Where they ultimately fell short, however, was on the mound. As the Boston pitching fell apart, so did the team.
That’s not to say the Sox don’t have a talented rotation, though. Far from it actually. Look no further than Opening Day for a prime example of that. Jon Lester wasn’t able to come away with a win over Justin Verlander and the Tigers, but the left-hander left little doubt that he is the ace of the Red Sox staff. It was much of the same for Lester last season, as he went 15-9 on the year, earning his second straight All-Star appearance.
Josh Beckett will get the ball on Saturday afternoon in Detroit. The veteran right-hander probably feels like he too has something to prove after the way last year ended. Yet, he was arguably the Sox’ best pitcher for most of 2011. Beckett established a new career low in ERA, a stat that is certainly a better indication of how he pitched rather than his misleading 13-7 record.
There will be pressure on Clay Buchholz this season as well, but for different reasons. The righty has a world of talent, but he has yet to craft a signature, injury-free season. Last year, it was a back injury that did Buchholz in, as he didn’t make a start after June 16. He did go 17-7 the year before, though, and if he can finally put together a 200-inning season, his stuff is so good that we’ll undoubtedly be looking at his best season yet.
Finally, the real wild cards in the back end of the rotation are Felix Doubront and Daniel Bard. The former, Doubront, is out of options and is at a point in his career where he’s going to get a real chance to make an impact. If his spring is any indication of things to come, he could open a lot of eyes this season.
Those same eyes will be watching Bard very closely as well. Given the bullpen’s issues on Thursday, there’s now even more pressure on him to succeed in his first season as a starter.
