Just how long was last Sunday's Red Sox-Astros game? It was so long that...

Hanley gets a hand -- from those still on hand.

The end result of Sunday afternoon's 5-4 comeback win by the Red Sox over Houston was ideal for Boston fans, but for a long time it didn't feel like those of us at Fenway Park were ever going to get to the end.

Although the game went the standard nine innings, it took a toll on fans who gutted it out to see Hanley Ramirez's one-armed homer in the seventh and Koji Uehara's final two strikeouts to end matters.

Get excited folks, it's a one-run game!

The clock in right field read just past 5:35 pm as Uehara pumped his fist after the final out, marking the official time of the contest as 4:01 -- a far cry from the sub-three-hour games Boston and other MLB teams have been turning in this season. 

There were 167 pitches thrown by Houston hurlers, 174 by Red Sox pitchers, and plenty of good quips in section 30 as the hours turned into more hours.

So just how long was Sunday's game? It was so long that....

The eighth inning ended with D'Angelo Ortiz on deck.

Shane Victorino went back on the 15-day DL, came back, and went on it again.

I needed to eat breakfast. (Jason)

My wife and kids just left me. (guy in the next row back)

They had to mow the lawn again.

I had to shave my legs again. (pretty lady in shorts who would not give her name)

Starter Eddie Rodriguez (101 pitches) was rested and warming up, ready to come in again if needed in extra innings.

Thousands of fans left to catch the last T before the trains stopped running.

My stepmom Judy actually began to understand the game

Nine-year-old Karl, who caught a David Ortiz foul ball in the first inning, had headed back to Virginia for high school by the time Ortiz fouled off eight pitches in the eighth.

Who in the world is Alejandro De Aza, and what's he doing saving the Red Sox season?

Hand it to Ben: De Aza is a find.

Fans shrugged their shoulders and scratched their heads when the Red Sox responded to their worst start in a half-century by trading for a .214-hitting outfielder on June 3, but nobody is questioning the pickup of Alejandro De Aza for minor league pitcher Joe Gunkel now.

The failure of Rusney Castillo in his first extended MLB trial and an injury to Hanley Ramirez opened up left- and right-field spots for De Aza in the starting lineup, and the 31-year-old Orioles castaway has become one of the hottest hitters in baseball. 

In 23 games with Boston, during which the Sox offense has sprung to life, De Aza is batting .338 with a 1.034 OPS. On the recently completed roadtrip to Florida and Toronto, he went an insane 12-for-26 with 12 runs scored, 3 triples, 2 homers, and 8 RBI.

Boston was 24-30 when De Aza was acquired, and has gone 13-10 with him in the lineup. There is no denying he has provided a spark.

Thursday's 12-6 victory over Toronto, which gave the Red Sox a season-reviving 5-2 record on the trip, marked another big night for De Aza -- 4 RBI on a single, double, and triple while bating eighth. Throw in great defense and experience at all three outfield spots, and you have a guy who it will be tough to remove from the lineup even if Shane Victorino is about to come off the disabled list and Ramirez is healthy.

Should Victorino start over De Aza? 

De Aza has been a solid player for the last five-plus years, producing a  .749 OPS with his dependable glove and speed on the bases while usually starting for the White Sox and Orioles. He's also shown flashes of power, with 17 homers for Chicago in 2013. 

The lefty-swinging Dominican doesn't have the peak numbers of a Victorino or Ramirez, but if the latter's defense and attitude stay shaky and the former can't stay healthy, De Aza may be a difference maker as Boston seeks to stay in a tight AL East race.

"I'm not saying De Aza is going to come in here and platoon in left with Hanley," manager John Farrell told reporters after the trade. "But at the same time we've got a veteran, a guy who can run, a guy that can play all three outfield positions. We were able to acquire a veteran guy who has some success and track record."

It is unlikely De Aza can continue his torrid production, but he deserves to stay in the lineup while he's white-hot and the Red Sox are winning.   

A familiar sight in June: Alejandro is on again.

Now what? Three moves the Red Sox should make

Give Lester more green -- he's earned it.

It happened again. Just when it appeared the Red Sox were over the hump and about to go on a tear, they had another setback last night in Minnesota. Although they showed some life coming back from an early 5-1 deficit, they couldn't finish the job and are once again a perfectly mediocre .500.

The magic of 2013 has been missing all year, along with the mojo for winning that made last season so special. How can the Sox get it back? Here are three sure-fire ways:

Sign Jon Lester now
Remember the infusion of positive vibes that accompanied Dustin Pedroia's inking an eight-year contract extension last July? The Red Sox should do the same thing with their indisputable ace pitcher before it's too late.

Lester is the darling of the K Men these days.

In Jon Lester, the Red Sox have a horse, a 21st century version of Roger Clemens. He's not going to annually pitch 250 innings a year like Clemens -- nobody does that anymore -- but 200 has become the new 250 and Lester nails that mark each year. Throwing out 20-win seasons, which has been outed as a non-relevant stat, Lester is one of the best left-handed pitchers in the game and in the upper echelon of MLB pitchers period.

He is also in the last year of his contract, and is pitching better than ever at age 30. Given his body type and his track record of good arm health -- his early-career cancer bout should not be factored in here -- there is every reason to believe Big Jon can pitch effectively into his late 30s. Certainly nobody questions his toughness; in that regard, he is the anti-Clay Buchholz.

Much was made of Lester's comments about being willing to take a "hometown discount" and re-sign with Boston. Some may think he was blowing smoke, but this is not a guy who tends to speak off the cuff. I believe he's sincere, and if John Henry and Co. offer a reasonable long-term deal -- their first savoy was clearly not meant to be taken seriously -- Lester will sign. Why wouldn't he? He has proven to be a dominant postseason pitcher, and with the Red Sox he has a chance to reach the playoffs every year and add to his two World Series rings.

Keep this crew together.

Sign Lester now, and don't take a chance on his going elsewhere after the season as a point of pride. Boston's rotation has one fragile Ming vase in Buchholz (who's actually pitching more like a tomato can this year), one reclamation project in John Lackey, and a couple boxes of chocolates in Jake Peavy and Felix Doubront. You never know what you're going to get; Exhibit A being Peavy's dreadful second inning last night. 

There may be great pitching in the farm system, but nobody who is a proven big league ace. The Red Sox already have one of those, and they should do everything possible to keep him.


Bring up Betts

Boston is hitting a lackluster .246 as a team, 19th among 30 MLB clubs. What better way to give a jolt to their system then to give one of the hottest hitters in pro ball a shot at the big time?

Betts can hit -- and run -- with the best.

In addition to having a wonderful baseball name, Sox second base prospect Mookie Betts also has a wonderful average -- .399 at Double A Portland through last night. He has skyrocketed into a blue-chip prospect, and while there is no guarantee he is ready for the majors, the Red Sox would have nothing to lose calling him up for the upcoming homestand. 

The Boston bench has provided little pop. Only Brock Holt is hitting above .184, and he's had just 23 at-bats. Perhaps Betts could keep up his blazing bat as a pinch-hitter, and as a strong glove man who has also played short in the minors, he could serve as a late-inning defensive replacement as well. Slumping rookie shortstop Xander Bogearts could use some days off.

Betts even steals bases, an art in which the current Red Sox are severely lacking in (see below). Give the kid a chance -- if he falters initially, he's got time on his side. He's just 21. 


Bring back Johnny Damon -- as a base-stealing instructor
Much has been made of Boston's dismal base-stealing this year. While it was expected the Sox would see a major drop-off in thefts with the departure of Jacoby Ellsbury, the success rate of those left behind -- even normally efficient runners like Shane Victorino and Dustin Pedroia -- has been frighteningly bad.

Damon knows how to get to second

The solution is not to give up stealing, as manager John Farrell suggests. Boston doesn't have the power-laden lineup of 2003-04 to make that a useful tactic. They still get on base as well as any team, they just don't move the guys along and score. 

Why not bring back one of the best base-stealers of the last 25 years to help out?

Johnny Damon stole 408 bases in 511 attempts during his career, and had an excellent 79.84 percentage rate. Six times in seven seasons between 1999-2005, he had one of the best efficiency marks in baseball. There were faster guys in the game, but few had a better knack for getting into scoring position.

Damon is still just 40, and was actually looking to resume his playing career this winter if a team would give him a chance. There were no takers, but he'd probably love to don a Boston uniform as a coach rather than hang around the house. He's in great shape, so maybe he'll even get a chance to pinch-run. 

How about on May 28, when the 2004 Red Sox reunite at Fenway Park? Talk about some serious mojo -- that would bring down the house.
   

Pedro Cerrano and Jo-Bu key Red Sox resurgence

This guy deserves a Bobblehead night.

The streets outside Fenway Park were quiet during Monday's day off, but Fenway Reflections has learned that a special visitor was seen on Yawkey Way who may have had a direct impact in Boston's 7-4 victory over the Rays Tuesday night.

Pedro Cerrano.

For those of you who may not remember him, Cerrano was the power-hitter from Cuba whose two-run homer in a one-game AL East playoff game against the Yankees helped the Indians to the 1989 division title -- a season documented in the movie Major League. Cerrano was a great fastball hitter who had trouble with curves, a dilemma he resolved with the help of his beloved voodoo God Jo-Bu (and some rum, cigars, and sacrificial chickens). 

Cerrano and Jo-Bu were at Fenway Monday in an attempt to wake up Boston's sleeping bats, and apparently the intervention worked. Although Boston entered Tuesday's game in the bottom half of the American League in batting, on-base-percentage, and home runs, the Sox blasted 13 hits enroute to their third win in four games.

Victorino was thankful to Jo-Bu.

"Jo-Bu came through for us, no doubt about it," says right fielder Shane Victorino, who led the attack with a 4-for-4 night including a double and two RBI. "That's what I like about this team; we're willing to try anything in order to win."

Boston (13-14) now is just one game away from reaching the .500 mark for the first time since it was 2-2 on April 4. In contrast, the 2013 Red Sox were 18-7 and in first place by 2.5 games entering play on April 30. The Sox are currently in third place, 2.5 games behind the East-leading Yankees.

Jo-Bu and home cooking may be just what the witch doctor ordered for Boston. In addition to their current eight-game homestand, the Red Sox are in a stretch in which they will play 19 of 30 games at Fenway Park -- where they had a .654 winning percentage en route to winning the 2013 World Series. Including last night's win, the Sox are just  6-8 at home this season.

Middlebrooks' return should help.

Another key to a hopeful Boston resurgence is good health. The activation of third baseman Will Middlebrooks and Victorino from the Disabled List during the past few days gives the team its projected starting lineup for the first time all season, and enables manager John Farrell to use his strongest defensive outfield with Victorino in right, Jackie Bradley Jr. in center, and Jony Gomes in left.

Now if the Sox can get starting pitchers Clay Buchholz (6.66 ERA) and Felix Doubront (6.00) turned around, they may be able to stop the runs to Popeye's for more Jo-Bu offerings.

Signs of life -- but still concerns -- as Red Sox hit the road

 

Like the weather, the Sox have yet to heat up.

Before Big Papi's big blast yesterday bailed them out, the Red Sox were a few outs (and a few feet) away from a 1-5 homestand to start the Fenway Park season. As David Ortiz and his mates head into Yankee Stadium hoping the good vibes can continue, here are some reasons to believe -- and be concerned -- about what we've seen from John Farrell's team so far:

The starting pitching has been (mostly) very good. Jake Peavy was the best he's ever been for Boston yesterday, and he, Jon Lester, and John Lackey have all shined in the early going. Felix Doubront turned in one stinker, but he's always going to be up and down. The biggest anxiety, of course, surrounds Clay Buchholz, but Farrell insists his woeful debut was due more to fixable control issues than the shoulder woes that put him on the shelf for three months last season. Tonight's start versus the Yanks will show us more. 

Can Peavy keep it up? It would be nice.

Double plays have been a killer. Last season the Red Sox made a living playing opportunistic baseball. This year they've blown a lot of opportunities due to twin killings. The Sox have grounded into a MLB-worst 17 double plays, nearly three times the league average of 6, including five in the first six innings of Tuesday's 10-7 loss to Texas. This is one place the Sox really miss Jacoby Ellsbury's speed, but even plodders should be able to refrain from hitting grounders to the left side with men on base.

Even when slumping, they're getting on base. You can't hit into double plays if you don't get on base, of course, and the Sox are getting on nearly as well as ever. Their on-base-percentage of .349 ranks fourth in the majors and just .004 behind AL-leading Minnesota, and they are doing it with a largely patchwork offense due to the injuries to Shane Victorino and Will Middlebrooks. When these two return, and the New England weather heats up, the OBP should rise higher still.

Fly ball to Nava...hold your breath.

Outfield defense has been shaky. Last year Boston had Gold Glovers Ellsbury (CF) and Victorino (RF) plugging the gaps; this year, with Ellsbury gone and Victorino on the DL, the Sox have gone primarily with Grady Sizemore and Jackie Bradley Jr. in center and Daniel "Every Fly an Adventure" Nava in right. The drop-off has been considerable; while Sizemore and Bradley have both made nice plays, they lack Ellsbury's running speed and years of institutional knowledge. Hopefully they will get a better feel for Fenway and Victorino can take Nava out of his misery.

Learning on the job, Bradley is starting to shine.

We've seen the future, and it's exciting. Win or lose, still-official rookies Bradley and Xander Bogaerts have been a joy to watch. Bradley has great baseball senses, and is coming around at the plate -- including in the clutch. His game against Texas Monday was a thing of beauty, and while he works on making such events a regular occurrence, Bogaerts appears to already be there. Poised and polished well beyond his 21 years, he appears enroute to a freshman season somewhere between the Rookie of the Year campaigns turned in by Dustin Pedroia in 2007 and Nomar Garciaparra in 1997. 


We've also seen a bit of a World Series hangover. Although the near-comeback from an early 8-0 deficit Tuesday and yesterday's win are encouraging, Boston has played largely lifeless baseball in the early going. The three-game sweep at the hands of the Brewers felt like 2012, right down to the large sections of empty seats in the late innings. This, perhaps more than anything else, is troubling.

Will the fire-in-their-eyes Sox of 2013 show up tonight at Yankee Stadium? We shall see.

Sox need to tap their beard-bonding energy.

What must new Red Sox do to make chemistry worth it?

Time to see if the new Red Sox have the right fuel.

Much has been made about the concerted effort by the Red Sox to go for character over sex appeal in reconstructing their roster. But if they want to rebound from their worst season since the Beatles played Boston, the Sox need performances to match the chemistry.

Case in point among the newcomers facing the Yankees on Opening Day this afternoon is Shane Victorino. Everyone agrees he's a great guy with a great glove. But can he adjust to the vast expenses of Fenway's right field and hit enough to justify an everyday spot in the lineup? He's hit as many as 18 home runs in a season, but had just 2 in 53 games with the Dodgers last year -- and none in 45 at-bats this spring training.

Can Dempster deliver more than a quick wit?

Then there is Ryan Dempster, the newest member of the starting rotation. Good with a joke (which was surely handy on the Cubs), he comes here boasting durability (an average of 199 innings for the past five years). But John Lackey arrived in town with much the same credentials -- and experience as a World Series winner. How's that turned out so far?

The new closer is Joel Hanrahan, who put up some pretty gaudy strikeout numbers in the low-stress atmosphere of Pittsburgh. But Eric Gagne whiffed all comers as well with the Dodgers, and he was a disaster when put into the Boston pressure cooker. Boston is still seeking a closer with the eye of the tiger Jonathan Papelbon possessed; Hanrahan is next to make the attempt.

Will Farrell be loving on Gomes come June?

Jonny Gomes was not expected to be the starting DH, but David Ortiz's uncooperative heel has necessitated it for now. Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe calls Gomes "baseball's chemistry professor, a positive clubhouse presence wherever he goes." That will only take him so far if he fails to start strong, and last year he had a .220 average through May with Oakland. And what's with the missing "h" anyway?

The rookies in today's lineup, also apparently strong pieces in the chemistry mix, have to prove they can be everyday big leaguers.

Shortstop Jose Iglesias, another guy getting his Opening Day shot due to an injury -- Stephen Drew's concussion -- already has Gold Glove skills. His bat, however, has been very suspect in limited MLB trials (although his .294 spring training performance was encouraging). Ozzie Smith spent several years early in his Hall of Fame career as a .220 hitter, but it's hard to imagine Boston fans being that patient with Iglesias -- especially with Drew and minor league phenom Xander Bogaerts waiting in the wings.

Iglesias (left) and Bradley will both get their shot.

Projected to make his debut at Yankee Stadium is a 22-year-old who was the best story of spring training for the Red Sox -- left fielder Jackie Bradley Jr. He was Mr. Everything during the Grapefruit League schedule, hitting .419 with power and running with poise and purpose on the field and the basepaths. He's the guy Boston fans can't wait to see at Fenway, but the annals of baseball are filled with rookie phenoms who went bust before the All-Star break.

There is, of course, one other newcomer on the team -- Manager John Farrell. He's not an unfamiliar face to Red Sox fans, having been a well-liked and successful pitching coach with Boston from 2007-2010. But reviews of his performance as Blue Jays manager were mixed, and the results (a 154-170 record) rather tepid. Ownership thought Bobby Valentine was the answer last year, and the result was a chemistry explosion. Farrell seems a better fit for Boston in the early going, but you can be sure Joe Kerrigan (the last Red Sox pitching coach elevated to manager) is on his mind.

Unless Farrell and the other newest parts of the Red Sox potion perform at a high level, nobody will much mind whether they keep the clubhouse happy and help old ladies across the street. In fact, the old ladies will likely be kicking them in the shins if they try.

Projected Red Sox lineup: too many questions for comfort?

Will Victorino help point the way out of the cellar?

It has become trendy in recent weeks for experts to declare the Red Sox not only big players during the recent flurry of off-season transactions, but also big winners.

This may be wishful thinking, however, since it's hard to imagine another season as dreadful as the 69-93 last-place debacle of 2012. It's true Boston picked up strong character guys in Shane Victorino and Johnny Gomes, along with a few streaky power-hitter types in Stephen Drew and Mike Napoli. But the revamped Boston lineup still has plenty of uncertainties with spring training a little over a month away.

Let's take a look around the diamond as things currently stand (projected starters in bold):

At first base the newcomer Napoli, who can also catch, will likely get the nod provided Boston and his agent come to terms over his contract. Health may be an issue; while Napoli hit 24 homers last year and 30 in 2011, he's played more than 114 games just once in seven MLB seasons (140 in 2010). Current backup Mauro Gomez was the International League MVP at Pawtucket last summer, but in 102 at-bats with Boston posted only 2 homers. Mark Hamilton has shown bursts of power in the minors but has hit .197 in two call-ups with St. Louis.

Will dirt-dog Pedroia play himself out of a long career?

Second base remains a strong suit with Dustin Pedroia returning, but while the three-time All-Star and former MVP is still Gold Glove-worthy in the field, his OPS and slugging numbers have dropped off each of the past two seasons. He's also been injury-prone and missed 21 games in 2012. Pedroia will turn 30 in August, an age where he may soon become more prone to breakdowns (think Kevin Youkilis) if he continues playing in his aggressive, dirt-dog style. 

When the Red Sox signed shortstop Stephen Drew to a one-year, $9.5 million contract this winter, it surprised a lot of people who thought all-glove, no-bat Jose Iglesias was going to get a crack at starting in 2013. Iglesias has hit above .235 just once at any level, and checked in at .118 in 68 at-bats for Boston last year. Now it's likely Drew, a veteran who has had some very strong offensive seasons, will get the nod, but he is no sure thing either after a .227 year in which he missed 80-plus games with a severe ankle injury.

Will Middlebrooks fill Youk's big shoes?

Third baseman Will Middlebrooks was perhaps the biggest surprise of the 2012 Red Sox season, as the rookie exploded on the MLB scene with a .331 average and 9 homers in his first 142 at-bats after taking over for injured-then-traded Kevin Youkilis. Middlebrooks eventually reached 15 homers and 54 RBI before being felled for the year by a broken wrist on Aug. 11, numbers that while very impressive marked a considerable drop-off from his torrid start. 

Most expect Middlebrooks to continue growing as a hitter and fielder in 2013, but a sophomore slump can't be ruled out given his .194 September. Fan favorite Pedro Ciriaco, another pleasant surprise in 2012 as Middlebrooks' end-of-year replacement, will be itching to jump in again if the need arises.

In right field Victorino gives the Red Sox Gold Glove-caliber defense, but his offensive numbers (including just 11 homers and 55 RBI last year) look very J.D. Drew-esque. Since J.D.'s  strong fielding was taken for granted and his hitting over-analyzed, it's not too hard to imagine Victorino will start hearing catcalls from Conig's Corner if he doesn't come out swinging strong.

Will Ellsbury rebound -- and stick around?

Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury was a 32-homer, 39-steal man and MVP runner-up in '11, but had almost no power (4 homers in 303 at-bats) upon returning in mid-2012 from a dislocated shoulder. By not (yet) adding Hamilton or another big-name outfielder to the roster this winter, Sox management appears to be gambling that Ellsbury will bounce back strong in his free agent year and become either blue-chip trade bait or a contract extension candidate late in the summer. His fate likely depends on Boston's place in the AL East and Wild Card races come July.

As a hitter, new left fielder Johny Gomes won't have anybody thinking of Ted, Yaz, Manny, or even Mike Greenwell, but on defense he may remind folks of butchers like Manny and Jose Canseco. Look for Daniel Nava to get the bulk of the reserve at-bats should Gomes or another outfielder falter, with Ryan Kalish, Drew Sutton, and Alex Hassan also in the mix. If Ellsbury is dealt, of course, another starting slot will open up.

Will Mike Napoli supplant/spell Salty as catcher?

At catcher there is a logjam. It's still unclear whether Jarrod Saltalamacchia can be a 140-game-a-year receiver; after setting a 30-homer, .280 pace in the first half of 2012, he was one of the easiest hitters in the AL to strike out down the stretch and finished at .222 with 25 dingers. Doubts about Salty's durability led the Red Sox to sign David Ross (a solid back-up for Atlanta) and likely Napoli (who caught 72 games for Texas last year).

Throw in last year's primary Boston back-up Kelly Shoppach and young Ryan Lavarnway (a standout in the minors who struggled after a second-half call-up), and it's clear this position is anything but set. The chances are at least one of these five catchers -- all of whom could likely start for a big-league team -- will be dealt before spring training.

Will Ortiz be looking up all season? 

Designated hitter David Ortiz provides another big question mark. Not because of the numbers he put up when playing in 2012 -- they were outstanding -- but because of the fact the seven-time All-Star missed 71 of the last 72 games with a Achilles injury and turned 37 in November. Even the svelter version of Big Papi we saw last year is a big-boned, Mo Vaughn/Boomer Scott body type who like these former Sox sluggers could lose his skills in a flash. Management showed its appreciation for Ortiz's place in club history with a new two-year contract; if he manages to keep hitting that long, he also needs to keep healthy.

The concerted effort by Boston GM Ben Cherington and his crew to pursue solid and steady pick-ups rather than A-List superstars like Josh Hamilton should help the Red Sox avoid long-term contract headaches like the Yankees now face with A-Rod. What Ben and Co. must hope is that they have not created a team without enough sure things.

Next week: A look at the pitching staff.