5/25 @ Tampa Bay (The Real GT)

[riverside sluggers]

Somehow I had a sense that someone was going to make a gamethread. Usually its the newbies... oh well

 

http://blog.masslive.com/sports_impact/2009/09/large_jon.JPG

Jon Lester

 

 

Vs.

 

 

http://blogs.tampabay.com/photos/uncategorized/2008/08/31/shields.jpg

James Shields

 

 

Boston (25-21) at Tampa Bay (32-13)

Fair Currently: St. Petersburg, FL

Temp: 82° F

* Game info: 7:10 pm EDT Tue May 25, 2010

* TV: NESN, SUN

 

Jon Lester and the Boston Red Sox had major problems while getting swept by the Tampa Bay Rays at home last month, a big reason they remain in an early hole in the AL East. Both the left-hander and his club are trying to prove their poor starts are in the past. Lester looks to win a fifth straight decision and send the Red Sox to their fourth consecutive victory as he faces red-hot Rays righty James Shields at Tropicana Field on Tuesday.

 

Boston (25-21) began to avenge Tampa Bay’s convincing four-game sweep at Fenway Park from April 16-19 with a 6-1 win in St. Petersburg on Monday night, limiting the major league-leading Rays (32-13) to six hits. The Red Sox, who had gone 4-14 at Tampa Bay over the previous two seasons, have won six of seven overall as their starting pitching continues to stabilize. Their rotation had a 5.18 ERA after a two-game split at Yankee Stadium last week, but Boston starters have gone 5-1 with a 1.64 ERA in the club’s last six games - all against division leader.

 

“We’re getting great starting pitching. When you do that, all we have to do is put a couple runs on the board and those guys can take over,” second baseman Dustin Pedroia(notes) said. “We’re in the middle of the year and just playing,” Pedroia added. “We’re playing some really good teams and just finding ways to win. That’s a real good sign.” Lester (4-2, 3.47 ERA) needed only 103 pitches to finish a complete game Thursday against Minnesota, allowing one earned run and six hits while striking out nine without a walk in Boston’s 6-2 win.

 

“He was relentless,” manager Terry Francona said. “There’s a lot of ways for him to go right now and still attack the strike zone.” The southpaw gave up 15 runs in his first three starts, allowing seven runs in six innings of a 7-1 home loss to the Rays on April 18. He hasn’t lost since, going 4-0 with a 1.65 ERA in his last six outings, racking up 49 strikeouts over 43 2-3 innings in that stretch.

 

Shields (5-1, 3.08) has been enjoying a similar run, posting six consecutive quality starts. In his last five outings, he has 45 strikeouts and three walks. He is coming off a win at Yankee Stadium, where he allowed four runs - three earned - in 7 1-3 innings of Thursday night’s 8-6 victory. While Shields is 4-7 with a 5.33 ERA in his career against the Red Sox, he’s 3-0 with a 1.59 ERA in his last three home starts versus Boston. He also earned his first win at Fenway Park on April 17.

 

Kevin Youkilis is 3 for 26 (.115) with nine strikeouts against Shields, but the Boston slugger has been locked in lately. After hitting a two-run home run Monday, he has five homers and 12 RBIs in his last eight games. Since 2006, the cleanup hitter has 28 homers in May and no more than 15 in any other month.

 

Victor Martinez, who bats in front of Youkilis, may miss Tuesday’s game after Jason Bartlett’s foul tip struck the catcher in the foot Monday, but the Red Sox expect outfielder Mike Cameron to be activated from the disabled list and make his first appearance since April 18. The Rays, who are batting .235 against left-handed pitching but have a major league-high 15 wins when the opposing starter is a southpaw, are hoping to avoid their first back-to-back losses since a season-worst three-game skid May 8-10.

 

“They got us Monday,” Rays manager Joe Maddon said of the Red Sox. “We didn’t play badly. They beat us.”

[Dipre]

This is the real deal!

 

The Mojo is here!

[riverside sluggers]

Jon Lester (13 games vs Tampa Bay, 6-3 with a 4.50 ERA-----Career at Tropicana Field in 4 games, 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA)

Jason Bartlett, 9 for 26 (.346 avg) RBI, 2 Walks, 7 Ks

Carl Crawford, 8 for 31 (.258 avg) Double, RBI, Walk, 7 Ks, 3 SBs

Ben Zobrist, 4 for 12 (.333 avg) 2 RBIs, 4 Walks, 4 Ks, 2 SBs

Evan Longoria, 7 for 23 (.304 avg) 3 Doubles, HR, 4 RBIs, Walk, 6 Ks, SB

John Jaso ---

Hank Blalock, 3 for 9 (.333 avg) Walk, 3 Ks

Carlos Pena, 9 for 29 (.310 avg) Double, 5 HRs, 12 RBIs, 2 Walks, 8 Ks

B.J. Upton, 6 for 32 (.188 avg) 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, 2 Walks, 7 Ks

Reid Brignac ---

///

Willy Aybar, 3 for 15 (.200 avg) 3 Doubles, 7 Ks

Gabe Kapler, 3 for 9 (.333 avg) RBI, 3 Walks, 2 Ks

Dioner Navarro, 5 for 20 (.250 avg) 4 Walks, 5 Ks

 

James Shields (13 games vs Boston, 4-7 with a 5.33 ERA-----Career at Tropicana Field in 64 games, 26-14 with a 3.36 ERA)

Jacoby Ellsbury, 4 for 24 (.167 avg) Walk, 4 Ks

Dustin Pedroia, 12 for 26 (.462 avg) 2 Doubles, 2 HRs, 4 RBIs, Walk, K

Victor Martinez, 6 for 16 (.375 avg) Double, 3 RBIs, 5 Ks

Kevin Youkilis, 3 for 26 (.115 avg) Double, 2 Walks, 9 Ks

J.D. Drew, 10 for 27 (.370 avg) 4 Doubles, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 3 Walks, 4 Ks

David Ortiz, 10 for 26 (.385 avg) 6 Doubles, 2 HRs, 6 RBIs, 4 Walks, 4 Ks

Mike Lowell, 10 for 28 (.357 avg) 3 Doubles, 3 RBIs, 2 Ks

Mike Cameron, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) Double, K

Marco Scutaro, 10 for 40 (.250 avg) Double, HR, 5 RBIs, 2 Walks, 6 Ks, 2 SBs

///

Adrian Beltre, 3 for 18 (.167 avg) Double, HR, 2 RBIs, Walk, 11 Ks

Jeremy Hermida, 5 for 20 (.250 avg) Double, 2 RBIs, 2 Walks, 6 Ks

Jason Varitek, 4 for 21 (.190 avg) HR, 4 RBIs, Walk, 7 Ks

 

Lester this season vs Tampa Bay in 1 game, 0-1 with a 10.50 ERA. On the road in 3 games, 1-1 with a 3.79 ERA

 

Shields this season vs Boston in 1 game, 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA. At home in 4 games, 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA

[a700hitter]

I hope we don't have to pay the price for Riverside neglecting to guard the mojo with vigilance.

[Cocos Disciples]

Huge picture mojo!

[a700hitter]

Pena has 5 HRs in 29 ABs against Lester. That will be his biggest challenge.

[VA Sox Fan]

I hope we don't have to pay the price for Riverside neglecting to guard the mojo with vigilance.

 

It's not his fault, JimEd is a dork.

[yeszir]

PS: No one is getting banned over making an out of turn game thread. It's not that big of a deal, it's happened before and I think the sox got over it.

[VA Sox Fan]

PS: No one is getting banned over making an out of turn game thread. It's not that big of a deal' date=' it's happened before and I think the sox got over it.[/quote']

 

I must have missed anyone calling for his ban. :dunno:

[yeszir]

I must have missed anyone calling for his ban. :dunno:

 

He mentioned it. :dunno:

[Dipre]

Pena has 5 HRs in 29 ABs against Lester. That will be his biggest challenge.

 

While checking Pena's pitch type values in Fangraphs, i noticed that the two pitches he has a positive value in Runs above Average per 100 pitches are fastball and cutter, Lester's two bread-and-butter pitches, so that may explain part of his success against Lester even though Pena, over his career, has always had very pronounced platoon issues wit the exception of 2007.

[VA Sox Fan]

He mentioned it. :dunno:

 

I guess since being banned from SOSH he may be a tad sensitive? :dunno:

[BoSox21]

What an outstanding pitching matchup tonight.

[VA Sox Fan]

RED SOX (25-21)

Scutaro SS

Pedroia 2B

Drew RF

Youkilis 1B

Ortiz DH

Beltre 3B

Hermida LF

Varitek C

Cameron CF

 

Pitching: LHP Jon Lester (4-2, 3.47).

 

RAYS (32-13)

Bartlett SS

Crawford LF

Zobrist 2B

Longoria 3B

Aybar DH

Pena 1B

Upton CF

Navarro

Kaper RF

 

Pitching: RHP James Shields (5-1, 3.08).

[TedWilliams101]

Should we be worried that Ellsbury is not in the lineup tonight?

[schillingouttheks]

Should we be worried that Ellsbury is not in the lineup tonight?

 

From nesn.com

 

Elsewhere, the Red Sox' Opening Day outfield won't be reunited on Tuesday, as was originally planned. Jacoby Ellsbury has the day off. He owns a career .167 average against Rays starter James Shields, so the decision could be as much strategic as it is health-related.

 

Seems that they saw his lack of success as a reason to give him one more day off before coming back.

[VA Sox Fan]

From nesn.com

 

 

 

Seems that they saw his lack of success as a reason to give him one more day off before coming back.

 

He was back last night. Not good #'s vs. Shields.

[bsox0407]

Atleast Cameron is in the lineup.

[Palodios]

I hope we don't have to pay the price for Riverside neglecting to guard the mojo with vigilance.

 

I don't think mojo works like that, does it? Otherwise, we'd have Yankee fans posting new game threads every day.

 

But wow, this team has some sure success against Shields, does it?

[a700hitter]

You clearly have no understanding of mojo.

[Palodios]

You clearly have no understanding of mojo.

 

Apparently not.

[transcam21]

Way to break up that no-hitter!

[Palodios]

Wait, I thought Lowell was in because Beltre has had bad luck against Shield?

[Palodios]

I clearly have no understanding of mojo.

[Dipre]

What the hell Lester?

 

Strikes plz.

[TedWilliams101]

Great, now they're reporting that Ellsbury does have soreness in his right side... Just what I was worried about.

[transcam21]

Tried too hard to sell that

[Lester82]

"Mojo" talk.... always exciting.

[TedWilliams101]

I don't like this homeplate ump. Squeezing way to much.

[transcam21]

Whew