September 17th @ Toronto

[redsoxrules]

Time for my first game thread

 

 

Wakefield tries to shrug off struggles

 

 

 

Despite losing on Sunday, a new day has brought the Red Sox a small step closer. The longer they keep the Yankees at bay in the American League East, the closer they get to a champagne bath.

Tim Wakefield, who will start at 7:07 p.m. ET on Monday in Toronto, could help determine whether that is sooner -- on the Sox's last road trip of the season -- later or, perhaps, never.

 

But he hasn't been right, the way some would tell it. After surpassing the six-inning mark in 10 of his previous 11 starts, Wakefield has been unable to finish four innings in each of his last two since returning from a minor back injury. Not since 1999 had Wakefield pitched fewer than four innings in consecutive starts.

 

According to personal catcher Doug Mirabelli, who has been fighting his own pain -- a left hamstring injury -- assertions about Wakefield's health and effectiveness are prone to getting crossed up, or worse.

 

"He just seems to be that pitcher that everybody wants to know what's wrong with every time he has a bad outing," Mirabelli said. "And then they want to jump on his bandwagon when he has a great outing. It's like there's no in between with him."

 

Mirabelli was watching from the bench during Wakefield's disappointing last start, a seven-run, 10-hit affair over three innings against Tampa Bay, a team he had handled without trouble for years. Inconsistency was the issue, Mirabelli said, a point corroborated by the Rays' Brendan Harris on Sept. 11 after seeing some knuckleballs float by with their usual bite.

 

"I think he's still the Wake of old," Mirabelli said. "I think it's a matter of a long season, and you're going to have some good starts and bad starts."

 

"It just seems like it's easy to jump off his bandwagon," Mirabelli added. "It's easy to start to think, 'Oh, no, he's a knuckleball guy -- is this it?' or something like that."

 

Such confusion stems from misunderstanding about Wakefield's control of a pitch that some see as a gimmick rather than a useful tool over 15 seasons -- and about his savvy, said Mirabelli, before describing Wakefield as a pitcher who is as competitive as they come. Competitiveness, he said, is Wakefield's "greatest asset."

 

"If [Red Sox ace Josh] Beckett had a bad outing, you'd know -- since he broke 95 mph with a great curveball -- that it probably doesn't matter, because he'll have it back," Mirabelli said. "This guy's every bit as big a competitor as Beckett is. He knows how to throw; it's just a different pitch. He fights with what he has."

 

"He's had a great year," Mirabelli said, "but I don't even know if people really view him as having a great year. ... It must come with the territory. He must be able to handle that OK, but for me, it's unfortunate."

 

With a return to form on Monday, Wakefield would hoist the Red Sox closer to that elusive first division title since 1995.

 

"He's a fighter," Mirabelli said. "He has a lot of pride in what he does, so he's going to go out there and get it done."

 

Pitching matchup

BOS: RHP Tim Wakefield (16-10, 4.68 ERA)

Against no AL team other than Tampa Bay has Wakefield had greater success than he has against Toronto. His career numbers -- 15-9 with a 3.80 ERA and just 22 home runs allowed -- are the collective work of 243 2/3 innings. This year, Wakefield is 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA against the Blue Jays.

 

TOR: RHP Dustin McGowan (10-9, 4.01 ERA)

Not yet well known by fans, the 25-year-old McGowan already has admirers in the AL East. Rays manager Joe Maddon has called him "Doc Jr.," after Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay. Nevertheless, McGowan, who has put it all together during a breakout season, has a 6.75 ERA against the Red Sox in three career games.

 

Player to watch

Mirabelli, whose status to start behind the plate will be determined on Monday. Kevin Cash could replace the veteran catcher in the lineup, pending further discomfort in Mirabelli's left hamstring

[redsoxrules]

lineup

 

1. J Ellsbury, LF

2. D Pedroia, 2B

3. D Ortiz, DH

4. M Lowell, 3B

5. J Drew, RF

6. E Hinske,1B

7. C Crisp,CF

8. A Cora,SS

9. K Cash,C

[TheKilo]

Cora AND Cash?

 

:thumbdown

[riverside sluggers]

Tim Wakefield (44 games vs Toronto, 15-9 & 1 save with a 3.80 ERA---Career at Rogers Centre in 23 games, 6-3 & 1 save with a 4.23 ERA)

Vernon Wells, 13 for 43 (.302 avg) 2 Doubles, 2 RBIs, 4 Walks, 5 Ks, 3 SBs

Matt Stairs, 11 for 42 (.262 avg) 5 Doubles, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 5 Walks, 7 Ks

Alex Rios, 7 for 27 (.259 avg) Double, Triple, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, 5 Ks

Frank Thomas, 10 for 45 (.222 avg) 2 Doubles, 4 HRs, 8 RBIs, 6 Walks, 14 Ks, SB

Aaron Hill, 4 for 16 (.250 avg) Double, Walk, 4 Ks

Gregg Zaun, 3 for 18 (.167 avg) RBI, 2 Walks, 4 Ks

Adam Lind, 1 for 3 (.333 avg)

Russ Adams, 0 for 2, Walk

John McDonald, 5 for 20 (.250 avg) 2 Doubles, 2 RBIs, 2 Ks

///

Sal Fasano, 3 for 15 (.200 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, Walk, 3 Ks

Reed Johnson, 2 for 18 (.111 avg) Double, 2 Walks, 7 Ks

Lyle Overbay, 2 for 10 (.200 avg) Walk, 2 Ks

 

Dustin McGowan (3 games vs Boston, 1-1 with a 6.75 ERA---Career at Rogers Centre in 25 games, 7-5 with a 3.86 ERA)

Jacoby Ellsbury ---

Dustin Pedroia, 0 for 3

David Ortiz, 2 for 4 (.500 avg) Double, HR, 2 RBIs, K

Mike Lowell, 2 for 4 (.500 avg) RBI

J.D. Drew ---

Eric Hinske, 1 for 2 (.500 avg) HR, RBI

Coco Crisp, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) Triple, RBI, Walk, K

Alex Cora ---

Kevin Cash ---

///

Bobby Kielty, Walk

Julio Lugo, 2 for 2 (1.000 avg) SB

Manny Ramirez, 0 for 3, Walk, 2 Ks

Jason Varitek, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) HR, 2 RBIs, K

Kevin Youkilis, 0 for 4, K

 

Wakefield this season vs Toronto, in 4 games, 3-1 with a 2.77 ERA. At the Rogers Centre in 2 games, 2-0 with an 0.64 ERA. On the road in 14 games, 7-6 with a 3.96 ERA

 

McGowan this season vs Boston in 1 game, 0-1 with a 10.80 ERA. At home in 11 games, 6-3 with a 3.45 ERA

[TheKilo]

The Phranchise off to a rough start, 2-0 O's.

[yankees228]

The Phranchise off to a rough start' date=' 2-0 O's.[/quote']

 

He really just can't locate two strike pitches.

 

Got lucky there. Threw Tejada a 3-1 cookie and he popped it up.

[ARod2212]

Good job with the game thread, not so good job on the date.

[redsoxrules]

not so good job on the date.

 

oops , im sure SOTK will change it as soon as he see's it

[TheKilo]

I wonder if Wake's still hurt.

[riverside sluggers]

Damn boys, patience please... 19 pitches for McGowan in 2 innings

[BoSox21]

the canadian feed for this game said the team was supposed to leave for Toronto right after the Yankee game last night but at the airport, they found out Coco forgot his passport at home so someone had to go get it and as a result, the Sox got into Toronto at 4am this morning

[TheKilo]

Let's see how ksushi's boy does.

[redsoxrules]

this game is moving along pretty fast compared to the weekend series VS the yanks

[redsoxrules]

great AB ellsbury for the first hit for boston

[redsoxrules]

lowell with another rbi ..2-1

[jacksonianmarch]

3-1. Coco shows off the water pistol

[redsoxrules]

f***ing dink hit,

 

Nice coco! 3-1 tough

[jacksonianmarch]

McGowan is dealin

[Cocos Disciples]

4-1 on a Thomas HR.

[riverside sluggers]

McGowan is dealin

 

I bet he started drooling when he saw that Manny is still out, and Cora/Cash at the bottom of the order

[jacksonianmarch]

I was reading the boards on redsox.com and there was actually someone who advocated for Cash to become the starting catcher. I laughed so hard I nearly puked.

[riverside sluggers]

McGowan is pitching a great game, no doubt. I do think helping is that the Sox are tired (didnt get in until 4 am this morning), plus a game like last night might be hard for some of the players to roll off their backs

 

EDIT: Bucholz warming up. Withe Dice-K getting bumped back from Wednesday to Saturday, Bucholz and Tavarez are the top candidates to start

[ORS]

It's the Frank Thomas show.

[a700hitter]

Stupid rookie move by Ellsbury down by 5 runs in the 9th inning. Gone are the days when a veteran would get in a kid's face to make sure he would never do it again.

[riverside sluggers]

Stupid rookie move by Ellsbury down by 5 runs in the 9th inning. Gone are the days when a veteran would get in a kid's face to make sure he would never do it again.

 

Who's to say that wont happen in the clubhouse tonight?

[jacksonianmarch]

sox lose

[fenwayfrank]

Now we chowdaheadz have to hear it from the Skankee fans tomorrow.

[fenwayfrank]

I think the "they're tired" excuse is getting FRIGGING OLD. Look at that other team that apparently WANTS IT more than they do.

[riverside sluggers]

Rest of the road trip

 

Jon Lester Vs Aj Burnett

Clay Bucholz or Julian Tavarez (there should be no f***ing debate who get the start) Vs Jesse Litsch

 

Tampa Bay

Josh Beckett vs Scott Kazmir

Daisuke Matsuzaka vs Andy Sonnanstine

Curt Schilling vs Edwin Jackson

[jacksonianmarch]

that fenway frank looks GOOD. I like Fenway franks, not too bad.