Let's talk ALCS pitching matchups.

[riverside sluggers]

In terms of matchup' date='[b'] Shields vs a rusty/potentially injured Beckett is a win for the Rays. DMats vs Kazmir is a wash since both can be dominant or be out after the 5th due to pitch count. [/b] Lester is a beast. And Sonnanstine and Wake have owned the opponents, but Wakey had some difficulty with TB this yr. I think the pitching matchups favor the Rays in this one, but not by much.

 

these are the matchups

 

matsuzaka vs shields

beckett vs kazmir

lester vs garza

wakefield vs sonnanstine

[BoSox21]

In terms of matchup' date=' Shields vs a rusty/potentially injured Beckett is a win for the Rays. DMats vs Kazmir is a wash since both can be dominant or be out after the 5th due to pitch count. Lester is a beast. And Sonnanstine and Wake have owned the opponents, but Wakey had some difficulty with TB this yr. I think the pitching matchups favor the Rays in this one, but not by much.[/quote']

 

Aside from the fact that you got two of the pitching matchups wrong, if you're gonna give the Sonnanstine/Wakefield matchup to Tampa cause of Wakefield's struggles vs. them this year then you can't call Dice-K/Kazmir a wash. Kaz has a 9.00 ERA vs. Boston this season.

 

Dice-K vs. Shields - Wash

Beckett vs. Kazmir - Totally depends on which Beckett shows up but leaning towards Beckett since Boston has lit up Kazmir this year and he had a 5.18 ERA overall in September.

Lester vs. Garza - Lester easily

Wakefield vs. Sonnanstine - Sonnanstine fairly easily

[TheKilo]

In terms of matchup' date=' Shields vs a rusty/potentially injured Beckett is a win for the Rays. DMats vs Kazmir is a wash since both can be dominant or be out after the 5th due to pitch count. Lester is a beast. And Sonnanstine and Wake have owned the opponents, but Wakey had some difficulty with TB this yr. I think the pitching matchups favor the Rays in this one, but not by much.[/quote']

 

Shields is facing DiceK genius.

[Cocos Disciples]

Timlin added to ALCS roster, which I think means Velazquez is off.

[ORS]

Timlin? As in, Mike Timlin?

[Cocos Disciples]

As in Michael August Timlin, he of 42 years and the owner of a 5.66 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP.

[corngordon]

I remember when the only rule of thumb was throwing your best pitcher out for game 1, with the intent to pitch him three times, and win three times. Otherwise, the assumption was that you'd lose if the series went seven games.

 

Tito's going with a 4-man rotation, and no one is saying anything. Is it me or are the only people who don't think he knows what he's doing are those from Boston???

 

Gordon

[Cocos Disciples]

4 man rotations are pretty common now. In this situation a 3 man rotation puts Matsuzaka on 3 days rest in Game 4, something that isn't really ideal (the more rest he has, the better he is). The Sox used a 4 man in 03, 04 and 07.

[BoSox21]

I have yet to see a convincing argument from anyone who opposes the way Tito has set up the pitchers. This way, you have the big 3 all pitching on relatively normal rest with Beckett and Lester lined up for games 6 and 7, respectively

[Cocos Disciples]

Agree. The right guys are getting the right number of starts, no complaints.

[TheKilo]

I have yet to see a convincing argument from anyone who opposes the way Tito has set up the pitchers. This way' date=' you have the big 3 all pitching on relatively normal rest with Beckett and Lester lined up for games 6 and 7, respectively[/quote']

 

This is the key point - if the difference between the Sox's #1 and their 2/3 was very large, then yes I agree with lining up the #1 three times....however since there isn't a precipitous dropoff it is more of a benefit to the rotation as a whole to pitch everyone on their normal rest, and thereby attempting to maximize their effectiveness.

[BoSox21]

This is the key point - if the difference between the Sox's #1 and their 2/3 was very large' date=' then yes I agree with lining up the #1 three times....however since there isn't a precipitous dropoff it is more of a benefit to the rotation as a whole to pitch everyone on their normal rest, and thereby attempting to maximize their effectiveness.[/quote']

 

Exactly, we aren't the Phillies with a Cole Hamels and then 3 pieces of dogshit. We have 3 guys who could ace most staffs in baseball.

[Dojji]

We have the talent to win every game and so do they. This has the potential to be a great, great series. But it could also, very easily, be decided by the winner of Game 1.

[TheKilo]

We have the talent to win every game and so do they. This has the potential to be a great' date=' great series. But it could also, very easily, be decided by the winner of Game 1.[/quote']

 

Funny, I thought it would be decided when one team won their fourth game.

[jacksonianmarch]

Every pitching matchup in this series is a good storyline.

 

Game 1: DMats vs the aggressive Tampa offense should be a good matchup, but Shields is one of the best pitchers in the game.

 

Game 2: Beckett vs Kazmir, two guys with lights out stuff but serious question marks. Beckett because of his injury and ineffectiveness in the ANA series. Kazmir because of his location problems. This could be a 1-0 game or a 10-9 game

 

Game 3: Lester vs Garza, the biggest mismatch of this post season, although Garza is 2-1 with a low 3's ERA over the last 2 seasons vs the sox.

 

Game 4: Sonnanstine vs Wakefield. Wakefield dominated the rays throughout his career, but was mauled by them this yr. Sonnanstine was mauled by everyone prior to this yr and suddenly becomes and ace vs the sox.

 

In 3 of the 4 games, there is something going for each team. Game 3 seems like the only significant mismatch.

[Paradisecity]

Can we all pool some money together to get a astrophysicist or tarot card read to tell us WHY THE f*** MIKE TIMLIN IS ON THE ALCS ROSTER???

[jacksonianmarch]

Cause he's a bulldog and Tito likes bulldogs. As a matter of fact, he adopted three of them prior to the ALCS just so he can prove it.