Yikes. Well, I suppose we can analyze Daisuke's performance all day. His numbers (K's, BB's, H's) were a tad bit better then against the Angels, but these are the Indians, so it still translated into more runs (as predicted). And he again didn't make it out of the 5th.
But Matsuzaka wasn't the story here - it was the lack of offense. Westbrook utterly shut them down, and frankly made them look silly. In the end they actually saw 3.85 P/PA, only a little lower than their season average (3.94) - this is surprising to me, since it seemed they swung at everything. I suppose there were a few battles (Coco, Manny) to raise that number near the end. But that's just it - just as they seemed to get to Westbrook, Wedge went to the bullpen, and that was the ballgame. Of course, Ortiz making contact with the batted ball, Manny's non-walk (that ump was awful, for both teams), and not scoring after loading the bases with 0 outs were all absolutely huge plays - take out of even one of those and it may have been a different game.
So the Sox are down 1-2; not a time to panic, but a win tonight seems rather important. I'm expecting a high-scoring affair - you have to assume Wake won't do much, and Byrd's success against the Sox is probably from the small sample size. We'll see. Best case scenario of course is rain - which is forecasted - allowing Beckett to pitch Game 4 with full rest...
Link to tonights weather forecast in Cleveland.
Link to a Finnish cover of "YMCA". (As I'm sure you know, everyone here dresses and acts just like that guy. It's pretty awesome.)
I still expect Wakefield to pitch even if Game 4 is pushed back to tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWho would pitch Game 5? Schilling on regular rest, I guess...against CC. Then who goes in Game 6? Daisuke on short/regular rest? That's against Carmona.
As for the offense, I say it is time to move Ellsbury to CF and drop Pedroia down in the lineup. Bench Crisp.
Oh, man...If Wake starts does that mean Mirabelli starts?
To continue on the previous comment.
ReplyDeleteIf Wake can give them 6 tonight, that would be great. But, Earl, you hit it on the head. Their offense was horrible last night. No timely hitting. Of course, Westbrook hit his spots most of the time, which was a big reason for that. But even Youk was swinging at stuff out of the zone.
I might, if I have time, break down the hitters one by one later today...not that anyone cares...just something to pass the time.
As Earl points out, that game could have been very different with a few different calls. The umps strike call on Manny and Coco in the 7th/8th were ridiculous! He absolutely changed the game.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Grieve, start Wake tonight or tomorrow. I don't see any benefit to starting Beckett on short rest. Even if we win that means CC vs. Schill, Fausto vs. Dice, and who vs. who for game 7?
Not withstanding his HR last nigght, can Mirabelli really be viewed as that much of a step down from Tek. He has looked absolutely lost at the plate. And only Wedge leaving Westbrook in for a 7th inning allowed Tek to get his first solid contact in the enitre month of October.
ReplyDeleteTrue, but when did Mirabelli last see live pitching?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, here is my proposed lineup for tonight...
CF Ellsbury
2B Pedroia
DH Ortiz
LF Manny
3B Lowell
RF Drew
1B Youk
SS Lugo
C Mirabelli
Flop 8 and 9 if Tek is catching.
There's a bit more balance in this lineup. Not so much L/R/L/R like Francona likes, but Wedge doesn't seem to manage the matchups like that anyway. Last night, with Lewis ready, he brought in Betancourt to face Papi...
Well, if it comes down to which of our sub-Mendoza hitting catchers is in the lineup, I would think the team has no chance of winning this series.
ReplyDeleteIf it rains and they don't switch to Beckett, the series pitching matchups would look as follows (all CLE pitchers on normal rest:
Game 4 - Wake vs. CC
Game 5 - Beckett vs. Carmona
Game 6 - Schilling vs. Westbrook
Game 7 - Dice K vs CC
I think Terry would have to pitch Beckett (if it rains) - it would be like Piniella pulling Big Z to same him for Game 4. Win today. Worry about tomorrow some other time.
Good point about the pitching. I guess my sense was Cleveland would start Bryd regardless. Maybe that isn't the case.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why CLE would stick with Byrd - CC would be on normal rest and everyone else would be as well. Which begs the question even more, why would the Sox start Wake if it rains out. Remember the 2004 comeback was largely aided by a rain out.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking they would stick with Byrd...But, Beckett is the choice if Cleveland changes.
ReplyDeleteAbout 2004...better starting pitching in that you had two definitive aces in Pedro and Schilling. Right now it is Beckett and then maybe Schilling.
And, I know it is crazy, but Wake did win 17 games this year. He probably won't do any worse than Daisuke...and you could get "Super Wake".
and it looks like just showers in Cleveland according to weather.com.
ReplyDeleteOf course, that could mean bright sunny skies and 90 degrees or torrential snow.
Yeah, it looks like the game is on. Also with Wake, you could get two Roger Clemens Wakefield. Which means we get Jon Lester.
ReplyDeleteI know it sounds silly, but I think if the Sox win this game, they win the series. If they lose, well... I don't even want to think about that.
And by two Rogers Clemens Wakefield, I mean the Roger Clemens Wakefield (i.e., two innings and done).
ReplyDeletePaul Byrd gets through the first on 8 pitches (7 strikes). Awesome.
ReplyDeleteAnd Wake is having trouble getting the knucler over. 3 fastballs in one AB. And his delivery looks a bit different than normal.
ReplyDeleteOkay, two strikeouts, better.
ReplyDeleteJoe Buck just called it a "pitcher's duel". Which I suppose it is, but with Byrd and Wake I sure as hell didn't expect it.
ReplyDeleteThen again, the wheels could come off real close for either pitcher.
Paul Byrd - 2.00 ERA in the postseason.
ReplyDeleteAfter Jeff Weaver and kKenny Rogers had success last year, the Sox should sign Russ Ortiz and Sydney Ponson for the postseason next year.
Indians get their second hit, a Blake HR. 1-0 Indians. Ugh - hit number 3...
ReplyDeletehmmm...wheels coming off?
ReplyDelete...yep. 3-0 Cleveland. And another Boston starter can't get out of the 5th.
ReplyDeleteWow...it wasn't like Martinez wasn't lucky on that hit...yes, double negative because he was lucky...
ReplyDeleteAgain, no offense which makes 3 runs look horrible, but I don't think Wake would have been out if the team could hit.
FUCK.
ReplyDeleteAll right, I have to wake up in 3 hours. Off to bed - this isn't worth it.
ReplyDeleteHOLY SHIT DID TIM MCCARVER JUST SAY THAT IT'S SURPRISING THAT A LEADOFF HOMERUN LEADS TO MORE RUNS THAN A LEADOFF WALK?
ReplyDeleteOkay, now I'm just taking my anger out on McCarver. But that may be the fucking stupidest thing I've ever heard an announcer say.
Yeah that HR vs walk thing was absolutely ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Youk hit a HR - they will score more runs than they would had he walked.
ReplyDeleteDo you think a team will score more runs in an inning if they hit two HRS to start the inning or draw two walks?
ReplyDelete