Last August, after a start in Chicago in which he surrendered five runs in just three innings, Clay Buchholz confessed to his father.
"I can't wait for this season to be over," the Red Sox hurler said.
Now, Buchholz probably wishes it would go on forever. The longer the campaign, you see, the more chances he might get to experience moments like the one that came around Friday night in Toronto.
In his first major league outing since allowing five runs in 2 1/3 innings in Baltimore last Aug. 20, Buchholz displayed the same confidence and resolve which started with a Feb. 21 batting practice session in Fort Myers and hadn't stopped since.
Against the Blue Jays, the 24-year-old allowed just one run on four hits, striking out three and walking three while throwing 103 pitches over 5 2/3 innings win what turned out to be a 4-1 win at the Rogers Centre. (Click here for a game recap.)
"It feels like about three years ago," Buchholz told reporters before being optioned back to Triple A Pawtucket. "It was a good feeling. It's good to be back up here and be able to have the confidence coming into this game and leaving with the same confidence I came into the game with. It's a good thing."
He started with a 93 mph changeup to Blue Jays Marco Scutaro, placing it right in catcher Jason Varitek's mitt, and didn't let up from there, weaving in changeups and curveballs. It was, however, that heater -- more specifically the command of the pitch -- which has meant a world of difference for Buchholz.
Last season the Red Sox sent Buchholz down to Pawtucket to experiment with an alteration of his arm angle in hopes of developing better fastball command. It didn't take, and the righty was never able to find any sort of groove for the rest of the '08 season.
This spring Buchholz showed up displaying his old, over-the-top delivery, which clearly has left the pitcher with more confidence from the get-go this season.
"We changed it last year because me and a couple of others started panicking a little bit," Buchholz said back in spring training. "The organization wanted to give me as good a chance to get to the big leagues as possible. It feels more normal, I guess."
The improved fastball command -- along with a revamped slider he didn't break out until after spring training -- has left quite an impression on all who have come in Buchholz' path. Triple A hitters couldn't figure him out (7-2, 2.36 ERA, .188 batting average against), and now big leaguers are following suit.
It's why the Red Sox, despite Buchholz' bumps in the road last season, told Texas that they would not be using the pitcher to acquire catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia. And, Friday night at least, the decision paid off.
"He was awesome," Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia told MLB.com. "He threw every pitch in any count. You could tell he was frustrating those guys. Plus, he's got 95 [mph], too. His stuff -- he's got four quality pitches. When he throws them for strikes and commands them, he's pretty tough to beat."
Of course, there a lot more we learned Friday other than Buchholz' viability...
WHY BUCHHOLZ WAS IN TORONTO
Roy Halladay is still a member of the Blue Jays, even after the impression left by one of the names thrown out as a potential piece in any deal involving the Sox and Jays. That should come as no surprise.
Buchholz was not at the Rogers Centre because the Red Sox had to show the Jays what they might be missing. He was there to showcase something else -- a flexibility few organizations can stake claim to.
With the presence of Buchholz the Red Sox were able to allow their pitchers to get their legs under them heading into the second half, starting with Brad Penny's outing Saturday afternoon.
"It's tough to get all your work on this All-Star break. It's nice to think you're going to go home and throw a bullpen, but that's not realistic," said Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, who is slated to pitch Tuesday.
"I think what Tito wanted to do was that he didn't want any of us to start that first day back. I'm not saying Clay didn't deserve it, but he didn't want any of us to pitch that first day. You have to pitch that day, you didn't throw bullpens, you didn't get your work it, it's just tough. It's nice to think, 'You're going to here and lift legs
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