree..big fly. I know he is being moved from short to second but I could see him at third down the line based on his developing physique. Reddick was on everything and Linares hit pretty well too. Unfortunately I was at another field when Kalish and Lars hit...Theo was hanging around the batting cage casually observing as was Peter Gammons.