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The Red Sox have had an up-and-down April, but they're 6-3 in one-run games and above .500 on the road. Are they better than their record indicates? Can they hang with the Rays and Yankees in the AL East?
–Craig, Middlebury, Vt.
I think they can. The one-run games seem to come in waves, and right now, it has been one of those stretches.
I think the Rays may be better than we thought heading into the season. They do everything well and do a little bit of everything. They have a lot of ways to beat you, and their pitching is better than I thought.
The Yankees have not missed a beat without Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, and I thought they may.
With all of that said, I really think the Red Sox' pitching, which will improve, will keep the Red Sox in the conversation. The Red Sox need to take advantage of the lesser teams and hope to fare better than they have in the head-to-head matchups.
Also, we have seen here in the past how a few injuries can change your team quickly, and that is always possible for the other teams as well.
Are you surprised with the Tim Wakefield move to the bullpen?
–Rachel, Belmont, Mass.
I am. I like when Wake pitches, and for the most part, it is always an outing where you can count on him going deep and giving the bullpen some rest. I really don’t see where he has done anything to lose his spot.
I really thought, and think, that Daisuke Matsuzaka may be better suited for the 'pen. If you think about his 18-3 season, it was five innings and 100 pitches most times out. He can be effective for short periods of time and will throw a lot of pitches to accomplish it. To me, that translates to strong three-inning efforts, which could really bolster the Red Sox 'pen.
I guess the thinking is that it would be something he could not adjust to, since he has been a starter throughout his career. Tuesday, I asked Terry Francona, and he said that Matsuzaka has to do long toss to get ready and could not make the transition in his estimation.
What’s going on with Josh Beckett?
–Jeff, Galveston, Texas
I am not sure. The first thought is that he may be injured just because you are so used to him dominating and competing at such a high level. The only time he has not was when he was injured, or he thought he might be, and wasn't pitching freely. His velocity appeared to be down in Toronto, and he did not appear to have a feel for any of his pitches. He is by all accounts healthy, so it is even tougher to figure.
The Rangers got to him in Boston, and things spun out of control quickly against the Blue Jays. His normal intensity after giving up a run is legendary, and in this case, he seemed defeated in the dugout. Really un-Josh Beckett like.
In all honesty, the last thing I was worried about coming into the season was the Red Sox' starting pitching, and so far, it has been very inconsistent.
Who are the leaders in the Red Sox clubhouse? When times get tough, do any players speak up and let the rest of the team know that mediocre play is unacceptable?
Kelly, Willimantic, Conn.
That is a tough one, especially this particular year, because the normal guys to do so are now becoming the bench guys. I think the familiar faces to sort of step up are battling for playing time, which changes the dynamic a tad. That said, I do think that we have seen Dustin Pedroia become much more of a leader and voice in the clubhouse over the past year.
You said in an earlier mailbag that the Orioles were most improved. Would you like to revisit that?
–Darren, Bangor, Maine
Yes, sadly, I would. I am surprised to see the way that they are playing. I guess, in the end, their bullpen and timely hitting are still significant issues. I really felt that the additions of Garrett Atkins, Mike Gonzalez, Kevin Millwood and Miguel Tejada — combined with very good young players Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, and Matt Wieters — would lead to a good, more well-rounded team. I thought it was possible the 2010 Orioles could be the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays. That seems totally unreasonable now based on their April record and the hole they have dug for themselves out of the gate. You just hope that the Red Sox can take advantage of a team that is really down right now and continue to beat them this weekend.
