Dave O'Brien with Bobby Valentine before the first game after the All-Star break

Okay John thank you very much Red Sox opening up second half play and -- what does it mean to his second half of the season 76 to go it's actually less than 81 games as you get ready to play Tampa Bay tonight. But there's reason -- prepared have you have to season and we know we're pretty good team you know we look back at. What happened the first Stafford or you know our runs are about the same as they were last year defense in the -- it was improved their -- defense was improved. In other running less on this team this year than they did in the past and that. We're getting some guys healthy coming back so that we can maybe sustain the offense that was -- -- end the first staff. He and improve on those some of the departments that we weren't as good it. And indeed are you expecting your offense to be even better because of the guy who you get to finally. After three months pencil back into the top your lineup tonight. Jacoby Ellsbury. Well miles is you know really good player but you know one player doesn't really make a difference in an offense put. We wanted to do is play the way he's -- playing and if he does you know that can give the other team a little. Feeling you're getting back on their heels and have -- good thing for her our team implored. Bobby and Ellsbury any restrictions at all with that shoulder anything he can't dude did you would want them to do -- expect him to be able to do. I certainly hope not you know he's he's been through the rehab and he's experienced let things I would think diving would be. You know little concerns here is because he maybe hasn't done it with the them. Full force of a big league game behind them that -- and he's swinging the bat really well and now I think it's just an idea of getting to see some pitches. He was so good a season ago finished second in the MVP balloting. He hit with power which I think caught a lot of people made -- up by surprise but by how many home runs he hit was such a big deal. Can he with the shoulder be relied upon to hit. Eventually with the same kind of frequency of power. Well I would think so but obviously now with the same numbers at the end of the season because he's not working with a full seasons so. You know up in -- the you know he doesn't have any home runs areas one area has four areas five. You know what whatever he does offensively I think his. It is going to be good enough because he's our guy and Darren he'll be -- senator of course. Does it excite you to be able to do more things with that kind of a lead off hitter stuff that you might wanna do -- a manager. I don't think that it is much more that. You know that he do other than Daniel he might steal a few more times and again we'll have to see how he feels about sliding. At the end of that place. We just want him on base and don't score runs and it's not necessarily about them. Me doing things it's about and him and rest of the guys doing things the other exciting part about tonight is will little Brooks returns to your lineup as long can you talk about that a bit. Well you know he Saddam. He's progressed nicely in his rehab and this is a -- we're shooting for he says he feels just fine he's gonna try to play within himself and and not extend anything -- But I think you know with will out there again. You know will will look will look a little better. You get actually -- represented a line up which you have not been able city very much since opening day this year. Well I'd like to guys that we played the entire time and as I said you know we've we were able score a lot of runs and then we've we've played good brand of baseball I hope we -- continued. On middle Brooks you gave them that extra days right before the all star break in wanna get him in there and then the entire all star break. Is that something you've wrestled with -- win to get him into the lineup when is the appropriate time when you feel good about it. Yeah I I never feel good about it until he gets over the hump completely and that means playing the game and and getting through game and feeling good after game. I'm nervous. I'm open today's the right day and everyone thinks it is so -- will go forward. Finally our Mercedes-Benz question of the day for -- bounce embody a Franklin Morales going here in game one of the series the last time he pitched here. He struck Will Rhymes with a pitch got them on the are -- that was the last time here. Do you expect any fallout from that particular event although he didn't want to go on -- hospital nothing was broken it was a very scary moment. I'm no I don't think so and then maybe it'll be a little side at the plate and it's time to make that. Bobby thanks good -- game one tonight okay thank you -- Bobby Valentine and our question with the manager brought to you by your Boston area Mercedes-Benz dealers the Mercedes-Benz summer event is back. Visit your local Mercedes-Benz dealers for limited time lease and financing offers on select models on the web at MB USA dot com -- hurry. Because just like summer these offers won't last John.