Heels, Sox & Steelers

Offense & Defense
The Boston Globe has two stories in today's paper about the Red Sox slow start both defensively and offensively. One laments the plight of the Red Sox bullpen due to the recent spate of extra inning games that led to utilityman Dave McCarty pitching last week. In fact, arms are so tired (or injured -- Mario Mendoza is on the DL and Scott Williamson felt a 'twinge' in his surgically repaired right elbow) that Brian Daubach was sent to triple A and Frank Castillo was recalled.

The second story looks at the Sox abysmal offensive performance the first week of the season with both Trot Nixon and Nomar Garciaparra M.I.A. A couple of things to note. First, it's the first week of the season. Second, as the article points out, "Only the Yankees (.208) and Blue Jays (.217) entered last night hitting for a lower average than the Sox (the Sox are hitting .236)" Aren't these the two teams the Sox are concerned about in the East?