The season that was (and yet wasn't)

The Red Sox ended the 2003 campaign with a 95-67 regular season record, the most victories for the franchise since it won the same amount in 1986. The Sox clinched the American League wild card, finishing six games behind the Yankees in the AL East, despite the most potent offense in the majors. This was, for the large part, due to an incredibly shaky bullpen for most of the season, and a sometimes inconsistent starting rotation.

Nevertheless, the Sox came within five outs of their first World Series appearance since 1986, falling to the Yankees in seven fever-pitched (but in the end devastating) games.

In this, the second of a two-part series, we look at the Red Sox pitching, and its offerings, both positive and negative, throughout the season.

Pedro Martinez, RHP: Pitched two complete games, against the Twins on May 3 (1R, 12K) and Angels on August 6 (2R, 11K).

Not so hot: The home opener against Baltimore (10ER in 4.1IP) wasn't as planned, and Petey's 11 no-decisions in 29 starts (with five blown saves by the bullpen) weren't pretty.

Ugly: Pedro versus Don Zimmer. What is it with the Sox and clashes with baldheaded men (read: Damian Jackson and Gabe Kapler and their magnetism for collisions)?

Postseason: Solid against Oakland, and looked good for seven innings against the Yankees in Game 7.

"Pedro dominated this year, leading the league in ERA," freshman Sox fan Scott Sporn said. "But he seemed much more human because the bullpen blew so many games."

Derek Lowe, RHP: Not much went right during the regular season, but he did finish off the Wild Card clincher.

Not so hot: On the road; 6-5, 6.11ERA and a recurring 6th-inning blister.

Ugly: Game 1 at Oakland--four walks, one surprise bunt, one man left shaking his head on the mound. Game 2 in New York (6ER) wasn't exactly hot either.

Postseason: Two of the dirtiest strikeout pitches in history in Game 5 against the A's.

Tim Wakefield, RHP: 16 of his 33 starts were six or more innings with three or fewer runs allowed. Also delayed Clemens' would-be 300th victory in the "300-Win Glove Game" at Steinbrenner's joint on May 26 in an 8-4 Sox win.

Not so hot: Aug 26 against the Blue Jays at Fenway (7R, 3.1IP).

Postseason: Beat the Yankees and Mussina twice and would have been a lock for ALCS MVP had the outcome been different.

"Wakie was the MVP of the ALCS for the Red Sox without question," Sporn said. "He just didn't have his knuckler working in Game 7."

John Burkett, RHP: Out dueled Bartolo Colon and the White Sox twice. On June 17 in a 7-4 Sox win he gave up four consecutive doubles and three runs in the first inning, then was brilliant, retiring 18 straight at one point. Also won on September 2, when Colon pitched a two-hit, compete game (both hits were homers).

Not so hot: Versus Toronto: 0-2 in 3 starts, 18ER in 10.2 innings (15.88ERA). Also, 0.1IP, 7ER against Baltimore, Sept. 24.

Ugly: Burkett in the first inning: 10.52 ERA; Burkett after the 1st inning: 4.14 ERA.

Postseason: Solid in Game 4 against Oakland, until he was left in to start the 6th inning having tapped 94 pitches and several crates of Ibuprofen.

Mike Timlin, RHP: The most consistent out of the bullpen all season.

Ugly: Allowed the Jim Thome homer against Philly, blowing the win for Pedro on June 21, rather than pitching around him to get to the ever-slumping Pat Burrell.

Postseason: 9.2 IP, 0R, 1H, 2BB, 11K. Allowed just 3 of 32 batters faced to reach base, including setting down the first 23. He also pitched three perfect innings in relief of Lowe versus Oakland in Game 3 to keep the score tied at 1-1.

Alan Embree, LHP: Took awhile to find a groove, with a 9.00 April ERA, but then settled in with a 3.78 ERA the rest of the way.

Postseason: 1-0, 0.00ERA in 6.2IP. Great, except for surrendering the game-tying hit at Oakland in Game 1.

Scott Williamson, RHP: Ugly: A 6.20 ERA after trade to the Sox.

Postseason: Turned it around with three saves against the Yankees, and overall went 2-0, 1.13 ERA in eight innings, 14Ks against Oakland and New York.

Jeff Suppan, RHP: Shades of Johnny "Way Back" Wasdin: Before returning to Boston: 10-7, 3.57ERA, 11 homers in 141 innings for Pittsburgh. With Red Sox: 3-4, 5.57ERA, 12 homers in 63 innings.

Casey Fossum, LHP: April 25 in Anaheim: seven innings, zero runs.

Not so hot: Ate his own weight in Krispy Kreme over the winter, but still couldn't hit 170lbs soaking wet.

Ugly: Everyone was ugly versus Toronto, but 19 runs in 18 innings?

Byung-Hyun Kim, RHP: He did strike out Vernon Wells, Carlos Delgado and Eric Hinske, sandwiched around hitting Howie Clark to preserve an 8-7 Sox comeback victory on July 9 against the Jays, and solidified the pen with a 0.96ERA when they needed it in July.

Ugly: 1-2, one save, 5.14ERA against the Yankees. His Fenway sign-language before Game 3 against Oakland wasn't endearing either.

"Kim looked like he was always about to break into tears," freshman Henry Mayer said. "It was stupid to trade our best hitter against Mariano Rivera [Shea Hillenbrand] for him. [He wasn't even] on the postseason roster."

Scott Sauerbeck, LHP: "Sauerkraut", a lefty specialist (.152), specialized in boosting righties' batting averages (.387). Also surrendered 18 walks in 16.2 IP.

Bronson Arroyo, RHP: The International League Pitcher of the Year for the PawSox impressed in a brief Sox stint (2.08 ERA in 17.1IP).

Brandon Lyon, RHP: Brilliant for the first month (1.98 April ERA), then was sent to Pittsburgh stamped "return to sender". What a way to feel welcomed.

Todd Jones, RHP: Fu Manchu and budding Sporting News columnist. Enough said.

Chad Fox, RHP: "As we all expected, Chad Fox finished the season with a World Series ring," sophomore Alex Maloney said. "There is no God."

Ryan Rupe, RHP: Only a brief appearance, but at least there was one less Sox headhunter pitching for the D-Rays.

Ramiro Men-blow-za (RHP), Rudy Seanez (RHP), Bruce Chen (LHP), Kevin Tolar (LHP), Robert Person (RHP), Jason Shiell (RHP), Steve Woodard (RHP): ...need we say more...?

Grady Little, MGR: The positive: he let the players play their own game. The negative: he let the players play their own game.

"Whenever they cut to Grady during the gamecast, I felt they should have been playing the banjo theme from Deliverance," Mayer said. "And he never seemed to think about the game."

"It's unfortunate that Grady overdosed on crack at just the wrong time," Sporn added.

Well, there's always next year...