Daisuke Matsuzaka

Last I updated, I mentioned Lowrie had to exit a rehab game early.  Fortunately for Lowrie, this wasn’t a setback.  However, yesterday word came out that Dice-K was going to be on the DL for longer than 15 days.  While we may have already known that, I don’t think any of us were expecting him to be on there for as long September 1st. 

Continue reading "Lowell Goes on the DL – Dice-K ..."

I honestly feel bad for Matsuzaka.  He was placed on the DL, had a terrible start to the season, got booed in his last outing, and now back on the DL.  Personally I don’t think he deserved getting booed.  There was clearly something wrong, booing him isn’t going to help. 

Continue reading "Dice-K is OK in My Book"

Dear Readers (all five of you):

I've been active on my other blog at www.fannation.com, under the username JFro, but I continually forget to publish those posts here. That said, the next five posts should be considered my belated MLB preseason predictions -- a preview, of sorts. There's the top five infields, outfields, bullpens, and starting rotations, and of course The Big Kahuna:

Continue reading "Note about forthcoming posts"

e dark cloud that’s settled over Anaheim this October.  On Friday, the Red Sox will send Daisuke Matsuzaka to the mound, who has been nothing short of brilliant this year after an up and down rookie campaign in 2007.  Matsuzaka is 18-3 this year with a 2.90 ERA and has held opposing batters to an impressive .211 batting average against him.  On the road, Daisuke has been even better, going 9-0 while posting a 2.37 ERA and holding opposing batters to a paltry .178 average and a WHIP of 1.15.  Though Daisuke struggled mightily against Anaheim during the regular season (so did the Sox, losing eight times to the Angels and only beating them once), I still like the Sox’ chances for another victory on Friday.  And with Beckett on track to pitch game three at home, I get the feeling that the 2008 ALDS will go much like 2007 and 2004, with some convincing Red Sox victories and a berth into the ALCS to face off against the Yankees Rays (that still doesn’t sound right).

Continue reading "Same as it Ever Was"

I went to Fenway for the first time in a dog's age the other night and watched the Sox lose to Cleveland on a series of Jed Lowrie missed-opportunities. While the outcome was unfavorable, Fenway has not lost any of its charms or ambiance. Allow me to paint a quick sketch, if you will..

Continue reading "Thoughts on Fenway..."

David Ortiz 2 run homerun, his 22nd, despite the fact that he missed 6 weeks with a wrist injury

Daisuke Matsuzaka was brilliant for the Sox. He kept the pitch count low, 106 over 7 innings, allowing him to go deep into the ball game. He only allowed 2 hits, 2 walks, and had really only one messy inning, the 2nd, where he allowed a man to reach 3rd, in what was at the time a slim 1-0 Red Sox lead. Hideki Okajima threw a shutout inning from the bullpen, as did Jonathan Papelbon for the save, his 40th, already a career high. Daisuke moved to 18-2 on the season, with a 2.80 ERA, as well as moving to 9-0 on the road.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/21 (2nd time's the ..."

Paul Byrd, Jon Lester, and Daisuke Matsuzaka will go in that order for the Sox. After that it's 4 at home against Cleveland and 3 at home against the Yankees and that's it before the playoffs,

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/18"

This was brought up last night during the Red Sox broadcast by Joe Castiglione and Dave O’Brian (680 AM – WRKO).  Castiglione said that this was definitely a possibility, and I can’t say that it’s out of the question.  On Monday night’s pregame show (also on WRKO) Hale spoke to Castiglione, saying that Managing was certainly one of his long time goals that he hopes to achieve. 

Continue reading "DeMarlo Hale - Future Brewers Manager? ..."

layed the Rays today in what was the first game of the last series of the season between these two. Daisuke Matsuzaka started today against Scott Kazmir in Tampa, where the Red Sox are yet to win this season. If the Red Sox were to win tonight they would move into a virtual tie with the Rays, who they have trailed since late July.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/15"

Lost in the shuffle of Matt Cassel beating Brett Favre in the most hyped Week 2 game in years around these parts on Sunday afternoon, Jon Lester continued his march toward becoming a truly elite pitcher by outdueling a man largely respected as perhaps the best hurler in the AL, in a game the Sox needed to have. Any question marks that surrounded Lester at the All-Star break have been officially converted into exclamation points. In fact, pencil him in for Game 2 right now - it doesn't matter who we are playing or what Daisuke's record ends up being ... Lester's earned the spot right behind Beckett in the playoff rotation.

Continue reading "Q & A ... well, at least some Qs"

The Angels have the Majors' best record.

The Red Sox send Daisuke Matsuzaka to the mound on Monday to face Scott Kazmir, a rematch of Tuesday's game between the 2. Game 2 will be on Tuesday a

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/14"

Two excellent pitchers took the mound, Daisuke Matsuzaka for the Red Sox and Scott Kazmir for the Rays. The game was as you might expect a game between two teams of this caliber to be, close and entertaining throughout.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/9"

a chance to overtake them tomorrow.

Tomorrow's pitching matchup should be equally as good as 16-2 Daisuke Matsuzaka goes against Scot Kazmir, who is among the AL strikeout leaders. That game has a 7:05 Eastern time start.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/8"

Game 2 features Daisuke Matsuzaka (16-2) against Scott Kazmir (11-6), while game 3 has Josh Beckett (12-9) scheduled for the Sox against the Rays' Andy Sonnanstine (13-7).

As for injuries, th

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/7"

The bullpen as a whole was great throwing 3 shutout innings in relief of Daisuke Matsuzaka. However, this win was a team effort. Everyone who played for the Sox helped the team’s cause. It is wins like this, playing as a team and coming from behind, that can really inspire a team. This was a great win.

Continue reading "Red Sox Report 9/3"

“What a game!”

Keep the Faith.

Post game notes:

-Daisuke Matsuzaka:  Dice-K absolutely dominated the White Sox offense tonight: 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K.  Can’t ask for anything more than that.  It has to be one of the best outings of his career.  Incredible job tonight by Dice-K. 

Continue reading "“What a game!”"

I can’t say that I’m happy about what’s been going on with the Sox lately, but I will say this – it’s going to be a very exciting September. 

Okay, well September is usually an exciting month for baseball.  But last year we weren’t so injury ridden as we are now.  This year we are.  But that doesn’t mean we’re not a great team.  We have Justin Masterson and Chris Smith as new additions to the bullpen.  We have Jeff Bailey as a recent call up, who has helped out Sean Casey and Alex Cora with the utility work.  As for our regulars, the Captain seems to be hitting to usual ways, and Ellsbury is over 40 steals. 

Continue reading "Despite all our injuries, Red Sox Nation believes"

Until then, I'm going to appreciate the 2008 Daisuke Matsuzaka the way he is.

Does anyone else get emotional watching those Red Sox Nation commercials? Hahaha. Here, autographs end with K.

Continue reading "Houdini Matsuzaka"

cored two more runs in the Top of the 9th and Paps locked it down in the 9th for the W.

Hopefully Daisuke Matsuzaka can continue his great season tonight, with limited walks. If he doesn't wa

Continue reading "Lester, our ace"

.  It also gives Coco some more playing time, which I’m sure he appreciates. 

-Daisuke Matsuzaka:  The Rem Dawg calls him “Houdini,” and last night in the

Continue reading "Sox sweep the Texas Rangers, who ..."

In two days we've seen a total of 27 runs and 29 hits.. by just one team. What do we attribute this to? The Red Sox have finally found the perfect offensive line up? Yes, just about as perfect as Alicia Sacramone's beam and floor routine last night.  The Rangers' horrible pitching? I'm sure it deserves some credit. Hitter friendly Fenway Park? We all know what the Sox are capable of at their home field.

Continue reading "Helloooo Offense!"

Below is the original blog I wrote about last night's game.  Upon finishing the blog, I learned some disturbing news about Tim Wakefield.  I thought I'd share that first:

“Tim Wakefield has been scratched from his scheduled start on Tuesday with tightness in the back of his shoulder, the same injury that kept him off the World Series roster. Wakefield has already been sent back to Boston, where he'll be examined by Dr. Thomas Gill.

Continue reading "Dice-K dominates, but Wakefield goes to the DL..."

After paying nearly sixty million dollars just to speak to Daisuke Matsuzaka, the question that should be asked: has the pricey conversation worked out?   

In the first season of Mr. Matsuzaka’s season with the Red Sox, it did not go as well as people hoped.  Boasting a 15-12 record, 4.40 ERA and zero shut outs, the Red Sox fans, or maybe myself, had questioned this deal.   However, after seeing the gyro ball thrower play an amazing post-season, I had a feeling that he would be one of the top starters in the American League for the 2009 season.  So far, I’ve been correct in that prediction.   

Continue reading "Has Dice-K Boded Well?"

Remember last postseason when Josh Beckett was making three of the best teams in Major League Baseball look like the Bad News Bears? It was right about then everyone anointed him the anchor of the Boston pitching staff and forecasted a shelf or two full of Cy Young trophies.

Continue reading "Ladies and Gentlemen, Jon Lester ..."

Daisuke Matsuzaka is now 5-0 with an ERA well under 3 this season.  He's been making great pitches and has clearly given the Sox a chance to win every time he takes the hill.  I am very pleased with the strides he has taken this year, but can't help but notice some of the ridiculous statistics he has.

Continue reading "Daisuke's Season So Far"

nbsp;It is still April and the Sox have been the walking wounded with David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, and Daisuke Matsuzaka out with injuries. These injuries will pass just like the Old Towne Team's losing streak. Let's be patient and not worry just yet

Continue reading "Injury-Riddled Red Sox lose again"

nbsp;It is still April and the Sox have been the walking wounded with David Ortiz, Mike Lowell, and Daisuke Matsuzaka out with injuries. These injuries will pass just like the Old Towne Team's losing streak.

Continue reading "Injury Ridden Red Sox lose again"

itters until his first start in Toronto and is essentially a couple of weeks behind everybody else. Daisuke Matsuzaka has looked much more comfortable so far this season and leads the league in strikeouts, but nonetheless needs to cut down on the walks and challenge hitters more. The key to the rotation at this point seems to be whether or not Jon Lester will be able to step up and become the top tier pitcher Boston expects him to be.

Continue reading "Red Sox Should Feel Good About The Season So Far"

I was so looking forward to watching the Boston Red Sox battle the Oakland As in Japan in what is the earliest opening season game in MLB history and figured that down here in North Carolina, I'd be less apt to hear about the score before I was able to watch a replay later in the day (I'm a fan, but 6 a.m. is just insane). Anyway, I stepped in to talk to my significant other around 9 a.m. and first thing, she tells me that according to Regis Philbin, the score is 4-4. Less than two hours later, I get an e-mail from a Sox fan down here, who tells me that they won, 6-5 in 10 innings. . . Grrrrrrr!

Continue reading "As I watch. . .the Boston Red Sox ..."

ns to the level to which we have become accustomed?

What Can We Expect From Dice-K This Season?

Daisuke Matsuzaka’s 2007 season was met with mixed reviews. On the one hand, he won 15 games, threw 204 innings and struck out 201 batters. At times he looked dominant and had opposing hitters completely overmatched. He finished the year with a mediocre 4.40 ERA and walked 88 batters. September was especially brutal as he posted an ERA over 7.00. His control at times was erratic and walks came in bunches and led to big innings. There is no doubt that last year was full of adjustments for Dice-K especially adapting to a new culture as well as American League hitters. Josh Beckett also struggled his first year in the American League but he made adjustments the second time around and was one of the most dominant pitchers in the game last season. If Dice-K can similarly adjust and cut down on the walks, Boston will have an absolutely lethal 1-2 punch at the top of their rotation.

Continue reading "Boston Red Sox Spring Training Stories To Follow"

Dice-K (Daisuke Matsuzaka) didn't have the 'super season' that management expected when they paid all those millions; first, just for the right to talk to him and then, with his contract, but he did end up winning 15 games and getting those 201 strikeouts. Expect him to have gotten over his 'cultural' adjustments and improve on that record. Then there's Schilling, who's heading into the proverbial twilight of his career (he's said that he'll retire after this season, but can you say 'Clemens'?). He seems to have figured out how to make adjustments that continue to make him a threat to opposing batters. And knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who won two more games than Dice-K last year, will be back. Rumors are that he'll play until he's about 65. There'll be a struggle for the fifth position in the rotation with lefty Jon Lester and right-hander Clay Buchholz leading the pack.

Continue reading "Getting closer"