Now That's More Like It! Boston Red Sox 10 Houston Astros 0...PLAY BALL!!

Finally! A goose egg as a final score!! Yesterday, behind a 5 run first inning Red Sox offensive outburst and the ace-like five hit effort by Josh Beckett, the Boston Red Sox thumped the Houston Astros by a score of 10-0 in the team's spring training finale. Boston will play a three game series in Arlington, Texas beginning Friday, the start of the MLB baseball regular season circa 2011. Beckett allowed only one hit (!) over those five innings while walking none and whiffing three. THIS IS THE JOSH WE'VE BEEN WAITING FOR. Here he is...

“I had a good changeup and got some good fastballs when I needed to. I’ve come a long way and I felt really good. I felt good mechanically in my last start. I felt as good in the last start as this one. I know the results didn’t turn out the same but I was encouraged.”

The Red Sox manager, Tito Francona, talked about the relative insignificance of the spring training mini-season, saying this...

“You can talk all spring about numbers that don’t mean anything and they don’t. Then he (Beckett) comes out tonight and his fastball’s got that kind of life, that’s fun to watch."

With Beckett's fastball wiggling and giggling with velocity, the Ranger hitters were at his mercy. That's the way his fastball movement affected opposing batters until very recently and last night I was overjoyed to see that Josh has worked all the kinks out and come full circle. Now if only John Lackey can show the same type of improvement. We ALL know that John is nowhere near a .500 pitcher. If he and Becks have turn-around seasons, the sky's the limit for this terrific team. Only time will tell and that time starts in a little more than 24 hours. Ready.......Set...................(I'm ready to) Go!!

Click on this post's title for more Sox coverage from the Boston Globe. Starting tomorrow the real deal begins. MLB will have my full and undivided attention minutes after the NCAA basketball tournaments end. Could it be that at least one of the two UCONN teams emerge as champions of the world? That's why I'll be watching. I love 'em both, men AND women. Go Kemba. Go Maya. Speaking of going, that's exactly what I have to do right now. Have a wonderful Thursday and I'll see you right here tomorrow morning or sooner if the news warrants. After the end of the NCAA Final Four tournies, I'll be back to all baseball here at PRSF, all the time. Until then, UCONN will be in my thoughts, as will the Sox and most important....YOU! See ya. Thanks for being here. This is a tremendous time of the year for sports. March Madness has it all. So do you, my Constant Readers. I thank you for that.