Red Sox after the first week - my take
Spring training ? Trot Nixon comes down with unexplained back problems that will sideline him until May. <b>Wagon is making funny noise.</b>
Spring training ? Nomar Garciaparra goes hitless, than has to sit out the rest of spring training and the beginning of the season with an injury. <b>Wagon develops slight bump. </b>
Spring Training ? Manny Ramirez doesn?t hit a home run until the end of spring training. <b>Wagon starts to shimmy</b>.
Spring Training ? Pedro Martinez gets hit hard and is not throwing heat. <b>Wagon is jumping up and down. </b>
Spring Training ? Keith Foulke gets shelled game after game. <b>Wagon is all over the road. </b>
Regular Season ? Opening night Pedro Martinez gets the loss, Timlin gets shelled and Pedro leaves the game early. <b>Wagon is uncontrollable</b>.
Regular Season ? New manager Terry Fancona takes the blame for Pedro leaving early by saying he did not tell a veteran player about a very obvious and long-adhered to rule of leaving a game early. <b>Wagon is violently throwing driver and any unsecured articles around. </b>
Regular Season ? Sox lose a 13 inning game on April 8 by walking 4 people, including the losing run, in the final inning. Francona starts McCarty at first base and lets better players sit on bench. <b>Wagon?s wheels are not held on by lug nuts anymore. </b>
Regular Season ? Francona puts fielder McCarty in to pitch in late innings during a home opener loss. <b>Wheels about to slip off the wagon?s axels. </b>
Regular Season ? Pedro Martinez pitches 7 and 2/3 inning, four-hit, one-run, 7-strike out masterpiece during an April 10th 4-1 win, appearing dominate and confident like the Pedro of old. <b>Wheels are back on the wagon. </b>