Four games in and all is well (for now)
The Red Sox weathered the travel and fanfare of the Japan trip and followed that up with a short series in Oakland and now they head back to the east coast for a very tough stretch of games to start the year (the Major League Baseball schedule maker must have a Bronx address).
The next few series for the Red Sox consist of games against the Blue Jays, Tigers, Yankees, Indians, Yankees again, Rangers and Angels which would take them to the end of April. With the ramifications of the lingering effects of the Japan trip still unknown, the Boston team will face quite a challenge against stiff competion for the foreseeable future. As a Red Sox fan, you would have to hope they can take their now 3-1 record and make it out of the rest of April in one piece.
There are several positives to consider from the beginning of the season though. One significant piece of news is that Bartolo Colon looked phenomenal in his start in the season opener for the Pawtucket Red Sox (AAA). He looks like he could really turn out to be a factor for the Red Sox if he continues at this pace. He pitched five shutout innings allowing only one hit and topped out at 96 mph. The most positive news is that he says his arm feels great and he is pitching without effort. Considering the last time he was healthy in 2005 he won the Cy Young, the sky could be the limit for his contribution. Another positive is that Lester and Dice-K both looked great in their last starts allowing one run combined. Of course, that was against Oakland, but we will take what we can get at this point.
It definitely feels like the season has officially kicked off and now it's time to strap in and get ready for an exciting April. The Red Sox wear a target on their backs from being the defending champs and should expect to get every the A game from every team. Considering the teams they are facing, those A games will be challenging.
