All is right in Tim Wakefield's world again.

The ribcage injury that made his 2006 summer one of misery hasn't lingered.

"Everything felt fine as soon as I started throwing," said Wakefield, a durable workhorse every year but last year. "I was pleased that it wasn't going to bother me again. "

His long-trusted catcher Doug Mirabelli is here this spring, unlike last year, when he was on a brief sabbatical to the Padres.

"When he filed for free agency, I was a little bit disappointed," said Wakefield. "I was reiterating the fact that I wanted him back and I'm glad they got something done this winter and brought him back. Nothing against Josh Bard, but I didn't want another tryout camp this spring."

And Wakefield, who started on Saturday against the Phillies and gave up three hits and two runs over two innings, enters his 13th season in Boston proud of his role as the team's elder statesman.

"I'm very proud. I'm humbled about it, too," Wakefield said. "There's a lot of guys who don't get a chance to play for the same organization as long as I have here. I'm fortunate the organization has allowed me to stay here for that long."

The beauty of Wakefield is that being 40 doesn't necessarily mean his career is going to come to a close any time soon. See Phil Niekro, the late Joe Niekro and Charlie Hough as reference points.

"You see those guys pitch into their mid- to late 40s," said Wakefield. "I'm hoping to accomplish the same thing. As long as I can stay healthy; Charlie told me the only reason he retired was he couldn't cover first anymore. It wasn't that he could get anybody out, he just couldn't cover first and his reflexes got a little bit slow. Physically, I feel fine now at 40, and I plan to pitch as long as I can."

That was what crushed him about the injury. Wakefield couldn't pitch. He had to watch in agony as the season fell apart for his team.

"It hurt inside," said Wakefield. "Never being on the DL my whole career and then having to spend two months on it, knowing what the team was going through, I was trying my best to get back on the field, but it was sickening being on the bench not being able to help. With the injuries we had last year, it seemed like everybody got hurt at the same time, and we were in the thick of things at the time, and it just felt like the wheels came off and we couldn't recover from that."