Back in the Saddle.........

 After weeks of speculating, Red Sox Nation now knows when Big Papi will start his rehab assignment.  That assignment will start tonight, where Papi will make his debut for the Pawtucket Red Sox.  According to the timetable set by Red Sox brass, Papi should make his second half debut with the Red Sox somewhere around July 25th, barring any set backs.

  Gaining David Ortiz back at this point is like trading for a bat, except not having to give anything up for it.  I'm sure there will be some hiccups along the way with Papi and his injured wrist, but just his presence makes the Red Sox a stronger team to face.  Another by product of Ortiz's return will be the depth it will add back to the Sox roster.  J.D. Drew can return to the middle of the line-up, hopefully adding some pop to the back half of a so far lifeless group.  With the exception of Kevin Youkilis, the bottom of the Red Sox line-up has resembled a bad National League line-up, that included a pitcher hitting in the nine spot.  Jason Varitek has been as bad as he can possibly be, and his numbers look to only gets worse, as they have in the second half of every Red Sox season since 2003.

  Whatever the case, the season begins in earnest tommorrow night.  The Sox are down to thier last 65 regular season games, with the majority being at Fenway Park.  As the case has been all season, they will start the second half the same way they started the regular season, on the road in a different time zone, around 3,000 miles or so away from friendly Fenway.