Game 116: Victor Martinez is the hero! Red Sox score 6 in the 9th to stun the Rangers 8-4
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 12:50 AM EDT
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PrintIn one of the craziest 9th innings in recent memory (up there with the Mother's Day Miracle and Game 5 of the 2008 ALCS), the Red Sox scored 6 runs off of Texas closer Frank Francisco, giving them an 8-4 lead which Papelbon would hold in the 9th.
Coming into the 9th down 2-4, David Ortiz (the source of the Sox' other runs on a 2-run homer in the 6th ) turned on a middle-middle fastball for a double to right field. Jason Varitek just barely beat out the throw from Elvis Andrus on what was nearly a great play for the Texas Shorstop to set up 1st and 3rd with none out. Ellsbury singled up the middle, scoring Ortiz. That's when things almost fell apart.
Chris Woodward tried twice to drop down a bunt, taking 2 strikes and then striking out on the 4th pitch of the at bat. Terry Francona then chose to pinch run Clay Buchholz for Jason Varitek. When Dustin Pedroia hit a double off the wall in left, Buchholz made a terrible misread (though understandable, given his limited baserunning experience) and was thrown out at the plate after stumbling around 3rd. With 2 out and runners on 2nd and 3rd, Victor Martinez stepped up to the plate. Martinez fell behind 1-2 and fouled off 3 pitches before lacing a low fastball into right for a game winning double. The Sox would tack on 3 insurance runs on a Jason Bay RBI single and a 2-run J.D. Drew homer.
The pitching was a mixed bag, but mostly positive. Jon Lester gave up 3 runs in 6 innings, striking out an impressive 11 batters. Daniel Bard gave up a run in part thanks to some questionable defensive positioning. Takashi Saito and Jonathan Papelbon both pitched scoreless innings, each giving up a hit and striking out 1 and 2 respectively.
With the win, the Red Sox are 1.5 games up on the Rangers in the AL Wild Card race. Both teams send the back end of the rotation to the mound tomorrow, with Brad Penny taking the mound for the Sox against Derek Holland.
2 games until Kevin Youkilis returns.
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It's downright impossible to format these things when there aren't any good wide photos to stick at the top.
I wanted to post the Graph up there, ‘cause it’s pretty awesome, but I couldn’t do it without having a big old blank space next to the picture, so here it is:
I like the part where
victory goes from a near-impossibility to a certainty.
"It's just a tiny little nick, but it hurts when I get champagne in there."
- Jason Bay, on getting spiked scoring the winning run in ALDS Game Four.
That's usually the part that most people like.
See why I wasn’t doubting before the ninth inning started, USG?
@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation
Not really.
But good on ya for not doing so.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 1:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Swell chart
Got one for the remainder of the season?
by Mister Snitch on Aug 15, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions
I remember hearing at some point in the offseason that Clay Buccholz was just as fast as Jacoby. This had to be why Tito pinch-ran the guy. Still though, it was wierd.
"Ninety percent [of my salary] I'll spend on good times, women, and Irish whiskey. The other ten percent I'll probably waste."
-Tug McGraw
Victor Martinez.
In contention for one of the BEST trades in Red Sox history in my opininion in the long run. Martinez is the LONG term solution at catcher.
~SHaFF!~
The Little Sports Blog That Could:
http://www.thelittlesportsblog.blogspot.com/
Nonono
His numbers dip when he catches, and he won’t be catching for much longer. He doesn’t have the knees.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 8:19 AM EDT up reply actions
WHY!!!!!!?????!!!!!
Did I leave in the 8th inning??? But then again, who expected us to get any runs with the way we’ve been playing.
This reaction is why even faithless me sticks it out.
I weigh the rewards.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions
yo!?' anyone know who's pitching on Sunday?
Hook 'Em
by afhook08 on Aug 15, 2009 4:42 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Takashi Saito
Should be very interesting. Hopefully he pitches like he did vs. Detroit. Would be nice for him to solidify his image as a better-than-#5 starter.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 8:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh wow. Fucked that one up.
Just woke up, thinking “Japanese rookie” and put out the first name that seemed right.
(Though Saito may well pitch on Sunday)
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 8:23 AM EDT up reply actions
Anyway...
Tazawa should be fun to watch. He has been so far, even when he served up that home run ball to A-Rod. (If you must, at least get touched up by a legend, I say.)
by Mister Snitch on Aug 15, 2009 1:51 PM EDT up reply actions
a legend of failure, you mean?
"It's designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything is new again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops, and leaves you to face the fall alone". A. Bartlett Giamatti
Awesome win
feels like a long time since we won a big game like that. Watched it on my computer in a hotel room in DC. USG-last night I felt your Tito-hate (a bit). The Buchholz decision was weird. Indeed he is said to be faster than Jacoby (he was recruited as a WR by Texas and ND) but has limited baserunning experience (Tito has pintch run him at least one time before, I think). And…why pinch run him AFTER the bunt attempt and not before, when speed is needed even to get to 3B on an obvious bunt and the corpse as the lead runner? His misread on Pedroia’s shot is understandable given that dumb electronic billboard wall in LF, but please look at Hale not the ball. Must have been a “heat of the battle” decision ;). Awesome game for Papi and VMart and Lester (who who was a bit erratic but was victimized by some bad luck-the fans keeping Lowell from retirting Jones and Riddick’s play which look to me like he got turned around).
Wow, Buch could've played with Jeff Smardiuwfnuiowfo (spell?).
Probably the best pitching WR corps in the NCAA.
@bs_uf15bosox9be The Original Gameday; Learn to use SB Nation
Petey still takes it.
Don’t forget, he had what should have been the clutch game-winning double FIRST.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 8:22 AM EDT up reply actions
As much as I like VMart
and his hit was BIG-let’s not get carried away. First Francisco has n-o-t-h-i-n-g. Even VMarst said that pitch was right over the middle of the plate. Until the final out when we batted around, the only outs he got were Clay being thrown out and Woodward’s K after 2 errant bunt attempts. Take away a 5 hit game (where we would have one anyway since we score like 100 runs) against the Os and VMart’s offense has been subpar. Don’t get me wrong, I do think he is a guy whose value goes beyond just the stats, but he is not and has never been a high impact bat. He is bascally a better on base version of Mike Lowell at the plate-which is not bad. He is not (and has never been) close to masher .
Victor Martinez certainly has been in impact bat in the past.
First, consider his numbers are put up in a pitcher’s park.
Second, consider his catcher/1B splits.
Third, consider his performance thus far with the Sox. Sure, the slash line isn’t there, but he’s had tons of good ABs (last night being a perfect example: Strike, ball, Strike, foul, foul, ball, foul, hit
He’s struck out just as many times as he’s walked (6 in an admittedly SSS), and is suffering from a BABIP than he should have given the number of balls he’s been hitting on the screws.
He’s impact, he definitely brings some heart and soul (his post-trade interview has basically made that unquestionable unless he bailed on us, which he hasn’t), and he’s generally speaking an ideal Red Sox bat. I love the guy even at 1st.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 9:24 AM EDT up reply actions
The question is
what do you consider an “impact” bat? He is a good hitter, no doubt. However:
a)Cleveland is a HITTERS park. Lets look at his OPS+’s: he is a career 118-quite good, but far below someone like Jason Bay (130). In fact, Martinez has put up a OPS+ of 130 only once in his career.
b)We perhaps rightly saw LaRoche as a throw away. LaRoche has a career OPS+ of 112 and has more power than VMart (his career slugging and iso clearly higher). So if LaRoche is a throw away player, is VMart an impact bat?
c)His career slpits at chatcher/1b are the same IIRC. They are really bad this year only.
VMart’s value is not the pure hitting numbers. Those are just not good enough to justify the move. His value is that he is versatile, can catch, and is a great clubhouse guy. I will take all of those things for sure, i just want to be clear about his offensive impact-it helps but it is not going to make a huge difference.
+1
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Aug 15, 2009 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions
Absolutely
“He’s impact, he definitely brings some heart and soul”
For sure. An important acquisition, well worth Masterson.
“what do you consider an "impact" bat?”
Simple enough: Hits in the clutch. (See last night’s game.)
(Great blog you run here, BTW.)
by Mister Snitch on Aug 15, 2009 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
well
the deal was not an unreasonable one. But it was not just Masterson. Hagadone was a first round pick who some people ranked in our top 5 prospects who had a lot of upside. Just because he had TJ surgery does not mean he won’t be a very effective pitcher.
Not sure how he can fit in the top 5.
10, sure. But not 5. But with all the risk he entails, it was well worth it to get the value we did.
Though Price is sure enjoying shutting down Salem whenever he visits despite sucking in A+ for every start he had FOR the Salem Sox.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 4:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Soxprospects had him
6 (I think) while Callis (I think) had him higher. High risk, high ceiling.
Maybe at the beginning of the year, but time of trade...
Kelly
Anderson
Reddick
Tazawa
Bowden
and Westmoreland easily beat him out.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions
VMart has had two of the biggest hits in the past week
Its not his fault Francisco sucks. =)
Also Buzzy, how about showing some love for V Mart as a regular catcher for Buchholz? If VMart hits like Mike Lowell and can make Buchholz into a true #3 starter, that is a deal we will all take.
and Mike Lowell can mash….
Which is why...
I have no idea why the Indians traded him. he was not that expensive, he is a team leader. He is a player a GM builds a team around.. It is sort of like trading Jeter for a couple okay pitchers. He was injured last year, and he may not have the greatest slugging pct. but he and Haffner were putting up good numbers in 2007 to put the Indians in the Playoffs. He is also around his peak years of his early 30s.
Victor Martinez
What a huge hit by Victor I felt awful for Clay what can go right for him lately. But overall what a great win by the Sox I am proud of them
2 straight starts have gone right for him.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions
is
anyone a bit worried about Clay’s diminished K numbers (SSS I know) even though he has made 3 really nice starts so far?
Not really
He gets tons of swinging strikes if I’m remembering correctly. It’s taken him a while to put some guys away, but it’s not like he can’t miss bats.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Changeup is a true out pitch.
So long as he has that, he’s good.
Plus if he can drop that curve in for a strike there’s not a lot of people whose knees it won’t buckle.
by Ben Buchanan on Aug 15, 2009 4:50 PM EDT up reply actions
My
concerns so far have been:
a)curve seems to have lost its 12-6 bite. Why?
b)Fastball command.
He has been good against a very good offense on the road and a decent team at home in his last 2 starts, and I am really happy about it. Change is awesome-also induces a crapload of GBs because of its late downward action and the fact that hitters are way out in front of it. Still hoping on improvement of a and b though.
IMO
What is encouraging is his mound presence. I dont know if its bc he feels comfortable with VMart v. Tek or he just settled down after a few bumpy starts, but Buchholz does not look scared any longer.
He used to always rely, over rely on the curveball IMO, or throwing to 1st if a man was on when he needed to make a pitch. That has changed. The Change up to lefties is absolutely dominating.
i think he is a good candidate for a..
cutter, and a very nasty split finger..
However, I still think he should be traded.
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