Alex Speier, Red Sox Pregame

Alex let's start with Paul Byrd the fantastic. A comeback story so to speak at a bump in the road last night it was almost as if we saw Paul Byrd's entire arsenal split up. He would have averaged it out over the course of two games -- what we really would have expected.

The fact of the matter is that he's made two starts in their one and one in they have a win against Roy Halladay so in that respect I mean if it's fair to say the dog the they have -- gotten more. Then one could have expected from a guy who is sitting on his couch in pitching to thirteen year old a month ago. That said you know it is an open question about whether or not because of the unusual season that he had. What he's going to be able by going forward as a fourth or fifth starter. I'm -- in fact that you know that characterizes the Red Sox -- back into the rotation as a whole where bookings were looking at Paul Byrd who was you know not pitching professionally until August at Tim Wakefield -- made one Major League start they will be the second of course. Since the All-Star break. At dodging Egypt is -- is when you're removed from being an amateur. You know maybe as a long shot a guy like -- Michael Bowden or something who who hasn't made a Major League start yet this year. Mean these -- the names that they're looking at Millard fill the back half of the rotation in. You know bird. When he misses his spots because he doesn't have velocity he's not going to miss many bats and that's exactly what happened yesterday. His stuff looked more or less the same from velocity and movement standpoint the problem was the movement took -- back over the middle rather over the edges. And when that happens with Paul Byrd the result is going to be bad. Bolden is up today to provide as insurance against him Wakefield who sounds like a guy who's willing to gut it out the question is is that going to be enough. Because if he can't move it's tough to pitch. Absolutely in the fact is that after his last outing which was so impressive I mean it's difficult to understate how good he was for having been on the sidelines that argument turning in seven innings one run three hits in just attacking the strike zone like crazy but -- His back locked up on me again afterwards and so the question is not merely what's he going to be able to do on the mound but what happens after he pitches what happens 12 in three days out. From that start -- will he be able to remain in the rotation going forward. You know this is something that he's said or require surgery after the season so this is -- not to be you know taken lightly a lot of the time. People have said throughout Wakefield career. Oh the knuckleballer isn't taxing pitched it doesn't require you know that much effort or what have you this is an instance in which are absolutely right Wakefield is showing. That he's a very gutsy pitcher. How willing to try to work through pain but whether or not he's it would do so is another question. The other guy who would be a possibility for that 45 spot in the rotation would be Daisuke Matsuzaka. Now he had looked looked to be on paper anyway -- rather average rehab start last night but afterwards he sounded like a guy who thinks he's ready to go next week. He sounded like it into -- stadium the stadium suggest that he was hitting 92 miles north his fastball which. If he has the life of his pitches is plenty good enough for him to be able to compete and perhaps even succeed at the Major League level the fact of the matter is though that he is still. You know very much a work in progress to mean he started spring training over basically and and so now he's made it four starts since spring training. The results of which is that that the results of which is that he's kind of a work in progress and so. It wouldn't be surprising -- all -- see the Red Sox have to make another rehab start. Before they bring him back up to the majors because when he did miss you know he only gave up four hits and four and a third innings and that's pretty did. But he gave up a couple solo bombs that suggested he when he was missing he's missing over the middle in the triple headers -- April an amount. Wildcard standings on the Red Sox to up on Texas six up on Tampa Bay. The rays done last -- Maloney when he was on the show last night the same question he thought they -- I think they are you think they're out of it now. I'm I'm going to have to go for the clean sweep on that one I think -- for them to be able to leapfrog not one but two teams. Especially with all the games that they have remaining in the division and as we know the American League east is a is a beast of a place. It's if it would be near impossible I mean even if they sweep the Red Sox going forward there would still have to make up a few more games you know there at the point where. They would they would need just about everything go right and you know in some respects it looks like things are going the other direction when you saw BJ Upton limping off the field the other night. It's it's tough to see how they can make up six games in in that short span of time. -- Alex thanks as always we'll talk to assume thanks so much on.