8/5: Trying to bounce back.

The Red Sox try to bounce back from a game that not only exhausted their bullpen, but also may have exhausted their fans :)

8/4: Battle of the Arms.

Lester faces off against the tough righty Matt Garza.

5/10: Get Garza

Happy Mothers' Day!!

5/9: Southpaw Supremacy

Kid Kaz has owned the Red Sox at Fenway Park over the course of his career. Yet despite the 2.88 ERA and 72 strike outs in 68.2 innings pitched, Kazmir is still only a game above .500 against the Sox at Fenway (5-4). Truth be told, this hasn't been the same Scott Kazmir that we've been used to seeing. He's averaging a career low 7.6 K/9 and his average fastball velocity has dipped below 90 MPH for the first time in his career. Let's hope Fenway Park doesn't bring out the best in him. We know it does of his opponent.

5/8: Weekend Showdown

Tonight begins an important series in the budding rivalry between these two organizations. The Rays are threatening to take a serious mental edge over the Red Sox with a series victory. The Red Sox would love nothing more than a sweep to establish that the AL East still goes through Fenway Park. And so it begins.

5/3: Penny for a Split

Is this a put up or shut up start for Brad Penny? Not yet, but close.

5/2: Cy Wake

The Rays hold a career average of .298 against Wakefield (for complete list visit Baseball Reference here). But Wakefield has still managed a ton of success at Tropicana Field with a 9-3 career record and 2.86 ERA in St. Pete. The Sox need this one. They have called upon their stopper.

5/1: Welcome back offense

Matt Garza made the Red Sox bats disappear last night. Let's hope there's some pent up offense ready to explode this evening against Andy Sonnanstine. Justin Masterson looks to make it back to back impressive outings, following up on his performance Sunday night against the Yankees. I wonder if Justin drove the Mini down to Tampa?

4/30: Try us now, Tampa

Josh Beckett couldn't figure out the Yankees last start; one day late due to his five-game suspension. His velocity and movement were there, but his command was way off. It's Tampa's second look at Beckett. Garza struggled with control in his last start, but dominated the Sox in the opening series.

The good, the bad, and the Tek

Early season series against top flight division rivals are always difficult to measure. It's been said time and time again that the Red Sox, Rays and Yankees are likely to play themselves all around .500 against each other by the time this season shakes out and the team that outperforms against the rest of their schedule has the upper hand in the race for the division. That said, it's never easy to swallow being beaten in your own house by a team you'll be battling with all season long.

Given that it was the first three games of the season, a whopping 1.9% of the full slate of regular season games, it's difficult to draw any firm conclusions without being beaten over the head with comments about sample size. But as it is the regular season and no longer the fruitless analysis of in game Spring Training analysis, it is fair to point out a few things that were both good and bad omens, directionally speaking.