Like night and day

It's hard to believe that the team that mustered just two hits over nine innings in yesterday's loss is the same as the one who just destoyed R.A. Dickey and the Jays today. After yesterday's debacle, the Red Sox needed a game like this afternoon's. Jon Lester pitched seven scoreless innings, and the offense absolutely exploded for thirteen runs, including six homers.

Will Middlebrooks had a spectacular game, with three of the six homeruns, a double, and four RBIs - I'll certainly be buying his jersey when I get the chance.  Jose Iglesias continued to rake, going 2-for-5 with a double, and bringing his four game average to .583. Sure, it's a tiny sample size, but Iglesias is clearly making a statement.

And so the Red Sox will return to Fenway for the Home Opener tomorrow, atop the American League East with a 4-2 record having won both of the first two series. I snagged a bleacher seat to tomorrow's game, and I can't wait - will I see any of you there?

The next generation of knuckleballers

Yesterday in the game against Toronto, the Blue Jays started knuckleballer and 2012 Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey against the newest Red Sox knuckleballer, Steven Wright. After Tim Wakefield retired during last year's spring training, the Red Sox went out and acquired Wright from the Indians for prospect Lars Anderson in July.

Although the Sox are now in need of some depth at first base, the Wright trade seems to be a good one. After a successful seventeen year trip down knuckleball lane with Tim Wakefield, the Red Sox were ready to invest some time in the next generation.

Wright is just 28, and if he was a "conventional" pitcher, he'd be entering his prime. For knuckleballers, a player's prime is somewhat more difficult to pinpoint; Wakefield had one of his best seasons when he was 40, then became an All Star for the first and only time when he was 42.

Wake is headed to spring training to work with Wright, and help Wright with the pitch as previous generations of kuckleballers assisted Wakefield. Because Wakefield doesn't have an official role with the Red Sox like former teammates Jason Varitek and Pedro Martinez, he's free to help out when and how he sees fit, and he's going to start by passing on his considerable knuckleball wisdom.