VA Sox Fan

4-1 Sox! Mayor's Cup here we come... Ciriaco has been insane this ST. I was asking what you were referring to about Remy's son. I hadn't heard anything and was curious.

Of course, unless the replacement's thumb falls off. Or gets a case of temporary batshittery (as you tell, I truly enjoyed and LOL's at your use of that one!)

I think most of us knew they weren't showing up to play. Others chose to completely stress out about it like it was some big issue.

One of the Four Horseman has cometh forward today.

It's obvious that the bullpen is weaker without Paps let alone Bard. But you said the bullpen sucked last year. Who knows how the BP will be this season. I'm cautiously optimistic. Big shock there.

That's the spirit!!

When I initially saw the line up, I wished today's game was Nationally televised so I could see it thinking "this looks like our starting line up for Thursday". I CANNOT wait for Thursday btw. Real baseball will finally be here!

That never made ANY sense. Hopefully, that will change this season.

From what I've read it'll be Dubront 4th and Bard 5th.

Live updates: Red Sox at Twins Posted by Peter Abraham, Globe Staff March 30, 2012 01:02 PM FORT MYERS, Fla. — We're about to get underway at Hammond Stadium where it's Daniel Bard Steel Cage Death Match Day. OK, it's really not. But he probably would help himself by pitching well. Hang out for updates as it's another beautiful sunny day in Florida. Been coming down here for spring training for 12 years or so. There has never been a better spring than this. There's a jacket in the rental car that has never been worn. First pitch is a few minutes away. Middle of the 1st: Red Sox 0, Twins coming up: Ellsbury had a bloop single. But Pedroia struck out swinging and Ortiz grounded into a 4-6-3 double play. Top of the 2nd: Twins 1, Red Sox 0: Bard handled Span (4-3) and Dozier (F-7) on eight pitches. Then he walked Mauer on four straight, none of them close. Morneau went 1-1 then hit a foul ball down the line in right that was probably 450 feet. Just strike two. Bard missed in the dirt then left a fastball up that Morneau pounded to left for an RBI double. Willingham was next and he fouled out to first. Middle of the 2nd: Red Sox 2, Twins 1: Youkilis flied to center. Salty walked and then Ross launched a deep homer to left. That's No. 5 for him. Sweeney struck out before Aviles singled, the ball deflecting off Blackburn. He was thrown out stealing by about four feet. Top of the 3rd: Red Sox 2, Twins 1: Strong inning for Bard. He struck out Burroughs and Plouffe looking at sliders. In between, Hughes grounded to third and Youk made a nice play. Middle of the 3rd: Red Sox 2, Twins 1Pedroia walked with two outs and went to third on a single by Ortiz to right field that deflected off the first baseman. Youk had a chance to drive in a run but grounded into a force. Top of the 4th: Red Sox 2, Twins 1: Hollimon flied to left. Bard then fanned Span and Dozier then struck out swinging. Bard is at 46 pitches, 28 strikes. Middle of the 4th: Red Sox 2, Twins 1: Salty and Ross flied out. Sweeney singled up the middle. Aviles then grounded into a force. Top of the 5th: Red Sox 2, Twins 1: Mauer singled. Morneau fouled out to Salty, Willingham lined to short (sweet play by Aviles on the dive) and Burroughs struck out looking at a nasty slider.

Pretty good so far, no details other than the score is Sox 2-1 and this from the Globe: Bard is at 46 pitches, 28 strikes that's after 4 innings.

Me too!

Felix Doubront update: In a High-A game against Twins prospects: 6 IP (21 batters), 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K, 84 pitches, 62 strikes. That was just what they planned for. He seems set to be the No. 4 starter.