Clubhouse Insider

It's the Red Sox and Marlins from Fenway Park in this their Herb Chambers Lexus pregame show the believing yet dot com's Alex -- along side the clubhouse insider. Alex let's start with the man on the mound for the Red Sox and that is Brad Penny tonight why I think is coming off his best start of the season certainly his best start just in terms of his pure stuff and his fastball velocity.

Yeah absolutely no question that in terms of both results and performance what he did last outing against the Yankees was it was spectacular. And really at another level than anything else we have seen from him in a Red Sox uniform touching ninety miles an hour with a curve ball there was a swing and miss pitch in even dropping a changeup effectively for strikes. This was a different Brad Penny than we had seen before in at least for one outing offered a glimmer of the guy who was one of the best pitchers National League. In 20062007. So now the big question becomes can he sustain that if he does than either he becomes a very valuable person in the Red Sox rotation or he becomes a very valuable chip in a potential trade.

You know last night we touched on the Mike lol Josh Beckett Hanley Ramirez deal and how that. Trade worked out for both sides really get a look at a pitcher tonight Andrew Miller a tall lefthander young. Part of the McGill Cabrera deal that sent Dontrelle Willis and Cabrera over to Detroit along with Miller Cameron may been another big name in that deal was in the minor -- for the Marlins right now the guy we -- on the mound tonight -- long way determining whether or not that trade works out for Florida yeah that'll be.

Huge -- his teammates of of Daniel Bard in college they were both part of a stellar rotation with with the university North Carolina. Matt Miller was the number six draft draft pick in the 2006 draft and you know he's he's supposed to be you know an ace caliber pitcher he hasn't been that thus far in a Major League career granted he hasn't had much of -- time to to develop in the minors. But guy has numbers to this point in his career are pretty mediocre and ERA over five but apparently the Marlins have worked to rebuild his delivery a little bit this year and since coming off the disabled list earlier this year he's been much better in his last few outings he's his walks totals are down and -- in his CRA is a little bit over three so if he's that guy for the Marlins for the long haul. Then they'll feel pretty good about return on not on what they and a superstar Miguel Cabrera especially if -- Develops is they still hope he will but if he's a mediocre pitcher maybe even -- mid rotation pitcher then you'd have to -- say that the tigers got one of the best hitters in the game and the Marlins failed to replace them -- even if they have to put up with Dontrelle Willis and the dragon that contract that they signed into that they made the deal. Miguel Cabrera that's special -- he's extraordinary but their belief was that -- was going to be a you know a rare talent in center field someone who is capable of impacting the game -- a number of ways in that Miller was one of these front of the rotation guys who are so rare in the game thus far we have yet to see -- of those guys but they are still young.

Young pitching is what the Marlins are relying on just talked about Miller result bolstered last night we're gonna see Ricky Nolasco tomorrow night. I'm not sure if they're legitimate playoff contenders just yet I think they perceive themselves to at least. Potentially be if not a division and certainly for the wild card but all these -- are gonna be awfully good for them to stick in the race they will.

And of course the same questions were offered in 2003 when they end up winning the World Series I mean there's a certain point at which -- is it is an impediment and certainly it takes something to learn how to win but sometimes you coalesce sesno on top of the rays were going to be for real all of last year. And certainly they stuck it -- right until the end is David -- for real because it looks like -- back yeah what he's doing against fastballs I mean there is I thought -- telling moment yesterday when on a -- that Ortiz fouled off there was a 91 mile an hour fastball you've -- fastballs all night he -- one for -- once the warning track -- another one for a two run single to -- thousands ball straight back and it looked like the months that you know -- enough finally they end up throwing him -- two to town to straight -- with both. Give Ortiz to lock it looks like opposing pitchers are finally starting to recognize. Keep this isn't the guy who's missing every fastball that was thrown to the plate for a period of about a month this is a guy who can turn on I 95 mile an hour heater from an AJ Burnett -- CC sabathia. In last night my personal status in Sowers started to see Ortiz with that swagger back in there is a mechanical adjustment that took place. Around the time the Yankees series that permitted him to get his hands in a position to turn on those pitches. And finally dropped all Sosa's final rehab start tonight and we expect to see him a week from tomorrow against the nationals and -- US Terry Francona good question. What does the seven days which is an unusually large amount of time between starts what does that do for smoltz yeah and this is I mean I think fit in some respects this is the guy who really wants to have the tank full before he before it starts emptying it over the course of the season -- He he apparently asked for it I think that part of the answer is that it helps him avoid the two starts against the Braves which most parties seem to wanted to do. Because of the because of the concern that there would be just too much adrenaline going into an outing like that for a guy. Who who's really trying to to return for the long haul rotten short term and Alex -- is always a thought to assume based on.

If you missed any part of that -- would just like to hear it again you -- along with all of our -- game features just log on -- W -- dot com and click on the audio on demand. Right now it's time for the Red Sox trivia question sponsored by KGB. -- batters debate group strike out of the Red Sox pitcher. All of the answer later in the show but if you'd like the answer immediately text that question or any other two KGB KGB which is 542542. On your wireless phone and the KGB team -- the answer for you in seconds KGB. They answer to you. On the way we've got our trip around the major leagues up next Hall of Fame president Jeffrey Donaldson on the inside pitch this system Herb Chambers Lexus pregame show on the WEI Red Sox radio network.