ARLINGTON, Texas -- It was one of a flood of introductions Boston had to Erik Bedard, most of which came before the pitcher even set foot down at Logan Airport.

"I just don't think he likes baseball that much," the analyst surmised when asked by the Mut and Merloni Show about the Red Sox' big non-waiver trade deadline acquisition.

Then came three starts in a Red Sox uniform -- the majority of which were encouraging -- and it was still difficult to know what to make of Bedard. He seemed like he didn't hate being out there, but how could you really tell? After all, if there is one thing that doesn't play well in Boston it's perceived apathy.

Well, as it turns out, Bedard might be more along the lines of what Red Sox fans were looking for than they knew.

"I love to watch baseball," said the Red Sox' scheduled Monday night starter against the Rangers. "I love it. I know I'm rare. A lot of people will watch football instead of baseball, but not me. 

"I watch every game. I watch all the playoffs. That's the only sport I watch. I really don't watch football. Hockey a little bit, but I watch every baseball game. If we have a day game and there's an ESPN game on at night, I'll always watch it."

As it turns out, Bedard likes baseball … a lot. He has his best friend from home (just outside Ottawa), Phil Grandmaitre, as a witness. The two would hunker around the TV to watch whatever baseball game was on, or head over to watch the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx, when every other kid was obsessing over all things hockey.

Now those vouching for him are his new teammates.

Like his new rotation-mates, Jon Lester and Josh Beckett, Bedard's idea of fun is sitting in a tree stand for hours in the freezing cold on some offseason hunting excursion ("I'll never move," said Bedard of his permanent residence in a suburb of Ottawa), or, you guessed it, watching baseball.

It is just one reason why the lefty's presence in a Red Sox uniform the next few months might be more intriguing than many had predicted.

Bedard had a love affair for watching the pennant races and playoff games (smartly identifying the 2004 World Series as his most memorable) and now he is in the belly of the beast. And don't think he hasn't taken note of his recent good fortune.

While many of the veterans in the Sox' clubhouse are simply trying to ride out what can often be the season's most difficult month, the 31-year-old can usually be found with a subtle smile on his face, observing all the goings-on that come with such situations.

"I've been in the dog days of August my whole career," he said, "so now that we might be in the playoffs …

"I think it's a little early," Bedard added, regarding the ability to identify the out-and-out excitement that goes with a pennant race. "If it was a team that was never in the playoffs everybody is more excited because they've never been there. But you have almost everybody here who has been in the playoffs, except me. Everybody feeds off each other and they don't let it go so high they can't control it."

Then there is the other reason Bedard might fit in: He might be pretty good.

In 16 innings with the Red Sox he has allowed six earned runs for a 3.38 ERA, which is right around the the 3.45 he had totaled in 16 starts with the Mariners to begin the 2011 season. There have been 17 strikeouts and just four walks (with all the free passes coming in the first inning of his Aug. 9 start at Minnesota).

"I actually am really encouraged," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona. "I think we were prepared to see some rust when he first pitched. What you see there, with his ability to spin the breaking ball, throws strikes -- [he] commands the running game. That's exciting. Not just now, but going forward. He can go through some lineups now, which is good."

Concern was another thing that had followed Bedard to the Red Sox. His last start with the Mariners before being dealt was a disaster, having given up five runs in 1 2/3 innings. And then there were the health issues, which centered around a knee injury that put him out of action for more than a month.

Along with the voices of doubt coming from Seattle, the image of a pitcher wearing a very visible knee brace while trying to find his comfort zone wasn't exactly selling the product to Red Sox fans.

But, again, reality might have taken hold.

First, the knee brace. It is the same piece of equipment he used or the final 15 games of 2005 after experiencing the same sort of knee ailment in 2005.

"It was awkward the first start, but you get used to it," he said. "You don't even think about it. I know I can pitch with it. I move just like I would move without it, but it's bulky and people think it's uncomfortable. There's no other choice. There's nothing else."

And, finally, there are the results, which might just be the ultimate selling points.

Yes, the beginning of this season offered the bad of Bedard.

"I was going through dead-arm. Spring was fine. I was throwing between 90 and 94, and then I started the season and I was like 88," he explained. "I hadn't thrown in a year and a half. Then a couple starts and a couple of starts, and then finally clicked when I pitched here. I felt better."

But then came the true reason Red Sox followers might not have a hard time keeping an open mind regarding the hurler. From April 27 until June 27, Bedard totaled a 1.77 ERA in 11 starts, holding opponents to a .191 batting average. In that run was a seven-inning out against Monday night's opponent, Texas, in which he gave up just two runs on two hits.

"Those are once-in-a-lifetime type runs," he admitted. "It's hard to do that the whole year."

But the good news for Bedard is that he doesn't feel all that different than he did in those two months. The velocity is the same, the change and curve are just as sharp, and all that is left is to fine-tune his ever-improving command.

"I was getting quick, easy outs," he remembered of the stretch. "Now, my changeup is pretty good. Maybe my fastball isn't as pinpoint as it was before, but everything else is there. I'm just trying to do the same thing I did before. It's to get on runs like that, though. If I could have that all year it would be fun."

For the Boston baseball fans -- and one big baseball fan, Bedard -- the fun might have just begun.