Bird Watching: Sox-O's Gamer XV

It's time to jump in a taxi
For Thirty-third Street
Knowing I'll be watching those 'Birds' go,
Watching Weaver's Show

After waving goodbye to the Jays and Fenway, the Sox find themselves at Oriole Park in Camden Yards for a four-game road trip.  Tim Wakefield missed has last start due to a sore back, resulting in a chance for Clay Bucholz to start, and we all remember how that turned out.  Now Wake returns to action, riding a three-game winning streak in which he pitched 22 innings and didn't allow a run.  At 16-10, he is not only pitching for a share of the major-league win lead, but also to record a decision in each of his 27 starts, a feat not accomplished since Jack McDowell did so with the White Sox in 1993.

Garrett Olson has had the misfortune of facing Boston twice already this season.  He's allowed six runs in just over 10 innings, taking the loss in each outing.  Boston holds the season series lead, nine games to five.  Lineups follow, comment away.

Boston
J. Lugo	ss	.239
D. Pedroia	2b	.329
D. Ortiz	dh	.317
M. Lowell	3b	.329
K. Youkilis	1b	.288
B. Kielty	lf	.262
J.D. Drew	rf	.254
C. Crisp	cf	.266
D. Mirabelli	c	.212
T. Wakefield	rhp	4.16
Baltimore
B. Roberts	2b	.298
C. Patterson	cf	.269
N. Markakis	rf	.294
M. Tejada	ss	.307
K. Millar	1b	.262
A. Huff	dh	.273
M. Mora	3b	.266
R. Hernandez	c	.245
J. Payton	lf	.255
G. Olson	lhp	7.22

Comments

[Rob]

Throwback uniforms tonight

[Rob]

Looks like the ChiSox are the only ones doing it.

[Devine]

Lugo chops to 3rd. Out.

[Devine]

Pedroia flies to center.

[Devine]

4 pitches (I think) as Ortiz flies to left.

[Rob]

Damn quick inning. Sox showed no patience letting Olson off the hook quickly.

[stuck working]

6 pitches, Devine. WTF?

[Rob]

Leadoff guy on, steals second. This is not starting well.

[Devine]

Nah, there's 1 out. Still not great or anything.

[SF]

Shaky Wake in full effect - walk follows the hit/steal. I hate watching this version.

[Rob]

Wakefield scoreless streak is all over.

[Devine]

Sh*t. 1-0 on Tejada's single.

[SF]

Gah. This could be over fast...

I tuned in at 712 an the Orioles were already up -- what, did the Sox see three pitches in the first?

[stuck working]

A question: I have Gameday up and it appears that the box marking the strike zone is gone (presumably because it so often conflicted with what the umpire called). When did this happen??

Apologies if this came up in another thread I missed.

[SF]

Checked the thread - six pitches. Nice job, guys!

[SF]

Wake has zero control tonight. Bases about to be full, if the 3-0 fastball isn't crushed.

[Rob]

yuck...Wake looking very rusty.

[SF]

Nope, a 3-0 knuckler loads them. OK, we have " brutally nwatchable" Wake pitching, so I am going to take advantage and go make some dinner.

[Devine]

Eeeeeeeeeeeek!

[SF]

If Wake keeps putting guys on at this pace, we won't have to worry about that decision steak ending!

[no sleep til brooklyn SF]

Thank goodness Wake's out of there with the one run.

[SF]

streak, not steak. Steak is for eating.

[Devine]

Grounder to 2nd. Okay, people, runs, runs, runs.

[stuck working]

I'm almost as excited about the 4-pitch at-bat from Youk as I am the single, here.

[Devine]

We got nothin' thus far.

[stuck working]

Brian Roberts' at-bat longer than the Sox's half-innings.

[Devine]

1-2-3 2nd for Wake, though not completely in control the entire time (went to 3-1 on first batter, full count on third).

[Devine]

Crisp singles to right.

[Devine]

Mirabelli singles...and possibly injures himself (again) as he limps close to 1st. Crisp to 3rd.

[Devine]

Mirabelli's sticking in the game, apparently.

[Devine]

Lugo singles! Tie game, runners at 1st and 2nd, none out.

[Devine]

Mirabelli leaving game. Clayton pinch-running.

[Atheose]

Lugo keeps it going. The bottom 3 coming through this inning.

[Devine]

Pedroia hits it to the pitcher...instead of throwing to 3rd (he saw Clayton headed back toward 2nd), Olson throws to 1st. Millar, instead of throwing for an easy out at 2nd, throws to 3rd and is late. So it's 2nd and 3rd, 1 out for the Sox.

[Devine]

Wow...Olson has done a couple of dumb things here. He throws to 1st instead of heading for Clayton, who would have been caught halfway between 3rd and home. The Orioles announcers are, rightfully, pretty disgusted.

[Atheose]

And then Ortiz grounds out, pitcher to 1st base. Clayton scores, Lugo to 3rd.

[Hudson]

And Garret Olson muffs another play, letting Clayton (WHO?) score and throwing instead to get Papi at first.

[Devine]

Fairly long flyout for Lowell. 2-1 Sox.

[Dionysus]

I dont think Ive ever heard the Os annoucner so sickened. Thos were to crappy crappy plays

[Devine]

Clayton is a backup infielder. They got him in late August, I think. Can't remember if he was DFAed by another team or something.

[Devine]

Markakis doubles with 1 out.

[Hudson]

Lowell takes one for the ride but Jay Payton nabs it. Inning over, the Sox get a couple of cheap runs. (I'll take it.)

[Hudson]

Maybe Clayton is the PTBNL they got for WMP?

[Devine]

Tejada flies to center. 2 out, runner on 2nd.

[stuck working]

Diamondbacks 1B Chris Carter was the PTBNL, Hudson. Sadly, he wasn't a Sept call-up. Woulda been fun to see him.

[Hudson]

Ach, Millah homers, 3-2 O's.

[Devine]

Millar homers. Booooooooooo. 3-2 O's. Time to go home and hope the score changes in the meantime.

[Atheose]

Cowboy hits a 0-2 homerun, 3-2 O-birds.

[no sleep til brooklyn SF]

Millar- Red Sox killer.

[Hudson]

Now Huff doubles. The time off did not serve Wakes well.

[Hudson]

(What is the point of having a TypeKey if you still have to respond to the spam challenge thingy every time you post?)

[Hudson]

And Mora drives Huff home with a single. Jeepers.

[Hudson]

I'm thinking like Grady Little here, but I hope they give Wakes a chance to get out of this inning, and for the lineup to give him a lead back.

[Hudson]

Mora steals second.

[Hudson]

Wakes gets a ground-out to end the carnage.

[Hudson]

Youks leads off with a walk.

Olson walks Drew, and then the runners advance on a wild pitch. This kid is a mess, the Sox can't let the Orioles get a win with him tonight.

[Rob]

COCO!!!

[no sleep til brooklyn SF]

Coco goes boom?

COCO GOES BOOM!! :D

[Hudson]

COCO! LONG BALL! 5-4 Sox, and Wakes is back in line for a win!

[Hudson]

Wheeeeee.

[rootbeerfloat]

Where's Atheose???? GOD BLESS COCO!

[Hudson]

(I can't tell if there are just the usual raft of Sox fans in Baltimore, or if the O's fans are getting p!ssed off.)

[Hudson]

Cash Ks. 2 gone.

[Atheose]

GOD BLESS COCO!

[Hudson]

Is Clay available in relief?

[Hudson]

Olson out. Julian Tavarez's adult film sidekick Rocky Cherry coming in for Baltimore.

[Atheose]

Sorry for being late everyone... cooking up some grub. Who got injured? Garrett Olson?

[Hudson]

JLug pops out to end the inning.

[Hudson]

Yeah, Olson came out, for whatever reason.

[Hudson]

With Wakefield struggling, isn't this potentially an ideal time for a long relief appearance by Buchholz?

[Atheose]

Hudson,

I think I read an article somewhere about how Buchholz would be used a lot like Joba, only 1 inning at a time. Can't back that up, though.

[Hudson]

Two fly-outs for Wakes. Is he settling down?

[Hudson]

>>>I think I read an article somewhere about how Buchholz would be used a lot like Joba, only 1 inning at a time. Can't back that up, though.

How can he go from throwing 9 complete innings in a row to only being able to throw one occasional inning in relief? Take off the kid gloves.

[Hudson]

Redman single to right with two outs.

[Atheose]

How can he go from throwing 9 complete innings in a row to only being able to throw one occasional inning in relief?

Because this kid has enormous potential--at the rate he's going right now (a no-hitter every 2 starts) he's going to retire with over 100 no-hitters. You gotta be careful with a kid like that!

In all seriousness though, they want to make sure he adjusts slowly to the bullpen. After last week's no-no, I think we can all agree we don't want to take any chances with this kid.

[Hudson]

Bleccch, Markakis doubles Redman home, tie game. Miggy batting.

[Rob]

The Sox brass is trying to keep Buchholz from throwing moer than X (can't remember the amount) innings.

If her were to be used in a emergency starter slot, he would be supposedly limited to 80 pitches.

[SF]

enough of Wake - he has NOTHING. Get him out, Grady, er, Tito.

[stuck working]

I'm guessing this is the game where Wake finally gets no decision. Yuck.

[Hudson]

>>>After last week's no-no, I think we can all agree we don't want to take any chances with this kid.

I just don't see how 2-3 innings is "taking a chance with this kid." Wasn't he starting in AAA?

Honestly, it's pathetic how we baby pitchers nowadays.

How on earth did Luis Tiant throw 187 -- 187! -- complete games over 19 years? He was hardly a fitness freak. Just one example among many.

- - - - - - -

Now Miggy singles home Markakis, Wakes is coming out for Snyder. Dammit.

[Atheose]

Wake gets pulled. Either he'll get a loss (I hope not) or he'll get a no-decision. Damnit.

[SF]

thanks,Tito.

[Atheose]

You may be right Hudson, but why take the chance? Different people react differently to different situations, especially when you begin to stretch someone's max IP during a year. I don't mind erring on the side of caution with a 23 year old who has his entire career ahead of him, rather than using him inappropriately in a September that we already have won.

[SF]

um, how is this month "already won"? Not being pessimistic, just factual. Nothing is won yet.

[Rob]

The Cubs have two pitchers who were the prime case study of over used young arms. The yhave not recovered from being rushed up to the bigs and overused.

[SF]

Should the Sox lose tonight, they will be five up in the loss column in the division with 21 to play. They have three left against the Yankees. There is a very good chance that the Sox win the division, and an even better chance they make the playoffs. But let's not kid ourselves: nothing is guaranteed, and nothing is wrapped up at this point. The closer it gets before next weekend the more pressure there will be next weekend, something the Sox surely want to avoid. The Sox can only "win the month" by winning some more games, and Wake crapping the bed like he did tonight and Tito sleeping during a terrible pitching outing isn't the way to do it.

[Rob]

VIVA PAPI!!

[Atheose]

PAPI! Homer to the warehouse.

[Hudson]

Papi blasts the Sox back to a tie. No decision for Wakefield.

[SF]

That's better. Six runs in 4+ innings and we aren't leading. That sucks!!!

[Rob]

If Lowell goes down I am headed to a bridge.

[Hudson]

Why take the chance? By that logic, it was highly irresponsible for Francona to let Clay finish his no-hitter, I mean, his pitch count was way over 100! Was that irresponsible?

For most of baseball history, players were much more durable, despite the lack of training rooms and trainers and sports doctors and expert surgeons and whirlpools and the like. The more benefits players have, the less anyone seems willing to let them be athletes.

/rant

[Atheose]

You're right, we haven't won anything yet. The Yankees could very well comeback and pass us. But in general, if you look at this team's strengths and weaknesses, we're most likely going to finish out ahead. That's being factual too.

By the way, Wakefield didn't have a COMPLETELY bad night tonight. He got the first two outs in the 4th early, which suggested that he had settled down.

[SF]

What about that third out, Atheose?

As for the Buchholz pampering issue you raise, Hud, I sympathize. But those days of complete games are over: arm strength is something built up over many years. Buchholz wasn't even a starter until a few years ago, he was a converted fielder. So he doesn't have the same history of throwing a ton of pitches, and keeping him on a count is nothing but smart. That doesn't mean that they shouldn't use him, ever, but they DO have to be careful: he's an investment, not a windfall.

[Rob]

Hudson, I do not disagree with your position. Eventually these players have to be prepared to go a full season. The team letting him throw 15 pitches about his high amount this year was not irresponsible, but if he had been smacked around that game instead of throing the no-no does not mean he will be successful all the way around. I would rather the team prep him, keep him in the majors for the remainder of the year getting used to pitching at this level so we can insert him into the starting rotation next year.

[Atheose]

Yeah, I guess you're right for the most part Hudson. And when it comes to older players, I agree with you.

But for a guy who pitched only 119 innings in 2006, I don't think it's very unreasonable to take a few precautionary actions. And I think you're completely right--it was dangerous for Tito to leave Clay out there during the no hitter. It worked out well, but it could have been bad.

[SF]

Can we just get three consecutive outs please!?

[SF]

(in the same inning, that is)

[Atheose]

What about that 3rd out?

Which is why Tito took him out ;-)