May 14th vs. Detroit

[MANNYHOF24]

Game Info

 

Red Sox vs. Tigers

7:05 pm

Fenway Park

Nesn

WRKO-680

 

Matsuzaka

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/mlb/493137.jpg

4-2 4.80

 

Robertson

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/images/gameday/mugshots/mlb/425146.jpg

3-2 3.43

 

Matsuzaka gets first taste of the Tigers

Detroit (23-13) at Boston (25-11), 7:05 p.m. ET

By Alex McPhillips / MLB.com

 

Daisuke Matsuzaka has had his share of daunting assignments -- consecutive starts against the Yankees, near-immediate repeat appearances against Seattle and Toronto -- and the load won't get any easier on Monday at Fenway.

This time the American League champs come to town. The Detroit Tigers have sprinted to the top of the AL Central, bringing one of the league's best run-producing offenses along for the ride.

 

This, with below-average contributions from a prized offseason acquisition, former Yankee Gary Sheffield. The Tigers' new designated hitter has an OPS of .799 in the early going of 2007, a dropoff not just from his career mark of .921 but from his 15-year low of .806 last season.

 

Sheffield has picked it up in May, slugging four home runs while batting .342. Meanwhile, one of the Majors' best double-play combinations, Placido Polanco and Carlos Guillen, as well as outfielders Magglio Ordonez and Curtis Granderson, have been pulling their weight.

 

The Tigers have scored 194 runs this season, more than any team in baseball not named the Yankees or Red Sox.

 

"It's as good as any ballclub that's in the American League right now," said Red Sox pitcher Kyle Snyder.

 

The Tigers have roared to the top of a ferocious division that includes 2006 AL Central champion Minnesota and 2007 contender Cleveland. Snyder, himself a veteran of the Central -- he was drafted by Kansas City and pitched there from 2003 until he was acquired by Boston last season -- has observed from close range Detroit's recent transformation.

 

"I've seen that team go from being a 119-loss ballclub to really as good as any team or as talented as any team in the American League," he said, adding that it's "definitely a different feeling" when they come to town now, as opposed to even three years ago.

 

For Matsuzaka, who has started seven times against four teams, it should certainly be a new kind of experience.

 

Pitching matchup

DET: LHP Nate Robertson (3-2, 3.43 ERA)

The Mariners reached Robertson for six earned runs in his last start, his worst of the season. The begoggled lefty, a fifth-round draft pick of the Florida Marlins in 1999, has a 6.75 ERA against the Red Sox in 29 1/3 career innings and an 8.49 ERA at Fenway Park.

 

BOS: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (4-2, 4.80 ERA)

Matsuzaka, who has pitched far better on the road, will be looking for his first signature gem at Fenway Park. In his best home start, on April 11, he allowed three earned runs in seven innings, but Mariners phenom Felix Hernandez stole the show with a one-hitter. Since then, Matsuzaka has been touched for 13 runs in 12 innings at Fenway.

 

 

Player to watch

Former Indian and current Red Sox center fielder Coco Crisp has a lengthy history with Robertson, against whom he has two home runs and seven hits in just 25 at-bats.

 

On the Internet

MLB.TV

Gameday Audio

• Gameday

• Official game notes

 

On television

• NESN

 

On radio

• WRKO-680 AM, Spanish Baseball Network

 

Up next

• Tuesday: Red Sox (Tim Wakefield, 4-3, 1.79) vs. Tigers (Justin Verlander, 3-1, 2.83), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Wednesday: Red Sox (Julian Tavarez, 1-4, 6.60) vs. Tigers (Mike Maroth, 3-0, 4.69), 7:05 p.m. ET

• Thursday: Red Sox (Curt Schilling, 4-1, 3.63) vs. Tigers (Chad Durbin, 3-1, 5.08), 7:05 p.m. ET

 

Let the Manny Mojo roll!

http://www.thesportstruth.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/manny-points.jpg

[mtbykr]

Just Win!

[ORS]

Dragon-ball like ghost

Tiger bat finds only smoke

Red Sox win again

 

Haiku their asses!

[schillingouttheks]

 

BRILLIANT!

http://bonius.com/images/2006/03/16/guinness.jpg

[BoSox21]

angry cat mojo

 

http://sa.nextwish.org/Photoshops/Fiesta%20Kitty/Angry_cat.jpg

[TheKilo]

[youtube=Rascal King]-skshpqL554

 

A legendary character

When?

Only then

Where?

Only there

A hero or a hooligan?

Well, that parts never clear

Pride or shame, its all the same

Whos innocent or whos to blame?

Politics or just a game?

Well in the end they knew his name

 

The Tigers will know Dice-K's name after tonight. WIN.

[mtbykr]

Dragon-ball like ghost

Tiger bat finds only smoke

Red Sox win again

 

Haiku their asses!

 

 

 

Outstanding!

[a700hitter]

Time for Dice K to dial it up a notch, because Nate Robertson is always tough on the BoSox.

[ANiMAL]

alright, i predict that the sox will lose tonight because they will get shut down by Robertson and Dice-K will be average, not great. 5-3 Tigers; and 2 of those runs by Boston will be against the BP.

 

Matsuzaka 5.1IP 4ER 5H 4BB 4K 105 Pitches

[Cocos Disciples]

I got Dice going 7 1/3, 6 hits, 3 runs, 2 BB, 8 K. Sox win 4-3.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Dice-K going 7.2-8.0 IP, 5 or 6 H, 1 ER, 1BB, 9K, 111 pitches. Sox win 4-1.

[mar_022]

Time for Dice K to dial it up a notch' date=' because Nate Robertson is always tough on the BoSox.[/quote']

 

See above: In 29 1/3 innings, robertson has 6.75 ERA against sox

[redsoxrules]

See above: In 29 1/3 innings' date=' robertson has 6.75 ERA against sox[/quote']

 

8.49 at fenway park

[TedWilliams101]

Yea, so so much for him being tough against the sox.

 

I see us winning this game.

[MANNYHOF24]

I hope we can we this game and DiceK can put back to back dominant performances on the board. He has yet to pitch above average at Fenway, so let's hope he can get the crowd going tonight. The Tigers are a pretty free swinging team (I am not really sure of this statistically) so DiceK may pitch really well and rack up the strike outs.

[Ray10]

All I have to say is DICEEEEEEEEEEEEE K. Sox should win this game. And I'm sure they will. GO SOX GO.

[riverside sluggers]

A lot of Tigers bats (when not hitting homeruns) can be swing & miss guys. Hopefully Dice gets rid of his woes when pitching at home while piling up Ks as the Sox try to do some damage against Robertson

 

Nate Robertson (6 games vs Boston, 1-3 record with a 6.60 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 3 games, 1-2 record with a 7.78 ERA)

Julio Lugo, 2 for 6 (.333 avg) 2 SBs

Kevin Youkilis, 5 for 13 (.385 avg) Double, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, 2 Walks, K

David Ortiz, 3 for 17 (.176 avg) 2 Doubles, 2 RBIs, Walk, 5 Ks

Manny Ramirez, 3 for 12 (.250 avg) 2 RBIs, 3 Walks, 2 Ks

J.D. Drew, 0 for 3, 2 Ks

Mike Lowell, 2 for 8 (.250 avg) Walk

Jason Varitek, 4 for 9 (.444 avg) 2 Doubles, HR, 3 RBIs, K

Coco Crisp, 8 for 27 (.296 avg) Double, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, 3 Walks, 3 Ks

Dustin Pedroia, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)

///

Eric Hinske, 0 for 2, 2 Walks, 2 Ks

Doug Mirabelli, 0 for 4, Walk

Wily Mo Pena, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) 2 Ks

 

Daisuke Matsuzaka (1 game vs Detroit, 1-0 record with a 1.00 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 4 games, 2-1 record with a 5.64 ERA)

Curtis Granderson, 2 for 4 (.500 avg) HR, RBI

Craig Monroe, 0 for 4, K

Gary Sheffield, 1 for 4 (.250 avg)

Magglio Ordonez, 1 for 4 (.250 avg) Double, 2 Ks

Carlos Guillen, 1 for 4 (.250 avg) K

Ivan Rodriguez, 1 for 3 (.333 avg)

Sean Casey, 0 for 3

Neifi Perez, 0 for 3

Brandon Inge, 0 for 3, K

[schillingouttheks]

I'm so damn pumped for this series. And next series too. And the one after that. Our talent will be tested to the max and we'll see just what our boys are made of. We're going up against some good pitchers in the next week, including Robertson tonight (pretty solid), Verlander tomorrow, Maroth the next day (eh, not so good...), then Bonderman to finish off our series with the Tigers. Then we go up against the scrub who got lit up last night from the Braves, and then we face Smoltz on Saturday and Hudson on Sunday to end that series. Then onto New York. Should be a very interesting week and a half.

[Youk Of The Nation]

Like someone mentioned last gamethread...the Sox have only lost two series all season, and one of them was a two-gamer. I like our chances, especially tonight.

 

Love Youk's numbers against Robertson, by the way. But the way he's been hitting lately I dont think it matters who he faces.

[riverside sluggers]

Hey "Schil", on NESN its showing game 4 being Schilling vs Chad Durbin, not Bonderman. Oh well

 

EDIT: Ive put in the lineups for tonight

[BoSox21]

this next week and a half is definitely the Sox first big test of the season, im looking forward to see how we come out of it

[Cocos Disciples]

Hey "Schil", on NESN its showing game 4 being Schilling vs Chad Durbin, not Bonderman. Oh well

 

EDIT: Ive put in the lineups for tonight

 

Bonderman is injured. He was replaced by Virgil Vasquez last night against the Twins.

 

Meanwhile, runner at 2nd with 2 out. I like Granderson, he's exciting.

[Cocos Disciples]

Nice, nice recovery for Dice.

[BoSox21]

Virgin Vasquez, sounds like a wrestler

 

solid inning for Dice-K, he got some solid hitters out including striking out the obscenely hot Magglio Ordonez

[Cocos Disciples]

Let's go offense, pick up where ya left off.

[Cocos Disciples]

Lugo single. Swell.

[BoSox21]

Let's go offense' date=' pick up where ya left off.[/quote']

 

Lugo got the memo

[Rdsxmbnt]

lugos hitting well right now, hes brought up his average 40 points over the past 8 days or so

[Cocos Disciples]

I definitely recognize the Tigers bench coach. Anyone know who?

 

EDIT: It's Gene Lamont (I cheated).

[Cocos Disciples]

How the f*** is he safe?