FORT MYERS, Fla. — A strong case can be made that no one has faced the sort of career decisions that left-hander Andrew Miller has faced at such a young age. At just 25 (he turns 26 in May), the southpaw has faced three decisions that few have ever known.

–After the Rays drafted him out of high school in the third round of the 2003 draft, he was offered a major league contract that included a seven-figure bonus. He declined.

–After a singularly dominant college career, the left-hander further advanced his prospects. He was viewed as the top overall pick in the 2006 draft, but dropped for signability reasons. Though he was hoping to drop to the late-first round, where he thought the Yankees or Red Sox might take him, the Tigers took him with the No. 6 overall pick.

That, in turn, led to another major league contract offer straight out of college. Miller signed this one, in a decision that had huge implications for his development. The Tigers (and then the Marlins, who traded for him) had just four minor league options for the left-hander, meaning that he was in many respects rushed.

–In response to that career trajectory, when he became a free agent this offseason (after the Marlins traded him to the Sox, who, in turn, did not tender him a major league contract, thus giving him a chance to talk to all 30 big league clubs), Miller turned down offers of big league deals in order to sign a minor league contract with the Sox.

After having missed development on a rushed path to the majors in the early stages of his career, Miller chose to pursue minor league offers in hopes of avoiding any shortcuts while trying to fulfill his potential. Towards that end, the contract contains carefully crafted provisions meant to ensure he stays with Boston for the entire year, including a club option for 2012 that vests if he’s assigned to another club should he be added to the big league roster and then exposed to waivers in an effort to send him back down.

In signing this deal, Miller’s priority was not to be in the major leagues as soon as possible, but rather to have the sort of player development that will one day keep him there for the long haul.

“When I was 22 years old, I was like, ‘Forget development, get me out of here. I want to pitch in the big leagues,’” said Miller. “Hey, we all take different paths. This is where I’m at. … There’s no what-ifs about me throwing 500 innings in the minor leagues before I got to the big leagues. Shoot, I’ll never trade those experiences for anything.

“[But] being out of options, at this point in my career, look, I’ve experienced some pretty cool stuff. I’ve been in that situation where you need to make the team where they’re rushing you for different reasons.

“It just seemed to me like Boston’s the place that wanted me the most. They have the best resources. They were the right fit for me. They’re the right fit for a lot of people. That’s why everyone comes here.”

For more on Miller’s decisions and potential with the Sox, click here.

You can scratch another potential Yankee pitching target off the list as the Marlins have reportedly agreed to terms with Ricky Nolasco on a three-year contract extension worth $26.5 million. The deal locks up the core of the Marlins young staff with Josh Johnson signed for the next three seasons, as well.

There had been speculation that the Marlins might make Nolasco available if they couldn’t come to agreement on an extension.

David Ortiz believes the Marlins should have handled Hanley Ramirez' situation in a more private manner. (AP)

NEW YORK — Speaking prior to the Red Sox’ 7-6 win over the Yankees, Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, David Ortiz weighed in on the controversy surrounding his former teammate, Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Ramirez was benched by Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez after loafing after a ball Monday. The All-Star then proceeded to show little remorse, saying Tuesday, “We got a lot of people dogging after ground balls.”

“This is not about embarrassing the player that he is,” said Ortiz, who befriended Ramirez — a fellow native of the Dominican Republic — prior to the Red Sox trading the shortstop following the 2005 season. “Sometimes we might need to be reminded about things we do that we think is the right thing but it’s not. There are more eyes watching. But embarrassing you, or your embarrassing your manager or your teammates is not the right way to go.

“You say, ‘Son, let’s talk. What happened?’ That’s all it is. You’ve got people watching you. It’s not the right thing to do. Don’t do it. Slap on the hand.”

Ortiz, who said he will be calling Ramirez, doesn’t believe the 26-year-old’s actions should be ignored, but just handled in a more private manner.

“He’s a young kid who is very talented. Sometimes you sit down players who make a mistake and then people start pointing a finger at you. That doesn’t help,” Ortiz said. “He’s a great player. He might have done something wrong but you’re talking about the franchise kid. Why embarrass him? ‘Let’s talk. I don’t think what you did is right. You’re a grown-ass man. You’ve got to do your thing out there, so make sure that doesn’t happen anymore.’ ”

Ironically, Ortiz dealt with a similar situation Tuesday night when he failed to run hard out of the batter’s box after hitting a long fly ball to center field in the eighth inning. The ball dropped in for a hit, allowing the game-tying run to score, but Ortiz was thrown out at second base after attempting to stretch the hit into a double. After the game Ortiz admitted that he thought he had hit a home run.

“Oh, yeah, no question,” Ortiz said. “It was Mother Nature taking away pop from my bat.”

Asked if he was mad at himself for not running hard out of the batters box, Ortiz said, “Oh, yeah. What can you do. Turn the page.”

Red Sox manager Terry Francona chose to not comment on what was, or will be, said to Ortiz regarding the incident. “That’s kind of our business,” he said. “I don’t think that will happen anymore. It was a good swing.”

With 10 days left until the start of the regular season, people are getting anxious for answers.

Tim Wakefield made his sixth start of a highly successful spring, allowing three runs in six innings. Ordinarily, he would have a good sense of the kind of schedule he would be following at the start of the regular season. This year, however, he admitted that he has been given “zero” indication of when he would be pitching once the bell rings on the regular season.

“I’m very curious, not knowing,” Wakefield said. “Normally I kind of know what’s going on. I think they have some decisions to make. We’ll see what happens.”

That is because the Sox are still puzzling through how to proceed in light of their three off-days in the first 10 days of the regular season. In theory, the Sox don’t need a fifth starter until April 18 because of the manner in which the schedule is structured.

– While Wakefield wonders about the start of the regular season, Daisuke Matsuzaka had to content himself to begin his spring training build-up in earnest. For the first time of the spring, he pitched in a Grapefruit League game, allowing a run in two innings. He will next pitch on Monday, when he will throw three innings. He will be a couple weeks behind his fellow starters to being the year.

– With the season-opening rotation still being determined, the Sox have not yet formally identified their Opening Day starter. But an off-hand remark by manager Terry Francona seemed to confirm what had already seemed like a foregone conclusion.

– Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon had a different concern about timing. Chiefly, he was miffed that Major League Baseball is once again pushing to speed up the pace of games, and especially games between the Red Sox and Yankees. MLB officials have already talked about the concern they have for the opening series of the season between the two clubs. Papelbon considered such measures unnecessary.

“Have you ever gone to watch a movie and thought, ‘Man, this movie is so good I wish it would have never ended.’ That’s like a Red Sox-Yankees game,” Papelbon said. “Why would you want it to end?”

Asked about having to potentially watch a movie in 30-degree temperatures, the closer offered a solution, simply saying, “Bundle up and drink beer.”

For more of Papelbon’s thoughts on the matter, click here.

– Mike Lowell suggested that he is just now entering the period of games in which he must begin in earnest to get ready for the regular season. He is satisfied with his health at this stage of the spring, and believes he’s in position to prepare in earnest for meaningful games.

“I can’t say I’m disappointed where I am health-wise. I can’t say I’m disappointed at all,” Lowell said. “I was never really expecting from the hip standpoint to be flying around the bases, and I was expecting my thumb to heel, and both things worked out. Those were my two biggest concerns. I thought I would be playing in games earlier, but I understand the progression of why because I did feel fatigued in that first week. I’m not upset where I am.

“I always believed the last eight to 10 days is the most important. You kind of go through the motions in the first week when games start. You’re kind of feeling things out, getting your balance and working on things. Then I think the last week to 10 days it’s time to get in gear for the season. I think we’re starting that now.”

Lowell added that he feels no need to impress the Sox or scouts of opposing teams during spring training.

– One person who says that he does not need to be impressed by Lowell in spring training is Marlins manager Fredi Gonzalez. Gonzalez’ team has been rumored to harbor interest in acquiring Lowell. Gonzalez did nothing to dispel his team’s interest in bringing back the player who holds the Marlins franchise record for homers.

“He would be great for any team, including the Red Sox. I can’t say anything more than that because it would be considered tampering, but this guy is a good player,” Gonzalez said. “I know they’ve got another good player in [Adrian] Beltre. The Red Sox are lucky to have him if he stays there, and if they trade him whomever gets him gets a good player … if they trade him.”

For more, click here.

Mike Lowell

FORT MYERS, Fla. — Florida manager Fredi Gonzalez has known Mike Lowell for a long time.

“I think 1997 was the first time I’ve ever met him, and he was playing third base for the Norwich Navigators,” Gonzalez said prior to his team’s spring training with the Red Sox at City of Palms Park. “There was ‘Mike Lowell’ and they had a Spanish shortstop and I’m coaching third base and I see him turn around and say something in Spanish to the shortstop. I’m like, ‘Where did that come from?’ So the next time I said to him, ‘Mikey, you speak Spanish pretty good.’ He said, ‘I’m Cuban. I was born in Puerto Rico.’ Then in ’98 I saw him in Triple A because I was with Charlotte and he was with Columbus, and then in ’99 he was with us.”

So now, as rumors fly about Gonzalez’ team potentially being interested in acquiring Lowell, the manager has no problem evaluating the player. (Within major league guidelines, of course.)

“He would be great for any team, including the Red Sox. I can’t say anything more than that because it would be considered tampering, but this guy is a good player,” Gonzalez said. “I know they’ve got another good player in [Adrian] Beltre. The Red Sox are lucky to have him if he stays there, and if they trade him whomever gets him gets a good player … if they trade him.

Lowell, who isn’t playing against his former team but will man third base against Toronto Friday, was besieged by members of the Marlins media throughout the morning.

FORT MYERS, Fla. — On a day when they announced another series of cuts, the Red Sox have also added one player to big league camp. Third baseman Jorge Jimenez, who impressed the Marlins while in big league camp as a Rule 5 draftee, re-entered the Sox’ farm system, but is in major league camp. Jimenez, who arrived in the Sox clubhouse on Sunday and went 1-for-2 as a late-inning replacement in an exhibition contest on Monday, spoke positively of his experience.

“I didn’t make the team. That was my goal,” said Jimenez. “But other teams saw me play at the next level. I feel happy, and now I’m back, ready to work hard, try to make this team.”

Jimenez was taken by the Astros as a Rule 5 draftee and then traded to Florida to complete a deal for closer Matt Lindstrom. A Rule 5 draftee must stay on a big league roster all season or be offered back to the club from whom he was selected.

Though the Marlins thought highly of Jimenez, they felt that they would not be able to carry him on the active big league roster all year. As such, they returned him to Boston.

Still, Jimenez — who hit .289/.366/.424/.789 with 13 homers and 87 RBIs for Double-A Portland last year — made a positive impression, particularly with his defensive work at third base. The Marlins raved about Jimenez’ arm, describing it as at least plus.

“It was always one of my good tools,” said Jimenez. “I’ve always thrown hard, but when I was there, maybe because I was more excited, I was throwing harder.”

Jimenez was told that he would compete for the Marlins’ starting third base job, a prospect that was understandably thrilling for a player who had never played above Double-A. However, he was a bit disappointed to receive somewhat limited playing time. He went 3-for-18 with two doubles and three walks before the Marlins sent him back to the Red Sox.

“They didn’t give me an opportunity to show what I can do. With 18 at-bats, nobody knows what you can do,” he said. “[But] I’m still excited because of the experience.”

Now back with the Sox, Jimenez is hopeful that he will have a chance to continue to make a favorable spring impression on more organizations. Thanks to an unexpected invitation to participate in big league camp — including a chance to start at third base and then move over to play some first in Bradenton on Wednesday — he will have that opportunity.

The look could be more than cosmetic. Ken Rosenthal reported (via Twitter) that the Sox and Marlins discussed the possibility of a trade that would allow Jimenez to remain in Florida’s system. He could also have an opportunity to position himself for a call-up with the Sox should need arise, since the team’s prospect ranks are somewhat thin in the upper levels.

“I’m excited. I thought that I was going to go back straight to the minor leagues,” he said. “They gave me the opportunity to stay up here for a couple days. I’m still working hard. That’s what you’ve got to do.”

In a recent interview with radio station 790 The Ticket in Miami, Florida Marlins GM Michael Hill said that his club will not trade right-hander Josh Johnson this offseason. In comments relayed by MLB.com, Hill said that he could say “with certainty” that Johnson, who went 15-5 with a 3.23 ERA in 2009, will open the 2010 season in the Marlins rotation.

Johnson and the Marlins broke off discussions about a long-term deal this offseason. Though Johnson will not be eligible for free agency until after the 2011 season, his salary will escalate through the arbitration process in each of the next two years. As such, there appeared a chance that the Marlins might make the right-hander available in a trade, much as they did in the offseason following the 2005 season with Josh Beckett.

But, based on Hill’s comments, it would appear that the Marlins are more inclined to keep Johnson until at least the start of the season. That does not preclude the team from dealing him either during the season or next offseason, when his value would undoubtedly remain enormous. There is little question that if the 2009 All-Star is made available, that virtually every team in the majors — including the Red Sox — will investigate what it would take to acquire the right-hander.

“From the standpoint of Josh’s future, and how he fits, and how attractive he looks, no matter what his situation is, he’s a good player, and a good pitcher,” Hill told the radio station. “I don’t ever think there would be a shortage of teams that would want to have him on their team, and we’re very fortunate to have him as a member of the Marlins.”