Rodrigo Lopez, RH Bronson Arroyo, RH
(3-2, 4.41) (4-1, 3.19)
2B B Roberts CF J Damon
3B M Mora SS E Renteria
SS M Tejada DH D Ortiz
RF S Sosa LF M Ramirez
1B R Palmeiro RF T Nixon
LF B Surhoff C J Varitek
DH J Gibbons 1B J Olerud
C S Fasano 3B B Mueller
CF D Newhan 2B R Vazquez
Game time is 7:05 on CSN, NESN and ESPN2.
We're running into the Red Sox as they're heating up, with Javy Lopez and Erik Bedard on the DL, offensive holes in center field and behind the plate, and coming off a three-game sweep at home at the hands of the Detroit Tigers. Bad timing? Perhaps.
The Sox are three back right now, with Toronto and the Yankees three and a half behind us. This is a four-game series so it's either gaining ground for us or losing it to Boston and maybe the other two. Hopefully we can at least split the series; winning three of four would be excellent, of course, but a split would suit me with where we are health-wise.
Arroyo has been very good for Boston, as he and Clement have picked up the slack left by Schilling and Wells. Arroyo is another guy I like, but I hope he goes down in flames tonight. Roddy Lopez takes the hill for us after a fantastic start his last time out against Seattle. To say this is a better lineup and more of a challenge is an enormous understatement.
If I see Steve Reed at any point in this series, I'm turning the game off. Or at least covering my eyes.