July 17th vs. Kansas City

[mtbykr]

Leo Nunez

http://img126.imageshack.us/img126/8669/nunezba6.jpg

 

VS.

 

Tim Wakefield

http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/2658/wakefieldfn3.jpg

 

In many ways, it's his most enduring characteristic: consistency.

Other words for it: regularity. Longevity. Despite his command of a pitch that makes him unique in the Majors -- at least, until the White Sox called up 23-year-old knuckleballer Charlie Haeger this summer -- Tim Wakefield, who starts on Tuesday against the Royals, remains a wonderfully stuffy New England institution.

 

Bostonians time their five-day increments by the ticking clock of Wakefield's starts. So it's oddly appropriate that Wakefield would earn a decision in each of his first 18 appearances this season. Red Sox fans can now track the team's pitching rotation by checking the day's box scores. Approximately every five starts since April 6, Wakefield has been Boston's pitcher of record.

 

Only one other pitcher in the Majors this year has won or lost all his starts, adding up to a total of 18: the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. Only 17 pitchers since 1980 have earned decisions in their first 18 starts. Pedro Martinez, who started the 1999 season at 15-3, is the last Red Sox pitcher before Wakefield to pull off the feat.

 

Wakefield will look to make it 19 with a win against an improving Royals team. Kansas City has a winning record since May 10, spanning more than two months. The Royals will call on 24-year-old right-hander Leo Nunez to make his first career start. Nunez has Major League experience in two previous years as a reliever, but not this season.

 

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Tim Wakefield (10-8, 4.47 ERA)

Only three American League teams -- the Guardians, Twins and the Mariners -- have faced Wakefield as infrequently as the Royals. And yet 23 appearances later, Wakefield has still logged an impressive 130 1/3 innings against Kansas City. No AL team has had as much trouble with Wakefield's knuckler; he has a 3.66 ERA against the Royals, his best against any AL opponent.

 

KC: RHP Leo Nunez (2007 debut)

Nunez pitched parts of the 2005 and '06 seasons with the big club, but never made a start. He made a pair of appearances at Fenway Park on Aug. 3 and 4, 2005, but not with much success, allowing a total of five earned runs in 1 1/3 innings.

[mtbykr]

Some more Fitzy mojo!

 

[youtube=Fitzy's Wicked Pissah Webcast]ePJuTNMJEFI

[mtbykr]

Line-up per WEEI:

 

Red Sox

1. J.D. Drew, RF

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B

3. David Ortiz, DH

4. Manny Ramirez, LF

5. Kevin Youkilis, 1B

6. Mike Lowell, 3B

7. Coco Crisp, CF

8. Doug Mirabelli, C

9. Julio Lugo, SS

 

-- Tim Wakefield, SP

[mtbykr]

Official now:

 

Red Sox

 

1. J.D. Drew, RF

2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B

3. David Ortiz, DH

4. Manny Ramirez, LF

5. Kevin Youkilis, 1B

6. Mike Lowell, 3B

7. Coco Crisp, CF

8. Doug Mirabelli, C

9. Julio Lugo, SS

 

SP - Tim Wakefield

 

Royals

 

1. David DeJesus, CF

2. Mark Grudzielanek, 2B

3. Mark Teahen, RF

4. Billy Butler, DH

5. Ross Gload, 1B

6. Reggie Sanders, LF

7. Alex Gordon, 3B

8. John Buck, C

9. Tony Pena, SS

 

SP - Leo Nunez

[Mirabellifan]

i bet Dougie goes deep tonight!

[mtbykr]

i bet Dougie goes deep tonight!

 

that would be nice!

[Cocos Disciples]

i bet Dougie goes deep tonight!

 

I bet he goes 0 for 5 with 2 strikeouts...

[KeepTheFaith1229]

i bet Dougie goes deep tonight!

 

DOUGIE IS GOING DEEP TONIGHT!

[riverside sluggers]

This will be Wakefield's 1st start vs Kansas City since 2005, that was a win where he gave up 4 runs in 7 innings

 

Leo Nunez (3 games vs Boston, 0-1 with a 10.59 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 3 games, 0-1 with a 10.59 ERA)

J.D. Drew, 0 for 1, Walk

Dustin Pedroia, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)

David Ortiz, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) Walk

Manny Ramirez, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)

Kevin Youkilis, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)

Mike Lowell, 2 for 3 (.667 avg) Double

Coco Crisp, 2 for 6 (.333 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, K

Doug Mirabelli, 0 for 3, 2 Ks

Julio Lugo, 2 for 3 (.667 avg)

///

Eric Hinske, 0 for 1

Jason Varitek, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) HR, 4 RBIs

 

Tim Wakefield (24 games vs Kansas City, 10-6 & 1 save with a 3.90 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 237 games, 73-64 & 13 saves with a 4.39 ERA)

David DeJesus, 1 for 9 (.111 avg) 2 RBIs, K

Mark Grudzielanek, 1 for 8 (.125 avg) Walk, K, SB

Mark Teahen, 2 for 8 (.250 avg) 2 Ks

Billy Butler, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) Double, 2 RBIs

Ross Gload, 0 for 3

Reggie Sanders, 5 for 15 (.333 avg) Double, HR, 3 RBIs, Walk, K, 2 SBs

Alex Gordon, 2 for 3 (.667 avg) SB

John Buck, 2 for 7 (.286 avg) 2 Doubles, 3 RBIs, Walk, 2 Ks

Tony Pena Jr., 2 for 3 (.667 avg) Double, RBI

///

Emil Brown, 1 for 4 (.250 avg) K

Jason Smith, 0 for 6, 3 Ks

 

Wakefield this season at home in 10 games, 6-4 with a 5.50 ERA

[Mirabellifan]

DOUGIE IS GOING DEEP TONIGHT!

 

You better believe it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[CrespoBlows]

f***ing Fenway.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I knew this was f***en gonna happen tonight.....this offense is so damn pathetic its really starting to piss me off....no chance we would get the same pitching performance two nights in a row....hit the damn ball Red Sox

[Thumper]

Some more Fitzy mojo!

 

[youtube=Fitzy's Wicked Pissah Webcast]ePJuTNMJEFI

 

"Fitzgerald Okajima Papelbon... f***ing sweet name kid."

 

Love the Dice-K impression too!

[ORS]

If I had access to a gaming establishment right now, I'd put money on a Lowell GIDP.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

another stellar performance by this crap offense

 

keep swingin Dougie

[riverside sluggers]

Only positive is that the Sox bats are making this kid (with a career 6.99 ERA) work for his outs. 71 pitches through 4, sooner they get to the middle relief the better

[redsoxrules]

didn't this guy nunez had a ERA over 6 in the minors for the last 2 years?

[BoSox21]

this is a pathetic performance

[riverside sluggers]

new backup in 08 yes please

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Two great throws by Mirabelli....what is his purpose?

[redsoxrules]

dougie and wake needs to be kicked off this team and theo needs to make a deal big time for a big bat

[a700hitter]

Double by Lugo.

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

Now put it together this inning....good start with a leadoff double

[Thumper]

It's not that we're losing that's so bad... It's the fact we're losing to the ROYALS.

[Anuj09]

Lefty in ohh boy

[riverside sluggers]

He used to be the best backup catcher in baseball, not anymore is that the case. Then they coined his best use as catching Wakefield. The guy is in his age 37 season and is showing his age more ways than one. I just cant see them resigning him for 2008

 

Last 2 seasons

106 games- 50 for 266 (.188 avg) 9 Doubles, 9 HRs, 34 RBIs, 16 Runs, 22 Walks, 90 Ks

[Anuj09]

omfg drew you suck

[SchillingIsTheNatural]

I thought JD Drew had some power?

[Anuj09]

Knock him in Dusty P

[riverside sluggers]

Yes Dusty, get the run in and he reaches base safely