The future is now...

Wow. Impressive start for Beckett in his Sox debut. After giving up a double and a couple of infield hits in the first, he shut down a tough Texas lineup. It's amazing to see a guy consistently throw 96 and hit 97. It's been a while since we've seen that. Add in that nasty breaker, and look out. Wait until he pitches the opener at Fenway...

Nothing like adding a little fire to the rotation and pen...

Papelbon was equally as impressive especially since it was his first major league save opportunity. He's fearless. It's going to be a while before Foulke sees a close game after that performance. Just getting that giddy feeling...

The scary thing is that they are only going to get better...

Let's run Bard out of town...

Give it a rest. You have to be kidding. We've heard rumblings of fans all upset about the way Josh Bard performed in game 2. The first official panic button has been pressed (maybe some with Foulke in game 1).

We should trade David Wells to get Mirabelli back!

Wake doesn't perform the same without Mirabelli!

Why is Wake the #2 starter (OK, well we question that one...)

Reality check folks - it's only game 2 of a marathon season. Did we all forget that Mirabelli struggled at first? In his first game, there were 2 passed balls and a wild pitch - and that was in late June. Wakefield did find a way to win 12+ games in each season before Mirabelli.

Lets put those short term memories in check for just a moment. Bard just played his first game as a Red Sox. His big league experience is scattered over 4 years in which he's played in 156 games TOTAL. He's not exactly a seasoned vet. His nerves were probably getting the best of him in his first big start.

Replacing Mirabelli is a tall task for any backup. We love the guy, but don't forget that it wasn't exactly smooth sailing before 2 years ago. He performed well over the last couple seasons, which is what people remember.

Give Bard a shot. Let some chemistry develop. Let him at least get comfortable. Remember that the Sox essentially traded Shoppach for him, and he beat out Huckaby in spring training. The Sox believe he has value. Most importantly, he doesn't throw the knuckleball & has no affect on it. Did Mirabelli have some magic voodoo? What about the other catchers before him?

Relax. Stay off the Shaughnessy "disaster" bandwagon. Remember, he's a "!*@#".

Stay tuned for game 3: The emergence of a new Boston star...

(might as well throw the other extreme in early too...)

Optimism Rewarded...

Not many fans are as optimistic as the Nation, especially on opening day. It's been tempered since 2005, but it's also a birthright to have thought "This is the Year". As we all know, the team on the field in April is rarely the same team in August. There's not much you can read into a team, good or bad after one outing.

However, the Nation had to be more than pleased with Schilling's first outing. It's clearly better than any performance from last season, and also Spring Training. Texas has an outstanding lineup. You knew that Schill was making a statement when the bullpen was quiet after the sixth inning, after his 95th pitch. Hitting 94-95 on the gun in the 7th along with 118 pitches, and a 1-2-3 inning put every other team on notice. Schill's back...

On the other hand, Foulke looked like he kept his 2005 form. Note that he pitched fairly well in spring training, but he hasn't pitched enough to be truly ready. Why else would we see him in the 9th with a 5 run lead? He needs more work and to build his confidence. At least reports say that he hit 88-89 on the gun. Don't worry, he's on a short leash, and Papelbon is in the wings. Don't be surprised to see Hansen by late July...

Few other notes:

Nice to see Mike Lowell get the HR monkey off his back. Let's hope the end of spring training (raised avg to over .300) translates into the season

Coco Crisp looked great in the outfield (saving Foulke's behind), and he is unbelieveably fast on the basepaths. If he gets on base, he'll score 100+ runs without much effort...

Ortiz is Ortiz... Still amazing...

There's 161 games left. The biggest injury question is looking good, the other not. A healthy Schill & #3 starter Beckett both could easily win 20 games. The lineup has plenty of weapons. The pen is light years ahead of last year. You'll probably have a defense in the top 3 (can you remember the last time?). This could be better than the 2004 edition. Stay tuned & keep the faith baby!