Saturday Red Sox Lineup: Will Middlebrooks In Against Gio Gonzalez, Daisuke Returns

Take heart: Gio Gonzalez is not Stephen Strasburg--or at least that's what my sources tell me.

He is, however, doing just as well as the young phenom in his first stint in the National League, which is troubling information for a Red Sox team that's about to go toe-to-toe with the southpaw.

While Gonzalez has been having his way with National League lineups, the Red Sox have never really had big troubles with him. Always able to score at least a few, with the team averaging an OPS over .900 against him for his career.

He'll face a rather different Red Sox lineup than the typical one from the last couple years, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Mike Aviles, Darnell McDonald, and Kelly Shoppach will provide the specialized attack against the lefty, while both Will Middlebrooks and Kevin Youkilis man the corners--plenty of right-handed power for lefty to worry about in the cozy confines of Fenway.

Of course, none of this will matter if Daisuke walks everyone and gives up eight before the fifth. So hopefully none of that.