Here comes Wade Miller!

Despite Theo Epstein’s assurances that Miller is not a “savior,” Red Sox Nation has been counting down the innings until Miller makes his first start for the Sox today against Seattle. With Curt Schilling and David Wells sidelined, the Sox have been playing their hand without an ace.

Jeremi Gonzalez and John Halama did a great job in their starts. Each went five solid innings and gave the Sox a chance to win. Halama did a tremendous job getting the Sox to the sixth with 86 pitches. He was on a short leash and made the most of it.

That said, the Red Sox are not going to repeat as World Champions with two members of the 2004 Devil Rays in the rotation. Miller won 45 games in a three-year stretch with the Astros from 2001-2003. If he’s anything close to what he was before his rotator cuff injury last year, he’ll be the kind of pitcher the Sox need to succeed.

Epstein was in Pawtucket Tuesday night to watch Miller, and came away impressed. Miller doesn’t have the velocity he once had (96 mph before the injury), at least not yet. Still, Epstein was pleased with the movement on his slider and curve. Those watching him said he did a good job establishing command of the inside of the plate, and that there is still enough deception in his delivery to keep hitters off balance.

All of which is good news for the Sox. We are constantly being reminded to “turn the page,” and it hasn’t taken a lot to realize that this is not the 2004 Red Sox. That team got a stunning 157 starts from its five-man rotation. Only eight pitchers made starts for the Sox.

There have already been seven starters this season. We don’t know when Schilling or Wells will be back, so it’s best to plan for the immediate future without them.

Enter Miller. He might not be a savior, and he might not be at his absolute best. Still, his timing couldn’t be better.

“It’s time for me to bear down and start pitching well,” said Miller after his Pawtucket outing. “I need to start throwing some quality outings so we can get some wins.”

Miller was impressed by the job done by Gonzalez (who will pitch the other half of today’s day/evening doubleheader) and Halama.

“I think we’re doing all right now for what we have,” said Miller. “We’re not throwing shabby pitchers out there. But we just need to pick it up some more.”

Miller will provide the pick-me-up for Red Sox Nation on this Mother’s Day. The team has won four straight without him, and is hoping its best baseball lies in the short-term future.

Lewiston native Tom Caron is a NESN analyst for Bruins and Red Sox telecasts.