What to expect from Matsuzaka in game two

by Randy Booth on Oct 3, 2008 1:29 PM EDT in News Comment 10 comments

It's no secret: all season long we waited to see when Daisuke Matsuzaka was going to get burned.

He tempted fate all too much. It seemed like two innings couldn't go by before he loaded the bases and, in turn, left them loaded to end an inning. He would walk as many as he struck out but he still rarely ever paid for his mistakes.

That's not what great pitchers do.

But he was great.

Forget the walks, forget the lower number of strikeouts -- because when it mattered, Matsuzaka was at his best. When things got bad, he got great. When things started to look ugly, he kicked it up a notch. Essentially, he was everything we expected.

Of course, we'd like less walks in the future and we'd love to see him strike out more batters. But how can you argue with a league-leading .211 oppossing batting average? And an ERA that was just behind Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay in the American League? And not to mention, a season much better than his first year as a Red Sox.

Tonight will be a big test for Matsuzaka. The Angels are usually a free-swinging team (although we didn't see that in game one) so that should help him, but they are also a dangerous team. If he leaves a fat fastball over the plate for hitters two through eight, it will probably be hit hard.

As we've seen in the past, Matsuzaka is a big game pitcher. He knows how to win ball games. And although we may not be as comfortable when Jon Lester or Josh Beckett is on the mound, I think he'll prove to Red Sox Nation just how good he is.

Will the Sox be up 2-0 when the day is over? If Dice-K is on his game, don't be surprised.

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He has a different approach

Dice-K’s approach seems to be “I’m not going to give this guy a single, good pitch to hit, even if I have to walk him.” He’d rather not attack the strike zone until he has to, when there’s a man on 3rd (even 2nd doesn’t seem to phase him).

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Oct 3, 2008 2:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Dice-K

has been waiting all year to get back to this very point. Last year there was no doubt Dice-K felt he could of performed better in the playoffs, now is his time to show everyone that he is a big game pitcher.

Dice-K has a very Japanese style of pitching…bend but dont break, give up a walk rather than a 2 run double, never give in, no fear.

I am looking forward to this matchup…two great pitchers in the regular season. Everything riding on this game for the Angels…Josh Beckett is healthy and lurking in the back of every Halo fan’s mind.

Very exciting stuff.

1st inning will be huge tonight, for both teams.

by SoxAcumen on Oct 3, 2008 2:30 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Bend but don't break

Not the conventional wisdom in baseball these days. If you’re not making ‘em whiff or getting ground-outs, you’re not doing your job.

"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.

by SoxDevil on Oct 3, 2008 10:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Lowell, Lowrie Out/Cora, Kotsay in

I really don’t like that line up for tonight. Lowell, fine. What’s wrong with Lowrie?

by Charger567 on Oct 3, 2008 6:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Lowrie is a better hitter righty

His regular season lefty-righty splits are stark: .222 AVG/.308 OBP/ .344 SLG (v. Right); .338 AVG/.409 OBP/.525 SLG (v. Left). Lowrie is a much better right-handed hitter.

While I don’t like having both Cora and Kotsay in the same line-up, Here’s Tito’s logic: Lowell can’t play. Cora is 2 for 3 v. Santana, with a 2B and 3B. And Kotsay has good numbers against Santana as well: .389 AVG/.450 OBP/.500 SLG in 18 AB. Casey has 1 walk in 4 plate appearances v. Santana, so he sits.

I hope Tito is right.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Oct 3, 2008 6:43 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Ditto what Tito said

I was wondering the same thing with Lowrie and the stats look good and convincing. And I’d like to have Lowell in the line up VERY Healthy on Sunday. I’m betting JPB will be fine but….I’m not totally confident of a sweep as much as I love one. BUT I’m STILL hoping for one.

by Tex19 on Oct 3, 2008 9:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Well, you got your answer

he DIDN’T come through. In fact, he sucked….. but – once again – our offense bailed him out.

The question is: will Dice-K always be a mystery?

by ccthemovieman on Oct 4, 2008 7:48 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I agree

Dice-K is tough to watch.

I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.

by Drugs Delaney on Oct 4, 2008 10:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He didn't SUCK.

But he wasn’t great or dominant by any means. Staked to a 4-0 lead in the first, his job was to hold the line, which he did. He pitched five innings and gave up 3 runs. The Angels were swinging the bat well, and Matsuzaka didn’t have his best stuff (fastest FB I saw was 93, when he can throw a bit harder).

by 0157H7 on Oct 4, 2008 1:04 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

OK, he didn't SUCK but......

you neglected to mention he gave up 8 hits in 5 innings while walking 3 and throwing 108 pitches. What that did was force Francona to go early, once again, to his bullpen….and you know the results, until J.D. and Paps saved us. I wouldn’t mind him going only five innings but not with this year’s bullpen.

In four playoff games in his short career with the Sox, Dice-K’s longest outing is 5.3 innings. We need a better effort in the ALCS and WS (hopefully), especially this year with that shaky pen and no Curt Schilling.

By the way, I like Dice-K……..but he has to give us more innings in these playoff games.

by ccthemovieman on Oct 4, 2008 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs