Lackey Looks Perfect...Boston Splits

The Boston Red Sox played the Minnesota Twins in the "A" game of a split squad doubleheader. They lost the "B" game with Tampa Bay by a score of 6-4 but clearly saved their best for the Twinkies. John Lackey made his first start for the Red Sox and shined even though he said he doesn't feel "100% of anything." He tossed two hitless and scoreless innings and the relievers, save for Mr. Nelson (the eventual winner), kept it up. The $82.5 million dollar man had this to say after his outing...

“I felt pretty good,” Lackey said. "It’s always different when you have to sit down, get back up for that second inning. It was a little bit harder to get loose that second inning as opposed to the first, but overall, I felt pretty good. We’ll keep moving forward.”

DeMarlo Hale, the Boston bench coach who served as the skipper for this split squad game while Tito Francona managed the Red Sox loss to Tampa Bay, critiqued the new Boston Red Sox number three starter...

“I’ve seen him over the last years,” said DeMarlo Hale. “I know what he’s going to bring. That’s exciting. He’s very competitive. I’m glad Lackey is on our side this year, for sure.”

I second the motion. If Lackey can stay healthy, especially in the spring unlike the past two seasons, I project him to be a sixteen to eighteen game winner for the Good Guys. He likes to record out after out in a quick fashion and he has the talent to do it. It's as simple as that. Go John, GO!

The Boston Red Sox game at Baltimore WILL BE TELEVISED today at 1pm on the MLB television network. I'm going to catch the first hour of it before turning my rapt attention to the UCONN-Syracuse women's college basketball game on ESPNU at 2pm. The Huskies, the best team (by far) in the land, will be trying to tie the longest winning streak in NCAA women college basketball's history as they open their play in the Big East tournament. They've won 69 straight games over the last two plus seasons, ALL BY DOUBLE DIGITS. They'll have number 70 in their sights today at the XL Center in Hartford. If they win (they will), they'll try for number 71 tomorrow at 6pm, also on ESPNU. No other team has done that EVER but right now, it's one game at a time. GO UCONN.

Have a great Sunday as you do what you want to do. Thanks for stopping in and please, if you want to, click on this post's title to be beamed to the Boston Globe Red Sox home page. Beam me up, Scotty (Kirk never actually uttered that line on any original STAR TREK episode or movie). As always, BE WELL.