As Countdown Starts, Ticking Off the Boxes

We're less than three days before the season opener - which will happen in Japan while we safely snooze or struggle to stay awake to track the game (that's WMYM) - and after a 6-5 exhibition win over the Hanshin Tigers, we can start to take stock of a couple key factors in present and future Red Sox success.

1) Big Papi looks downright powerful. Or maybe it's just the Tokyo air.
2) J.D. Drew may not be quite at the level he exploded through in Atlanta and L.A., but he looks a lot more like the playoffs Drew than the regular season Drew
3) Manny Ramirez is still crazy
4) The starting rotation - at least without Schilling or Beckett return - is going to struggle to eat innings. Just look at Clay Buchholz leaving in the fourth against the Hanshin Tigers with the bases loaded
5) The bullpen looks absolutely outstanding. When the regulars hit the mound, it was smooth sailing, even though one of them - Kyle Snyder - had to bail Buchholz out of his jam.

Really, the Buchholz developments are the most significant ... by far. As Amalie Benjamin pointed out this morning in a strong notebook (see, the beat writers are getting into season form now), Buchholz has given up at least two runs in each of his spring outings. Snyder has been far more efficient, and even Julian Tavarez has come closer to Buchholz's effectiveness. If you still need further elaboration about his distractions, just scroll below or click on his name in the tabs section at left, but suffice it to say, he's not going to have many excuses if he gives up, say, three or four runs in four innings during his first outing when the team returns to the motherland.

That's not exactly a ringing endorsement of the player's preparedness. It also begs the question of why the Sox brass seem absolutely committed to throwing him out on the big league mound from day one. Are they worried Bartolo Colon isn't ready yet? They've certainly had plenty of reason to, though this may help quell some of those fears.

Clearly, all these moves are focused on maintaining Buchholz's superb confidence, which undoubtedly is part of the genesis of the panache that helped him toss a no-hitter in his second MLB outing. So, the real question is this: Will Buchholz be set back more by being drilled in his first couple big league outings, or will he shrink even further if he were sent back to AAA until he can show sufficient dominance against minor leaguers?

It's a tough decision to make, made more cumbersome by the fact that - obviously - the player himself will get absolutely no say in what happens. Sox fans will just have sit back and trust Theo Epstein and co. to make the right move. Luckily, there's a bit of a track record for them to feel good about there, though there are always minority cases to consider.

After all, you can look at Craig Hansen, and you won't have to tune in to Japanese action to do so.

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