Clay Buchholz: Makes Case for Rotation Spot -  3/12/2009 5:23:23 AM

Update:
Buchholz fired three perfect innings Tuesday, striking out two in Boston's spring loss to Baltimore, the Boston Globe reports.

Recommendation:
He needed 31 pitches (24 for strikes) to retire the nine Orioles he faced. The Red Sox wanted Buchholz to be more confident on the mound and that's apparent during spring training. "I feel like that I'm showing them I'm a big league pitcher now, not just a guy coming out here and throwing the ball to a catcher with no confidence. I've gained a lot of respect in the past month that I've been here," said Buchholz. With Brad Penny's tired shoulder causing a minor concern, Buchholz has emerged as a challenger for the fifth spot in the rotation. If Penny is healthy, we'll probably see Buchholz begin the season at Triple-A.