Youngblood

Okay, the other day I said I wasn’t going to get excited about the Red Sox so early in the season. But after watching them in their third game, I’m pretty fired up.

Maybe not as fired up as Josh Beckett, though. After struggling in the first and giving up a run, Beckett bounced back to deliver a pitching performance that had Schilling applauding from the top step of the dugout. Boston’s new young phenom put in 7 strong innings, battling out of some jams en route to a 5-strikeout performance.

But that’s not what really got me excited wasn’t so much Beckett’s performance (though I am pretty stoked about it), it was his passion. His youthful exuberance was flowing out his ears the whole game. He nearly ran down the first base umpire on an appealed check-swing call at one point, screaming for the appeal down the line. When he was granted the strikeout to end the inning, a Tiger Woods-esque fist pump accompanied a scream that the entire Red Sox Nation heard.

I love that we have a guy that gets this fired up. Schilling has his moments, his own fist pumps and hollers, but he’s getting old. Beckett is the young blood of the new starting rotation, and he’s got balls. This guy almost started a fight with Phillies first baseman Howard, screaming at him from the dugout after Howard stood at home and watched what turned out to be a long fly ball out.

I think that’s just what this team needs, some of that young fire. With all the new faces, it just may be Beckett’s sort of attitude that takes the reigns and brings together this team. I’m not saying he’s the leader, because I firmly believe Varitek has had that role wrapped up for years, but he could be someone the team rallies behind in the long run. And for Beckett, with a mentor like Schilling on the squad, the future’s so bright, I gotta wear shades.

But, having said that, there is one thing that concerns me about this guy. For all his talent, I hope he doesn’t get too cocky for his own good. Throughout the game tonight, his first start as a Red Sox mind you, he was shaking off Varitek left and right. Beckett had his own game plan for pitching this game, and didn’t seem to want Varitek’s advice on how to approach the batters.

Sure, it all worked out in the end, but look at the facts: Varitek has been catching and calling games in the AL his whole career. Beckett is only 5 years in the league, all in the NL. He doesn’t know the Rangers or any other team in the AL. I’m curious where his confidence comes from that he’s going to shake off a veteran like Varitek. I’m keeping my eye on this for now. Beckett gets a reprieve because he pitched one hell of a game tonight, but this arrogance better not come back to bite him, and the team, in the ass.

More on pitching: Have the Sox found a new closer in Papelbon? Boston’s farm-grown flamethrower came in the ninth tonight in a one-run game and mowed down batters for the save. With Foulke seemingly still struggling after his horrific outing Monday, Francona put the young pitcher in to see how he’d hold up, and he held up well.

Mixed feelings for me, though. While I would LOVE to see the Sox drop Foulke from the closer role and have Papelbon blowing away ninth-inning batters from here on out, I’m wondering if the team would be doing itself an injustice by not giving this guy more innings that lead to an eventual starter’s role. Papelbon has the potential to be the next (dare I say it, yes, I do!) Roger Clemens (hopefully minus the attitude), so a closer role might deprive him of the lengthy outings needed to make it through 7+ innings every 5 days.

In Theo we trust, however. That man has the master plan in order, and I have faith. Papelbon, Beckett, the works. I’m behind them all.

I’m stoked. Sox look hot. Let the season roll.

Bronson Arroyo hit a home run in his Cincinnati debut today. Let me say that again: pitcher Bronson Arroyo hit a home run in the third inning that tied the game at 3. The same Bronson Arroyo the Red Sox traded for part-time fielder Wily Mo Pena. Wily Mo has exactly ZERO home runs on the season so far. Advantage: Reds.

Oh, Arroyo won the game, too. Reds 2.