Opening Day is getting closer and closer every day, and things are starting to solidify for the already-pretty-solid Sox. We've got a relatively set lineup (though Tito is hesitant to say as much), and an eviable rotation (Lester, Lackey, Buchholz, Beckett, and Matsuzaka) - the only thing in any state of flux seems to be the bullpen, but that's a topic for another day.
Today, I would like to discuss a man who is a bonafide legend not just in his hometown (most major-leaguers are) but all across his nation. Yes, this is going to be a post about Daisuke Matsuzaka, the pride of Tokyo. [I'll try to make it easier to read than he is to watch.] We'll skip over the usual hyperbole about his enigma status and jump right into the reason for this post: Sox pitching coach Curt Young thinks he may have a solution.
So what is this "solution?" Is it voodoo? Magic? Icy-Hot? According to Young (via the Boston Globe online), the secret might just be shuffling Matsuzaka's off-day workouts. In MLB, starting pitchers are on a five-man rotation, meaning they usually get four days off between starts. Matsuzaka operated with a six-man rotation back in Japan, meaning that he did his long-toss and bullpen sessions on the same day. [This seems strange at first: why do everything on one day if you have extra time? The theory seems to be that you can do a more intense workout because you have the extra day to recover.]
Since coming to the Red Sox in 2007, Matsuzaka has been doing his workouts his way, and Young thinks switching things up, with long-toss and bullpen on the second and third day after his start, respectively, could make a positive difference.
On behalf of Red Sox Nation, I have one thought to sum up the whole Matsuzaka predicament: whatever the change is, JUST DO IT [apologies to Nike]. Hopefully this change will cure him of that horrible tendency to nibble the corners instead of challenging hitters, as well as allowing him to pitch well past the fifth inning - both skills that have thus far mostly eluded Matsuzaka in Boston.
For me [and I'm guessing for many of you] the most frustrating thing about Daisuke is that he HAS been the dominating guy we thought we were getting... for Japan in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, where he went 3-0 with a 2.45 ERA and was awarded the WBC MVP Award. Great. And as I'm sure you all remember, he played in only 12 games for the red Sox that season, going 4-6 with an ERA well over 5.
Hopefully this is the year that we'll finally see that guy playing in a Red Sox uniform. Will we see the mythical gyroball? Probably not, but I'll settle for a quality season from a player who certainly has the talent.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
The Adventures of Josh 'n' Jon: Opening Day Starter Edition
In the least shocking news since the third reelection of FDR, Jon Lester has officially been named the Opening Day starter for the Boston Red Sox. As Manager Terry Francona said, after the first game, the rotation order is sort of a non-issue until the playoffs, but I'm sure it's nice for Lester to get that recognition.
In case you were concerned about 2009 and 2010 Opening Day starter Josh Beckett getting jealous, there's no need to fret; the big Texan is here to assure you that there are absolutely no hard feelings: "It's a really big honor and he should be proud of it. It's something he has earned."
How much of this is genuine, and how much is just for the press/team unity/warm fuzzies? It's difficult to say. Beckett has never been one to censor his feelings about his own performances, or even to hide his disdain when reporters ask him redundant questions. There's no doubt that he was extremely disappointed by his injury-marred 2010, and it's probably true that he believes Lester deserves it more this year.
However, that's not to say that the righthander isn't a little jealous, or even a bit bitter. Just a few years ago, Beckett was the young phenom who made fans excited with every pitch. He was a World Series Champion at a young age, just like Lester, with the added exhilaration of being a leader on a young and talented team, and then being a centerpiece of the trade that sent Hanley Ramirez to Florida.
Now, despite the shiny new contract extension Beckett inked last year, he's all but forgotten. All the press about Boston's rotation is the 1-2 punch of young guns Lester and Clay Buchholz, or the well-documented struggles of the enigmatic Daisuke Matsuzaka. I'm quite certain Josh is absolutely aching to be the big-game pitcher he was only a few years ago, with all the respect and accolades that comes with that.
I don't see this causing any discord in the clubhouse. For one, I really don't imagine Lester and Beckett to be the kinds of people who sit around and talk about their feelings - they strike me as more of the "act first, question later" types. Mostly, both pitchers (along with the rest of the staff) are too professional to let something like this affect their performance - but here's hoping Beckett uses it as motivation to return to the form he had just a few years back.
In case you were concerned about 2009 and 2010 Opening Day starter Josh Beckett getting jealous, there's no need to fret; the big Texan is here to assure you that there are absolutely no hard feelings: "It's a really big honor and he should be proud of it. It's something he has earned."
How much of this is genuine, and how much is just for the press/team unity/warm fuzzies? It's difficult to say. Beckett has never been one to censor his feelings about his own performances, or even to hide his disdain when reporters ask him redundant questions. There's no doubt that he was extremely disappointed by his injury-marred 2010, and it's probably true that he believes Lester deserves it more this year.
However, that's not to say that the righthander isn't a little jealous, or even a bit bitter. Just a few years ago, Beckett was the young phenom who made fans excited with every pitch. He was a World Series Champion at a young age, just like Lester, with the added exhilaration of being a leader on a young and talented team, and then being a centerpiece of the trade that sent Hanley Ramirez to Florida.
Now, despite the shiny new contract extension Beckett inked last year, he's all but forgotten. All the press about Boston's rotation is the 1-2 punch of young guns Lester and Clay Buchholz, or the well-documented struggles of the enigmatic Daisuke Matsuzaka. I'm quite certain Josh is absolutely aching to be the big-game pitcher he was only a few years ago, with all the respect and accolades that comes with that.
I don't see this causing any discord in the clubhouse. For one, I really don't imagine Lester and Beckett to be the kinds of people who sit around and talk about their feelings - they strike me as more of the "act first, question later" types. Mostly, both pitchers (along with the rest of the staff) are too professional to let something like this affect their performance - but here's hoping Beckett uses it as motivation to return to the form he had just a few years back.
* * *
For those of you interested in my travels, I am currently in Dakar, Senegal. There's a lot of random MLB gear around here, and sadly, much of it says "NEW YORK" on it - and it's not usually the National League team, either. So far, I've seen jerseys and/or hats for the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Rangers, and Nationals (who knows?), as well as quite a few Celtics and Lakers jerseys. I'm having a great time so far, and trying to spread Red Sox Nation across the globe.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Red Sox, wine, and charity - a perfect combination
The last time that Red Sox players partnered with Charity Wines, I had to ask my mother to buy them so that I could keep the bottles. Now, at the glorious age of twenty-one, I will proudly drive myself to the store and buy a bottle each of ChardonClay and CabernAce.
Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester are just the latest in a line of Sox stars to put out wines for charity with the aid of Longball Cellars/Charity Wines. Their predecessors include Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling,Tim Wakefield (2007), David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis (2008), Jacoby Ellsbury, and Josh Beckett (2010).
Buchholz's vino will benefit the Jimmy Fund, while the proceeds from Lester's will go to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Neither slugger will get a penny of the proceeds - they all go to charity - so there's no reason not to go out and buy a few of each (the bottles themselves are pretty cool, if you ask me).
Both varieties will be available in the New England region starting in May, after a May 5th Wine Tasting and Launch Party at the House of Blues - sorry kids, members of the media and wine community only. [Those of you living outside the geographical confines of Red Sox Nation can purchase your bottles via the Charity Wines website.]
The press release from Charity Wines contained the following information about the two charitable foundations:
The Jimmy Fund
Clay Buchholz can be untouchable, proven by the no-hitter he tossed in just his second big league start. Yet, he reaches back and connects with those in need across the community. Buchholz is a Co-Captain of the Jimmy Fund, an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, and a portion of proceeds from ChardonClay support the Jimmy Fund in the fight against cancer at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping to raise the chances of survival for children and adults with cancer locally and around the world. Cheers. Learn more at www.jimmyfund.org.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Jon Lester knows the importance of overcoming barriers in life and on the diamond. Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma, he pitched the biggest game of his life, helping his ballclub win a world championship. That's why proceeds from Jon Lester's CabernAce support Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the development of targeted immunotherapies. This pitch helps researchers maximize the body's own ability to strike out disease so lymphoma patients can win their own games in life. Learn more at www.fhcrc.org.
[Thanks to Charity Wines for emailing me the press release!]
Clay Buchholz and Jon Lester are just the latest in a line of Sox stars to put out wines for charity with the aid of Longball Cellars/Charity Wines. Their predecessors include Manny Ramirez, Curt Schilling,Tim Wakefield (2007), David Ortiz, Jason Varitek, Kevin Youkilis (2008), Jacoby Ellsbury, and Josh Beckett (2010).Buchholz's vino will benefit the Jimmy Fund, while the proceeds from Lester's will go to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. Neither slugger will get a penny of the proceeds - they all go to charity - so there's no reason not to go out and buy a few of each (the bottles themselves are pretty cool, if you ask me).
Both varieties will be available in the New England region starting in May, after a May 5th Wine Tasting and Launch Party at the House of Blues - sorry kids, members of the media and wine community only. [Those of you living outside the geographical confines of Red Sox Nation can purchase your bottles via the Charity Wines website.]
The press release from Charity Wines contained the following information about the two charitable foundations:
The Jimmy Fund
Clay Buchholz can be untouchable, proven by the no-hitter he tossed in just his second big league start. Yet, he reaches back and connects with those in need across the community. Buchholz is a Co-Captain of the Jimmy Fund, an official charity of the Boston Red Sox, and a portion of proceeds from ChardonClay support the Jimmy Fund in the fight against cancer at Boston's Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, helping to raise the chances of survival for children and adults with cancer locally and around the world. Cheers. Learn more at www.jimmyfund.org.
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
Jon Lester knows the importance of overcoming barriers in life and on the diamond. Less than two years after being diagnosed with lymphoma, he pitched the biggest game of his life, helping his ballclub win a world championship. That's why proceeds from Jon Lester's CabernAce support Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the development of targeted immunotherapies. This pitch helps researchers maximize the body's own ability to strike out disease so lymphoma patients can win their own games in life. Learn more at www.fhcrc.org.
[Thanks to Charity Wines for emailing me the press release!]
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
