a new client of mine just got traded to the red sox! boston baby!

[BRANDON BOND]

. Has Dice K ended his freelance assignment and accepted a full-time job with the Red Sox [team stats]?

When Daisuke Matsuzaka [stats] divulged to a Japanese media outlet this winter that he hurt his hip last winter and hid it from the Red Sox all year long, it came as news to the Red Sox. They know Matsuzaka well enough by now, however, not to be shocked. Life with Matsuzaka in the first three seasons has never been dull. After essentially meeting expectations in his first year, Matsuzaka’s nibbling tendencies were matched by his survival skills in 2008 before his season came crashing down on him last year. The hip-WBC episode culminated in an essentially lost season that included the Red Sox placing Matsuzaka in a timeout in Fort Myers to rehab his shoulder, get back in condition and accept the fact that he works and plays for the Red Sox and is not on his own program. By all accounts, Matsuzaka got the message but this winter’s revelation was a bit of a reminder of what a wildcard the talented pitcher is. Like Beckett, Matsuzaka is 29 and already has reached remarkable heights in his international career. He could offer this rotation so much, yet his track record pitching in the MLB is spotty. More than anyone else in the rotation, Matsuzaka has the most to prove.

8. If the third time is a charm, did Theo Epstein finally find a shortstop in Marco Scutaro?

Of all the new acquisitions from this winter, Scutaro’s two-year deal worth $12.5 million with mutual options for a third year could easily wind up being as significant as that of Lackey in the rotation. Edgar Renteria, Julio Lugo [stats], an injured Jed Lowrie -- this position has been underperforming to an almost abnormal degree the last few years. All the Red Sox want is a shortstop who can be relied upon to have decent range, soft hands, capable of making strong and accurate throws and, if he cannot hit well, at least get on base a lot. They have not found that shortstop in the John Henry/Theo Epstein/Terry Francona era and although two World Series rings have helped ease the pain, it sure would make life on the diamond much easier if Scutaro were to prove to be as reliable as he looks. He may be keeping the seat warm for Jose Iglesias in 2012 but to have stability at the position in the meantime would qualify as a significant antacid to a constantly churning segment of the Red Sox.

9. Did the Red Sox make up any ground on the Yankees?

Notice how the Yankees not only are making awfully smart baseball moves these days but they are back to winning World Series? After wasting millions of payroll dollars this past decade on talents such as Kevin Brown, Jason Giambi, Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright, the Yankees got it right last year with Teixeira, CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett and this year they turned two great trades for Curtis Granderson and Javier Vazquez and made an underrated signing of DH Nick Johnson. Gone are Johnny Damon (we think) and Hideki Matsui. The Red Sox hardly stood still by losing Bay and gaining Scutaro, Beltre, Cameron and Lackey but it is difficult to look at any projection formula straight in the face that does not show the Yankees still holding an edge. The Red Sox won their first eight games against the Yankees last season, then lost eight of the next nine as the Yankees developed into a championship team. The Red Sox have an awful lot to prove this season -- not only to themselves but to their perennial rivals.

Red Sox Wednesday:
+ An ace up their sleeve
+ Yankees open competition for No. 5 starter