The Red Sox closer is healthier and pitching harder, but if he falters, such veterans as Mike Timlin will back him up.

01:00 AM EST on Sunday, April 2, 2006

The Red Sox' relief corps of 2005 had one of the worst bullpen earned-run averages in the majors last year, so this season it has been largely restocked with veteran arms as setup men.

The key, though, will be how well closer Keith Foulke can pitch.

A year ago, Foulke was beset by knee problems and personal issues that contributed to a terrible season, sending him to the disabled list and ultimately to the hospital for surgery on each knee. He finished the year 5-5 with a 5.91 E.R.A. and 15 saves in 19 chances.

This spring, Foulke has been reenergized, his pitches more crisp, and his knees, thanks to periodic injections of a lubricant, have permitted him to throw without discomfort.

If Foulke's healthy, and becomes the masterful, reliable, innings-eating closer he had been while helping Boston to its 2004 championship, the Red Sox' staff is going to look a whole lot better. If he can't, the Sox have a solid Plan B, probably turning to rookie Jonathan Papelbon, who already has shown great promise and has college experience in the job.

Otherwise, the bullpen, at the start of the season anyway, will feature experienced arms. Most notable is Mike Timlin, who has pitched very well in his three seasons in Boston. Timlin was a capable fill-in as late-season closer, but the 40-year-old right-hander is most comfortable as the top setup man.

Also helping out with the setup duties will be Rudy Seanez, who bombed badly with the Sox in his first go-round but found success in San Diego last season, and Julian Tavarez, the emotionally erratic right-hander who has been suspended for the first 10 games of the year because he threw a punch at Tampa Bay's Joey Gathright in a spring-training game.

David Riske and Lenny DiNardo will be the long men out of the bullpen, which lacks a true lefty-on-lefty reliever, no doubt permitting the Yanks' Hideki Matsui and Jason Giambi to sigh with relief.

As with the starting corps, however, the bullpen no doubt will be fortified at some point by right-handers Manny Delcarmen and Craig Hansen, who will begin the year in Pawtucket.