Game Preview(s): Brewers at Sox - let's play 2!

Game 1 355 on FOX
Suppan (2-2, 4.88) vs. Matsuzaka (6-0, 2.22)
Game 2 835
Bush (1-4, 6.06) vs. Wakefield (3-2, 4.25)

With the rainout last night, amazingly the first of 2008 despite the rotten spring conditions, the Sox are forced to spend a long day and night at the ballpark today thanks to the decision to play a two games basically back-to-back.

Since the original Saturday game was already scheduled as the national FOX game and tomorrow the teams will play the TBS national game at 1:30, it was either squeeze the makeup game in tonight or find a mutual off day later in the season they could agree on, something two teams from different leagues that hope to be in pennant races obviously wanted no part of.

So here we are, staring at the Sox playing 3 games of baseball in the next 24 hours after spending the last 2 1/2 days doing absolutely nothing.

And I thought my son's Little league schedule was bad.

In the opener Dice-K will take his perfect record to the hill and try to go 7-0; he will be opposed by original Sox drafteee Jeff Suppan. In the nightcap Tim Wakefield will try to shake off the memories of his last start (7H, 7R in 2.2inn) against someone named Mike Bush.

In Matsuzaka's last start he allowed 6 hits and 2 runs in seven innings of a 6-2 win against Minnesota a week ago today, and although he is second in the league in wins and 5th in ERA, his lack of control at times which has led him to the 3rd highest walk total (30) in the AL has been cause for concern throughout the Nation.

In other words, when is this high priced import gonna wow us with his stuff.

As for Wake he has been hot and cold this season, as most knuckleballers tend to be. On top of that last atrocious start he has allowed at least 3 earned runs in 5 of his 8 starts, but in his other three he has allowed 0, 1 and 2 runs, including his brilliant 8-inning, 2-hit shutout at Detroit 11 days ago.

In other words it's a toss up as to how this double dip is going to turn out for Boston. Dice-K could come out and toss a no-no, or he could give up a dozen walks and lose the opener. And Wake might baffle those NL hitters who aren't used to seeing a knuckler en route to a complete game gem, or Braun, Fielder, Cameron et al could pound him like chop meat before the night is over at Fenway.

But if the Rays were to lose their game at St. Louis, and the Sox could sweep today...


...then it's say hello to 1st place again time in the Hub.