The Sox started their 2006 season with a 5-1 road trip, and now that I have my NESN/MLB Extra Innings satellite combo now running flawlessly (fingers crossed), I give sme great pleasure to offer these observations:
* The last time Keith Foulke threw better than he did yesterday was the 2004 World Series. If Foulke can stay healthy and throw like he did yesterday, and Jonathan Papelbon continues to throw mean, nasty darts like he did in Texas and Baltimore, the back end of the bullpen would appear to be solid indeed. Actually, using Foulke, then Papelbon (as opposed to vice-versa) would appear to be good matches to their personalities: Foulke just likes to pitch and could care where he actually does the throwing, while Papelbon thrives on pressure – I’ll bet he orders an extra portion of it with his eggs and bacon every morning.
* Adam Stern did a nice job covering for Coco Crisp yesterday and will help provide the Sox with some some real depth in the outfield. (They may need it, as reports say Coco could be headed for the DL for a month.) When Trot Nixon gets injured this year (which he will at some point, I have no doubt), the Sox have both Wily Mo Pena and Stern who can cover, perhaps even Gabe Kapler by/during the second half. And, Alex Cora and the soon-to-arrive Willie Harris provides some nice bench support for Alex Gonzalez at short and Mark Loretta at 2B when those guys need a blow.
* Two areas you have to like after the first six games: the starting pitching has been solid (Curt Schilling and Josh Beckett are animals), and the hitters (Nixon being the obvious exception) will absolutely work opposing pitchers To. Death. on counts if they have trouble throwing strikes. They wore down old-Sox-nemesis Rodrigo Lopez yesterday, and I can see them doing this all year long. That’s a winning combination over the course of a 162-game season.
* The jury is still out on whether J.T. Snow and Mike Lowell still have some fuel left in them or not. Maybe it’s just me, but both seem a little sluggish in the early going, and I have to wonder how these two dinosaurs will hold up over the course of a full year. If Lowell doesn’t, that’s a potentially huge problem, as Kevin Youkilis would have to bail the Sox out over at 3B, and color me skeptical that either J.T. or newly-acquired Hee-Sop Choi could pick up the slack.
Sure, it’s only been six games, but there is reason for optimism across Red Sox Nation. I’m still wondering how well they’ll hit over the course of a whole season, but tomorrow brings some home cookin’ and the promise of spring and dreams of October baseball at Fenway Park. Play ball!
