Photo from the Boston Herald by the API couldn't watch the game today because I had to stay late at school and write a math test. What fun. I just finished watching a condensed version of the game(basically watching it on MLB.TV and fast forwarding through a few parts), and I have to say, I am liking what I am seeing of this team so far.
It looks like the Sox' pitching staff picked up right where they left off. Dice-k and Lester both had strong starts, allowing just one run in 13 1/3 innings, while striking out a combined 12 batters, and allowing only 5 hits. I know that one game doesn't prove anything, but Dice-k and Lester were bombarding the strike zone, and seemed like different pitchers than we saw last season. With Beckett due to come off the DL in a few days, and Dice and Lester getting control of their control issues, this rotation could be frighteningly good this season.
Our bullpen good as well. Paps looks like Paps; striking out the side yesterday, and looking like he didn't give a care about anything today when he was unavailable(either that or he was asleep. I'm not really sure which). Bryan Corey seems to be leading the race for the last bullpen spot, Oki looks like Oki, and Manny Del hit 95 on the gun.
Our offense seems to be waking up, as well. During the first 5 innings of today's game, it seemed like this game would be a repeat of so many mid-season games last year. A lot of baserunners, but not a lot of clutch hits. That all changed with a Big Papi 2-run homer in the bottom of the 6th. The Sox added 3 more runs on 5 consecutive singles off Lenny DiNardo in the 8th.
Kevin Youkilis broke the record for consecutive errorless games at 1st base, beating Steve Garvey's previous record of 194 games. He still has a ways to go before he beats the all-time MLB record of 369 games set by OF Darren Lewis, who played for the Sox from 1998-2001. Shall we start the countdown now, or wait until he gets to within 1o0 games?
On a side note, there are a lot of ugly shirts in Oakland.
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