Game 33: Varitek -- The Dude -- is the new king of clutch

by Randy Booth on May 13, 2009 10:45 AM EDT in Game Stories Comment 26 comments

Boston Red Sox's J.D. Drew gets high-fives from teammates scoring the winning run on a hit by Jason Varitek against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, May 12, 2009. The Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt A. Brown)

9 months ago: Boston Red Sox's J.D. Drew gets high-fives from teammates scoring the winning run on a hit by Jason Varitek against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, May 12, 2009. The Boston Red Sox rallied to beat the Los Angeles Angels 4-3. (AP Photo/Matt A. Brown)

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This was a game the Red Sox probably should not have won.

Why? Because Justin Masterson was ugly, Jered Weaver was solid and the Red Sox just couldn't string together any hits. In baseball, though, sometimes you get lucky. Sometimes you get lucky enough to earn the win and that's exactly what the Red Sox did.

Despite trailing 3-1 going into the 8th inning, the Red Sox rallied and an RBI double in the gap by Jason Varitek in the 9th scored JD Drew (who had a solo home run earlier in the game) put the Sox on top. Jonathan Papelbon had a walk and a strikeout in the 9th to earn the save.

With the bases loaded in the 8th, David Ortiz was hit on the hand to bring in Nick Green to make it 3-2. Jason Bay followed with a ground out, but it was good enough to score Jacoby Ellsbury and tie the game at 3-3.

Masterson went six innings, but was all over the places in terms of location. He couldn't find the strike zone but the Angels didn't really make him pay. He allowed five hits, two runs, four walks and struck out three.

At this point, Masterson is begging to give his job up to Daisuke Matsuzaka or Clay Buchholz. Masterson was solid in his first few starts when filling it, but he has just been way too inconsistent. Manny Delcarmen and Ramon Ramirez were solid in their combined two innings of relief.

The Sox will look to steal another contest with the Angels tonight when Tim Wakefield takes on the Angels' Matt Palmer. OK, so "steal" isn't the right word. On paper, the Sox should have the edge, but Palmer hasn't been bad this season (3.06 ERA, 1.08 WHIP).

(PS: I am starting a campaign to start calling Jason Varitek "The Dude." He just seems like a Duder to me. He looks like we should call him The Dude. The Dude abided last night by hitting a huge RBI double. He abided ... he certainly did.)

via a0.vox.com

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Masterson

is really better suited for the pen. Propensity for BBs, ability to up the velocity greatly for short periods, lack of ability to go long all make him an ideal pen guy, and a really good one. He was going to give this slot up to DiceK anyway, and having a quality arm who can also go long from the pen is a big, big plus.

by Buzzy on May 13, 2009 11:29 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

His temperament and mindset also works for the bullpen.

Although he can’t go deep, he can certainly go for more than one inning—-which will make him even more valuable in the bullpen when Dice-K returns.

But, all in all, Masterson has acquitted himself reasonably well for someone who’s really our eighth option at starter. (After Beckett, Lester, Dice-K, Wake, Penny, Smoltz, and Buchholz—-or ninth, if you include Bowden.) He’s not going to win Cy Youngs any time soon, but we shouldn’t expect him to, either. His projections were middle-to-back-end starter—-and that’s exactly the performance he’s given us.

by lone1c on May 13, 2009 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do you guys need another good arm in the pen?

The only guy we saw last night with a +1.00 ERA was Papelbon, can’t we have someone???

by MidwayCityLivestock on May 13, 2009 7:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Nope.

We enjoy your pain and suffering.

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by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on May 13, 2009 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

In fairness to Masterson, who clearly didn't have his best stuff

He battled and gave the Sox 6 innings. In fact, Masterson’s line would be a pretty good Dice-K start.

The Sox won another game where their bullpen outplayed the other’s team’s relievers. The Angels have an awful pen so far this year.

But, getting back to Masterson, in many ways he has been better this year than last year. A few on this site noted that Masterson was pretty lucky last year (.244 BABIP). This year, he has been slightly unlucky (.333 BABIP – .349 v. lefties). Masterson’s K-rate, BB-rate, and HR-rate are all better this year. Yet, his ERA is 4.89 v. 3.16 in 2008.

I think Masterson is a good pitcher. I like his versatility. But, he won’t be as lucky as last year—especially if he starts.

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

by Drugs Delaney on May 13, 2009 11:36 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And

his sample size is really small this year as a reliever (and in general) but his “advanced stats” from the pen are great, and were quite good last year, much better than as a starter.

by Buzzy on May 13, 2009 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I think

The Dude could probably put up better numbers than Varitek. But, the captain is playing as well as anyone could have expected him to this year, and he did come through last night.

"Well let me just quote the late-great Colonel Sanders, who said...'I'm too drunk to taste this chicken.' "
-Ricky Bobby

by nepats108 on May 13, 2009 1:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Let's not get too short-sighted here...

Did you even see the pitch he hit? It was a soft hanging curveball that any major league hitter would have crushed. King of clutch? Not so much. You should have gone with 33 being Tek’s jersey number and the game number.

by HarmyG on May 13, 2009 2:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, king of clutch was supposed to be over the top… I like exaggeration.

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on May 13, 2009 2:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He’s been good this year. Let’s enjoy it. He’s hitting for power. Good enough for me.

by BTLove on May 14, 2009 2:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

No

Jason Varitek is not, and never will be, anything like ‘The Dude.’ Until I see him drinking white russians during batting practice and trading his uni for snazzy sweaters such as the one pictured above, I will never call him ‘The Dude.’ I would like to start a campaign against calling him as such.

by UGotRondo'd on May 13, 2009 4:03 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed

The Dude represents all that is good in the world. Tek does not. Score 1 for The Dude, His Dudeness, Duder, or El Duderino if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.

Can a nation be free if it oppresses other nations? It cannot. -Vladimir Lenin

by pedroiastroika on May 13, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Okay, time for a confession.

I have no clue what any of you are talking about.

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by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on May 13, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

you

are too young, whippersnapper! You were probably only about 4 when the Big Lebowski came out.

by Buzzy on May 13, 2009 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, god.

That movie? My parents and their friends were talking about it a few days ago – sounds weird as hell.

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by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on May 13, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You might be a little too straight-edge to fully enjoy it. But it is a true classic. And the fact that your parents like it makes me feel old as shit.

by BTLove on May 14, 2009 2:35 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do yourself a favor

and go rent it or put it at the top of your netflix queue. The Big Lebowski is a classic.

by UGotRondo'd on May 13, 2009 5:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If the Red Sox win tonight, I'll watch this weekend.

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by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on May 13, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Damn it.

I’ll watch IT this weekend.

WBULTV - BDale TV Prod

by bs.uf15bosox9bears23 on May 13, 2009 5:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've found Coen Bros to be VERY hit or miss

Raising Arizona and O Brother Where Art Thou [far and away Clooney’s best acting job] are two of my all-time favorites, but I never could get into Fargo or Lebowski. Not sure why. They just didn’t really grab me.

Do check it out for yourself, though.

As for referring to Captain Tennille as The Dude, I’ll pass on that.

THAT'S the money you could be saving with Geico

by DJDP23 on May 13, 2009 5:59 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs