The Red Sox have struggled to get both as of late, thanks to injury and ineffectiveness.

Don Orsillo addresses that and more in his weekly mailbag.

Don, what is your favorite memory as a Red Sox announcer?
–Kevin McNeely

I actually have a new one this season. The first game back at Fenway after the Boston Marathon tragedies. The three-run home run hit by Daniel Nava in the eighth inning vs. Kansas City. Emotions had been running high in the city and at the ballpark that day, and it was such a great moment.

What kind of music do you like?
–Kim Eldridge

I am all over the place on music preference. No. 1 for me is Dave Matthews. However, I like James Taylor, Eddie Vedder, Kenny Chesney and classical or opera.

What do you watch on TV besides sports?
–Kim Eldridge

I’m a huge Anthony Bourdain fan. I loved No Reservations on the Travel Channel and his new show on CNN. I love to cook, and I love to see the way people cook from all over the world. Otherwise, I like all the CSIs, Criminal Minds, Mob Wives and Larry David.

Do you think the Red Sox are a playoff team?
–Kelsey Beauvais

I did not think so in spring training, but I do now. This team is better and deeper — health willing — than I thought. I think anytime you have two guys as good as Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz at the front of your rotation, you are going to be in good shape. I think that Will Middlebrooks and Stephen Drew are both going to be hitting better in the near future, and I do think they could be a postseason team.

What do you like most about this Red Sox team?
–Taylor Chick

The guys on the team. This is as likable a team as we have had here in some time. All of the additions have been great character guys who can play on this stage, and I look forward to being around them as a group every day.

Don, how do you feel about the bullpen this year? Do you think they’re doing what they need to do?
–Kat Drago

I felt better about it a week ago before Joel Hanrahan and Andrew Bailey both were injured. Now everybody has changed roles and innings, and clearly they are not as deep as they were. Hopefully Bailey can return soon, and setup roles can return to some semblance of normalcy.

Will Felix Doubront remain a starter, or will he be in the pen?
–Ricky Kendall via Twitter, @RickyBobbyyyy4

I think he will remain a starter at least for the near future. I think Allen Webster‘s tough outing sort of cemented his spot for now. I think if Webster had been as effective as he was in his first start, the spot could have been his. I think Felix needs to work faster and try to find his velocity again. He has been tough to figure out. His velocity is down, and he is having trouble putting guys away, but by all accounts, he feels healthy.

Thanks in large part to the top of the team’s rotation, the Sox have been able to regain the form that made them top contenders in years past — and that they lost down the stretch in 2011 and never found during a lackluster 2012 campaign.

With Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester looking like aces once again in 2013, however, the Red Sox appear to be the real deal once more.

With that in mind, Don Orsillo dove into the mailbag to see what fans are thinking during the team’s hot start.

How long does it take for you and Remdawg to prepare for the nightly game with statistical facts and player info?
– Harry Ellis

I am not sure about Jerry, but I can speak for myself. Generally, it starts as soon as I wake up, when I head online and read for about 90 minutes. I read all of our sites and then the team’s we are currently playing as well as the team’s we will play next. That way, I stay up-to-date on us, the other team and the team we are about to see. Then once I get to the park we meet with John Farrell and players as well as the opposing manager. I like to see many players on the other side that I know from past experience. Then it generally takes me around 30 minutes to fill in my scorecard with all the stats and info that I have gathered throughout the day.

I get the impression you and Jerry laugh even more when the mics are off than you do when they are on. Is that an accurate guess?
– Alan Brown

I would say that is pretty right on. We have a great deal of fun on the air but much more off. We spend every day together for seven months, basically, and we have a very good relationship. It takes time to build a relationship, and Jerry and I now have 13 years of experience working together as a team.

What Red Sox jersey do you wear casually (what player) if you wear a Sox jersey at any point?
– Jake Pendleton

I am sort of past the point of wearing Sox jerseys around the house, but I can say that for years No. 24 — for my favorite player of all time, Dwight Evans – was the one I went with. I had the chance to work with him in 2009 as a fill-in announcer for Jerry.

Where is your favorite booth to do a game from?
– Marc Burke

Yankee Stadium, Anaheim Stadium, Citizens Bank Park and Camden Yards are probably the top four. Besides Fenway, the old Yankee Stadium was the best. Multiple reasons for all. Mostly sight lines, proximity to the field, work space and atmosphere.

Don, do you think the Red Sox will be able to compete with teams like Texas and Baltimore this year?
– Adam Gilfix

I think they absolutely can. I do not think the trip to Texas changes my mind much. I think you can add Detroit to that list as well. I am pleasantly surprised with how good the Sox have been this season and now reserve the right to change my mind on our spring training predictions. This team is better and deeper than it appeared on paper. I think any time you have two top-tier starters on the front end like Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz, your ability to compete with teams you mentioned is very possible.

Are they really going to trade Jarrod Saltalamacchia?
– Bond MacEoghain

I originally thought that was possible when the Sox had four catchers in the offseason (Saltalamacchia, Mike Napoli, Ryan Lavarnway and David Ross). Now the way things have worked out, the tandem the Sox have gone with has been solid, and David Ross has become a great team leader. That is hard to do from a backup role, but John Farrell has described him as an extension of the coaching staff. I think Salty stays.

Mike Napoli isn’t the only former Texas Ranger to make the move up to Boston this season. Reliever Koji Uehara also called Arlington home last year, and the 38-year-old right-hander has made quite the impression on Red Sox fans during his short tenure with the team.

Through his 13 appearances, Uehara holds a 1.54 ERA and has struck out 14 over 11 2/3 innings. He’s also become known for his boundless enthusiasm, as he is often seen high-fiving everyone in the Red Sox dugout after coming off the mound.

Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy broke down what has made Uehara so effective during Red Sox GameDay LIVE on Friday. Check it out in the video above.

It has not been just the everyday starters that have given the Red Sox their offensive pop this season. The team has shown the ability to cycle in bench players like David Ross, Pedro Ciriaco and Mike Carp without seeing a drop in production.

Boston’s lineup has been very fluid through the first 26 games this season, brought on by the late additions of Stephen Drew and David Ortiz and lingering minor injuries to Shane Victorino, but the Sox have seamlessly adapted to a batting order that changes nearly each night.

Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy discussed this and more Wednesday night during Red Sox Gameday Live. Check it out in the video above.

The team is holding a “Meet Your Sox” promotion, where fans who see larger-than-life cutouts of players’ faces can enjoy special perks. (Check out the Red Sox’ Facebook page for more information.)

But Sox players’ heads aren’t the only ones that will be appearing around Boston. The faces of NESN’s own Jerry Remy, Don Orsillo and Jenny Dell will also be in Beantown during the day before taking care of the Red Sox-Yankees matchup Thursday night.

See what Don tweeted Thursday as he looked forward to the event.

Apparently these are out and about in Boston today. Hope you all get tickets. Sadly, my head will be easy to find. http://t.co/Iuu5B8M0bI

—
Don Orsillo (@DonOrsillo) April 04, 2013

After a long spring, the Red Sox are finally ready to play some baseball that counts.

The Sox wrapped up their spring training slate with a 4-2 win over the Twins on Saturday and will now turn their attention to Monday’s Opening Day matchup with the Yankees in the Bronx.

Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy joined NESN Daily one final time from JetBlue Park in Fort Myers to break down the highs and lows of training camp and offer their predictions for the upcoming regular season.

Check it out in the video above.

Red Sox play-by-play man Don Orsillo recently unveiled his secrets to staying in tip-top broadcasting shape, which can be seen in the video below.

Facing the Toronto Blue Jays may have been a bit awkward for Red Sox manager John Farrell — who managed the Jays just last year — but two other Boston newcomers thoroughly enjoyed it.

Steven Wright and Allen Webster combined to allow a run on four hits over four innings in the first appearance with the pro club for both hurlers. Wright, a knuckleballer, got the start and the win, striking out two and allowing a pair of hits over two scoreless frames.

Check out postgame reactions from Farrell and the two right-handers in the video above.

The Red Sox couldn’t have asked for much more from Jon Lester on Sunday.

The left-hander retired all six batters he faced in his first start of spring training — a 5-3 Boston win over St. Louis. Lester struggled through the most difficult campaign of his career last season, going 9-14 with a career-worst 4.82 ERA, and came into camp looking to put the tumultuous events of last year behind him.

WEEI’s Rob Bradford joined NESN’s Don Orsillo to break down Lester’s first outing, as well speculate on when new first baseman Mike Napoli will make his Red Sox debut. Check it out in the video above.

As spring training got underway, NESN’s Red Sox broadcast team set of on a whirlwind journey to meet with Sox fans across New England.

Don Orsillo, Jerry Remy and Jenny Dell visited Burlington, Vt., Hartford, Conn., Springfield, Mass., Portland, Maine, and Providence, R.I., over a four-day span, making appearances everywhere from courthouses to sports bars to call centers.

Check out some highlights from their travels in the video above.

Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@TheRickyDoyle

Don Orsillo, Jerry Remy and Jenny Dell concluded their four-day tour by spending an eventful day in Rhode Island that included a number of stops, plenty of laughs and now countless memories.

The crew kicked off the day in Providence, R.I., where they stopped by 94.1 WHJY to do a radio appearance on Paul and Al. The topics ranged from the Red Sox’ upcoming season to the crew’s crazy antics and everything in between.

The radio appearance was just the beginning, though. Don, Jerry and Jenny then stopped by the Meeting Street School, which was an amazing experience for all involved. The trio was greeted to chants of “NESN” and “Red Sox,” and the kids loved being able to chat baseball on the day before the start of their school vacation.

Day 4 also included stops at Amica and Cox Communications, and then it was on to the final stop of the tour at the Warwick Mall. Fans from all over the area came out to the mall, and they asked NESN’s on-air talent plenty of hard-hitting, interesting and often hilarious questions. The day concluded with a meet and greet and autograph signings.

All in all, to say the trip was successful would be an understatement. Don, Jerry and Jenny had some long days, yet loved every minute of being able to interact with Red Sox Nation before what is sure to be an interesting season. Now, let the games begin.

Click here to see photos from Day 4 >>

Click here to see photos from Day 3 >>

Click here to see photos from Day 2 >>

Click here to see photos from Day 1 >>

Jerry Remy,

The NESN on-air crew stopped by two radio stations in Portland, Maine, on Thursday to begin the day. First, they appeared on WHOM 94.9 with a couple of welcoming hosts in Teddy McKay and Sandra Harris, where the topics ranged from “Pizzagate” to Jenny’s cooking resume and everything in between. Jerry, Don and Jenny then popped on over to Q97.9 for some more wacky conversations.

That was just the start of Day 3, though. After bouncing off the airwaves, the threesome headed on over to St. Brigid School, where they discussed Red Sox history, fielded personal questions, signed autographs, gave out Wally dolls and even busted out a few dance moves. In fact, the crew moved around surprisingly well for early in the morning.

After saying goodbye to the third graders at St. Brigid, it was back on the road. The trio eventually landed at Binga’s Stadium Smokehouse and Sports Bar for a meet-and-greet session with some avid Sox fans. While at Binga’s, they answered some hard-hitting questions, gave some insight into their gameday routines and were even offered a beer by some of the locals. Of course, this all was in addition to Jenny receiving a Valentine’s Day gift from an unexpected romantic.

The NESN Spring Training Kickoff Tour will continue in Providence, R.I., on Friday. On the tour’s final day, Jerry, Don and Jenny will host a public meet and greet at the Warwick Mall in Warwick, R.I., at 3 p.m.

Click here to see photos from Day 3 >>

Click here to see photos from Day 2 >>

Click here to see photos from Day 1 >>

Jerry, Don and Jenny have fielded plenty of questions throughout their excursion. Sometimes, the questions pertain to the action on the field. Other times, they relate to the trio’s broadcast career. Regardless of the questions or comments thrown in their direction, though, the crew is all about having fun and getting ready for what should be an interesting Red Sox season.

One of the radio stations Jerry, Don and Jenny stopped at in Portland on Thursday was Q97.9-WJBQ. Click on the link below to listen to their hysterical interview.

Click here to listen to Jerry, Don and Jenny on WJBQ in Portland >>

It was the seventh inning of the Red Sox’ Patriots’ Day tilt with the Angels back in 2007. J.D. Drew hit a popup down the left-field line that landed in the first row. In addition to a fan spilling beer all over the place, a rather bizarre event took place. A different fan a few rows back took it upon himself to toss a slice of pizza at the fan going for the ball. The strange sequence sent NESN’s Don Orsillo and Jerry Remy into hysterics, and has since been dubbed “Pizzagate” in many Red Sox Nation circles.

Don, Jerry and Jenny Dell stopped by to talk with Teddy McKay and Sandra Harris of WHOM 94.9 in Portland on Thursday as part of the NESN Spring Training Kickoff Tour. They discussed a number of topics, but it didn’t take long before “Pizzagate” came up. Don and Jerry still remember the incident like it was yesterday, and actually consider it to be one of their favorite broadcasting moments together.

Jenny wasn’t around at NESN for “Pizzagate,” but she has already had her fair share of laughs with the crazy duo. Check out the trio’s hilarious radio interview by clicking on the link below.

Click here to listen to Don, Jerry and Jenny on WHOM in Portland >>

“Thank you for calling Comcast, this is NESN’s Jerry Remy … also known as the RemDawg.”

Calling customer service can be a nightmare at times, but when a friendly voice like the RemDawg, Don Orsillo or Jenny Dell picks up the other line, it might not be so bad. The NESN crew stopped by Comcast offices in Connecticut on Wednesday, where they helped answer phones and lend some technical support.

Check out the video above for some highlights of the stop on the NESN Tour, including one call where Jenny does her best to dissuade a customer from discontinuing their sports package.

Jerry, Don and Jenny kicked off their morning by conducting a radio interview at WTIC NewsTalk 1080 in Farmington, Conn., and then it was quickly on to WTIC-TV FOX Channel 61 for a television interview. These events, as you’d imagine, were no sweat for the bunch, as they’re used to the limelight that comes with radio and TV appearances.

That was just the tip of the iceberg for Day 2, though. Jerry, Don and Jenny then stopped at Gengras Chevrolet in East Hartford, Conn. While there, they greeted fans and employees, even hopping behind the wheel of one of the lot’s Corvettes.

Since the days are long, the trio then grabbed lunch before it was on to Comcast, where they shocked some callers by answering phones alongside some amused employees. As you’d expect, the callers weren’t exactly expecting to hear, “Thank you for calling Comcast, this is NESN’s Jerry Remy, also known as the RemDawg.”

The crew ended the day by dropping by the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass. They conducted a public meet-and-greet with fans, which included a Q&A session and autograph signings. The turnout was terrific, and it’s obvious that there is already a buzz throughout Red Sox Nation.

All in all, it was a long, but successful day. Fortunately for those fans who missed out, the tour will continue going strong on Thursday, with the day kicking off in Portland, Maine.

Click here to see photos from Day 2 >>

Click here to see photos from Day 1 >>

Day 1 took Jerry Remy, Don Orsillo and Jenny Dell to Vermont, where they visited the Vermont Tourism Office and Vermont State House. Vermont legislators, including Lt. Gov. Phil Scott and Speaker of the House Shap Smith, were among those in attendance as the trio talked about the upcoming Red Sox season with anxious fans.

The day started off with Jerry, Don and Jenny packing up the car at the NESN studios in Watertown, Mass., and it ended with the crew heading to Connecticut, where on Wednesday morning they’ll make a radio appearance on WTIC NewsTalk 1080 and a television appearance on WTIC FOX TV.

Jerry, Don and Jenny will also host a public meet-and-greet at the MassMutual Center in Springfield at 3 p.m. on Wednesday. All Red Sox fans are encouraged to join and celebrate what is sure to be an interesting season.

Click here to see photos from Day 1 >>

On a day in which President Barack Obama gave a State of the Union address, The RemDawg addressed the State of Red Sox Nation. Jerry, Don and Jenny stopped by the Vermont State House, during which Jerry got to lay down the gavel while a number of legislators, including Lt. Gov. Phil Scott and Speaker of the House Shap Smith, joined in the fun.

Plenty of excited Red Sox fans also joined the crew to show their support and further prove that there’s quite the buzz surrounding this year’s Red Sox team. Vermont state representative Christopher Pearson was among those excited to see NESN’s on-air trio drop by, even taking to social media to express his appreciation.

The Vermont State House wasn’t the only stop of Day 1, though. Jerry, Don and Jenny also visited the Vermont Tourism Office.

The NESN Spring Training Kickoff Tour, which includes stops in five cities over four days, will head to Connecticut on the morning of Day 2 before stopping in Springfield, Mass., later in the day. Jerry, Don and Jenny are scheduled to conduct a radio interview with WTIC 1080 at 7:50 a.m., and they’ll do a television interview with WTIC FOX CT Morning News at 9 a.m.

To follow the NESN Spring Training Kickoff Tour, be sure to check back with NESN.com throughout the week. Also, be sure to follow along on Twitter @NESN using the hashtag #NESNTour.

Click here to see photos from Day 1>>

The tour, which is taking place Tuesday, Feb. 12, to Friday, Feb. 15, will include stops in five cities, and will be highlighted by free public events on four consecutive days.

The four meet-and-greet sessions are open to the public, and all Red Sox fans are encouraged to come join the fun in anticipation of what should be a very exciting season.

The tour kicked off with Jerry, Don and Jerry leaving NESN’s Watertown studio on Tuesday morning.

Click here to see the locations of the tour’s public meet-and-greet sessions >>

The NESN Spring Training Kickoff Tour will take place Tuesday, Feb. 12, to Friday, Feb. 15. Don, Jerry and Jenny will visit five cities in four days, and the trip around New England will be highlighted by free public events on four consecutive days. All Red Sox fans are welcomed to join in the fun.

The locations of the four meet-and-greet sessions are open to the public and can be seen below. Be sure to check back with NESN.com throughout the week for coverage of what is sure to be an amazing trip.

Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m.
Vermont State House
State Street
Montpelier, Vt.

Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 3 p.m.
MassMutual Center
1277 Main Street
Springfield, Mass.

Thursday, Feb. 14 at 3 p.m.
Binga’s Stadium
77 Free Street
Portland, Maine

Friday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m.
Warwick Mall
400 Bald Hill Road
Warwick, R.I.