Colon, who has been sidelined because of a strained oblique, threw 19 pitches in two innings, walking one and fanning one. He did not allow a run. Then he went and threw 16 more pitches in the bullpen, bringing his total up to where the Red Sox wanted it to be. Manager Terry Francona said the report he received had Colon touching 93 m.p.h. on the radar gun.

The right-hander is expected to join the Red Sox in Detroit before heading to Pawtucket to continue his rehab assignment. The plan now is for Colon to pitch for the PawSox Saturday night at McCoy Stadium at Norfolk.

If all goes well, I'd expect three minor league starts (50 pitches, 65 pitches, 80 pitches), which would have him ready to join Boston's rotation around May 25. He reportedly has agreed to extend his opt-out date until June 1.

Red Sox pitcher Bartolo Colon didn't want to talk about his outing for the PawSox tonight, but rehabbing Red Sox players Alex Cora and Sean Casey were quite impressed with the right-hander's three-inning performance.

Colon allowed one run on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts. He threw 49 pitches (36 strikes).

"He had great movement," said Cora, who went 0-for-3 in his final game in Pawtucket. "I was really impressed with him. He had good arm speed and made some good pitches. His ball was really really moving. I know he's going to make a difference and really help us out. I don't know how soon, but I'll tell you what, he's going to help this team win a world championship."


"He looked great," said Casey, who went 1-for-2, including a double and two runs scored. "He'll be a big plus if he can continue to do that stuff. He's Bartolo Colon, a former Cy Young Award winner. He's got great stuff. When I looked up and he was throwing 97 and 95, that's going to play in the big leagues."

FWIW, if the rotation stays as is until May 25 (fat chance), here are the projected games/spots in the rotation he'd be trying to crack (I've added a few dates on the end as it seems unlikely he'd opt-out on June 1 if he knew he was slotted to have his first start in only another day or two, but I guess you never know):

Four alternatives in dealing with Colon's hypothetical entry into the rotation:
1) displace Buchholz
2) displace Lester
3) set up a sporadic 6-man rotation
4) displace Wakefield (given Wake thus far, highly unlikely)

If control is a crucial feature of a relief pitcher vs. a starter, Lester is least well suited to displacement into a bullpen role.
What is the likely outcome here?

http://www.beloblog.com/ProJo_Blogs/SoxBlo..._impresses.html

Whaaaaat??

Edit: Just got word on the Paw Sox official gun he topped out at 94, 97 was the stadium gun.

Colon worked a scheduled three-inning stint, allowing four singles and one run, with two strikeouts and no walks. Throwing mostly fastballs in the 87-92 mph range, with a few sliders and changeups mixed in, Colon reached back for a 94-mph heater to fan Tides first baseman Scott Moore and end the first inning, stranding two runners.

If control is a crucial feature of a relief pitcher vs. a starter, Lester is least well suited to displacement into a bullpen role.
What is the likely outcome here?

Bartolo Colon threw 64 pitches.

I would assume, in that case, that he will need at least one more rehab start before being recalled.

I'd be happy with 85 pitches from him in his next outing being at the Major League level. How many of our starters haven't thrown 85 pitches in a start without coming back from an injury?