CF Torii Hunter
RF Gary Matthews Jr.
DH Vladimir Guerrero
OF Juan Rivera
Off to their worst start in 13 years, the Red Sox returned from the West Coast with their Opening Day shortstop and No. 3 starter on the disabled list, their staff ace with a six-game suspension hanging over his head and their nation a bit concerned.
And things could've been much worse had Tim Wakefield not won in Oakland for the first time in 10 years Wednesday and Jonathan Papelbon not survived an epic battle with the Angels' Howie Kendrick five days earlier.
Those two wins allowed the Sox to limp back to Fenway with 3-6 record and ready to begin a nine-game homestand fans hope will be a better indication of where this club is headed than the first nine contests. The record is the Sox worst since a 2-7 start in 1996.
Getting off slowly isn't necessarily an indication of things to come, but it can be. The Sox have started 3-6 or worse 23 times, not counting this season. They managed to finish with a winning record nine of those years.
Of the 14 times the Sox have won 95 or more games, they've only done it twice from a 3-6 hole. In 1948, they were just 14-23 through the end of May, but closed the season with an 82-36 rush. In 1915, Babe Ruth's second season, the club went 41-13 in August and September to finish 101-50.
It must be noted that in eight of those 14 seasons, the Sox were either 4-5 (as they were last year) or 5-4, so it's not like the team has put itself into a hole from which it can't escape. Unless you believe Dustin Pedroia is going to hit .179 all year, the Sox should improve.
There are reinforcements on the way, too. Julio Lugo, who had arthroscopic knee surgery last month, could be back in the lineup before the end of the homestand; Jed Lowrie's wrist injury doesn't appear as serious as first feared and he could return in a few weeks; and John Smoltz is in Florida starting the next phase of his rehab with a target of joining the Sox by June 1.
Of more immediate concern is who will start Monday in place of Daisuke Matsuzaka who was placed on the DL on Wednesday with shoulder fatigue. The Sox could recall Clay Buchholz, although he experienced some hamstring tightness Monday. Justin Masterson, whose four innings of shutout relief kept the Sox in Tuesday's marathon, is another option.
