Rivalry, Part One: Who's happy return will it be?

The Red Sox and Yankees kick off the first part of their 19-installment (minimum) rivalry tonight at Fenway Park when Johnny Damon returns to Boston for the first time as a Yankee, and freshly re-acquired catcher and Tim Wakefield specialist Doug Mirabelli comes home to catch the Sox knuckleballer.  Both Damon and Mirabelli could figure importantly in the result in this clash of the titans who sit tied atop the Division.

Mirabelli returns not a moment too soon, as Wakefield, who had thrown 10 passed balls past Mirabelli's replacement, Josh Bard, takes the mound tonight against Boston's hated rivals.  The Sox new, old backup backstop was re-obtained from San Diego for Bard, minor league pitcher Cla Meredith, and cash.

Damon, has catalyzed they Yankees offense as the new leadoff man in New York, hitting .312 with a .905 OPS and 22 runs scored.  He will return to center stage at Fenway hoping to channel some of his bitterness that the Sox let him go in the form of a victory for his new team.

The Sox hope to get their sluggish offense started tonight against the Bronx Bombers, who have scored a Division-leading 144 runs (to the Sox 117).  Many of Boston's starting positional players have struggled at the plate with Mark Loretta hitting .218 (.579 OPS), Gonzalez hitting .186 (.518 OPS), and Varitek hitting .250 (.720 OPS).  Manny is now hitting .276 (.865 OPS -- lowly for him) but is at least showing signs of improvement with 4 homers in his last 9 games.  The Sox have hit just .256 as a team with a .353 OBP and .416 SLG, compared to New York at .299 with a .395 OBP and .495 SLG.

Boston is coming off dropping two of three to Tampa, including a 5-4 loss on a strong pitching performance by Rays ace lefty, Scott Kazmir (10 Ks, 1 ER in 7 IP), against Curt Schilling (9 Ks, 3 ER in 6 IP) yesterday.  The Sox nearly came back with back-to-back solo shots in the ninth to Mike Lowell (who's been excellent at .318//.371/.511 by the way) and Wily Mo Pena.  The Yankees, meanwhile, took the last two of a three-game set against Toronto.  On Saturday, Damon hit two home runs.

Wakefield (1-4, 3.90 ERA) will take the mound against Chien-Ming Wang (1-1, 4.80 ERA).  The atmosphere at Fenway is sure to be electric.