Ehren Wassermann got the loss, but considering the unit entered the game fifth in the American League with a 3.50 ERA, no one was going to start pointing fingers. The Sox bullpen posted a 5.47 ERA last year, its worst mark since at least 1957.

Then again, that '07 bullpen also started the season well.

"The results we've seen so far are a little more true," left-handed reliever Matt Thornton said. "I think last year, there were some mistakes that were hit hard that first month, but they were hit hard right at guys. There were some numbers last April that weren't real true to what was going on.

"You look at the numbers now, a guy like (Octavio) Dotel, (Scott) Linebrink and Bobby (Jenks), they know what they are doing out there. They may have a bad game, but they're going to bounce back quickly from it. It's still obviously early, but things are a little more true this year. You have a little better feel for it this year."

Not that the '08 version has been perfect.

The bullpen has blown the last five save chances, and it has let at least two other games in the last week slip away.

But the feeling with the group is one of confidence. According to Thornton, that's a big change from last season.

"There were a lot of times when they would call the bullpen (last season), someone would go jogging out and the fans were already booing you," Thornton said. "It was that bad. You throw one ball and you'd get booed. I mean, you can almost ask the starters that question -- how they felt when they would see the bullpen come out. I mean, besides Bobby and Wassermann, no one had even a decent year. It was really the worst-case scenario possible."