FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Theo Epstein knew the possibility of life doing a 180-degree turn following the first day of the Red Sox' 2009 spring training, but he was making sure to relish the moment just the same.
 
"It's great to have some peace and tranquility on Day 1," he said back on Feb. 12.
 
Sure, it was nice, but Epstein understood the likelihood that chaos and unpredictability waited around some corner during the Sox' stay in Lee County. With this team -- in this market -- it never goes away for too long.
 
This year, however, was different.
 
Exactly seven weeks after the Red Sox general manager soaked in his momentary good fortune, his team boarded a plane bound for the '09 regular season still basking in that peace and tranquility that never abandoned the organization.
 
And not only was there barely a ripple throughout the Red Sox' spring training stay, but the culmination of those 49 days added up to about as secure a lot in life as all those involved could have hoped for.
 
"This is my 14th spring training," said Red Sox strength and conditioning coach Dave Page, "and I've never had one like this."
 
In Page's corner of the world, the impetus for such gratification comes from a group that from all corners of the clubhouse understood what was needed to prepare themselves physically for the upcoming campaign.
 
From rookies to veterans, and injured to healthy, the daily scene in the City of Palms Park weight room offered a slice of why those heading onto the bus after the Sox' 7-3 spring training-ending loss to the Twins with such exuberant expressions.
 
"This was by far the easiest group of guys I've ever worked with," Page said. "I don't have to explain anything. I don't have to hold their hands. They knew what to do, when, why, and how. The kids from the minor leagues knew everything, knew what I expected, knew what I was talking about. I also found it refreshing to see the veteran guys do their work without complains.
 
"I think there's a lot that goes into it. The front office has done a great job getting character guys. We've got leaders and they realize the value. There are always guys who are going to set the tone. But there's a good symmetry. it isn't one guy. It's a group."
 
It should be pointed out, however, that the stay wasn't totally without potential story-making speed bumps. Start, for instance, with J.D. Drew's first day in camp, when he let the media know that the balky back he left the 2008 season with was still hanging around. 
 
Flash forward to Thursday and it was clear that some time, and one trip to Boston for a specialized shot (a facet block), had eliminated whatever drama that could have leaked into the regular season.
 
"I'm not even in the least bit concerned right now," he said. "I haven't even thought about it. It's good not to have something lingering in the back of your mind, wondering what it is going to feel like today. I'm just doing normal stuff."
 
Moments before Drew's declaration, the source of another bit of spring training news, American League MVP Dusitn Pedroia, stood a few lockers away throwing even more water on what could have been a typical Red Sox, March fire. The abdominal strain suffered at the World Baseball Classic was completely gone, he said, and the brief time he had devoted to the WBC actually had Pedroia in a better place than any other early April he had previously experienced.
 
"The last few years I was panicked going into the season," the Sox second baseman said. "Sometimes you want your body to do things, but it doesn't do it. It's not ready. I've actually felt good the last week or two.
 
"I feel better offensively. I've never hit that well in the spring, but the WBC jump-started me a little bit. I'm seeing the ball a little better, which is huge for me because I'm usually a slow starter. It definitely helped me."
 
Keep going down the list of concerns formulated before, and during, spring training and you will still come up empty.
 
Mike Lowell's surgically-repaired hip -- he hit .297 with three homers while playing regularly in the field from March 13 on. 
 
"I don't feel like I'm unprepared at all," Lowell said. "If I had to do-or-die score from first on a double, it would be close. But I absolutely feel it will get better. I feel better and better the way I recoup. So the further I get away from the surgery  the joint is going to get better. I've made such big strides just in spring training, I don't see why the next six months it's going to get worse."
 
Or how about the battle for the starting shortstop position between Julio Lugo and Jed Lowrie. Well, initially the decision could be deemed a potential distraction, with each participant performing exceedingly well. But then, on the same day Lowell played in the field for the first time, Lugo (and his .450 spring batting average) was pulled from the game with a right knee problem he would ultimately get surgically repaired. Controversy avoided (for the time being), with Lowrie your shortstop.
 
David Ortiz showed some power once again (3 homers). Rocco Baldelli played in consecutive games without feeling out of sorts. One of the young catchers, George Kottaras, showed the ability to catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball with the apparent aplomb of the pitcher's previous battery-mates. And the entire pitching staff, from the top of the rotation to the end of the bullpen, paced themselves properly enough to head into the season opener positioned as planned.
 
Yes, we might look upon the entirety of camp differently a few weeks ago if some of those who impressed in the Florida heat cool off when the real games come calling. It is a reality the Red Sox are all too aware of, sometimes pointing to the 2004 decision to keep Cesar Crespo over Tony Womack after Crespo finished his spring second in all American League participants in the Grapefruit League in walks (11) only to not draw a single free pass in 79 regular-season plate appearances.
 
Spring training offers no certainties, even with the over-the-top optimism supplied by this go-round. 
 
But it was fitting that the person punctuating the Red Sox' preseason Thursday would be one of the those question marks who became somewhat of an exclamation point, fifth starter Brad Penny. After offering one of the camp's few tenuous moments, having to skip a start because he couldn't get loose in a side session, Penny was seen firing 96 mph fastballs at Hammond Stadium, while exuding the kind of positive vibes virtually everybody wearing Red Sox garb found themselves drenched in throughout the past two months.
 
“This is legitimately the first time you come into camp thinking you’ve got a chance to win the World Series and mean it, " he said. "I know every team says it – ‘This is the year we can win.’ But you know this team has a chance to play into November.”
 
And that isn't a bad feeling to have as you get ready to try your hand at the real thing.