I have been impressed with the starters with the Red Sox lately. Each of them have put in some brilliant performances while Curt Schilling and David Wells have been on the DL. Yesterday was no different.

Jeremi Gonzalez, a 30-year-old journeyman, recorded his first win on Sunday in the first game of the doubleheader and Wade Miller is back from injury.

What more can you ask for? Gonzalez has a WHIP of 1.22 and 13Ks in 10 2/3 innings. He's not Schilling but has pitched well enough to give the Sox a fighting chance in each of his starts.

I was really excited to see Wade Miller on the mound. I have watched him throughout his career. Last year, before his injury, he had Cy Young-caliber stuff, if you exclude starts vs. St. Louis.

He allowed 14 runs in 14 1/3 innings vs. the Cards. Without St. Louis games, he was 7-4, with a 2.30 ERA and 1.28 WHIP. I'll take that from my fourth starter any day.

On Sunday, You couldn't tell it was his first start of the year. His fastball was consistently 91 mph and I saw the gun hit 93 on occasion. He also got guys out with his breaking stuff. At one point he threw a 3-1 curve for a called strike. Wow!

His pitch count was high however- 91 in five innings. He admitted before the game that he wasn't 100%, but could still get guys out. That he did - allowing only three hits, a walk and striking out six.

It's too bad the Sox couldn't salvage a win.

The rollercoaster ride, that is the Red Sox bullpen, continued. Everybody did his job in the first game, but in the second, Jon Halama and rookie Cla Meredith gave the game away. Meredith, making his Fenway debut, put a ball right in the wheelhouse for Richie Sexson who knocked a grand slam into the rightfield seats.

Bummer. On Sunday before the game Meredith was praised by Theo Epstein. We here in Portland know all about him as he was the surprisingly good closer for the Sea Dogs to start the year. He moved up very quickly. It would appear too quickly. Only 21, he still needs a bit of seasoning.

He'd tell you he wasn't nervous, but come on, it's your first appearance at historic Fenway Park for the World Series Champions. I'm sure he was shaking in his cleats.

It'll be alright. Last year, I said it was all about winning series and the Sox won this one.

Tonight another series begins against another West Coast team. This time it's the Oakland A's.

Oakland is a sub-.500 team right now and have lots their last two games without scoring a run. The future doesn't look bright. SFGate.com says the A's are hitting like Blank

Danny Haren pitches this evening for Oakland. He has some troubles of own. MercuryNews.com reports that Haren is still trying to forget the last time he pitched in Fenway. You see he was with the Cards and pitched in Game 1. Although truth be told he pitched well, we all know how the game and the series ended up.

Oakland's team hasn't been the same since Miguel Tejeda took a plane full of money to Baltimore. Yes, they still have Gold-Glover Eric Chavez but that hasn't been enough lately. SFGate.com writes A's miss Tejeda a lot.

I am always a little worried by Oakland. I'm not sure why, perhaps its the white shoes.

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