Back Of The Rotation Still Unclear

Tim Wakefield went six innings yesterday against the Marlins (6-6-3-2-5, 73/51). He said he feels great, though he got tired in his final frame, allowing those three runs (ending a string of 12 scoreless innings)

Daisuke Matsuzaka followed (2-2-1-0-0, 25) -- allowing a one-out single and two-out triple in the seventh, followed by a 1-2-3 eighth -- and is expected to go three innings on Monday night.

We know that Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and John Lackey will open the season against the Yankees (likely, but not officially, in that order). Terry Francona may have tipped his hand when he said that all of the players will go to Washington for a game against the Nats on April 3, the day before the opener, "even Beckett". But after that ...

Where Wakefield and Clay Buchholz, and then Matsuzaka, will fit in unclear. Peter Abraham of the Globe estimates Dice being ready (with roughly 25 spring innings under his belt) around April 23.

Wakefield:

I'm very curious, not knowing. Normally, I kind of know what's going on.

Jeremy Hermida is batting .432 (16-for-37). ... Mike Cameron is slugging .733 (6 singles, 4 doubles, and 2 home runs in 30 AB). ... Catcher Gustavo Molina is 5-for-5 in six games!

It looks like Brian Shouse (0.96 ERA in 9.1 IP) will be cut loose, perhaps making room for Alan Embree. ... Pitchers Felix Doubront and Dustin Richardson, and catcher Mark Wagner were optioned to Pawtucket.

Today: Jon Lester faces a Blue Jays split-squad at 1 PM. Sore-wristed Dustin Pedroia is not in the lineup. Just another day of rest, presumably, though FY said he was benched because "I told Tito he looked like Corrado Soprano."