Beckett95

GAME INFO: Date: Saturday, August 19th, 2006 First Pitch: 1:20m EST Location: Fenway Park, Boston, Massachusetts TV: FOX Radio: WEEI 850 AM http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Globe_Photo/2006/04/11/1144782023_2865-1.jpg VS. http://cache.boston.com/images/bostondirtdogs//Headline_Archives/Randy%20Johnson%20-%20Darth%20Vader.jpg PITCHING MATCHUP: BOS: RHP Josh Beckett (13-7, 5.02 ERA) In his last start against Detroit, Beckett allowed five runs and six hits over six innings. He had not walked a batter in his last two starts, but gave free passes to four Tigers. He has not won since July 24 and has not pitched more than six innings in his last five starts. Beckett is 1-1 with a 10.80 ERA against the Yankees this year. NYY: LHP Randy Johnson (13-9, 4.92 ERA) Johnson recorded strikeout No. 4,500 in a seven-inning win against the Angels in his last start. He allowed eight hits, struck out five and walked just one batter. Johnson has had back-to-back solid outings. He got a win with a two-run, six-inning game against the White Sox on Aug. 9 in which he carried a no-hitter into the seventh. PREVIEW: Josh Beckett and Randy Johnson are at two very different points in their careers. Johnson, 42, is a five-time Cy Young award winner, having superseded the expectations set for any mortal. The 2001 co-MVP of the World Series, Johnson's career sits largely in the rear-view mirror and his opportunity to earn a second World Series ring is a limited-time offer. Beckett, 26, has the talent to win five Cy Young awards. So far his career, largely undefined, is a bottle that can be seen as half-empty or half-full. Those who see the optimism would point to his blistering fastball and complete-game shutout on three days' rest in the clinching game of the 2003 World Series at Yankee Stadium. Those on the other side of the spectrum would point to the vacant part of the bottle, representing his unfulfilled potential. However, the majority of pitches that Beckett will throw in his career still have not been fired. His brilliance is apparent, yet often spliced with disappointment, He, too, searches for a second World Series ring, only this time, he doesn't have to lead the pitching staff. Curt Schilling, the ace of the Boston rotation is leading the playoff charge and needs Beckett to be his running mate. History has proven that two dominating pitchers can lead a team to a title. Just ask Johnson and Schilling. "The series will begin and end with pitching. From them to us," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "I think the lineups are too balanced." With the Red Sox and Yankees separated by 3 1/2 games in the American League East, either Beckett or Johnson may get another shot at glory in October, but first, the two will have a showdown in August, as Boston and New York battle in the third game of a five-game series on Saturday afternoon at Fenway Park. "I feel like I spend 99 percent of my day thinking about pitching," Francona said. "We need to throw strikes. That's easier said than done. They're such a good lineup, but if you walk them they become devastating. [it's the] same thing with us. You know you need to throw strikes and get ahead and limit some of the damage they can do." Allowing 26 runs to the Yankees in Friday's doubleheader, the Red Sox need Beckett to meet the preseason expectations that were established when they acquired him from Florida. Beckett has not earned a win in his last four starts, and if that trend should continue, the Red Sox will need the bullpen to shut down the heavily powered Yankees offense. "It would be very beneficial if Beckett went deep into the game," Francona said. "I know there's Randy Johnson and [Curt] Schilling and [Mike] Mussina, but I don't think you're going to see too many complete games. If one team is able to get into the other bullpen early and kind of deplete that bullpen, then that'll be huge. Pitching is the entire key to this series." After Monday's series finale, the Red Sox and Yankees will meet in a four-game series at Yankee Stadium from Sept. 15-17. With the division lead in a constant see-saw, their last regular-season meeting may separate the playoff participant from the spectator. "You start looking ahead and it gets overwhelming. The best way to be good is to try and be good now," Francona said. "If you worry or concern yourself about two days ago or next week, it doesn't help. We need to try and take care of what's at hand. If you do that, then you'll usually look back and thing have worked out okay. [if] you try to prepare for things too much down the road, you forget what you're doing now and it doesn't work too well."

hitting Damon would fire up the Yankees more than the Sox. And anyway, Damon isn't the type to charge the mound. What should happen is, if any Sox batter gets hit, they sould make a big deal over it and latter on in the game, the sox should hit someone like A-rod, who will get pissed and want to fight. Sounds somewhat familiar... whatever works to get this team winning again, im all for it

" Our Offense has let good pitching down" and you've been pitching well Mikey? whats up with this guy lately

Hopefully Foulkie can come back strong and give this team much needed bullpen help As for Johnson, he sucked in everyone of his starts but 1. He will not be missed, but who will take his spot in the rotation untill Wake comes back? Certainlly hope its not Snyder, since he has been tagged recentely.

Who will get sent down?? Johnson, Snyder or Seanez is my guess

Hinske is hitting righties this year at about .305 with 11 HR in 164 AB And the fact that he can play 1st, 3rd and OF makes him a great lefty off the bench who can get the occasional start.

Hinske was the only bright spot to todays game. He even got the crowd to chant his name by his last AB. I wouldnt mind seeing the sox resign him and loose Nixon

Craig Breslow sent to Pawtucket and Hinske's batting 7th, playing RF in the first game

My guess is that Kapler or Seanez get DFA'd or sent down to make room for Hinske

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2553051 Hopefully Junior's still got some football left in him

i think we should go all out and spend money on the best FA pitcher available this offseason... http://www.japaneseballplayers.com/en/player.php?id=matsuzaka i would bring him in for 5 years/55 million. http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2006/08/will_the_lions_.html i hope he does get posted, and it will probably come down to the Sox and Yankees for him. Yuliesky Gourriel would also be on my list, when he comes available.

http://rubechat.kfan.com/forums/thread/763532.aspx i hope that is true

He needs to work with Curt on developing another good pitcher. If he could gain a good changeup or splitter to go along with his nasty curve and 95 mph fastball, he'd be dominant. His control also at times can be all over the place. He has a tendency to miss his spots where the catcher lined up.

agreed I use to be a big Trot fan, but he just doesnt cut it anymore

thats what i think happens. Let WMP play RF and Coco CF one night, the next play WMP in CF and Trot in RF, then the third day play Coco in CF and Trot in RF. Should be interesting to see how Tito handles this

Ya but the Guardians dont have a rotation of Schilling, Beckett, Lester, Papelbon and Wakefield, which is what i would guess the rotation would be next year if Paps started. Hansen could be this years Fausto Carmona or last years Huston Street. I would start the season with Cordero as the closer and if he sucked, i wouldnt hesitate to move Hansen into that role.

he is putting up similar numbers to Buford. Bufords first year with boston he hit .282 with a .349 obp, 10 HR, 9 SB in 90 games Coco's projected at .276 with a .327 obp, 8 HR, 26 SB in 120 games. The only thing better about Coco is the SB. Maybe Willie Mcgee is a better comparison

I think we should move him into the rotation next year and let hansen/delcarmen get a shot at the closer role. I know hansen's struggled this year, but his had some really bad luck also. Alot of hits off him have been bloops on good pitches. Id also sign someone like Fransisco Cordero to be the setup man/closer along with Hansen and Delcarmen. Id rather sign Cordero than sign a guy like Zito to a huge contract.

Clinton Portis left tonights game with a separated shoulder, very similar to the injury Cedric Benson had a couple weeks ago.

They'll win that division by 5 games

they very well could. the Tigers have been awful lately, while the Sox offense was on fire this weekend. Granted it was Baltimore pitching, they still hit well against them.

they'll be pretty fun to watch, but will NOT win the division. I see them fighting for a playoff spot though.

that would be correct. His era has been .84 since the break. 2ND is papelbon with an era of 1.93. Then 3rd is Timlin with a 4.26 ERA. The Sox team ERA since the All-Star break is 4.92, which is 6th worst or 9th best in the AL.

How come Gabbard's sucked so much in AAA though? He's like 1-6 with an ERA of 5.36

how much longer are we going to experiment with this guy? He's pretty ugly to watch and im not looking forward to his next start. (first game against the yankees) What about calling up someone like Smith or maybe even Zink from Pawtucket and give them a shot?? Probably better than Johnson.