Matsuzaka, Tazawa On Kikuchi-To-MLB Possibility

Posted by Adam Hart October 17, 2009 at 5:17 pm

As NPB teams court Japanese high school pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, 18, prior to the upcoming NPB Draft, two Red Sox pitchers share their thoughts on Kikuchi potentially jumping to an MLB organization. Read more

Daisuke Not Too Shabby

Posted by Adam Hart September 16, 2009 at 6:20 am

We’ve heard it for a month: “You can’t expect anything from Daisuke when he returns because he was terrible earlier this year, blah blah blah.” Well, he wasn’t terrible last night. Read more

Awesome vs Not-Awesome

Posted by Adam Hart June 22, 2009 at 1:05 am

Father’s Day edition. Let’s get this battle brewing. Read more

Matsuzaka Gets 15

Posted by Adam Hart June 21, 2009 at 12:52 pm

…Days on the Disabled List. “Right shoulder weakness” is the culprit. Read more

Matsuzaka Skipping Next Start

Posted by Adam Hart June 20, 2009 at 4:47 pm

Friend of the program Mike Petraglia reported as much on WEEI.com. This solves the rotation logjam, for at least a week. Read more

2 For The Price Of 1

Posted by Adam Hart June 7, 2009 at 11:17 pm

No, this isn’t a sale at Kohl’s. Or something you’d find in the inappropriate section on Craigslist. It’s Mike Giardi and Joe Haggerty breaking down Daisuke Matsuzaka AND the Phil Kessel situation. Read more

A Question of Tazawa Fall Out

Posted by Adam Hart December 6, 2008 at 11:39 pm

Junichi Tazawa has officially signed with the Red Sox. We have reported on this extensively. But one question remains — will there be future complications? Read more

Matsuzaka Magnificent

Posted by Mike Giardi October 10, 2008 at 11:34 pm

I’ll admit it. I had Daisuke Matsuzaka lasting no more than 5.1 IPs. But after getting the nod in Game One of the ALCS, the Japanese import delivers arguably his best performance of the season in what is – up to now – his biggest game. He no-hits the Rays through 6, then gets out of a first-and-third, no out jam in the 7th. All three outs coming on his 2-seam fastball, which is not a pitch that Matsuzaka tends to have overwhelming confidence in. But he rolled through Dioner Navarro (shallow fly ball to left), Gabe Gross on a ball at the knees, then Jason Bartlett on an easy grounder to short to preserve a 1-0 Sox.

 

Lester and Dice, then not-so-nice?

Posted by Chris Collins September 29, 2008 at 10:23 pm

So, Josh Beckett has to get pushed back to Game 3 of the ALDS.

On the surface, the back up plan (Jon Lester) is one heck of a back up plan. Ever since Theo put his stamp on the Red Sox they have been set up to win short series – that’s how you win world titles.

And today, the Red Sox have the best front line pitching in baseball. They have the best #2 starter and the best #3 starter in Lester and Matsuzaka, and even though Josh Beckett has been just a shell of his ‘07 self, when the weather cools off Beckett heats up.

If he can pitch.

No matter how you spin it, to have to push back a big game pitcher of the magnitude of Josh Beckett is a terrible way to start the post season. Winning is tough enough — trying to win without your ace healthy is nearly impossible. So the next couple of days are huge. The Sox need to get Beckett back and healthy, and if they don’t, despite a great number two and three in Lester and Daisuke, no Beckett means no back-to-back.

Gabe’s Good Day

Posted by Mike Giardi August 10, 2008 at 10:32 pm

The Sox brass was unhappy that Gabe Kapler did a one and done as their Single-A Greenville skipper, but the Milwaukee Brewers aren’t, especially tonight. Kapler was one of the most genuine, well-spoken people I have ever encountered, in any sport, on any level. I, and a lot of others who covered him in this market, are happy for any success he finds.

Okay, enough with the oooey-gooey stuff…here’s some real deep digging on the failures of Clay Buchholz. Interesting breakdown on the rookie righty since his complete-game effort against the Rays.

• Brian Giles took quite a beating in these here parts for nixing a possible waiver-wire deal to the Sox. I actually applaud the decision. Hey, if we’ve learned anything over the years, its that guys who don’t want to be here don’t play well here. Edgar Renteria tried to talk himself into liking it in Boston. How’d that work out for him, or the Sox? They’re still paying a piece of that guy’s salary.
• Great take by the world-famous Denton (of “Surviving Grady“) on Daisuke Matsuzaka.  The opening two graphs tell the tale. He writes: “Remember the hype? The controversy over the $51 million spent just to talk to the guy? Next came the hushed whispers of the secret pitch, the so-called “gyro ball.” By the time Daisuke Matsuzaka threw his first pitch, I was expecting him to be decked out in full Ninja gear (with the required red “B” of course) and doing some crazy Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon shit on the mound. What we got was a sometimes-brilliant-sometimes-shaky, third starter who threw a lot of pitches and exited games too early.In his second season as a Major Leaguer, Dice-K continues to be inconsistent, but less inconsistent. In his last eight starts, he has given up just 12 earned runs, half of those in a single start against the Angels. In three of his last six starts, he’s pitched into the eighth inning. He continues to walk too many batters, but the walks seldom hurt him as his razor-thin 2.90 ERA shows.”
• My admiration for Dustin Pedroia the baseball player has no bounds. The 29-game road hitting streak…the better than advertised defense…the ability to have a good at bat, no matter what the situation. This group of second basemen, with Pedroia, Ian Kinsler, Chase Utley and Dan Uggla front and center, is as good as I ever remember. And I remember when this guy was just a punch-and-judy hitter, not the multi-media star he’s become.
• I’d love to post something from Bernie Mac, who left of us at the age of 50. But this being a family site, I couldn’t do the legendary comedian justice.
   

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