Projo Sox Blog

By KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Staff

PHILADELPHIA - As we await another day of Red Sox-Phillies and hope the expected rain showers stay away from Citizens Bank Park, here are a few musings on the Sox.

*Dice K. This has to be a very big start for the Japanese starter, if only because John Smoltz is here with the team and Brad Penny is throwing better than Matsuzaka. Will one outing - good or bad - effect what the Red Sox do with their crowded starting rotation? Who knows but if Dice K wants to cut himself some slack, it would be a good idea to string together some strong, clean innings tonight.

*Who is the best starter for the Red Sox right now? Josh Beckett has seemed to find a groove. Tim Wakefield has been the most consistent, but an All-Star? Really? The money here could be on Jon Lester.

His last three games have been downright dominating. He's struck out 34 hitters in three games and is clearly controlling his breaking ball and fastball with expert skill. He limited the Phillies - a very good hitting team - to two hits over seven innings, striking out 11 on Friday.

"Early on, I was coming out of my delivery a little bit, and I wasn't able to throw my curveball for a strike, or curveballs in general, really," Lester said late Friday night. "I was a little quick, trying to do too much, too early."

Lester got a little advice from catcher Jason Varitek. "There was a little bit of `Tek telling me I was flying open a bit. He just told me to stay back and let my arm do the work," Lester said.

Lester said once he conquered his control issue with the curve, he cruised. He's moving the ball to both sides of the plate and striking hitters out with his fastball, a cutter and a curve.

*You have to love Philly fans. They may be the World Series champs, but this is a football town, through and through. A good five hours before tonight's game, there were more than a few cars in the parking lots with the fans breaking out their hibachi's and beer. The parking lots at the Philly Sports Complex serve both Citizens Bank Park and Lincoln Financial Field, the home of the Eagles.

 Tags  Daisuke Matsuzaka Jason Varitek Jon Lester

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