4/6/13 @ Toronto

[Palodios]

This is an incredibly important game. Whether Lackey goes out and give 6-7 runs, or 3-4 over 6 innnings will say a good deal about where this team is going. Obviously its one game, but if we see 2010 Lackey, this team will be very good.

[jung]

Two super fun games to watch in two days...Lackey today followed by Lester/Dickey tomorrow.

[VA Sox Fan]

RED SOX (3-1)
Ellsbury CF
Victorino RF
Pedroia 2B
Napoli 1B
Middlebrooks 3B
Gomes DH
Ross C
Bradley Jr. LF
Ciriaco SS
Pitching: RHP John Lackey (12-12, 6.41 in 2011).

BLUE JAYS (1-3)Reyes SS
Davis RF
Cabrera LF
Encarnacion 1B
Lind DH
Arencibia C
DeRosa 3B
Rasmus CF
Bonifacio 2B
Pitching: LHP J.A. Happ (10-11, 4.79 in 2012).

[Palodios]

I forgot that JA Happ is a lefty. The Red Sox are a team built to beat up on good lefties like Sabathia, Price, etc. But against bad lefties? Happ could look like batting practice.

[VA Sox Fan]

Game time: 1:07 p.m.

TV/Radio: NESN / WEEI.

Red Sox vs. Happ: Gomes 0-8, Ellsbury 2-6, Pedroia 3-3, Salty 0-2, Victorino 1-2, Ciriaco 0-1.

Blue Jays vs. Lackey: Cabrera 12-33, Bautista 5-21, David 10-26, Lind 14-26, Encarnacion 5-17, Izturis 1-9, DeRosa 4-8, Arencibia 0-6, Blanco 1-6, Reyes 1-4.

Stat of the Day: Counting spring training, Koji Uehara has thrown 11.2 scoreless innings and put only six runners on base while striking out 14.

Notes: Lackey is making his first start since Sept 25, 2011. He had Tommy John elbow surgery after that season. ... Lackey is 5-7, 5.48 in 19 career starts against Toronto. ... Happ is 0-1, 6.92 in three career appearances against the Sox. ... Happ had a very strong spring training, posting a 1.90 ERA over 23.2 innings. ... The Sox have averaged 5.75 runs over their first four games despite being 13 of 53 (.245) with runners in scoring position and leaving 43 runners on base. ... Victorino is 7 of 20 in four games with four RBIs and three runs scored. ... Sox pitchers have struck out 35 and walked 12. ... The Sox are 102-83 at the Rogers Centre. ... Bradley has seen 77 pitches in 19 plate appearances.

Song of the Day: "Come Back" by The J. Geils Band.

[rjortiz]

6-4 Blue Jays

[Whiteandnerdy42]

10-6 Red Sox; whenever Lackey pitches, he gives up lots of runs and still wins.

[BornToRun]

9-4 Sox. This is exactly the kind of lefty the Sox should obliterate (the talentless kind). Pair that with a horrible bullpen and it could be a drubbing.

So by "the kind we should dominate", you mean the kind of scrub that went went full Pedro on our asses last year despite all the logic in the world dictating that we should light him up?

[Palodios]

So by "the kind we should dominate", you mean the kind of scrub that went went full Pedro on our asses last year despite all the logic in the world dictating that we should light him up?

Last year's lineup was very lefty-heavy. This one is righty-heavy, with the additions of guys like Gomes, Napoli, and Victorino.

[BornToRun]

Last year's lineup was very lefty-heavy. This one is righty-heavy, with the additions of guys like Gomes, Napoli, and Victorino.

Yeah, we should have some major success against lefties this year. It's gonna be real interesting to see what the offense is like when Ortiz gets back.

[jung]

Happ is not only a LH pitcher but he is a lefty with a suspect FB. He cannot throw it inside to RH hitters without getting it crushed.

His "fooled you" set up to RH hitters is something we saw from JJ last night on occasion. Happ will set you up with the curve inside and down, trying to get you to chase it into the dirt. Then he will come back and freeze you with what you think is the curve headed for the dirt again. Only this time it is the slider that stays up off the ground and gets him the called strike with the hitter unable to pull the trigger. So Happ must stay off the inner half with his FB and must get his breaking/offspeed stuff to work for him to succeed. If he can't do that the bases should look like a pinball machine in the Sox half.

He is one of these guys that if on would have made last years impatient Sox look ridiculous quite unexpectedly like Jurrjens did. However if this edition of the Sox remains patient at the plate, they could have some fun.

[User Name?]

Last year's lineup was very lefty-heavy. This one is righty-heavy, with the additions of guys like Gomes, Napoli, and Victorino.

Tell that to Andy Petitte.

[BornToRun]

Happ is not only a LH pitcher but he is a lefty with a suspect FB. He cannot throw it inside to RH hitters without getting it crushed.

His "fooled you" set up to RH hitters is something we saw from JJ last night on occasion. Happ will set you up with the curve inside and down, trying to get you to chase it into the dirt. Then he will come back and freeze you with what you think is the curve headed for the dirt again. Only this time it is the slider that stays up off the ground and gets him the called strike with the hitter unable to pull the trigger. So Happ must stay off the inner half with his FB and must get his breaking/offspeed stuff to work for him to succeed. If he can't do that the bases should look like a pinball machine in the Sox half.

He is one of these guys that if on would have made last years impatient Sox look ridiculous quite unexpectedly like Jurrjens did. However if this edition of the Sox remains patient at the plate, they could have some fun.

oh Jesus, please don't remind me about the Jurrjens game. That was pathetic.

[Palodios]

Tell that to Andy Petitte.

Andy, this lineup has more right handed hitters than last year.

Huh, I don't get it.

[Station 13]

Another wasted lead off 2B. Seriously.