Matt Clement is pitching to live hitters again.

But the 33-year-old Butler native isn't pitching in live games. And he may never be pitching for the Boston Red Sox again.

Nearly a year into his shoulder surgery of late September, 2006, Clement has been working extensively with Red Sox rehabilitation coordinator Scott Waugh and recently threw 20 pitches off the mound to batters Kevin Cash and Brandon Moss before Boston's scheduled game with Toronto.

That session occurred after Clement threw 35 pitches in the bullpen and eight warm-up pitches off the mound.

"Probably the most since I had the surgery," Clement said on the Red Sox website.

But pitching in side sessions and in simulated games appears to be the extent of his 2007 season.

While the Red Sox are in the pennant race, Clement remains on the sidelines.

"I would love to pitch," he said on the website. "If I got one out that was meaningful in September, that would be great for me.

"Unfortunately, you've got to play the hand you're dealt. It's a 12-plus month recovery and I'm at 11 months (and two weeks) right now."

Clement's agent, Barry Axelrod, said his client is healthy enough to pitch in a major league game right now, even though the surgery that repaired damage to his labrum and rotator cuff generally takes 18 months to completely recover from.

"If Matt was pitching for the Devil Rays or some other team that's out of contention, he'd be getting some innings in,"Axelrod said. "You can't fault the Red Sox for going about their business and trying to win as many games as they can.

"Mastt would be rusty. They don't want to take a chance. Their focus is on getting into ther playoffs, which it should be."

Clement's contract with the Red Sox expires at the end of this season. Axelrod has not been contacted by the club about a new deal.

Since Clement underwent surgery, Boston has seen the emergence of John Lester as a viable starting pitcher, signed Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka and watched Clay Buchholz toss a no-hitter in his second major league start.

"I haven't heard from the Red Sox about a contract from Matt and I don't expect to,"Axelrod said. "Their No. 1 goal is getting other players ready to play games.

"They had a day set aside recently to work with Matt on the mound, but rain took him out of that. We're open to the idea of re-signing, but I would say those chances are unlikely at this point."

Clement hasn't pitched a big league game since June of 2006. He was 5-5 with a 6.61 erarned run average in 12 starts when the Red Sox shut him down for the year.

The organization thought rest might cure Clement's pitching woes and surgery was not decided upon until late September, when Clement visited orthopedic specialist Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, Ala.

"For quite a time, some people were wondering whether Matt was hurt as badly as it seemed,"Axelrod said. "Maybe there's some lingering effects from that ... They (Red Sox) seem OKwith having him move on and Matt seems OKabout moving on."

Free agency is all about timing. Clement was coming off two solid years with the Chicago Cubs — including a win in the NLCS — when he signed a lucrative three-year deal with Boston in 2005.

Now he's about to enter free agency again, not having pitched in a year and a half.

"(Houston's)Jeff Bagwell came off an MVPseason when he was a free agent and signed a long-term deal,"Axelrod said. "Matt's situation is very similar to that of another one of my clients, (current Pirate) Matt Morris.

"Morris was a free agent coming off arm surgery and we agreed to a one-year deal with St. Louis. He pitched well, proved himself, then got a nice contract with San Francisco. I see Matt Clement following a similar route."

Axelrod said Clement will be copmpletely healthy come spring training of 2008.

"The big thing now is he's been throwing hard, using all his pitches, and is feeling no pain after any of those sessions,"he said. "He has yet to miss any scheduled session bexcause of arm soreness or an inability to throw.

"Next year, Matt will join a team with which he feels comfortable, work with a pitching coach and staff he trusts, and prove that he's back. There's no doubt he'll be back."

Clement is 86-85 in 236 career major league starts.