I'm back with another Notebook. Due to a new job and the Sox demise last season, I was unable to write much in my notebook after June last season, but that was last year, and who cares about last year anyhow?

I'm sure that panic will fill the airwaves at WEEI tomorrow after Pedro's pitching line in the opener: 3 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 4 K, 84 pitches. Yes, Pedro had a bad day and tied his career worst with 8 runs given up, and yes he sucked today, plain and simple, but there is no need to panic. Pedro seemed tentative and his control just wasn't there today, but one bad start (albeit after his injury plagued season in 2001) is not a cause for alarm. Now if he has 4 of these in a row............ If you do want to panic, then I guess the team whose pitcher had this line: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 5 BB, 4 K, 111 pitches, aught to panic too, huh? That was the pitching line for Roger Clemens today.

I going to list some of my thoughts about Opening Day and this season in no particular order.

- Tony Clark looks like he will be a monster in Fenway this year.

- Ugueth Urbina really scares, annoys, and stinks as the closer. When taking a quiz posted by regular redsox2000.com message board member Krimmins and asked: "Who will be the first Red Sox player traded in 2002 and for what position will the Sox trade?", my answer was Urbina, closer. His non-performance on Opening Day is a sign of things to come if you ask me. Leadoff Walks always kill you and what the heck was that fist pump after getting a strikeout after allowing the go ahead run? Don't even get me going about his classless posing after getting a K either.

- Nomar is simply amazing, and Jeter doesn't even touch that ball that Nomar got the error on.

- Varitek is really key to this team.

- Grady Little seemed a tad nervous to me. He walked right into the pitchout that Damon got thrown out on. Grady, you do have a bench at your disposal, especially with Sanchez or Hillenbrand at the plate in a key spot late in the game.

- I don't like Rickey Henderson and I don't think that I ever will.

- Brian Daubach was sorely missed on Opening Day IMHO.

- Maybe Offerman does have some usefulness left (as the object of the fans rath?), but he shouldn't get the nod before Daubach. I don't see this experiment with him at DH working too well. I don't think we will see 99 Offerman again.

- That ESPN computer gadgetry on the pitches is amazing.

- I don't want to see much of Henderson at DH vs. righties.

- Good luck to John Valentin. While I do understand the economics of buying out his contract, I will miss him. Tim Wakefield is my "new" favorite guy on the team.

- I'm going to enjoy seeing Mo Vaughn in those 6 games vs. the Yankees this year.

- The new guy to hate on NY with Paul O'Neill retired and Knoblauch in KC......... I just don't know.

- How Lowe and Hermanson do in the first 5 or 6 weeks will really say a lot about this rotation.

- Welcome back Dewey, Louuuuuuuuie, and Johnny Pesky.

- Glad to see that my choice not to go in on Opening Day was the right one. That long in Fenway on a damp day would have killed me.

- Still 161 games left in the season. Check the record on May 1. Can you say 16-9?

SRYD out