Tony DeMarco

The rivalry will renew Monday in Boston with neatly-groomed Johnny Damon on the other side, and the home team altered even more dramatically.

When the Yankees get to Fenway for the first time this season, they will find a reloaded Red Sox team they will have to familiarize themselves with, because the Curse is history, and so are most of those who helped bring it to an end.

As part of a nearly-half-the-roster makeover, there is a new young ace, and a healthy-again old one. There is a new closer who has been lights-out, while the old closer finds himself in a new role. There is an entirely new infield of mostly National League imports, and there is Wily Mo in place of Coco where Johnny used to be. And — surprise — it is these changed Sox who are enjoying the better first month of the season.

The series is only two games, but in the next five weeks, the teams meet 12 times — three in New York May 9-11, three more in Boston May 22-24, and four in New York June 5-8. By then, nobody will be able to float the weak-early-schedule argument against the Sox.

Barring a rainout, the Yankees will miss Curt Schilling, who starts Sunday against Tampa Bay. The good news is that the 39-year-old right-hander is well enough again to have been extended 133 pitches on a cold night in his last outing against Cleveland. He lost his first game of the season Sunday when the Devil Rays beat the Red Sox 5-4. If there is bad news, we’ll know it in a month or two, if Schilling shows negative affects from reaching his highest pitch total since 2000.

He says there is nothing to worry about, and his numbers thus far this season support him. His fastball is back in the 94-95-mph range, and the surgically repaired ankle no longer is a problem.

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Beckett will get his indoctrination to the rivalry a Tuesday, although everyone already knows about his ability to dominate the Yankees (see Games 3 and 6, 2003 World Series). As for leaving pitcher-friendly Dolphins Stadium and having to face tougher American League lineups, that hasn’t been a problem yet, either.

The Red Sox probably already regret trading Bronson Arroyo — who would fit nicely in the rotation now that David Wells is out and may not be back — for Wily Mo Pena. But shifting rookie Jonathan Papelbon has been a stroke of genius. The hard-throwing, 25-year-old rookie converted his first nine save opportunities, and didn’t allow a run in 12.1 innings over his first 11 appearances.

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And although there is no left-hander in the bullpen, former closer Keith Foulke has been a reasonable facsimile in a setup role, holding left-handed hitters to a sub-.200 batting average thanks to increased velocity on his fastball that has made his changeup more effective.

All these positive pitching developments have offset a slow-to-gel offense, which after leading the league in runs scored last season, finds itself in the top half in that category, a place where nobody expects them to be later.

Crisp should be back by mid-May after suffering a broken finger. In his absence, on-base-percentage monster Kevin Youkilis has been thrust into the leadoff spot. Manny Ramirez didn’t hit his first home run until April 21, so you know much more is coming there. And looking for ways to get the dangerous Pena more at-bats, manager Terry Francona will try him in center field while Crisp remains out.         

Otherwise, the biggest issue was backup catcher Josh Bard’s bevy of passed balls catching knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, but the Red Sox traded Bard to the San Diego Padres for Doug Mirabelli, who had only six passed balls last season catching Wakefield. Mirabelli was traded to San Diego for second baseman Mark Loretta last year.

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But when that’s your biggest headache, things could be much worse. Imagine this possibility: the Sox going down the stretch with Schilling, Beckett and Roger Clemens in their rotation. Pitching coach Al Nipper is excited about the possibility, labeling as ‘good’ the chance of Clemens returning to Boston.

Of course, for that to happen, the Sox will have to win out over the Yankees, Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. The former will throw money at him, the latter two offer the convenience of being at or very close to home. Clemens likely wait until school is out, so his family can accompany him wherever he goes. Then he’ll pick the team he believes he can win it all, and finish out his career.

At least through April, the rebuilt Red Sox appear to be on that short list of title contenders again.