The Red Sox showed fine form to open the 2015 Major league Baseball season, providing something for every kind of optimist out there. Dustin Pedroia looked like his old healthy self, hitting two lasers into the seats for home runs, Hanley Ramirez showed the kind of pop the Sox hoped he would to help extend their lineup, Mookie Betts looks like he’s ready to pick up where he left off in 2014 in becoming the most exciting new player seen around these parts since Jacoby Ellsbury, and, most importantly, Clay Buchholz spun a beauty: seven innings of shutout baseball. Buchholz looked healthy and in command, in a good mental frame of mind, and his pitches showed the bite and location that has been missing over the better part of the last two seasons.

Of course, one game does not a season make, and there are 161 reasons to wonder if these Sox have what it takes to compete for a post-season spot. Will their starting rotation hold up? Same thing with the bullpen – especially if closer Koji Uehara isn’t able to return to 2013 form. Will uber-prospect Blake Swihart tear up AAA and bring some excitement to the catcher’s slot now that Christian Vasquez is out for the next year? Will right-fielder Shane Victorino be able to hold off the likes of Cuban prospect Rusney Castillo if the latter shows AAA he’s ready for the bigs without it becoming a clubhouse issue?

The answer to these questions will come in due time, but one thing is for certain: if the Sox can keep it close until the July 31 trading deadline, they’ve got significant chips in the minors to use in order to land a big-name starting pitcher or whatever other need they may have at the time. Until then, they ought to be both intriguing and (thanks Mookie and Dustin!) fun to watch.