Finally, after a long winter and a busy spring, I get the chance to watch a little baseball. I caught about an inning's worth of the opening series against Detroit, which in retrospect seems to be a blessing. The season hasn't exactly gotten off to the start envisioned by those who fancy the Jays as a darkhorse to contend. Things don't get any easier as the Jays visit Fenway for Boston's home opener.

...Generic Pregame Comment by John Cerutti: "He's a good pitcher. He knows how to pitch." Well, I should hope so John. It can't be easy to come up with three hours of stunning insight, but come on, the game hasn't even started.

First Inning
...Bellhorn, Ortiz and Millar is a pretty ugly right side defensively. Hopefully the Jays can take advantage.

...A triple by Catalanotto is wasted . No surprise to see Wells swinging at the first pitch, and Delgado lines out to Johnny Neanderthal in centre.

...I wouldn't mind if pitch velocity replaced the Rogers logo on the Sportsnet ticker. Then it would be exactly like the one they stole from Fox Sports.

...It's good to see a the Canadian flag on the sleeve of the new Jays team jackets.

Second Inning
...Kevin Cash looked like a pitcher hitting with the bases loaded, but Reed Johnson bails him out and the Jays are on the board, up 2-0.

...When Ted Lilly misses, he misses ugly, either three feet high or ten feet short of the plate.

...Just what is a Pat Hentgen Sports Head Collectible?

Third Inning
...Hinske doesn't take the force out at second, and a bloop single a batter later gets Boston on the board. This after a missed double play.

...Hudson makes a spectacular catch in foul ground to end the inning. He's already been recognized by analysts as one of the top defenders in the league, and plays like this, which will surely be shown on all sorts of highlight shows, will start to garner Hudson some Gold Glove votes.

Fourth Inning
...The middle of the Jays order is showing tremendous patience, sparking a pair of rallies.

...Catalanotto tries to score and takes the Jays out of a potentially huge inning. Sure, Delgado would have been walked, but I'll take Phelps with the bases loaded.

...Pokey Reese of all people, sends a ball over Cat's head in left and the game is suddenly tied. Between the Jays stranding runners and having both offensive and defensive lapses, I don't like the way this is shaping up.

...Johnny Damon has cut his hair and taken up switch hitting! Oh, wait, that's Gabe Kapler, who grounds out to end the inning. Damon has been beating himself up all day, fouling pitches off himself and tumbling in the outfield, and it seems to have caught up with him.

Fifth Inning

...Delgado hits the ball hard for the third time today and is finally rewarded with a hit. Phelps follows with a solid single and now I really wish Catalanotto had just stayed at 3rd.

...O-Dog doesn't swing at the 3-2 pitch and Eric Hinske is DOA trying to steal second. Oh, well, he should have been called out on the double play, but first base ump Joe Brinkman blew the call.

...Lilly bounces back with a strong fifth inning, making Ellis Burks look silly for the third time today. He's at 80 pitches and is probably done for the day.

...Rob Faulds might want to watch the BBQ humour in reference to what is clearly a healthy fire burning in the Fenway neighbourhood.

Sixth Inning

...Lilly is back out for the sixth... but just for one batter, as Carlos Tosca starts to play the percentages. Hopefully, with a stronger pen this season, he'll keep the 3-trips per inning innings to a minimum. At least Lilly was kept to his pitch count. He left throwing well enough to try to squeeze another couple of batters out of him. Despite the 4 runs, Lilly pitched well, with just a short lapse in the fourth inning costing him a quality start. He looks like a huge upgrade at the #4 starter position.

Seventh Inning

...Despite the homer to Varitek, Justin Speier looked pretty good, and hey, we still have good arms available in the pen, none of whom are named sturtze or Acevedo.

...We're three outs away from the bottom of the Jays order against Keith Foulke. Looking for a long ball from Phelps or Hinske.

Eighth Inning

...We don't need no steenkin' long ball, as Orlando Hudson continues his fine afternoon and makes Gabe Kapler look silly by spanking a ball over his head to tie the game.

...John Cerutti has just identified the Jays' Double-A affiliate as Knoxville, which it was... two cities ago.

...Hasn't Kapler learned to play deep against our light-hitting infielders? Kevin Cash puts the best swing he's had all day on a Mike Timlin offering and now it's 6-5. Two batters later, Cat goes over Millar's head in right for an insurance run, exposing Boston's less-than-stellar defense.

Ninth Inning

...Delgado lines a shot just inside Pesky's Pole to pad the lead a little more. Delgado could have 4 hits today.

...David McCarty makes his first career pitching appearance. Cudos to Terry Francona and the Red Sox organization for attempting this experiment. Brooks Kieschnick pulled off this sort of double duty last year in Milwaukee, and so many guys have amateur pitching experience that this role could become commonplace: the utility guy/12th pitcher. Might as well mop up with McCarty. I believe the Red Sox did have one guy who used to pitch and hit pretty well.

...McCarty's first appearance is mixed. Kevin Cash has gone from looking feeble at the plate to having a career day, with a second RBI double to extend the lead to 10-5.

Ground ball to Hudson and the game is over. Finally, something in the "W" column. This is the best type of win, the kind that will start the disgruntled muttering about Boston's bullpen. The Jays pen was stellar, allowing just a walk after the sixth inning. The weekend offers a couple of good matchups, with Batista-Schilling Sunday and Halladay and Pedro locking up tomorrow. Both will be good tests for the Jays suddenly hot bats.