The Red Sox are off to the second best start in franchise history, 21-7. Only the 1946 version started better with a 23-5 mark.

The Sox proved two things:

1) They can wallop the Orioles, Devil Rays, Blue Jays, and Royals anytime they play,

2) If they stay healthy, they have their best team in years.

Now, with their next 19 games against the A’s, Mariners, White Sox, and Yankees, they have a chance to quiet the naysayers who are downplaying their early season success built against the weak sisters of the AL.

Tonight, it’s Pedro Martinez versus Cory Lidle, the questions are

“Is Pedro back to his Cy Young form?”

“Can Cory Lidle stop the Sox?”

Let’s see.Pedro Martinez opted out of the latter half of the 2001 season with a sore shoulder, thereby taking the Boston playoff hopes with him.

He has made six starts this year and is 4-0. the team is 5-1 when he goes to the mound.

Here’s the word on Pedro.

He has gained about 15 pounds in an attempt to increase his stamina. He has put on so much weight that he currently looks like a tourist who ate his way through a Caribbean cruise.

Has the new look helped his pitching?

He throws 90-92 MPH now more often than the usual 94-95 MPH that we saw in the past. He throws more change ups and curve balls, sometimes four or five in a row.

His fastball is still effective high in the strike zone. He still has the ability to change speeds better than anyone in the game.

Pedro has dominated the A’s in the past, averaging 7 innings pitched per start over his career with an ERA of 2.01.

The Orioles chased him after 5 innings in his last start because Pedro was suffering from a head cold. He flew into the Bay Area yesterday to acclimate himself to the three hour time change and to get a good night’s sleep since the Red Sox played a night game on Monday in Tampa, causing them to fly all night to get to the California.

The A’s will employ their successful strategy of forcing a pitcher to go deep into the count. Pedro generally throws 85-100 pitches per game depending on how hard he has to work (fastballs versus change ups).

My guess is, he throws more off speed pitches to save his arm because he can’t throw the heat as often as he did before his injury last year.

The Sox bull pen has been very good. Lefthanded specialist, Casey Fossum will see a lot of action against the A’s.

Night game weather is always on the chilly side. I don’t expect Pedro to be in the game after the sixth inning as a precautionary measure, no matter what the score is at the time.

The A’s counter with Cory Lidle. The Sox are 16-7 versus right handed starters. Tampa Bay’s righties Ryan Rupe, Delvin James, and Tanyon Sturtze actually pitched well against the Sox over the weekend in Tampa. If Tampa had any relief whatsoever, they would have taken the series, and the Sox wouldn’t be so cocky right now coming West.

The A’s have a better bull pen than most teams, if they can get 6.6 innings from their starters, they are in business.

Jim Mecir and Billy Koch have been very reliable. With five other relievers to choose from, Art Howe should be able to close the seventh inning if necessary.

The key to this game: Get Pedro out by the sixth, Cory Lidle must keep the game close through six plus, turn it over to the pen and hope for the best.

Of course, this strategy applies to both teams.

Johnny Damon is off to a great start. The A’s know he can’t hit high fastballs, this should be a good match up all series. Damon is running again and I’m sure will test Ramon Hernandez if he gets on base.

Manny Ramirez kills the A’s. Howe will employ the Barry Bonds (walk ’em) strategy every time Ramirez comes up in a situation where he can hurt the A’s with a long hit.

Rey Sanchez has hit Lidle in the past (5-8, all singles). Jose Offerman has taken Lidle deep.

No one on the A’s really hits Pedro. Hell, no one in baseball really hits Pedro. David Justice is 9-53 lifetime to give you an example of what Pedro does to opposing batters.

Lidle deserved a better fate in his last start versus the Yankees. The A’s defense didn’t help Lidle, plus he was squeezed by the home plate umpire. Lidle must keep the ball in the park, something he is doing better this year than he did last season.

The Sox can hit, leading all of baseball with a .298 average. Lidle must avoid 20 -30 pitch innings because big hits usually come in bunches when he is left on the hill too long. This means the A’s must catch the ball and not give Boston more than three outs per inning.

The A’s throw Lidle, Hiljus, and Hudson against Martinez, Burkett and Lowe. Not a lefty in the bunch, which gives the lefty hittng A’s an advantage.

This will be a good series. If the A’s win a couple of games, the Red Sox doubters will be out in droves all over New England especially with Seattle coming up over the weekend.

Tonight’s game will be important even if it is only May 7th.

The Curse of the Bambino is always lurking in the park plus Pedro is pitching.

Now, that’s good baseball.