Two Ways To Think About Red Sox Start To The Season

There are two very different ways to think about how the Red Sox have started this season.

THE GOOD:

The Red Sox could very easily be 3-1. If they could've held on to the first and 3rd game of the Tigers series they would've been 3-1. One of those games went to extra innings, and both times the Red Sox were up going into the bottom of an inning and blew it. That means the Red Sox could've gone into what I think is the best team in the AL and gone 2-1 in the Tigers stadium. Would've been pretty impressive.

The Red Sox have also shown a ton of heart. They have already come back in 2 9th innings, which is something they did only twice all of last year. Bobby V has used pitch runners twice and both times it has worked, and guys are getting those "clutch" hits the Red Sox really lacked last year.

For all the bad with the bullpen there has also been some really good outings too. Atchison last night went 3 scoreless innings, Padilla has 4 scoreless inning in a outing against Detroit, Franklin Morales looked great over 2 innings in that same outing, and Aceves (according to the NESN gun) may have figured out that he can throw harder since he is only asked to pich 1 inning now as a closer, as he was hitting 96 last night (usually around 92), so maybe that means he is figuring things out.

THE BAD:

Beckett and Buchholz were awful and didn't go deep into games. That is a problem that plagued the Red Sox last year, and it just kills a bullpen. So far the only Red Sox starter to go more then 5 innings is Lester. I expect things like that from Doubront, he is young and is takes time to learn how to pitch, but guys like Beckett and Buchholz HAVE TO start pitching more innings. If you are going to be a good pitcher in this league there is no reason why you are only lasting 5 innings.

Obviously, the Red Sox have had a bunch of blown saves, and getting one doesn't fox that. Mark Melancon has to get going, and be a big part of this bullpen. Aceves has to prove he can close.

The Red Sox offense has had a flare for the dramatic, but as also disappeared for long stretches. They were shutout the first 8 innings of the 1st game (get a pass because it was Verlander), they got shutout game 2, and even last night they only had 1 run going into the 9th inning. Youk looks awful so far as he is 0-12 so far, and that could be huge since the bottom of this lineup is already pretty weak.

CONCLUSION:

It's kind of a make your own. You can either say this team was close to being 3-1 and they are just getting rolling. Their bullpen is figuring things out, Beckett/Buchholz will pitch better, and their hitting as been "clutch". OR you could say it's more of the same as last year with starting pitching not going deep into games, Youk is washed up, and the bullpen has holes. I am staying positive for now, I think this team has a very good chance to come together. I think it could be tough in the beginning as they have a very, very tough schedule to start, but that win last night was huge for this team to get the monkey off their back and I think Aceves is going to figure things out for that closer spot.