A staggering start for Sox pitchers

ARLINGTON, Texas – OK, it's early. The Red Sox have played all of two games, or about 1.2 percent of a full baseball season. So the fact that they got shelled by the Rangers, 12-5, in the second game of the year (recap) ultimately means little.

Even so, it would be difficult to exaggerate how bad the Sox – and more particularly, Red Sox pitchers – have looked in the first two games of the season. It would have been one thing to take a couple of losses to start the season. But it's another to get absolutely smoked.

And that is precisely what happened on Saturday. One day after Jon Lester had one of the worst starts of his career – no strikeouts, three homers – John Lackey was even worse.

He had a strong second half of 2010 upon which the Sox anticipated he would build. The right-hander had what everyone around the Sox characterized as a strong spring. He showed up in camp having shed about a dozen pounds, and the Sox were enthusiastic about the life on his full ensemble of pitches.

And then, he took the mound for his first start of 2011 and...the Rangers beat him like a piñata.

Lackey threw just 3 2/3 innings – his second lowest total as a member of the Sox. He gave up nine runs – most as a Sox, tied for second most in his career. He gave up seven extra-base hits – a new career high. More