Boston reliever Atchison still competing for job

FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) - Scott Atchison returned from Japan so his daughter could get better treatment for a rare medical condition. He found a major league job as a bonus.

Now he's trying to show the Boston Red Sox he can throw well enough to be part of their bullpen for the second straight season.

And he takes pride in the fact that Callie, who turned 3 in October, has worked hard to be able to throw a ball herself even though she has no radius bone in either forearm and both arms are considerably shorter than normal. Atchison says she can fire the ball pretty well with her left hand.

The 34-year-old right-hander was drafted in the 49th round in 1998 and didn't reach the majors until 2004 with Seattle. Last year with the Red Sox he was 2-3 with a 4.50 ERA.