Considering the Red Sox started the 2011 season 0-6 and the 2012 season 0-3, a 2-1 record after the first series of the year—against the Yankees, no less—is a real accomplishment. So I’m not horribly disappointed by last night’s 4-2 loss in the Bronx. But I’m not happy about it either… they lost to a guy who’s almost my age, for crying out loud.

Only a couple of highlights on the Sox side of things. Will Middlebrooks broke his 0-for-8 start with two hits, driving in one of their two runs. And let’s talk about the #9 batter, one Jose Iglesias, who, after three games, leads the team with a .583 average. Jose’s been all about the small ball which might be what saves him from a career of being deemed a one-trick pony.

Newcomer Ryan Dempster got the start against veteran (and old man) Andy Pettitte. He pitched five innings, allowing three runs on five hits and four walks. But he struck out eight. Ok…not bad. I can work with this. I mean that’s not completely sucky. Pettitte, on the other hand, was impressive, holding this offense to just one run on eight hits.

And don’t start erecting that statue of Jackie Bradley Jr. just yet. The rookie did have one hit—an RBI double in the seventh, but he also came up with two outs in the top of the ninth as the tying run and his patience was his downfall. Facing Mariano Rivera, he wasn’t about to get the benefit of a close call and was called out on strikes to end the game. Live and learn, kid. Live and learn.

Next up on the schedule, John Farrell’s former team, the Blue Jays. Felix Doubront takes the hill against Josh Johnson. Last year, the Sox and Jays really battled it out for last place right to the bitter end. The Sox won (or lost, depending how you look at it.)

Click on over to here for the uninspiring box score, courtesy of the Red Sox.

The Red Sox won again last night, bumping their early-season record to 2-0 and knocking the battered Yankees down a peg.  The score was 7-4, behind a strong outing from Clay Buchholz.  Buchholz held the Yankee bats to one run over seven innings of work.  The New York pitching staff wasn’t as lucky: starter Hiroki Kuroda took a Shane Victorino single off his pitching hand in the second inning and had to leave the game with what turned out to be a bruise.  Pinstriped old-timer Vernon Wells hit a three-run home run in the New York eighth, and Travis Hafner hit a single shot in the fourth, but that was all the offense the Yankees could muster (it’s almost symbolic that this creaky old Titanic of an offense only scored off of home runs hit by two of the creakiest men in the majors).

The Red Sox, meanwhile – screw small sample sizes.  The Sox are going to go undefeated, win the division, sweep the postseason, and win the World Series AND the 2016 Democratic primary (Massachusetts is a blue state, after all).  Look at these lines:

Daniel Nava – .667/.800/1.000

Jose Iglesias (yes, Jose Iglesias) – .556/.556/.667

Jonny Gomes – .500/.600/.500

Jarrod Saltalamacchia – .429/.600/.571

Jacoby Ellsbury – .400/.455/.600

Dustin Pedroia – .364/.364/.364 (4 for 11, all singles – how often do you see a line that matches up across the columns?)

Now granted, the only one of those players I think can actually stay near those early marks is Pedroia – he could hit .360 if he had a great year, and obviously he’ll also hit something more than a single eventually – as we know, all he does in the off-season is straight bodybuilding, so, there’s that to look forward to.  And Jackie Bradley, Jr., the king of the spring, has only hit .167/.500/.167 in the early going (three walks and one single in six official at-bats, giving us the low average and slugging percentage but the eyebrow-raising on-base percentage).  Will Middlebrooks has a .000 batting average – (hopefully) that won’t stick, either.  But, these lines are fun.  Daniel Nava will be 80 years old one day, sitting in a rocking chair and talking to his grandkids about the week he had a .660 average in the major leagues.  Early statistics are basically worthless, but they sure do make for good “listen up sonny, and I’ll tell you about back when I was a major-leaguer” story.

Red Sox-Yankees again, tonight.  Ryan Dempster makes his debut against Andy Pettitte, who still hasn’t retired (again).  Let’s see if the Yankees can make something of this series behind one of their greats, or if the Sox can open up with a series sweep on the road.

Here’s the box score from last night, courtesy of the Red Sox.

The Red Sox won! The Red Sox won! I’ve been waiting a couple years to say that on Opening Day, and today I can. The Red Sox beat the New York Yankees handily in the Bronx, 8-2. Part of me was dreading this game, mostly because after last season’s horridness. It made me feel a little like Charlie Brown trusting Lucy not to pull the ball away. I didn’t want to get fooled again.

But that’s not what happened. Quite the contrary actually. It was almost as if these guys enjoyed playing with each other. Like there was, dare I say, chemistry? John Farrell is the complete opposite of Bobby Valentine… and by that I mean he’s normal and has a real handle on what makes a team work as a team. See what happens when everyone gets along!

The top third of the lineup—Jacoby Ellsbury, Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia—shined this afternoon, combining for six of the eight runs batted in on seven hits. Rookie Jackie Bradley Jr. showed veteran-like patience at the plate, walking three times in his 0-for-2 performance. He drove in his first career major league run in the top of the seventh on a fielder’s choice. Jose Iglesias, who has never been known for his stellar offense, went 3-for-5 with an RBI. Looks like someone was a little embarrassed by his .118 average last fall.

Jon Lester pitched five innings, looking sharp for four of those five—his only problem coming in the fourth where he got a little wild and gave up the two lone runs of the game. He struck out seven and walked two. The bullpen pitched lights out the rest of the way to secure Lester’s first win, only allowing one hit through the final four frames.

The Sox scored four runs in the second inning. Jarod Saltalamacchia took a one-out walk, followed by a Jonny Gomes line drive single and the first of three walks to Bradley Jr. Iglesias drove in the first run on a single to the shortstop. Ellsbury grounded into a fielder’s choice and Victorino followed with single to left scoring two. Pedroia singled to right field scoring Ellsbury for the fourth run on the inning.

The only thing that makes me happier than the Sox winning on Opening Day? The Sox beating the Yankees on Opening Day. So needless to say, I’m wicked happy! The teams have an off day tomorrow because holy crap, Opening Day must be sooooo exhausting. They’ll meet again on Wednesday with Clay Buchholz facing off against Hiroki Kuroda for a 7:05pm start.

Clicky here if you would like to view more of the amazing game #1 recap, courtesy of the Red Sox.

Of course no one will actually confirm that this 2013 Red Sox roster is official, but if you ask me, it looks pretty solid so I’m going with it. There was no ceremonial announcement that Jackie Bradley Jr. was a definite to be in New York on Opening Day but word on the street is he is headed to NY with the club. [Yay!] After finishing up the spring with impressive numbers — .419 average and a 1.120 OPS — it would’ve have been a damn shame if he found himself in Pawtucket.

So without further ado…

Starting pitchers:
Jon Lester, Clay Buchholz, Ryan Dempster, Felix Doubront, John Lackey
No surprises here, although I thought Felix might grab the #3 spot.

Bullpen:
Joel Hanrahan, Andrew Bailey, Andrew Miller, Koji Uehara, Junichi Tazawa, Alfredo Aceves, Clayton Mortensen
Daniel Bard, who the Sox broke last season, will start the season in Portland! Sounds like a rebuilding year for Bard. And I wonder what the over/under is on when Aceves has his first whiny meltdown.

Catchers: 
Jarrod Saltalamacchia, David Ross
And once again, Ryan Lavarnway is sent to Pawtucket. He’s like the high school senior that can’t seem to make the varsity club. *sigh*

Infielders:
Mike Napoli, Dustin Pedroia, Jose Iglesias, Will Middlebrooks, Pedro Ciriaco, Mike Carp
With Stephen Drew on the DL (WHAT? a Drew on the DL?), Jose Iglesias will get a shot to show us his moves and his greatly improved offense. He did hit a respectable .294 this spring.

Outfielders:
Shane Victorino, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jackie Bradley Jr., Jonny Gomes, Daniel Nava
I’m most excited about the outfield this season — Bradley, Ellsbury and Victorino could make up one of the best defensive outfield we’ve seen in a loooong time!

Tomorrow’s the day, Sox fans. The Red Sox visit the New York Yankees for an Opening Day matinee with Jon Lester taking on CC Sabathia. Game time is 1:05pm. Where will you be?

The Boston Red Sox split a doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays today.  Dustin Pedroia jacked a home run, and knuckleballer Daniel Webster put up a good showing in his Sox debut.

But, that’s not what I was thinking about today.  See, I got my hands on a copy of Baseball Prospectus today.  BP loves Xander Bogaerts, but sees him long-term as a third baseman.  This revelation got me thinking about Boston’s perennial shortstop problem.  Why can’t Boston make a shortstop stick?  The shortstop position in Boston is a black hole, a vortex, the MLB job where job security goes to die.

Mike Aviles, one of many

Scene: it’s early 2004, Nomar Garciaparra’s the Boston shortstop, and despite persistent Magglio Ordonez trade rumors, everything’s groovy – everything, that is, except for the team’s not having won the World Series in 86 years.  But, the fans like their team, they love their shortstop, they have faith.

Then, the doldrums set in, Derek Jeter runs headlong into the stands in New York, and Nomar gets traded in a trade-deadline deal to Chicago.  The Sox win the World Series, but without their star shortstop.

Since then, we’ve seen a bevy of shortstops come and go, but none of them seem to quite fit.  Let me just clear my throat a second here: Orlando Cabrera; Edgar Renteria (hey, let’s trade Hanley Ramirez while we’re at it, he’ll never amount to anything); Alex Gonzalez; Alex Cora; Julio Lugo; Jed Lowrie; Nick Green (?); Marco Scutaro; Mike Aviles; and, the flavor of the month, Stephen Drew, with Jose Iglesias, a man who simply CANNOT HIT, close behind.

The heck?  What is happening here?  It’s just weird that none of these players could stick in Boston.  I don’t know if it’s something about the pressure of playing in Boston, I don’t know if it’s something about ridiculous contracts given out to mediocre shortstops (looking at you, Lugo), I don’t know if there’s some kind of divot at the edge of the grass that makes it impossible to field routine grounders.  But for whatever reason, the Sox can’t make a shortstop stick.  It’s weird, it’s disconcerting, and I don’t like it.

Dustin Pedroia wants a consistent double-play partner.  He doesn’t even have to say so for me to know it’s true.  Give Dustin what he wants – a shortstop that will last more than one year, earn a reasonable paycheck, and maybe fling himself headlong into the stands at Yankee Stadium once or twice.

So the Red Sox continue their losing ways. (Serenity now! *raises fist*) After dropping their last eight games of the 2012 season, they lose their first official Grapefruit League game to those pesky Tampa Bay Rays, 4-3. Close, but no cigar.

Picture perfect day. (Photo by: Krista Nordgren)

I know it shouldn’t matter. It’s spring training. There are names on the line up card that a lot of us have never heard before. But it would’ve been nice…confidence boosting even… for a W in the first meeting with a division rival. I guess that was too much to ask. I’m going to try extra hard not to ask too much this season.

Spring training games are hard for me to watch on television. It snowed most of the day here in Maine yesterday and seeing all those people, hanging out in sunny Fort Meyers, FL really pissed me off. A friend of mine was there too… torturing me with texts about how amazing the park is, how they have dispensers of sunscreen in the bathrooms, how her kid got tossed a ball, and again how amazing the park is. Kill me now.

Trying to recap a spring training game is a lot like herding kittens, so I’ll give you some highlights.

• John Lackey started his first game since 2011. He pitched just one inning of work throwing 20 pitches—10 for strikes. He loaded the bases with a hit, a walk, a strikeout and a hit batsman but got out of the inning giving up just one run. Not bad for the newly slimmed-down right-hander. I’m rooting for him to have a good year.
• Jose Iglesias smashed a two-run, game-tying home run over the Green Monster (south) in the seventh. For a guy who’s been struggling to prove he’s ready for the big leagues with his bat, this home run has to do wonders for his confidence. Maybe that off-season time spent with Dustin Pedroia is paying off!

This afternoon, the Red Sox travel to Jupiter (the town, not the planet) to play the Cardinals. Jon Lester will make the start. For more riveting detail on yesterday’s contest, click here — courtesy of the Sox. All is right in the world… baseball is back.

ESPN and the Boston Globe report that the Red Sox are closing in (get it?) on a deal that would bring Pittsburgh Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan to Boston for prosepcts Stolmy Pimental and Jerry Sands.  The Globe adds that the Pirates initially wanted the heavily-touted Jose Iglesias as part of the deal, but that Boston wouldn’t budge.  That’s not too surprising given that Stephen Drew only has a one-year contract – but it seems like the Sox are really counting on Iglesias getting his hitting together in the minors this year so that they can call him a viable option at shortstop in time for the free-agent market to open up again next year.

Cody Ross and David Ortiz (credit: Amanda Laws)

The Hanrahan trade also, obviously, leaves Andrew Bailey’s future up in the air.  Not that he had much of a chance to wow the organization last year after spending most of it on the DL following his time in Oakland.

For what it’s worth, Hanrahan should be fine.  He notched 36 saves last year, but it took him 63 appearances to do so.  And, he has a 3.74 lifetime ERA.  The closer market’s not great this year, and at the very least, this moves up the entire bullpen without sacrificing much equity.

Also, Cody Ross is officially an Arizona Diamondback.  He had some interesting comments to the media on the way out of town.  The Globe quotes Ross, talking about the Red Sox’s efforts to keep him on the roster:

“I don’t know what happened but we could never agree on terms. They thought I’d come back no matter what because they thought I loved playing there. And I did. Who wouldn’t love playing at Fenway Park? I just wanted a fair deal. I told them what I wanted. I wasn’t trying to break the bank. They weren’t willing to do it.”

That’s polite, but kind of a damning and insightful thing to say.  The Red Sox do tend to ask their stars to re-sign at a deficit, because their stars (until lately, anyway) loved playing in Boston.  The fact that Ross couldn’t be convinced to sign at a lower value just because he “loved” playing at Fenway is kind of a big deal to me.  The bubbles that start the boil, maybe.  I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Sox have trouble hanging on to their marquee players from here on out.

Which gives us a nice segue into Ross’s other comment, on ex-manager Bobby Valentine.  Ross alluded that he got along with Valentine better than any other player on the team.  “When Bobby came in,” Ross told the Globe, “his way of doing things was a lot different than what they were used to under Terry Francona and it was a shock to them. They weren’t on board with it.”

Also, Ben Cherington is officially Not Talking About Mike Napoli.  This should end well.

The Red Sox lost 7-4 in spectacular, walk-off fashion last night to the Tampa Bay Rays. And by spectacular, I mean the bullpen blew a three-run lead in the ninth and wasted another fantastic outing by Clay Buchholz. Buchholz, still in search of his first win in over a month, was the victim of yet another no decision even though he pitched seven innings of four-hit, shut out ball.

That ninth inning will kill you. Click on the box for the gory details.

The bullpen blunder also wasted a kick-ass night by greenhorn, Jose Iglesias. Iglesias has recently been morning talk show fodder due to his lack of production since he was called up from Pawtucket earlier this month. The 22-year-old is an exceptional infielder but has been ridiculed for his inability to hit major league pitching.

Well… Jose must have been listening because last night, he attacked the ball at the plate like it slept with his girlfriend. He went 3-for-4, scoring two runs and bashing in the first major league home run of his career.

One of my favorite parts of baseball is when a rookie hits his first home run and the team ices him for several minutes after he gets back to the dugout, with not so much as a congratulatory ass slap. Iglesias put his helmet away and quietly sat down before he was mobbed and high-fived by his teammates. The new kid on the block seemed unfazed by his success as he talked to reporters after the game.

“It was just one, but I really enjoyed it,” he said on Friday. “I’ve just been feeling great the last few days. I feel more comfortable on the field, but also off the field.”

But the effort was all for naught when closer Andrew Bailey had a complete meltdown in the bottom of the ninth. Bailey gave up three runs, blowing the win for Buchholz and left the game still responsible for two base runners. Vicente Padilla relieved Bailey to try and get out of the inning with the tie in tact. Instead, he gave up a walk-off three-run home run to B.J. Upton.

*cue scary music*

The Red Sox begin a three game series with the surging Orioles tonight — which they are currently losing, by the way. If the Sox cared about me at all, they would throw this entire series and give those O’s a chance to catch those damn Yankees.

A quick update on Boston’s activity in the MLB draft, on this rainy cold Tuesday morning (since when was it February?).

The Red Sox had pick numbers 24, 31 and 37 to play with last night.  The first pick is theirs, and the second and third picks both derive from Jonathan Papelbon going to Philadelphia (the second pick is compensation from Philadelphia, and the third pick is compensation for Papelbon leaving Boston).

The Sox made an interesting pick at #24, selecting Arizona State University shortstop Deven Marrero.  Marrero, according to the Boston Globe, is one of the best defensive players in the draft.  After pulling in 2011 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors, 2012 had him a little off offensively.  He explains his dip as playing through a sprained ankle.  Regardless, the Red Sox seem impressed with his play in the venerable wooden-bat Cape Cod League – he hit .326/.360/.413 for Cotuit.

As the Globe notes, the last Arizona State shortstop the Sox drafted was Dustin Pedroia, and that’s worked out well for them.  Marrero projects to stay at shortstop, which could give Jose Iglesias the competition – and maybe the kick in the pants – he’s been sorely missing.

With the #31 pick, the Sox took lefthanded pitcher and first baseman Brian Johnson from the University of Florida.  The Globe’s rundown on Johnson also seems promising – in 16 starts for Florida, he went 8-4 with a 3.56 ERA, and struck out 68 while allowing 79 hits over 86 innings.  On the other side of the plate, Johnson had a .310/.350/.455 campaign with five home runs and 40 RBIs in 187 at-bats.  He played for Yarmouth-Dennis in the Cape Cod League, and went 2-0 with a 4.30 ERA in three starts.

With the #37 pick, the Sox took Pat Light, a righthanded pitcher out of Monmouth University.  Light went 8-3 and posted a 2.40 ERA over 14 starts for Monmouth.  He struck out 102 hitters over 101.1 innings, and only walked 16.  The Globe points out – and, I mean, it’s true – that Monmouth isn’t exactly in a power conference.  Light didn’t face elite competition in college, but he proved himself a little bit on the Cape – he posted a 3.77 ERA in four starts for Chatham last summer.  Who knows – maybe he’ll be good.

Today, the second round of the draft gets underway.  We’ll keep you updated on any notable picks.

Also today, the Red Sox get home to Fenway to start a series with the Baltimore Orioles.  Tonight, Jon Lester (3-4, 4.79 ERA) faces Jason Hammel (6-2, 3.06).

The Red Sox called up AAA Pawtucket’s Will Middlebrooks today.  According to the Boston Globe, he’s expected to be at Fenway in time for tonight’s game against Oakland.

Here’s what we know about Middlebrooks: the 23-year old third baseman can mash.  He’s hitting .333/.380/.667 for the PawSox this year, with nine home runs and 27 RBI.  Legions of Red Sox fans have been calling for Middlebrooks to join the big league roster, especially given the team’s lackluster start.

Here’s what we don’t know about Middlebrooks: who is he replacing in Boston?  Lars Anderson was sent back down last night, so there’s an open roster spot.  Jose Iglesias was just called up yesterday.  Will Kevin Youkilis, who has sat out the last few games with a back injury, hit the DL?  The Sox do plan to add righty pitcher Aaron Cook to the Boston roster by Friday (he can opt out of his contract otherwise, and he’s done well enough to pick up a uniform with some other team).

What’s clear is that tonight’s game – which until now had been billed as an early-season series against a mediocre team during a cold, rainy streak of weather – suddenly just got a lot more interesting.