Apparently the time is now for Red Sox’ reliever Craig Hansen, whose role in the bullpen will come into greater relief with the ouster of Julian Tavarez, who’s been designated for assignment. So, are we confident about this maneuver? Are we happy to see Tavarez and his 6.39 ERA jettisoned in favor of Hansen and his 6.23 ERA? I guess it all depends on the Hansen we get. After all, he’s only pitched in two games (2 and 2/3 innings of work), while Tavarez spread his demon seed across nine games and 12.7 innings.

In his brief work this season, Hansen has shown flashes of brilliance digestibility, which is more than you could say for Tavarez, who’s pitched admirably in the past but seemed to be throwing batting practice of late. Hansen had ESPN’s Steve Philips and Orel Hershiser drooling on each other during last week’s Detroit series, when his off-speed pitches were snapping across “multiple planes,” a phrase Hershiser mentioned at least 13 times in one inning. Discussed much less was Hansen’s ordeal with sleep apnea, which apparently caused him to snore, toss and turn, and look perpetually stoned. According to reports, that condition has now been rectified, although Hansen still looks like someone who’d bogart the spleef (like he did as Pickford in “Dazed and Confused”). Whether he can bogart big situations remains to be seen.