media notes

Boston Globe's top 10 game-changers:

7. Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox - "Defies logic, but maybe the toughest SOB in the game," said an AL assistant GM. "Watch some of the balls he hits and explain to me how he gets the barrel of the bat on the ball. Amazing. You can make the greatest pitch ever to this guy and he'll beat you." Pedroia also got rave reviews for his defense. "He has made individual plays at second base that have won ballgames," said an AL East infielder.

Peter Gammons from ESPN.com:

Boston has two No. 1 starters in Josh Beckett and Jon Lester. The Sox have Daisuke Matsuzaka and his 18-3 record of 2008. They may try to cut back on 42-year-old Tim Wakefield's innings, but Terry Francona says they may not need a fifth starter until early May. And Brad Penny not only threw 91-94 mph during Friday's minor league outing, enough to impress Francona and pitching coach John Farrell, but he also said, "That's the best my shoulder has felt in a couple of years." Clay Buchholz has learned to drive his fastball down in the strike zone. They love Michael Bowden. John Smoltz is agreeing to stick to his June timetable. And Justin Masterson can always start.
The difference for the Red Sox is that they have the following in front of Jonathan Papelbon: Takashi Saito, Ramon Ramirez, Masterson, Manny Delcarmen, Hideki Okajima, Javier Lopez and, in time, Daniel Bard with his easy 97-102 mph fastball.
"That," says one scout, "has a chance to be the best 'pen in the league."