John Lackey is off to a slow start for the Sox, with a 5+ ERA, control around 1 and velocity down on his fastball.   Red Sox are hoping it's a blip…

Roto Times' comment on this was,

John Lackey didn't have his best stuff on Saturday night, allowing 10 hits and three runs, but he still gutted out seven tough innings, picking up a win in Boston's 7-6 defeat of the horrid Orioles.

Our View:He is now 2-1 in Boston, but hasn't looked like a third ace his past two performances. He's now figuring out just how tough pitching in Fenway Park can be.

Lookout Landing with their game thoughts.  Interesting take there on Snell going out and heaving the ball towards home plate, as it were.  It worked out okay.

Seattle Sports Insider noted that Mark Lowe threw 10 pitches in the 8th inning, all of which were 98 mph or above.

Geoff Baker observes that Milton Bradley is "feeding off" the villian role…

Buried in the A's org, like Ryan Langerhans was buried in the Nats' recently, available (no doubt) for a song.  Or is he, in the AL West?  Hmmmm…

Dave Allen demonstrated that in 2009, Cust suddenly decided to stop stalking pitches.

SSI moshes off this report to opine that Cust has some tread left on the tires. 

Lookout Landing with some uber-kewl videos on our hero.  Seattle Sports Insider has the breakdown.

Kirby Arnold has Wakamatsu's diplomatic apology for sparing Kotchman an ugly 0-fer.  Matt Tuiasosopo battled Gonzalez hard.

If you missed the Opening Day festivities, Section 331 has kewl graphics.

The TNT counted off the 19-inning scoreless streak and then, pressed by deadline no doubt, left off right before the 3-run homer.  Funny thing:  one pitch, six seconds, and the previous 2.5 hours seem to have all been worth it.   Or if that six seconds happens for the other guys, the previous 2.5 hours seem to have been a waste. 

Baseball's a funny thing :- )

David Aardsma's stock is up from "Dead Man Walking" to "Shaky" according to SSI.

Geoff Baker reports the happy totals:  Ryan Langerhans is still a Mariner.

Seattle Sports Insider charted Shawn Kelley's offspeed pitches Monday.  Two strikeouts, maybe should have been three, zero balls in play.

We dig Lookout Landing's series previews.  :golfclap: