Where's This Great Pitching I've Been Hearing About?

Dad --

The Sox may have picked up "run prevention" as you say during the off season, and tried to strengthen the pitching staff for just that purpose, but I've yet to see it these past two games.

Beckett, our ace, only made it through 4.2 innings on opening night and Lester barely got through five innings Tuesday. I know it's only the first two games in a very long season, but we should be seeing these guys at their best right now, not at their so-so.

What's worse, the relief team doesn't seem to be doing that well either. Ramon Ramirez picked up where he left off, pitching just a third of an inning and giving up 2 runs. And while Oki may have done okay on Sunday, last night he was back to his questionable tactics by giving up two hits and a walk which turned into a run during the 2/3rds of an inning he pitched.

Thank God Papelbon and Bard are back to their showmanship selves, otherwise we'd really be in trouble. Yes, Scutaro and Cameron are holding their own in both the outfield and batting, but it doesn't matter what your defense is like if your pitching gives up hits and walks.

As I said earlier, I know it's just the first two games of the season, but isn't this when we should be at our best? If this is what our pitching staff is like now, I don't want to see them in August when injury and tired muscles start to factor in.

Jenn