Byrd has an unusual way of letting fly

Paul Byrd was solid in his first Sox start, allowing four runs in 7 1/3 innings, but getting the loss. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

Paul Byrd is a rare bird.

He has that old-style windup that's better suited for Steve Buckley's "Old Time Baseball Game" than the major leagues.

But that's what made his Red Sox debut last night so neat. He might have lost, 4-1, to Roy Halladay and the Blue Jays in a wonderfully crisp and tremendously pitched game by Halladay, but Byrd went 7 1/3 innings, got the ball and threw it, and let his fielders make plays.

He's already a fielder's dream.

"That's so much fun to watch a guy who throws strikes like that and puts the ball in play," said second baseman Dustin Pedroia. "It keeps you on your toes. You don't have many long innings, which is normally good for all of us."

I remember when Juan Marichal pitched for the Sox in 1974, how for nine games we got to watch that signature high leg kick, which in his prime for the San Francisco Giants helped him become a Hall of Famer. Remember how fun it was to watch El Tiante twirl his entire body to center field before delivering the ball in one of the most unique windups ever? And it took me back to 1995 in Anaheim when I saw Tim Wakefield for the first time in a Sox uniform throwing that knuckleball. It doesn't cause us to bat an eye now, but when it was brand new, it was something you looked forward to watching.

While Alex Rios took him deep for a two-run homer in the first and Adam Lind hit a solo shot against him in the sixth, Byrd pitched well enough to win most games the Red Sox will play.

"Just a really sound pitcher, who comes right at you, throws strikes, and just knows how to pitch," said Toronto third base coach Brian Butterfield, who watched Byrd go the distance in beating Halladay and the Jays Aug. 9, Byrd's last start for the Indians. "That was a great signing by the Red Sox.

"He's a pro."

Except for the dabbling he did with human growth hormone when he was recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2003, he's a throwback in every way. Sox manager Terry Francona remembers the time he spent with him in Philadelphia when Byrd was picked up by the Phillies on waivers in 1998.

Back then, Francona said, Byrd could hit 90 miles per hour and sometimes more. Now it's 85 - on a good day. But if you can fool 'em, you can fool 'em, and that's what Byrd had been able do in his previous four starts after a slow start in '08 had him wondering if his career was nearing an end at age 38. But there's some kick left in this old bird.

Byrd admitted he was nervous from the start - allowing a single (followed by a pickoff), single, and home run to the first three batters.

"The pitch to Rios bothers me," said Byrd of the changeup he left over the plate. "I think I was just trying to strike some people out. I was just a little excited, trying to overthrow. I settled down after that, just got ground balls, fly balls, just putting the ball in play. I think I was pretty excited to get out there and pitch in a Red Sox uniform."

Last night's outing probably wasn't as nerve-racking as when Francona first met him in 1998, just a few days after being released by the Atlanta Braves. A Phillies pitcher had been hurt and Francona needed a starter to face the Houston Astros. The Astros were throwing Randy Johnson that night. What a mismatch.

But Byrd wound up defeating Johnson, 4-0. He pitched a complete game, allowed four hits and one walk, and struck out six. He even delivered the winning run with a single off the Big Unit. Byrd followed that up with a complete-game win over the Colorado Rockies. Before you knew it, he went 5-2 with a 2.29 ERA the rest of the way for Francona and then won 15 games in 1999 and made his only All-Star team.

Byrd will face the Blue Jays for the third straight time in Toronto next week. NESN's Tom Caron pointed out through Elias research that it's the first time in 50 years a pitcher will make three consecutive starts against the same team.

"Unlike your uncle at a neighborhood Wiffle ball game, I have six or seven pitches and I mix them up, so I'll have to break out some new ones on these guys," Byrd said. "I think if you hit your spots and you make your pitches, in the long run people just get out. And if you can locate a ball down, the best hitters in the world get out seven of 20 times. Give me a good defense and a good catcher and I think I'll be fine."

He believes Fenway will help him. While Rios's homer was a homer anywhere, he thought Lind "popped that up" and the close left-field wall hurt him. But he also said the expanse in center field helped on a couple of long drives. He complimented his fielders and said, "I love the way this team plays. They hustle, they're gritty. Pedroia's diving and running. It's great having guys behind you that play this hard."

Whatever happens, the decision to trade for Byrd was a sound one. The guy has been in tough situations and feels reborn with a new team. He's pitching significant games again in a place where baseball is important, which is what gets him excited these days.

He's a new face - a Kelsey Grammer lookalike - with a fun, old-time windup. He's Boston's new Byrd. A rare Byrd.

Nick Cafardo can be reached at cafardo@globe.com.