Ortiz Files for Divorce

The Red Sox website posted a story about David Ortiz & his wife filing for divorce. Big Papi says the divorce will not distract him from performing on the field. As someone who has been through a divorce, I can tell you that work can be a safe haven, almost therapeutic. Terry Francona endured the same fate in his last year as manager of the Red Sox. If anything, Tito said he put more time in on the job because of his divorce. So let's hope Big Papi stays focused & continues to produce.

Things You Can't Predict

As the Red Sox enjoy an off-day on Monday, think about some of the surprises in April. There is the effectiveness, albeit sometimes scary, in the return of Andrew Bailey as a closer & late-innings arm. There is the offense provided by Daniel Nava. There is the addition of Alex Wilson as new bullpen arm. There is the offensive long-ball power provided by backup catcher David Ross. And, most of all, there is a return to form by regulars Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury & David Ortiz. Baseball is played by humans, not computerized simulations. The human effect is what makes predicting winners about the same likelihood as predicting the weather.

Big Papi Back & Productive

I was wrong. Yes, unlike others who can't admit when they are wrong, I can say that I was wrong about Big Papi cashing in his 2-year contract & starting early retirement. That was my thought when Ortiz couldn't answer the starting bell of the season after rehabbing an Achilles injury for several months. Shame on me. Ortiz is hitting over .500 since his return & he is driving the ball now for home runs. He has become a force in the middle of the lineup & his presence helps Pedroia & Napoli see better pitches. A very good sign for #34 is that he is hitting balls away from him to left & left center, not trying to pull the ball. The big man is using the whole field & is getting positive results. My comments on the demise of David Ortiz were premature. Sorry, big guy!

Sox Sweep Away Astros 6-1

Can things go any better than April of 2013 for the Boston Red Sox? A team picked to finish near or at the bottom of the AL East is now an MLB best 18-7. John Lackey returned from the DL to pitch 6 quality innings of 1-run ball. Sounds like a broken record, but Papi keeps driving in Daniel Nava who has flourished in the #2 spot since Shane Victorino went down with a sore back. It's very hard to sweep any team, even the Houston Astros, in a 4-game set. But the Sox did it. Even Daniel Bard is getting some time on the big league mound without throwing at batters' heads. My question is how long can the Sox continue at this pace. Toronto & Texas will be tough opponents this week, especially Texas since the starters will be Doubront, Lackey & then Lester for that series.

Yankees Hanging In There

My grandson said it was pretty cool what the Yankees did to support Boston after the recent bombings. He said I know we still don't like the Yankees, but that gesture of standing together was pretty classy. So here's my one positive article to re-pay the debt. The Yankees have a team with more money on the DL than 70% of the annual payrolls of other MLB teams. Yet, with veterans past their prime & young kids from Triple A, they just keep rolling along at an above .500 winning clip. Guys like Youk & Travis Hafner & Lyle Overbay are contributing to wins. As Ivan Nova & others join an enlarging list of players on the DL, the Yankees have not crashed & burned in April as many predicted. Remember, the Yankees & Red Sox were picked to finish 4th & 5th. The lofty expectations for the big money Blue Jays haven't materialized yet since they sit firmly in last. So here's to recognizing the effort of the Yankees in April. And thanks New Yorkers for your support of the bombing victims. If any city knows what terror is like, you certainly do.

Sox Win Again 8-4

Your Boston Red Sox are now the proud owners of the best record in all of baseball at 17-7. Felix Doubront survived a rough 1st inning to get the win. David Ortiz is still hitting & driving in runs. The bullpen is still solid. And the beat goes on. With the AL East up for grabs the Sox need to make hay against the lesser teams like the Houston Astros. If John Lackey can make a good return & help the Sox sweep the 'Stros this afternoon, the schedule gets a little more dicey starting Monday with 3 in Toronto & 3 in Texas. April has been a great opening month. We'll see if the magic continues in May.

Dempster, Ross, Papi Spark 7-3 Win

It's a good day when your backup catcher goes yard not once but twice. David Ross brought his wompum' stick to the plate last night & crushed 2 of 4 homers for the Sox in a 7-3 win. Ryan Dempster had a nice outing & Big Papi homered for the 2nd night in a row. The Sox with 16 wins in April are tied with the Texas Rangers for the most wins in the AL. Doing the math: 16 wins per month X 6 months = 96 wins on the year. Wouldn't that be nice!

Buck, Big Papi Too Much for Astros

Clay Buchholz pitched 7+ innings of 2-run ball. David Ortiz added 3 more hits to his return, including a homer to center field. And for good measure Daniel Bard pitched a scoreless 9th. The Red Sox win another first game of a series, beating the new AL Houston Astros 7-2. Buck had 10 K's & was in control the whole way. The game was over when the Sox scored 4 times in the 1st inning. At least for the month of April it looks like the stock in Red Sox performance has outperformed market expectations of baseball writers & sportscasters.

Aceves Sent to Minors

I always remember a line from the movie Walking Tall. Buford Pusser says that people with the most to hide talk the most. And Alfredo Aceves has been talking a lot about his teammates lack of support when he pitches instead of focusing on his own job. I give Farrell credit for stopping the bleeding & sending him back to the minors to straighten himself out. Alfredo has talent. He's just not there sometimes mentally. With Lackey ready to return on Sunday & Hanrahan & Breslow shortly thereafter it was time for a move. Even Daniel Bard is getting a second chance to see if he can pitch in the big leagues again. As Farrell said, you have to earn your opportunity & then perform. Aceves has not performed.

Sox Win Series With A's

After dropping a series to the KC Royals the Red Sox got back to their winning ways with a 2-games-to-1 series win over the Oakland A's. Last night's 6-5 victory was hairy in the 9th when a ball hit by ex-Red Sox Jed Lowrie was called foul down right field line. Andrew Bailey then struckout Lowrie for the final out. the Sox pitching has come back down to eath, giving up more runs on this homestand than in the previous 2 weeks which is directly reflected in their 3-3 record so far. You have to think that the Boston bombings are been a distraction, as has the weather. Still, they are 9 wins in their last 12 tries & you will take that anytime. I will say that Lester walking a lot of batters is a bad sign. Buck, Dempster, Doubront & Lackey get the starting nods against the incoming Houston Astros. 3 out of 4 would be a good way to end the homestand.

Sox Get Crushed by A's 13-0

It is good from time to time for a team to get the crap beat out of them. A lopsided loss lets everyone on the field know that there are no shortcuts to success. You have to give your best on a daily basis. The old saying is that no team is ever as good as they think, or as bad as they think. With one of their best starts to a new season in years the Red Sox were humbled last night to the tune of 13-0 in 7 innings vs. the Oakland A's. Aceves was terrible. Wright wasn't much better. And there's nothing like playing in the rain when you are getting killed on the field. It adds insult to injury. Let's hope that Jon Lester & the team can put yesterday behind them & win this afternoon to take this series.

Sox Beat A's 9-6

The Red Sox offense busted out the big bats last night as they rode 2 HR's to victory over the A's 9-6. Will Middlebrooks hit a 3-run shot & Mike Napoli hit a grand slam to lead the Sox. Felix Doubront did a servicable job, although his pitch count seems to run high by the 5th inning of every game. Andrew Bailey had to be use again after the A's mounted a comeback with 3 runs in the 8th. It will be a tired bullpen today, so let's hope crazy man Acebves can go 6 or 7 strong. Steven Wright may get his first action out of the bullpen as he has the only fresh arm. This was a good first game win to get the Sox back on track after a long Sunday.

Sox Winning Streak Over With 2 Losses

It was bound to happen. The Sox 7-game win streak came to an end against the improved KC Royals. Game 1 featured a lack of big hits when needed in a 4-2 loss. Game 2 was a 10-inning affair where the winning run scored on a 4-pitch walk, resulting in a 5-4 loss. Positives were the hot hitting of Mike Napoli, the return of David Ortiz who had multiple hit games over the weekend & the debut of young Allen Webster. The Sox face another tough team in the Oakland A's who invade Fenway for a 3-game series starting tonight. You would think that Jon Lester would win his start on Wednesday, so Felix Doubront or Alfredo Aceves needs to win one of the first 2 games tonight or Tuesday to win this short series.

Allen Webster Gets A Start

Due to Friday's postponement Sox fans get a day-night doubleheader today with rookie Allen Webster pitching the nightcap after Ryan Dempster takes the afternoon call. Webster was under the radar in spring training due to all the hype about JBJ. But he was by far the best young pitcher out there. It will be great to see how this kid handles the pressure of pitching at Fenway against an improved Royals team. Webster is part of the future after Lackey & Dempster are gone.

Sox With Emotional 4-3 Win

It seemed a fitting game for a day that started in backed Fenway Parlk with a most respectful tribute to all the happenings in & around Boston this past week. With 2 outs in the 8th Daniel Nava hit a 3-run homer to right to give the Sox a come from behind win. Clay Buchholz & James Shields were great. But the emotions of the day & the game belonged to Boston. Sox win 4-3. I will say that after watching the very emotional tribute to victims & first responders & law enforcement officers prior to the game it seemed to me that the game was secondary. However, I'm sure that Red Sox players were ready to deliver a win to a city that had gone through so much. And they did deliver a win in dramatic fashion. This was more than a game. It was a poetic & healing Saturday.

One Bomber Killed, One Close to Being Caught

For people in Boston life is anything but usual. My grandson is trying to take his college finals, but he is locked down in his dorm room. Business & travel is limited. With 2 brothers throwing bombs at police last night it is not another Friday in Beantown. I'd be curious to see if the Red Sox play at Fenway tonight as scheduled. With public safety of prime concern I'd expect the game to be cancelled. Sad to see that 2 Russian brothers, one 26 & killed & one 19 & surrounded by police, can go so haywire. I'm sure we will all learn more about these two as time goes on.

Sox Sweep, Big Papi Returns

The Red Sox finished off a sweep of the Cleveland Indians with a good performance by Jon Lester & continued timely hitting by Mike Napoli. Sox have won 6 in a row with sweeps over Tampa Bay & Cleveland. At 11-4 the Sox have everything going in the right direction. So, here comes David Ortiz into the mix, scheduled to return from the DL tonight against James Shields & the KC Royals. If you're an optimist, you say Big Papi will bolster the offense. If you're superstitious, you say don't mess with a lineup that is winning. Jackie Bradley, Jr. is the likely candidate to be sent back to Pawtucket. That means Daniel Nava & Johnny Gomes will share more playing time & Mike Napoli will not get time as DH. It also means less time for bench players. Let's hope Big Papi is a positive.

NRA 54, USA 46

That was the final vote in the U.S. Senate earlier this week on a watered-down gun control bill that would have expanded background checks to include sales at gun shows. This bill had bi-partisan support & many of the families from the CT tragedy made the trip to DC for this important vote. 90% of the American people are in favor of expanded background check. BUT 54 U.S. senators just could "pull the trigger" so to speak & break away from their lobbyist money thrown at them by the NRA. Both President Obama & Gabby Giffords gave scathing reviews to the senate, saying in part that it was a deliriction of duty. One woman who started a non-profit group after her son died in gun violence mentioned that the best way to react is to retire these senators who voted against the bill. Great idea! It's time for the American populace to use the power of their vote to effect change. I mention this vote as a background to the killing of the MIT security guard, a 26-year old, who tried to prevent a robbery & car jacking pulled off by the Boston bombings culprits, but he was gunned down in the process. Let's not let the NRA hold us hostage. Let's use our power as voters to make a change in Washington. If not after the recent violence in CT or in Boston, when?

Another Series Win

The Red Sox of Boston beat the Indians for a 2nd night in a row. Last night's score was 6-3. Alfredo Aceves did a servicable job over 5 innings. The bullpen shutdown Francona's Tribe over the last 4 innings. The top 5 of Ells, Victorino, Petey, Napoli & Nava did the damage offensively. These 2 wins were just what the people of Boston needed. Jon Lester goes for the sweep tonight.

Hanrahan to DL

Joel Hanrahan was placed on the DL yesterday to take care of his injured hamstring. Real or not, it gives Hanrahan time to regroup & get his closer mojo back by the end of the month. In his place the Sox call-up knuckleballer Steven Wright from Pawtucket. Perhaps they think that Wright can be the long man in the pen now that Crazy Man Aceves is back in the starting rotation. Wright could be an interesting guy to monitor.

Sox Bring Bostonians A Much Needed Win

A day after the Boston Marathon bombings the Red Sox gave their fans a reason to relax for a few hours. They scored 7 runs in the 2nd inning en route to 7-2 win over Terry Francona & the Cleveland Indians. As Will Middlebrooks said before the game, he hoped that his team could give fans in Boston something to cheer about for a few hours since the Celtics & Bruins had postponed their games. The Red Sox did just that. They have a tougher task tonight when they face ex-teammate Justin Masterson who is off to a 3-0 start like Clay Buchholz. It was hard for me & I'm sure many others to get back to their normal routines yesterday, but we are a tough & determined people. No one can take away our freedom.

Yankees United With Red Sox

It was an unusual sight between 2 long-time rivals. Last night Yankee Stadium added a banner outside the park stating "Yankees United With Red Sox." In addition, the Yankees observed a momemt of silence & then played the Fenway song "Sweet Caroline" afterwards. New York, more than any other city, can relate to a terrorist event. The Boston bombings bring back the horror of 9/11 which New Yorkers lived through so many years ago. Very classy, New York. Thank you for your support.

Red Sox in Cleveland with Heavy Hearts

As the Sox start a 3-game series in Celevand tonight, they will do so with heavy hearts after the senseless bombings at the Boston Marathon yesterday. A lot of Sox players have family & friends in the Boston area. Many wives of Sox players have run the marathon in the past. But life goes on for the population in Boston & so do the Sox tonight. Maybe a baseball game can give Bostonians a chance to relax for a few hours & get their lives back to a normal routine. Let's hope so.

Terror in Boston

Not long after a Red Sox walk-off win on Patriots Day, a seemingly good day turned very, very bad as bombs went off at the Boston Marathon finish line. My only response is cowardly assholes did this. One 8 year old boy is among the dead. 100+ are injured, many with shrapnell wounds like you would see from the Middle East conflict. Once the perpetrators are found, & I have every confidence that they will be found, I sincerely hope that justice is swift & unmerciful which is what these perps deserve. Cowardly assholes!

Another Walk-Off Win for the Sox

You know things are falling your way when your new closer blows a save & gives up a game-tying run in the top of the 9th, only to have your offense score the winning run in the bottom of the 9th. Sox win 3-2 in a series where runs were hard to come by for both teams. A sweep of the Rays is something that I can't remember in the last few years. It came down to the Sox starters outpitching the Rays staff & the Sox offense finding a way to score critical runs when necessary. Salty & Longoria traded HR's early in this game before a Pedroia walk in the 9th & a wall ball double by Mike Napoli ended the game. The Sox are winning with pitching & defense. Example, the Sox allowed Tampa Bay a stingy 1, 0 & 2 runs in their 3 games. You don't have to score a lot of runs to win with pitching like that. Off to Cleveland now to play Terry Francona's new team.

Hanrahan Out With Hamstring

Isn't it funny how when a player is going bad an injury crops up? Joel Hanrahan is now day-to-day as we find out he has been dealing with a hamstring strain. Farrell didn't think a trip to the DL would be necessary, but he didn't completely rule it out. In his last 2 outings Hanrahan gave up 5 runs in the 9th to the Orioles & walked the 1st 2 batters in the 9th against the Rays before being lifted. Not really what you want from your closer. The Sox have other good arms in the pen that can cover the late innings until Hanrahan is back. Andrew Bailey may be hard to move out of the closer's role if he keeps throwing as effectively as he has been.

Buck Masterful in 5-0 Win

Clay Buchholz almost had a no-hitter which was broken up in the 8th inning. He'll still take a 3rd win this year & he kept his ERA under 1.00 thus far. Sox beat Rays 5-0 in part to Mike Napoli 2-run double with the bases loaded in the 3rd. This is the 3rd series win out of 4 tries in the early season. Sox go for the sweep on Patriots Day today.

Uehara's War Cry

Even David Ross said that Koji Uehara's excitement is contagious. His relief work in yesterday's 9th inning with 2 on & no outs was easily the turning point in a Red Sox win. After Uehara stranded 2 runners by getting 3 outs on 9 pitches he let go his war cry & slapped hands up & down the dugout. Nice to see a little emotion, true emotion that is, from a professional player once in awhile. Uehara has been a great addition to the pen. Maybe his personality is just what this team needs.

Farrell Talking With Hanrahan

Joel Hanrahan is not Eric Gagne, although he has gotten off to a similarly slow start, especially these last few games. Hanrahan's control was a question last year in a Pirates uniform as his walks were high for a closer. His control still is in question in a Red Sox uniform with 2 more walks yesterday. Farrell said after the game that Hanrahan was still the closer. But the Sox manager also said he will talk to Hanrahan about correcting his mechanics. Fans can overreact game-to-game & the calls for a new closer are starting. I still think Hanrahan & his 97 mph fastball will save a lot of games for the Sox this year. He just needs to throw more strikes, limit free passes & let his fielders do the work. The Sox need Hanrahan at the end of games to supplement Bailey, Uehara & Tazawa.

Sox 2, Rays 1 in 10 Innings

It was a game dominated by pitchers. Jon Lester & David Price were stingy & gave up only 1 run each with several strikeouts. Both were excellent. David Ross hit a homer to tie the game 1-1. In the end I think Farrell wanted this game more than Madden. Farrell used his closer in the 9th in a tie situation. Farrell also had the guts to pull Hanrahan after he walked 2 batters. Uehara came in & cleaned up the mess without allowing a run. Meanwhile, Madden left Fernando Rodney watching the action from the bullpen when things unravelled for the Rays in the 10th. A single by Ellsbury, a stolen base, an errant throw by the Rays catcher moving Ells to 3rd, then an infield hit by Victorino sealed the win. A 1-run win in your last at bat will do a lot for team confidence.

WWE Greinke Vs. Quentin

It was like Smackdown on WWE. Zack Greinke stood his ground to a charging Carlos Quentin & got a broken collarbone for his efforts. Quentin got an 8-game suspension. The Greinke pitch that hit Quentin was a 3-2 pitch & he obviously did not intentionally throw at him. However, when a batter gets hit above the waist in the shoulder/head area, I don't think it matters what the count is. That pitch could have done some serious damage. So I'm siding with Carlos Quentin on this one. What do you think?

Lester Vs. Price

Good pitching matchup this afternoon. Two guys at the top of the rotation for each of their teams. The Sox would do well to keep their string of 1st game victories in series thus far this year. Each team will be trying to get the starting pitchers to throw a lot of pitches early to get them out of the game early. If it comes down to the bullpens, I like the Sox pen better than the Rays.

How About Those A's!

It was an incredible story last season as the low-payroll Oakland A's won the AL West over big spenders like the Texas Rangers & LA Angels. Maybe Billy Beane is still proving himself to other GM's that a low-payroll team like the A's can win & win often. The A's recently beat up on the Angels 8-1 for their 8th straight win out of 10 tries in 2013. They sit in 1st place at the top of the West to start this weekend. Who says the A's can't repeat?

O's 3, Sox 2

This was a series that could have gone either way. And the cards fell in Baltimore's favor. One more hit. One more play. If this is life in the AL East in 2013, strap in for some exciting games whose final outcomes are determined in the late innings. If Hanrahan gets through a clean 9th, if Drew gets a key base hit, etc., etc. Things won't get any easier with Tampa Bay in town for 4 games. And if you look at the standings today, the AL East is separated by a total of 2 games in the loss column top to bottom. The Sox were bound to lose a series sometime. Too bad it was the 1st one at home. Today's another day. Turn the page.

What Did Stephen Drew Do Last Night?

I didn't see the game. I saw the box score & found Drew was 0-4. If you saw the game, let me know what you thought of Drew in the field & at the plate. Maybe he was a little nervous in his first game at Fenway as a Red Sox. He should be fine.

Hanrahan Blows A Save

5-3 lead in the 9th. Closer in. 9 times out of 10 you win. Last night was the 1 time out of 10 you don't. A gutsy Baltimore team scored 5 runs in the 9th to steal a win from the Sox 8-5. Joel Hanrahan has given up 3 homers to O's batters in 1 2/3 innings of work. Maybe the Birds are just one of those teams that has his number. With a split in the first 2 games of this series the Sox need to win today to win their first series at home after 2 series wins on the road to start the season. Felix Doubront gets the honors.

Boggs Wants His Number Retired

This will be short & sweet. No player wearing pinstripes, riding on a horse in Yankee Stadium, will ever get their number retired at Fenway. Nuf ced!

Drew In, Iglesias Out

Stephen Drew was activated on Wednesday. Jose Iglesias was sent down to Pawtucket. That needed to happen as you can't pay Drew $9.5 million & have him sit the bench. Too bad that Iglesias found his big league groove a year too late. If he had shown any type of offense in 2012, the Sox would have never signed Drew. If anything, now Iglesias' stock is rising & the Sox can plug him in as the everyday shortstop in 2014. Drew only has a 1-year deal. Or the Sox can use Drew or Iglesias as trade bait come the end of July. Don't forget that Xander Bogaerts is only a year or two away from the big club too. It's nice to have quality options.

Lackey's Injury Not As Serious As Thought

Is it possible for Red Sox fans to feel sympathetic towards John Lackey's injury? Sure, why not? The big righty came into camp in great shape this year, a sign that he is willing to work hard to regain his competitiveness. And he was pitching well in Toronto when the injury occurred. The old beer & chicken "Slackey" seems to have been replaced by a guy who wants to win this year. I like it. Don't we all need a 2nd chance?

Buchholz, Nava Sink O's 3-1

Clay Buchholz was very good as was his counterpart from Baltimore. However, a 3-run blast by Daniel Nava in the 7th was all the offense needed today. Sox take game 1 of this series 3-1 & send the Fenway opening day crowd home happy. Buck was very good & Nava had the timely jack. Only 5 hits aside for each team. Sox take a page out of the O's book from last year in winning a tight contest. Hanrahan gave up a solo shot to Jones in the 9th, but that was too little too late. Not bad for a bunch of guys that were picked last by most writers. At least the Sox players are making those writers eat their words early in April.

Home Opener Today

The home opener is fun every year. I think that Sox fans have a lot to be hopeful for in the early goings of the 2013 season. This team came out as advertised - a collection of baseball veterans who focus on winning & having a good time while doing so. Sprinkle in a few youngsters for excitement - like Bradley & an improved bat by Iglesias - & you have a team that is 4-2 in the early going. With Buchholz on the mound today you have to feel good. And with the entire bullpen rested, thanks to Lester & Mortensen yesterday, we should feel pretty good about winning this series with the O's.

Sox Blast Away Off Jays

What a day for Will Middlebrooks! 3 HR's, 1 double, 14 total bases. With the Sox scoring 5 runs in the first inning off of R.A. Dickey they never looked back en route to a 13-0 whitewashing of the Blue Jays in Toronto. Sox win their 2nd series & improve their record to 4-2. 6 homers in all today - Middlebrooks with 3 & one each by Ellsbury, Napoli & Nava. Meanwhile, Jon Lester tamed the Jays bats with 7 shutout innings to win his 1st game of 2013. It was a nice comeback for the Boston 9 after a 5-0 defeat the day before. Now back to Fenway for the home opener versus the Birds of Baltimore on Monday.

Sox Lose 5-0

The Boston Red Sox were stymied by the pitching of J.A. Happ & the Toronto bullpen. Sox could only muster 2 hits, a double in the 1st by Ells & a single in the 9th by Petey. More importantly, John Lackey had to leave the game with a bicep injury. At the time Lackey was pitching very well in his first start, only surrendering a 2-run jack to Arrencibia. It looks like the injury will not be as serious as originally thought. If he needs to skip a start or two, I hope the Sox give Allen Webster a try. Rubber game of the series in Toronto is tomorrow with Lester facing Dickey. Should be a good one.

Another Good Win in Toronto

Red Sox 6, Blue Jays 4. Baserunners all over the bases for both teams last night with very few making it to the plate. Mike Napoli & Will Middlebrooks went yard on line shots hit out of the park accounting for 3 of the 6 runs. Jose Iglesias made the play of the game forcing out Reyes at second on a ball in the hole headed to LF. Igelesias left a few innings later after being HBP, but Pedro Ciriaco contributed 2 hits off the bench. As I was saying to my brother last night, the Sox don't have as much talent as other teams, but they are playing like a team - something missing all of last year. And the pitching staff has risen to the occasion by allowing 4 or less runs so far in the first 4 games. When you get a win from your #4 starter it's always a good night. Let's see if Lackey can keep it going this afternoon.

Red Sox 2, Yankees 4

A sweep would have been nice, but we will take 2 out of 3 anytime to start the 2013 season, especially on the road. Ryan Dempster & the Sox lose the finale in New York by a score of 4-2. Dempster gave up 3 runs over 5 innings, including a bloop 2-run single by Sox castoff Lyle Overbay & an excuse-me HR by Bret Gardner. The starters in this series gave up 2, 1 & 3 runs in their first outings. We'll win a lot of games if that trend continues. Andy Pettitte was aided by 3 double plays & an overaggressive Shane Victorino in the 1st who almost scored from 2nd on a passed ball. Now it's off to Toronto where the favored Jays dropped 2 out of 3 to the Terry Francona Indians to start their season. Nice goin', Tito!

Does Iglesias Stay or Go?

Stephen Drew should be ready to return to the Sox lineup next week. Jose Iglesias has been much better offensively & errorless in the field. What gives? Obviously, Iglesias will be demoted back to Triple A Pawtucket until another injury occurs. You can't pay Drew $10 million & have him sit on the bench if he's healthy. If Iglesias had shown any prowess with the bat last year, the Sox wouldn't have had to sign Drew. In a way, it's Jose's own fault. But guys mature at different times & it looks like Iglesias has made the grade to be a big league shortstop. Drew is only signed for 1 year. And if he is anything like brother J.D., injury-prone that is, Iglesias will get another shot to re-join the big team. It's nice for the sox to have competent back-ups.

Sox Win Again 7-4

David Ortiz who? 7 more runs on no home runs - just by taking walks, HBP, singles & good base running. That's a total of 15 runs scored on zero homers. Red Sox & Clay Buchholz down the Yankees 7-4 at Yankee Stadium last night & win their first series of the year. The weather was cold, but Buck was hot for 7 innings & he allowed only 1 run on a homer by Travis Hafner. The offense was spread throughout the lineup for the Sox with Napoli & Nava joining the hit parade. JBJ & Iglesias continue to get on base & turn the lineup over to the top of the order. Middlebrook might have hit the best ball of the night, but the wind knocked it down for a long out. After a 3-run bomb by Vernon Wells off crazy man Aceves, Joel Hanrahan came in & picked up his first save as a Red Sox closer. This makes 2 good nights in a row with the Sox outscoring the Yankees 15-6. Ryan Dempster goes for the sweep tonight.

Buck Goes Tonight

If the offense can manufacture runs once again & put pressure on the Yankee defense, like Robinson Cano tossing the ball home too late to get a hustling Johnny Gomes, Clay Buchholz should have an easy outing. But we know nothing is easy in New York, even facing a depleted Yankee lineup. Huroki Kuroda had a great season last year, but can he duplicate that again at his age. We'll see. It would be nice to win game 2 & take the 1st series of the year without splitting, then putting pressure on Dempster to win his 1st Red Sox start on Thursday. Let's take the mystery out of it & win tonight.

Not Much From Napoli or Middlebrooks

A win is a win is a win. And while certain sports reporters try to find a negative in everything, even with an opening day win, it was hard to find fault with the Red Sox team that took the field on Monday. Not everyone in the lineup has or will have a good day every game. That's why it takes 9 guys to pull together for a win. Mike Napoli & Will Middlebrooks didn't provide much offense from the #4 & #5 spots yesterday. Middlebrooks did catch the last foul ball out of the game & Napoli did catch a one-hopper from Iglesias at first. So both had a quiet start. They are both too good of hitters not to be contributors as the year goes on. No worries. Reporters, relax. We have 161 games to go.

Sox Beat Yankees 8-2

The Boston Red Sox were the better team today as evidenced by the final score of 8-2. The Sox offense banged out 13 hits, but more impressive to me were the 8 walks. Sox hitters were very patient up there, especially against CC, which helped to drive his pitch count up. And they scored 8 runs on several hustle plays without the benefit of 1 long ball. Bradley Jr. & Iglesias each reached base 3 times to let Ellsbury, Victorino & Pedroia drive them in. The bullpen was lights out, save for 2 back-to-back walks by Andrew Bailey in the 7th. I don't care how many guys are injured for the Yankees, it's good to beat New York any time. Nice start to the season. Even better would be 1 more win out of the next 2 games with the Yankees to take the opening series.

Junior and Iglesias Get to Start

Jackie Bradley Jr. (or JBJ like RG3) was informed yesterday that he made the team & will get the start in LF today at Yankee Stadium. Good for him & the Sox. Circumstances with Ortiz are such that the team needed another left-handed bat & JBJ was there at the right time. Let's not forget that Jose Iglesias is getting an opening day start as well in place of the injured Stephen Drew. Iglesias also has a chance to prove that he can hit major league pitching & that he belongs on the big team. When opportunity knocks - like Bledsoe getting hurt & Brady going in - you have to take advantage of it. We'll see if either stays with the team once Big Papi & Drew return from injury.