Foulke starting to feel crisper

[riverside sluggers]

Notes: Foulke gets fitter

Injured closer says he feels new crispness to pitches

By Mike Petraglia / Special to MLB.com

 

Keith Foulke (5-5, 6.23 ERA) will throw another session from the mound on Saturday. Any improvement is a victory to Keith Foulke. So when the injured Red Sox closer addressed reporters in front of his locker following his latest bullpen session before Wednesday's finale against the Rangers at Fenway Park, he was happy to explain why he was wearing a smile. "The bullpen session actually went much better today than it did the other day, so that's a positive," said Foulke, who began throwing off a mound Monday. "After my bullpen session on Monday, I wasn't real happy. I wasn't real happy with how I felt or how I threw, but today I go out there and pretty much from my first pitch off the mound, I had a little crispness on the ball. Breaking balls were good, and I'm starting to mess with the forkball again. And I'm happy."

 

Foulke had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee July 7 and began working on a strengthening program shortly thereafter. "Post-surgery, I've definitely come a long ways. I went from not being able to walk upstairs to throwing off a mound in three weeks, so that's a good thing. "The doctors are happy and the [physical] therapists are all happy, so I guess we're going in the right direction. We're kind of pushing it now. I bust my tail every day when we come in here." Foulke, who hasn't placed a timetable on his return to the bullpen, threw 34 pitches off the mound, following a warm-up that included long toss.

 

"I do long toss and then throw about 30 pitches or so," Foulke said. "I feel it. I'm not as ready as I thought I was. There are still times where I don't do things right, and I still feel my knee a little bit. Until we get that stuff [worked] out, and working on mechanical things, and when we get that figured out, that's when we'll be back." The right-hander was scheduled to throw another bullpen session Friday, but instead will throw off flat ground before throwing from mound again Saturday.

 

"I was putting so much pressure on myself at the beginning of the year, it can't be any worse than that," said Foulke. "We're taking this opportunity to work on a lot of things. The team is doing well, so that makes it a lot easier, and I don't have to rush back due to us falling apart." Curt Schilling's effectiveness at the end of the bullpen has also taken some pressure off the need to rush Foulke back. "Curt's doing a great job," Foulke said. "It's going to allow me some time so when I do come back. It's the pitcher I used to be, not the one we saw at the beginning of the year."

 

Foulke is anxious to show he's better than the hurler who posted a 5-5 record with a 6.23 ERA prior to the knee surgery. "I know I'm a better pitcher than what I was showing. If that guy comes back, you'll be talking to someone else next year," Foulke said. "Hopefully, when I come back, you'll see in the way that I pitch and how I come off the mound, you'll see that I feel better and stronger."

[yankeessuck013]

lets hope this is true, when/if he gets back to form our bullpen will be substantially better

[riverside sluggers]

not to mention, curt will be back as the ace of the rotation

[Soxfan1]

not to mention, curt will be back as the ace of the rotation

And we'll all live happily (or crappily) ever after.

[yankeessuck013]

crappily?

[Sizzlin22]

If Foulke comes back to 2004 form, there is no doubt in mymind we will, 1. win the division and 2. Go at least to the ALCS.

[yankeessuck013]

I really hope we don't have to face off vs Oakland in the ALDS, they really scare me.

[riverside sluggers]

you think their baserunning decisions have improved since the 2003 playoffs? haha

[Sizzlin22]

By the looks of it we will have to take the winner of the West (assuming we win the division). Unless we some how pass the White Sox.

[DrewDaGreat]

2004 Foulke + normal Schilling as our Ace = back to back titles.

[Sizzlin22]

2004 Foulke + normal Schilling as our Ace = back to back titles.

I'm not going to go that far, the Cardnials are looking even more dominant than they were last year.

[BoSox21]

can you believe how good this team would look with Foulke and Schill in 2004 forms?

[riverside sluggers]

good to think about, though I wont get ahead of myself. Im going to try and take one game at a time, hard to do i know haha

[Rugbyboy_90210]

Hope he actually has some difference in his fastball and change up. If he does we may have Foulke 2004 to work with. Which would be nice.

[DrewDaGreat]

I'm not going to go that far, the Cardnials are looking even more dominant than they were last year.

 

The team that was dominant enough to get swept.

[1904]

Hey I like Foulke alot but hell he scared me in 2004 and they use him to much

But that's how it is in "The Nation"

Damn where is Oil Can Boyd

 

 

 

lol

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/5613/slapcopy8kz.gif

[Sizzlin22]

What do you mean they use him too much? He's the closer. He gets used in game situations and tie games at home.

[guybo]

Time to recall the Eck! I hope when Foulke comes back his head is clear too. He's been going through a (from what I understand, messy) divorce and that's been part of the problem.

 

He was the real MVP of the WS last year (as much as I love Manny getting it) and he will be the the BIG wildcard in the playoffs. If he's back, healthy and dominant again then Schilling is int he rotation and the ripple effects go right down the line. *crosses fingers*

[1904]

What do you mean they use him too much? He's the closer. He gets used in game situations and tie games at home.

I mean when the score is 11 to 4 he puts in Foulke this is when we are winning or losing

also sometime he do not need to pitch 2 or 3 inn.

 

:dunno:

[riverside sluggers]

I mean when the score is 11 to 4 he puts in Foulke this is when we are winning or losing

also sometime he do not need to pitch 2 3 inn.

 

?? um ok but foulke hasnt been in a single game since early july. you want to talk about pitchers being used too much look at the yankees using tom gordon and mo in about each game of this season

[arodh8r]

I think we will see a much improved Foulkie whe he returns. And with Schill back in the rotation we should be able to go 10 up on the Cranky Yankees and whiney Steiney

[soxie thefangirl]

oh I hope you're right about that.

[Sizzlin22]

I think we will see a much improved Foulkie whe he returns. And with Schill back in the rotation we should be able to go 10 up on the Cranky Yankees and whiney Steiney

Cranky Yankees, and Whiney Stieney. Wlecome to Sesame Street boys and girls!

[1904]

?? um ok but foulke hasnt been in a single game since early july. you want to talk about pitchers being used too much look at the yankees using tom gordon and mo in about each game of this season

I'm sorry i left this out."IMO"

Now you are right about Gordon, but I feel that he should use the bull pen more

I feel use Foulke when needed not when the game is not a contest.

Again IMO

[Sizzlin22]

I'm sorry i left this out."IMO"

Now you are right about Gordon, but I feel that he should use the bull pen more

I feel use Foulke when needed not when the game is not a contest.

Again IMO

I agree completely, I just don't recall a situation where he was used in a game with no contest.