CHICAGO -- They've looked at video of 2011. Why wouldn't you? That is, after all, the year Jacoby Ellsbury has hoped to bottle and shove down opposing pitchers' throats for years to come. "Everything looks the same," said Red Sox hitting coach Greg Colbrunn after his team's 6-4 loss to the White Sox Monday night. "Rhythm, timing, same set-up, same stance, minor this, minor that. It's just getting himself in position and getting the rhythm." It just so happens the series opener at U.S. Cellular looked about as far away from '11 as possible, with Ellsbury rolling over for ground balls to second base on all four of his at-bats. After his first day off, it's not what the outfielder or his team was looking for. As Red Sox manager John Farrell put it, "We have to get him going, bottom line." The notion that the Red Sox' leadoff slot ranks 26th in the majors for OPS suggests the skipper is correct When Ellsbury is going, it makes a big difference. The Red Sox are

MINNEAPOLIS -- The non-waiver trade deadline is 73 days away, but the conversation is worth starting. The one part of these Red Sox that hasn't evolved as planned is the bullpen, as we will be reminded Monday when Andrew Bailey makes his return after being shut down due to biceps soreness following his April 28 appearance. The Sox have weathered the Bailey absence, just as they continue to deal with life without Opening Day closer Joel Hanrahan. There are 12 days left in May, and perhaps it's too early to identify exactly what this bullpen group is capable of as the Sox head into the heart of the season. "At any point this season will we have the bullpen we were supposed to have on December 31 when Joel came over here," said Red Sox lefty Craig Breslow. "At some point there was thought that we might have a semblance of the bullpen we were supposed to have, obviously minus Joel. Only at that point then we need a month or so to see how we work together. But at no point this

MINNEAPOLIS -- John Farrell and Torey Lovullo looked down toward the Twins bullpen. They saw some stirring, as Minnesota lefty reliever Brian Duensing had grabbed a ball and tossed it a few times. Then Duensing sat down. It was then the Red Sox manager and his bench coach knew they had put the right people in the right places. "It's a good feeling," Lovullo said after the Red Sox' 12-5 win over the Twins Saturday night, "when all the puzzle pieces fit perfectly." The puzzle Lovullo referenced was the Red Sox batting order, a collection of names that was initially crafted five days earlier, and not finalized until 2:30 p.m. Saturday. As similar as each of Farrell's lineups may seem, each day and each order has a life of its own. Every single position in the lineup has more of a purpose than most would understand, as is evidenced by meticulous process the manager and his coaches undergo when piecing the names together. Saturday's version was no different. Duensing was

"This is a smart team, in terms of guys knowing the game, how it's to be played, what situations call for." -- Red Sox manager John Farrell after his team's 3-2, 10-inning win over Minnesota Friday night. MINNEAPOLIS -- The scenario stood out in the series opener at Target Field, in large part because the moment(s) won the game for the Red Sox. Will Middlebrooks, a player who had bunted just once as a professional (doing so with Single-A Lowell), waited for the second pitch of his 10th-inning at-bat to present a perfect sacrifice, moving runners to second and third. Then, after an intentional walk to Stephen Drew, Jonny Gomes punctuated the rally with a sacrifice fly, scoring Dustin Pedroia with the eventual game-winner. It was just a glimpse into what is occurring with the 2013 Red Sox, the second in as many nights following what Middlebrooks did the night before when resolving to sit on changeups from Tampa Bay closer Fernando Rodney on the way to claiming a decisive three-run