Can't Start a Fire Without a Spark

 In my best Harry Doyle voice, "Good news fans! The Red Sox are showing signs of life for the first time this season." This week, we will see not one, but two John Lackey starts! As the A's and Angels try to hit against him next. And why not? Judging by his 15.58 ERA everyone else in the league does! Okay, Doyle impression over.

The Sox needed a spark, like the Bruce Springsteen song, "you can't start a fire without a spark". And Mr. Jed Lowrie may have done that. After a tough loss on Friday night, the sox ripped off three straight over the turf birds. Even Daisuke imagined he was pitching in the World Baseball Classic for a day!

Back to Lowrie, he is showing that he has much to offer the sox from the right-side of the plate. I am not sure if this is warranting him starting every day at SS, but certainly should be in the lineup everyday against left-handed pitchers--which the Sox will see two VERY good ones in Oakland the next two days. Lowrie still does not offer a steady hand defensively, but he definitely provided that spark they needed. Last year, it was Darnell McDonald, this year maybe Lowrie is that guy.

In addition, the pitching the last three days has been very encouraging. Beckett was very good again, Lester was good not great, and Dice-K was the anti-hiroshima. They have gotten at least 6 innings the last three days from their starters. That has lightened the load on the bullpen, and ever since the Jenks blow up on Friday the bullpen allowed only a garbage time run to the Jays today.

This road trip is going to be a tough one. Oakland is a very solid team with pitching that keep them in every game. They sit at 8-8 for 3rd place in the west. Offensively, they do not have many guys that are going to frighten you with power, which is a welcome relief after facing the powerful Jays. The A's are hitting .236 on the season, bad enough for 23rd in baseball! They are also among the majors worst with just 7 home runs (matching Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies),

However...we get to the pitching. And that ERA of 2.59 is the best in baseball as of the moment. They pound the strike zone and they miss bats. In addition the Sox will see two of their best starters. In the pen, closer Andrew Bailey is injured. Those duties have been turned over to the always shaky Brian Fuentes, and in front of him is the Sox former buddy from the Rays Grant Balfour. Conor Jackson is leading the A's with a .296 average and overall their biggest run producer has been Josh Willingham with his 3 HRs and 10 RBI. But nothing too scary.

Then our good friends from the OC will host the Sox. As of today, they are tied in first place in the west with a 10-5 record. Although that will change for the better or worse depending on how they do in Texas before the Sox come to town. They have a team average of .265 (not bad), 10th in baseball. Also, they are among the leaders in baseball with the longball--yet surprisingly don't run as much as past Mike Scoscia teams--which I believe bodes well for the Sox.

The Sox go from the team with the best ERA in baseball, to the team with the 2nd best! Although, the Sox do get a break, they will miss Jered Weaver's turn in the rotation. Haren has shut down stuff, so does Santana (who also has blow-up stuff). Matt Palmer, the Game 4 starter is making his first start of the season and should be a battering ram. At the dish, Torii Hunter and Howie Kendrick are off to a good start producing runs, and Maicier Izturis and Erick Aybar are doing a nice job setting the table. The Sox need to keep the speedsters mentioned above and Peter Bourjos off the bases this series.

Looking ahead, I forecast the Sox going 3-3 during this west coast trip. I think they will lose both in Oakland, then take 3 of 4 from the Halos.

Le Schedule...

at Oakland (2 games)
Tue: RHP John Lackey (1-1 15.58 ERA) vs. LHP Brett Anderson (0-1 2.29 ERA) 10:05PM
Wed: RHP Clay Buchholz (0-2 6.60 ERA) vs. LHP Gio Gonzalez (2-0 0.47 ERA) 3:35PM

at LA Angels (4 games)
Thur: RHP Josh Beckett (2-1 1.80 ERA) vs. RHP Tyler Chatwood (1-1 3.75 ERA) 10:05PM
Fri: LHP Jon Lester (1-1 3.20 ERA) vs. RHP Dan Haren (4-0 1.16 ERA) 10:05PM
Sat: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-2 6.43 ERA) vs. RHP Ervin Santana (0-1 3.74 ERA) 9:05PM
Sun: RHP John Lackey (1-1 15.58 ERA) vs. RHP Matt Palmer (0-0 7.71 ERA) 3:35PM