jung

As much as I like Buch, if he is still pitching like he is pitching and Doubront and Bard are still pitching the way they are pitching when dice comes back it might be Buch that gets a break to make room for dice. My worry about Buch is that he is no longer the guy progressing up the Sox rotation totem pole and I really don't think he will be again. He gained weight with a purpose for last season and now that is being looked upon as part of his back issues. So now his weight is back down again but he looks anemic at this point. So he needed the weight but his back would not allow him to pitch with it. Now the weight is off but doesn't that mean he is right back were he was before putting on the weight? I think a 3 is as high as Buch is going to get and he might have problems holding onto that spot the way Doubront and Bard are coming on. With Cook in the immediate plans and dice not far off, this is a nice problem to have. Lester had a great start last time out but I still think he is inconsistent and has still not even once succeeded when given the opportunity to be a stopper. So for now I still think the biggest issues in the rotation are at 1 and 3, not at 2, 4 or 5.

I think AGons stroke is what it is now because that is how he wants it to be. I have no argument with him not being focused on lifting the ball. He gets lots of doubles, many of them Fenway wall balls. I don't like the number of times he swings at the first pitch he sees but I really don't have an issue with his stroke. We often wonder about him coming out of the All Star HRD having aggravated the shoulder from the number of swings. Maybe trying to lift the ball causes him some discomfort. I think the HR's you see from Agons will be like his 1at this year, a flat stroke at a high, fastball that had to much of the plate. He lined that over the fence. I would expect more of those when he does homer.

Sort of a bum deal for Tazawa....Hung the curve...got burned...the rest of his pitches were made in good locations I thought.

A walking we will go...a walking we will go....high ho the dario a walking we will go

Very little chance of getting the runner but Hill should have just gotten out of the way. Where was he going to throw it....left field?

We get our one d-mac explosion for an at bat about once every 1.5 years. Really surprised V went to Atch there. He has been pretty shaky pitching when the Sox are in a jam. Much better coming at at the start of clean innings.

Sox seem to stay just enough injured for D-mac to hang onto the back end of the roster...uncanny! I would start to be careful around d-mac's locker if I was one of the Sox OFers.

Oh well...that was part right anyway

Salty has clearly settled on "all or nothing" swings so when he does not get ALL expect ........

Holy s***.... slap the s*** out that guy...swingin' at Atch's first offering...Ventura is probably saying something like go sit the *&^%$@#$%^ down you dink!

Interesting spot as Beckett as at something like 111 with two outs, pitching to a RH batter. I am really OK with it especially with the Sox pen. Thought one of those was strike 3 also but I may just be Mr sour grapes on that score.

I have this feeling that Tito would have had Beckett outta there 18 ago , no 19 ago, no 20 ago etc Ii think 120-125 would be the most a guy like Beckett should go especially this early in the season.

Wow, Beckett up to 113...I mentioned this a few days ago but I really do think the entire league is sort of taking some version of a Nolan Ryan approach. Everybody seems to e going longer to me.

Remy job security

C'mon Josh, don't let this guy beat ya'

Thank God the wind is still blowing to RF

Now working to Beckett's advantage.

Ump reluctant to call "BALLS" since his little accident.

Ouchhhhhhhhhh!!Umpire abuse

NESN showing the new 100th Fenway bat commercial.....$100 each. By the time they are done I expect a full catalog of this stuff...seem to be working their way through the alphabet...bricks, bats, next will be caps and cups, dog collars......

C'mon Josh, showin' these butt ugly uniforms any mercy is embarrassing!

Aha...for non-NESN viewers...tightness in Youk's lower back has got him out of the line up.

WS trying to fool V into thinking we are playing inter-league the Phillies in an effort to get Ortiz out of the game.

Anybody seen anything about why they are sitting Youk? He has not been hitting but Punto???? Maybe Youk has started to show signs of the old frustration. Who knows.

I don't remember commenting on Sweeney when we got him. I was very happy with the Ross deal. That does not prevent me from suggesting that both will in my view come down to earth at some point. It does not seem to me that Sweeney goes to left enough to see much of a Fenway boost and eventually AL pitchers will find out how to pitch to Ross. I will still like them both even when they come down to earth as I don't expect them to fall through the basement. They are what they are. Guys do not suddenly turn into dragon slayers when they put on those red socks. We should just be happy that they are putting up these numbers when we need them most. They are doing more than should have been expected right when the Sox have needed it most. What's not to like.