Walks.  Walks. Walks. Walks. Walks. Walks. Walks. Walks. Walks.

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Walks. Walks...

Summary:

So, to be fair to Dice-BB, the strike zone last night was...tight. However, the umpire wasn't biased or anything; it was up to Dice-BB and 'Tek to make the adjustments. They didn't. I told a friend of mine, before the game, that this game could have been a statement game for either starter. Neither Bonderman or Matsuzaka delivered. 

Thankfully, Mike Lowell did. 3/5, 2B, HR, and almost missed another 2B or HR due to the glove of probably anyone but Gary Sheffield Gary Sheffield. A good game, too, from Papi, who went 2/4 with his own HR and a BB. Or, a walk. A walk. A lot of f'n walks.

Craig Hansen. The one hitter where I felt he got squeezed, in the 7th, was of course Gary Sheffield. Ball 3 was particularly suspicious, even if ball 4 was all Hansen. Nonetheless, he looked strong, and it was his own error bizarre infield single that was scored ridiculously ruled a hit, and so no doubt was a hit, even if the hitter would've been out by a mile if Hansen had fielded the ball properly. I'm so f'n confused by the scoring on that particular play. I suppose it doesn't matter in the grand scheme, but holy crap some homer-scoring there. Oh well. F.

Player of the Game:

Have to, again, disagree with WPA. See the guy on the left for our PotG.

via d.yimg.com

Comment of the Game:

holy shnikees, I didn't even look at how dice k was because I was looking at hansen...8 walks? is this a joke? -pedroiastroika

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Summary:

Ugh. Just ugh. I mean, you hate to see a team like the Tigers (save for Gary Sheffield himself) go on such an extended losing streak to begin the season. Gary Sheffield needs to find a way to lose all of his games this season, but it's okay with me if the Tigers make the playoffs.

However, if I were the Tigers, I would consider myself still worried. With 9 baserunners over 5 innings, Jeremy Bonderman actually had a higher WHIP than your own Jon Lester with the same while recording one more out. 

The problem for the offense, of course, was extra and wasted outs. Two CSs, and four DPs. Sean "Mayor McSpeed" Casey, Manuel "Being" Ramirez, and Julio "Are you seriously PHing for me after a 2-3 game" Lugo all had two hits apiece. The 1-3 slots in the order went a combined 0-12 with 2 BBs (both Pedroia's). 

On the pitching side, Jon Lester was not in control, of the game or of his pitches. 4 walks is not progress. In the battle for "don't get DFA'd for Mike Timlin", David Aardsma would seem to be in the lead over Bryan Corey. 

On the Tigers' side, Edgar Renteria came back to haunt us, in person, and not even polite enough to do so as a ghost. 3-4, 2 2B, 2 R and 2 RsBI. Carlos Guillen also had a decent day at the plate, scoring 3 and hitting a solo HR off of Javier "No LHHs please" Lopez. 

Player of the Game:

via d.yimg.com

Yeah. Unfortunately it's the guy on the left, Renteria and not Youks.

Comment of the Game:

You wonder if Lester is aware that he doesn't really get hit that hard. It's when he walks someone, and someone else, and someone else, that things start to get bad. -soxaholic

...oh yeah. We F'n lost Mike Lowell, at least for awhile.