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.

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Game Preview: BoSox @ ChiSox GM2 (today!)

Schilling (7-5, 4.25) vs. Danks (6-11, 5.30)
US Cellular Field 811EST

Wow, seems like I just got done wrapping up the last game.

Oh, that's because I did, literally just minutes ago, and here we are just about 20 minutes from starting Game 2 of this delayed double header in Chitown.

As the teams try and recover from that 4-hour, 24-hit, 14-run marathon of an opening game, us bloggers will try and remember what game we are writing about and what's on tap for the next game.

The one thing I'm sure of is that Curt Schilling will be trying to put the inconsistent ways that have plagued him since his return from the DL behind him when he takes the mound for his 4th post-injury start.

In the other three he has allowed 22 hits and 9 earned runs in 18 innings of work (4.50ERA), and although he has not walked a batter, he has apparently lost some velocity from his fastball, forcing him into some sticky situations.

At least his mound opponent has been equally erratic. John Danks has been shelled in his last 4 starts, allowing 27 hits and 18 runs over 19.1 innings, and surrendering 6 home runs during that stretch.

So the sox have a decnt shot at a sweep if the rains hold off and Schill holds up.

If not at least the Pats are on CBS tonight, so the PIP will be busy either way, and if Schill gets shelled, it'll be time to play "Name that patriot" as the scrubs compete for jobs late in that contest.

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BoSox/ChiSox: lets...play...two?

GM1 210EST Beckett (15-5) vs. Garland(8-9)
GM2 810EST Schilling (8-6) vs. Danks (5-11)

The two teams are preparing as if they will play a day/night doubleheader today.

Mother Nature might say otherwise.

After a rash of brutal storms pounded the Chicago area last night, causing widespread power outages, property damage and dumping several inches of rain in many parts of the city, today's proposed doubleheader may be in jeopardy as well.

The forecast is calling for a 90% chance of more storms today, possibly not until later this evening, which might allow the teams to play at least this afternoon's contest but would put the nightcap in jeopardy.

Any further cancellations would cause a serious scheduling conflict due to the fact that tomorrow's game is locked in to the 3:55 start time to be broadcast nationally on FOX, so that rules out a twinbill tomorrow, and Sunday is the last game of the series before the Red Sox head to NYC and the White Sox travel to Texas.

Needless to say neither team wants to play a double header on getaway day.

That would leave the only mutual off day the teams have left this season-Sept 24th-to squeeze the game in. Once again needless to say neither team wants to use a valued late-season off day to make up what could be a meaningless game, especially for the Pale Hose.

Another aggravation that would come with another postponement is the disruption of the rotation.

As of now the Sox will keep its starters intact for this series, which sets up the Big Three of Beckett, Schill & Dice-K to throw in the Stankees series.

But if games get ppd'd, the rotation gets fucked up and we could end up with a nightmare like Tavarez starting at the Stadium in a game with huge playoff implications, a thought that sends chills up the spine of every Nation member.

So all we can do is look to the sky and pray for a parting of the precipitation so the Sox can play their second consecutive Friday doubleheader.

And pray that we don't have to see Julie on the mound in the Bronx.

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Game Preview: Angeles @ Sox GM1

Lackey (15-6) vs. Buchholz (NR)
Fenway Park 105

I spent all my time last night (this morning) analyzing the first two games of this series only to later discover that the pitching matchups I crowed on & on about were not going to happen.

Turns out Mike Scioscia didn't want to throw Lackey opposite Beckett in the nightcap, supposedly because Lackey got to town yesterday and he didn't want him sitting around all day before pitching, but we all know the real reason he switched 'em up:

so he could have his ace go up against the new kid on the block, Sox rookie Clay Buchholz.

At first I was pissed when I learned of this development, but after a night's sleep I realized it was probably the smart thing for Scioscia to do.

Even if it was a chickenshit move.

But really what better time to put your ace on the hill than when a rookie is making his fist major league start for the other team?

I mean Buchholz is going to be nervous enough already, pitching for the best team in baseball in the middle of a pennant race at Fenway and facing the second best team in the majors, so why not add to his nausea by having one of the leading Cy Young candidates in the AL oppose him?

This way the Angels have a much better chance at a split, where before Earvin Santana most likely would have lost the opener and then you run the risk of your ace losing to our ace in the nightcap.

Smart move, Scioscia.

God I hate that guy.

Other news swirling around the park, via the Globe, include the impending trade/demotion of Whiffy Mo Painful, which must be decided before game time so they can activate Buchholz; the fact that Mirabelli, not Tek, will serve as the kid's catcher, saving Captain Clutch for the night game; and the impending return of Jacoby Speedy Ellsbury for Game 2, which also will prompt the return of Buchholz back to Pawtucket.

A busy day at Fenway to be sure, and hopefully one that will end with two wins for Boston, one from the kid with the Beckett-like potential and one by the real deal himself.

Combined with the addition by subtraction of Wily Mo and the return of the promising young Ellsbury and this could be a banner day in the 2007 season for the Bosox.

Either that or a total fucking disaster!

Go Sox!

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Series Preview: Angels @ Sox

LA Angels of Anaheim (70-49) @ Red Sox (72-48)
4 Game Series at Fenway Park

Season Series: Sox lead, 4-2

Probable Pitching Matchups:
GM1 Fri 105 Santana (5-11, 6.22) vs. Buchholz (NR)
GM2 Fri 705 Lackey (15-6, 3.07) vs. Beckett (15-5, 3.24)
GM3 Sat 705 Weaver (8-5, 3.85) vs. Schilling (6-5, 4.06)
GM4 Sun 205 Saunders (6-1, 3.50) vs. Wakefield (14-10, 4.55)

Keep an Eye On: Clay Buchholz 8-3, 2.15ERA in AA 7 AAA
Boston's prized pitching prospect makes his major league debut in the first game of the doubleheader. The 6' 3", 23-year-old righty has struck out 164 batters in 117 minor league innings this season while allowing just 78 hits, 28 earned runs and 30 walks. He's the guy every team wanted Boston to include in deadline deals, so here's your chance to see why they were reluctant to part with the 2005 first rounder.

Preview:
Let's play two!

Normally Ernie Banks' old adage is embraced by baseball fans throughout the Nation, but when the opposing team happens to be the one breathing down your team's neck for the best record in baseball, and just tuned your club up pretty good a week ago out West, well the enthusiasm might be dampened a bit.

I'm sure that won't be the case for Boston's starter for Game 1 this afternoon in the makeup game of an April 15th rainout.

Clay Buchholz will make his major league debut in order to fill the gap in the rotation due to the twin bill, but also possibly to provide a spark for a stagnant club that has gone just 19-15 since the break.

Buchholz, the 42nd pick in the 2005 draft out of a Texas JuCo, is a hard-throwing strikeout artist who has racked up an incredible 13Ks/9 innings in his 22 minor league starts the last two seasons, an eye-popping stat that made him one of Boston's most sought-after commodities at the trading deadline.

But Theo was determined not to let this hot prospect walk for a rent-a-player like Jermaine Dye, and today we get to find out why.

Obviously we have to reserve judgement on the kid because he will be facing one of the toughest teams in the majors, but this start is more about what kind of makeup he has, see if he can handle the pressure, and if he somehow turns in a stellar performance, maybe it will rub off on the rest of the team.

The good thing is that his mound opponent will be the worst hurler the Angles will throw at the Sox in the series, former phenom-turned-bust Earvin Santana.

After posting a 28-16 record in his first two season, Santana has been plagued by wildness (136 hits, 82 runs in 110 innings) and ineffectiveness all season, causing him to be sent to the minors

The other good thing about Santana starting: he's 1-9 with an 8.79 ERA on the road this year, and batters are tuning him up at a .341 clip away from the Mouse House.

After that afternoon appetizer, the nightcap promises to be a dandy: two of the leading candidates for the AL Cy Young squaring off in a Friday evening game at Fenway.

Josh Beckett and John Lackey are both neck & neck in the league in the major pitching categories, tied for 1st in wins, and 5th (Lackey) and 7th (Becks) in ERA.

This one has all the makings of a classic pitchers duel, especially the way Beckett has pitched lately; he came within one strike of a complete game shutout Saturday in Baltimore and has won his last two starts after dropping four of his last six decisions.

So fire up the DVR for what should be a scintillating day & night of baseball at the Fens.

You especially might want to set it for Game 1, as word from the Boston brass is that Buchholz will be sent back down after the opener to make room on the roster for outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, as a trade of Whiffy Mo Painful is expected to go down sometime before the long day is over.

Should be a good day of baseball, as long as the Sox avenge the beatdown the Angles laid on them in those first two games of that series last week.

**UPDATE: Angels manager Mike Scioscia decided to switch the starters and pit Lackey against Buchholzin the opener and save Santana for the nightcap against Beckett. What a chickenshit move! Now the kid has to go up against one of the best pitcher's in the league in his ML debut. Fuck you, Scioscia! They'll kill him anyway! **

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