Globe-trotters have gotten off to flying start
OAKLAND, Calif. - Granted, they are heading east, where their next three opponents will be the Toronto Blue Jays, Detroit Tigers, and New York Yankees. But think about the fact they've thrived on the grueling Japan-Western portion of this long journey. That's no small accomplishment.
Japan was in the rearview mirror once the plane landed at Toronto's Pearson International Airport in the wee hours today. They left Oakland with two wins and a 3-1 start to the regular season. Two of their young pitchers, Daisuke Matsuzaka and Jon Lester, turned in gems. Closer Jonathan Papelbon was his old lights-out self Tuesday.
David Ortiz got on track after an 0-for-12 start as he collected two hits, including a two-run homer against lefthander Alan Embree, in a 5-0 win yesterday.
Among the other developments:
J.D. Drew got back in the lineup.
Jason Varitek seemed to straighten out his swing.
Josh Beckett will pitch Sunday for the first time.
Mike Timlin, who started the season on the disabled list, will pitch in Pawtucket this weekend and likely rejoin the team for its first homestand next week.
Compare this to what's going on elsewhere, and the Red Sox have to be quite pleased.
The Mariners are dealing with the loss of closer J.J. Putz (rib cage inflammation). The Mets' championship train may be derailed by Pedro Martínez's hamstring issue. The Cubs have lost two straight. The Brewers have Eric Gagné as their closer. The Blue Jays have lost Scott Rolen until May and B.J. Ryan for at least another couple of weeks. The Tigers have no bullpen with Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney on the DL. The Sox appear to be playing Toronto and Detroit at the right time.
In a situation where striving for survival is probably all you could ask for, the Sox have excelled. They split two games started by Oakland ace Rich Harden, no small feat. Sox players and coaches believe Harden will be one of the toughest pitchers they'll face this season.
"For me, personally, yes, I think it's a hump I've gotten over and now we deal with one more time change, but that's one we're all used to," said Coco Crisp, who started in center field yesterday and went 2 for 5. "It was a tough part, but a fun part of the schedule. I mean, the experience we had over there as a team we'll never forget, so that part's great. We played a tough team and we won three games against them. Those guys have great pitching, so to win three and beat a guy like Harden, that's saying something."
It's never wise to say the easier part of the schedule is ahead. The Blue Jays, Tigers, and Yankees are about as tough as it gets.
"Yeah, I wouldn't say easy," laughed Dustin Pedroia. "I think those are pretty tough teams to have to start playing after the miles we've logged. But I think it was important that we got through this, survived, made sure everybody was healthy, and moved on. I mean, everyone has to play the same teams, so it's not like we're getting punished or anything like that. It's the schedule and we have to play it. We're not backing down from anything. We're a good team and this is a chance for us to really prove how good we are."
Pedroia is right.
The ironman mentality is important because it defines a team over 162 games.
Strong-willed teams survive all major obstacles and potential pitfalls.
That's what the 2007 Red Sox did. How many times did the Yankees appear to be getting back into the American League East race, only to see the Sox slowly but surely restore their lead? Many times. It is that strength the Sox have displayed in their grueling spring, breaking camp March 19 and heading to Japan, where they played two exhibitions before two regular-season games against Oakland. They went to Los Angeles, where they were featured in the historic Coliseum exhibition in front of 115,000 fans. Then it was on to Oakland, where they played - and won - two games that were for real.
"We can go back East, anyway," said Ortiz, sporting a big ice pack on his right knee. "Little by little, we're getting back to a routine. We did good here."
Ortiz is never a concern, but even he acknowledged the Japan excursion wiped him out and he hopes never to do it again.
Manager Terry Francona was never worried about Ortiz's bat because "he can not get a hit for a while and then one swing changes everything for him."
Ditto Varitek. He fought off a cold, the flu, whatever he caught in Japan. His first seven at-bats looked horrible after a decent spring training. But the last two games, he obviously got his stroke back, hitting a homer yesterday and a double that should have been a homer Tuesday night.
The Sox went 3-1 without Beckett, who was able to take his time returning from back spasms and stay in Florida rather than rush back. Now they're adding Beckett and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the rotation. Rookie Clay Buchholz will be able to show he's worthy of staying in the big leagues with veteran Bartolo Colon, who starts in Pawtucket tonight, breathing down his back.
Over the next few weeks, there will likely be more Crisp trade talk. Major league sources say the two Chicago teams remain the most interested. At some point, the Red Sox would like to simply give the job to Jacoby Ellsbury and set him loose as the leadoff hitter for the next 10 seasons. But as long as Crisp is around, he needs to play to enhance his trade value. Francona had him in the lineup yesterday against Harden because Crisp can hit overpowering pitchers.
The Sox' bullpen will also require some decision-making the next few days. Bryan Corey (1 1/3 innings, two strikeouts yesterday) remains tough to release or move when Timlin returns. Corey is on the bubble along with David Aardsma, Kyle Snyder, and Julian Tavarez, who could be vulnerable when both Timlin and Beckett rejoin the 25-man roster.
"This has been a tough time, but the team has played very well," said Ortiz. "I think we showed how tough we are by getting through this. Now we can concentrate on the season the way we always do."
Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com.
