Bartolo Colon appears ready for Red Sox debut

With Clay Buchholz on the disabled list with a torn fingernail, the Boston Red Sox will need another starter for the No. 5 spot on Thursday, April 22 against Kansas City. Perhaps Bartolo Colon will make his Red Sox debut. The former Cy Young Award winner looked ready this afternoon, when he allowed no runs and one hit over six innings for Pawtucket.

Colon threw just 64 pitches, 45 of which were strikes. He struck out four and did not walk a batter. It appears that Colon has regained his health. The velocity is there, as is the command.

The Red Sox do have other options. They could recall Justin Masterson from Double-A Portland. Knuckleballer Charlie Zink, 24-year-old right-hander David Pauley and veteran left-hander Michael Tejera (who has tasted success at the Major League level) are throwing the ball effectively at Pawtucket.

Starting Colon makes the most sense. He has an out clause in his contract if he is not with the Red Sox by June 1. Boston needs to give Colon at least a couple starts to see if he can help the team for the remainder of the season. If Colon does prove that he is Major League worthy again, chances are Buchholz will spend some time at Pawtucket, where he can work on his fast ball command while pitching five inning stints to keep his workload under control. There is not doubt that Buchholz will still be a key part of Boston's World Series title defense this season.

As the Red Sox prepare for a three-game weekend series against Milwaukee at Fenway Park, it is interesting to note that the Brewers have expressed interest in acquiring Julian Tavarez. Yovani Gallardo had season-ending knee surgery, and Milwaukee needs an arm for the rotation. ESPN.com's Jayson Stark writes that the Brewers have Jeff Weaver at Triple-A, too. Tavarez seems like a better option. A deal could be worked out this weekend for Tavarez, who was designed for assignment by Boston earlier in the week. The Denver Post reported that talks between Colorado and Boston regarding Tavarez are now dormant.

Stark's column also mentioned that the Red Sox were reportedly shopping Javier Lopez and David Aardsma earlier in the week. This is surprising, considering that the left-handed Lopez has limited left-handed hitters to a .185 average and Aardsma has emerged as one of the team's top right-handed set-up men. The 26-year-old power pitcher has walked 15 in 20.1 innings, but he also has 17 strikeouts, a 2.21 ERA and has held hitters to a .194 average.

The bullpen is still Boston's main question mark. Jonathan Papelbon is fine. The runs scored during his two blown saves were a result of Julio Lugo's error and a couple bloop hits. Manny Delcarmen is throwing the ball better, having posted back-to-back scoreless outings. Hideki Okajima is a concern. Though his ERA is 0.93 and opposing hitters are batting .191 against him, he has allowed 11 of 14 inherited runners to score. Mike Timlin has shown signs of settling down, having allowed one run and three hits over four innings in his last four appearances, yet - like Lopez - the Red Sox don't know what to expect right now when he steps to the mound. Ideally, Timlin will retire, or the Red Sox will release him, and summon Masterson. Boston desperately needs Craig Hansen to emerge as a reliable set-up man.

Another interesting nugget in Stark's column concerns Julio Lugo. Stark writes that the Red Sox are more likely to deal Lugo in the off-season rather than during the season. After 2008, Lugo has two years left on his four-year, $36 million deal. Boston will definitely have to pay a portion of this contract, but it will be worth the hassle because John Henry can afford it, and since the Red Sox can move Jed Lowrie into the starting shortstop role and resign Alex Cora as the utility infielder.

It makes no sense to deal Lugo during the regular season because of depth. Lowrie offers insurance in case of injury to Lugo or Cora, as we have already seen. If the Red Sox traded Lugo this season, there would be no attractive Major League ready option to back up Lowrie and Cora. Boston's organization is stocked with promising shortstop prospects (Oscar Tejeda, Will Middlebrooks and Ryan Dent are three; and Argenis Diaz is another), but they are all at the low levels of the farm system.

Though Lugo's defensive ineptitude has hurt the Red Sox this year, his presence maintains the depth at shortstop.