Next Up: the Minnesota Twins.

The last time the Red Sox faced the much slimmed-down Boof Bonser was on February 29, in the first spring training game of the season. If I recall correctly (and it meant anything), I believe that both Varitek and Lowell had home runs in that game. Bonser is the power pitcher-type, in that he usually throws strikes but his fastball is only in the low nineties. He does do a nice job of changing speeds. He has a really good curve ball. Command can sometimes be an issue for him but he is able to work himself out of jams.

Saturday's scheduled pitcher is Glen Perkins. He has a low-nineties fastball with good movement that he can push into the mid-nineties if the occasion warrants it. He gets a lot of strike outs with the fastball. He has a very good change up and two curveballs (one with a hard break and a slow one.) He has exhibited very good command and has functioned well in high pressure situations. He has the ability to go deep into a game but this will be his first start of the season.

Sunday's starter against Wakefield is Nick Blackburn. He's got a four-seam fastball in the high eighties, a two-seam fastball, a curveball, a slider, and a change-up. Blackburn has excellent control-he has to-if his control isn't absolutely perfect, he's going to get brutalized. He pitches to contact. If the defense isn't also spot-on then the Twins are going to give up a lot of hits. He's had seven starts this season and given up fifty-three hits (approximately 1.2 per inning pitched.)

Monday's pitcher is Livan Hernandez. Hernadez has pretty good control but he struggles against left-handed hitters. He is a very good fielder. His fastball sits in the mid-eighties (he occasionally throws a change-up but it really isn't any different from his fastball.) His fastball is also remarkably flat. His out pitch is a slow hook that might come in at below sixty miles per hour.

Offensively, it's really the usual suspects when it comes to Twins hitting. Justin Morneau, Michael Cuddyer, and Joe Mauer are all off to hot starts (with Mauer having the hottest start of them all); though, Carlos Gomez and Delmon Young aren't making insignificant contributions.