BUTLER TWP — Matt Clement leaves today for spring training in Fort Myers, Fla. — a different spring training from any he's experienced before.

"I pray every day for patience because I know I'm going to need plenty of it,"the Boston Red Sox pitcher and Butler native said.

"Every other season, I've gone down there preparing to pitch. Now I'm going down there just trying to get healthy. The first two weeks are going to be brutal."

Clement, 32, underwent surgery to repair a damaged labrum and rotator cuff in his shoulder in late September. He is not permitted to throw until March 1.

"The usual time frame is six months after this surgery before they let you throw again,"Clement said. "That would be April 1, so I'm a month ahead of schedule in that sense.

"That doesn't mean I'll be back pitching any earlier. If I can come back in late July, great, but the realistic best-case scenario is sometime in August or September.

"Generally, it takes 12 months from the time of surgery for the arm and shoulder to be fully healthy again,"Clement added.

Since late September, Clement has gone to the North Hills Orthopedic Sports and Physical Therapy facility from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. for rehabilitation work each Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

He also spends two days a week at home doing the same exercises on his own.

"It's a lot of stretching and regaining range of motion,"Clement said. "I've got total range of motion back, which is critical because that's what creates speed when you throw.

"I've never worked so hard on one spot on my body in my life."

Clement's re

hab process has been closely monitored by Red Sox assistant trainer Mike Reinold, who has worked closely with Dr. James Andrews, who performed the surgery on Clement, on similar cases before.

"Mike's been through this process with other pitchers,"Clement said. "I'm fortunate that way. He and Dr. Andrews will determine when I return to the mound."

Clement was 5-5 with a 6.61 earned run average in 12 starts last year before his season was shut down in early June.

Sporting an 87-86 record with a 4.47 ERA, he has 1,217 strikeouts in 1,412 innings, all as a starter.

He's willing to do relief work to get back on the field quicker — and to help the Red Sox in a pennant race.

"If throwing an inning at a time is the way to go, I'll do it,"Clement said. "But I'm going to be careful about this. I've had no setbacks yet since the surgery, but they can still happen.

"If I come back too soon and get hurt again, it's of no use to anyone. I'd rather miss the entire season than to do that."

Clement is in the final year of a three-year contract with the Red Sox. He will be a free agent after the 2007 season.

As long as he does not reinjure himself, Clement will have had 18 months of postsurgery time entering spring training of 2008.

"I'll be ready to help somebody,"he said. "I'm sure there will be teams interested because I'll be coming as a bargain. I know nobody's going to offer me a five-year deal, but somebody will be willing to take a chance on me.

"To get a chance to pitch in the major leagues ... anyone who's interested in me, I'll be interested in them."

Including the Pirates.

"Healthy, unhealthy, during the season or off-season, I'm always asked that question by people,"Clement said. "I can't predict the future, but I've always said I'd like to pitch for them at some point before my career is over."