A.L. report.(BASEBALL)

RHP Curt Schilling seemed to be ahead of his fellow RED SOX pitchers early in camp. He looked far more comfortable pushing off the rubber than he did last season, when he was coming off ankle surgery.... YANKIBES LHP Randy Johnson wants to throw more innings this spring. His goal is 27 to 30; he threw 21 2/3 last spring.... WHITE SOX manager Ozzie Guillen envisions DH Jim Thome batting third, 1B Paul Konerko fourth and RF Jermaine Dye fifth. Dye batted third last season, but Guillen likes Thome's on-base ability and power in front of Konerko and behind LF Scott Padsednik and SS Juan Uribe.... ATHLETICS catchers who have worked with LHP Barry Zito this spring say he is throwing harder than ever. Zito, whose fastball normally tops out at 91 mph, says velocity is overrated and insists he hasn't noticed an increase.... The ORIOLES are considering carrying three catchers so C Ramon Hernandez and C/1B/DH Javy Lopez can be in the lineup together. Geronimo Gil is the likely No. 3 catcher.... RHP Juan Rincon, the TWINS' main setup reliever, likely won't throw off a mound until next week as he continues to recover from elbow surgery. That could give young RHPs J.D. Durbin, Willie Eyre and Boof Bonser more opportunities in early exhibition games.... Eric Hinske will primarily be a right fielder when he plays for the BLUE JAYS. He likely will back up RF Alex Rios, who needs to play regularly to continue his development as a hitter.... 2B Fernando Vina has impressed MARINERS coaches with his hands and mobility. Vina, 36, missed most of 2004 and all of 2005 because of hamstring and knee injuries. He will push young 2B Jose Lopez this spring.... The RANGERS see RHP Joaquin Benoit as a remedy to the bullpen's problems. Benoit appears to have found a role as a setup reliever after struggling as a starter.... The INDIANS have made controlling the running game a spring priority. The club wants to reduce opponents' stolen bases (it allowed 103 last season) and have fewer runners taking extra bases when the ball is in play. Pitchers have taken extra ground balls and have been doing drills that focus on looking back runners before throwing to first.... At least two TIGERS pitchers are working with expanded repertoires. RHP Franklyn German again is throwing a ...