So is he living up to expectations yet? He dominated in Toronto last week and he achieved his first complete game in the MLB tonight against the potent Detroit Tigers lineup. I think he's starting to settle in a bit seeing more lineups, and more situations. After he's seen the whole league and gets a good read on everyone is when he should really hit his stride. I even got a little annoyed with the hype, don't get me wrong, but I'm starting to believe he is going to pan out and be a great addition to the rotation for a long time to come. Fingers crossed of course.Note: I'm not commenting on Jim Leyland's comments on Dice-K. I'm done writing about nominal controversy for a little while.
Here are the other vitals from today other than the nine innings pitched. He gave up six hits, one earned run, no walks, and five K's. Nothing spectacular, just solid pitching. He got his pitch count up in to the 120's and still looked strong and displayed some nice command in the last third of the game only giving up a single in the ninth to DH Gary Sheffield. Speaking of which, Shef got some boos his first at bat, no doubt due to his verbal scuffle with Boston fans in '05 while still in Yankee pinstripes.
For the third day in a row the Sox struggled to put runs on the board in the first half of the game. I know it's ticky-tack but when you play a team like the Tigers who step on the gas hard early, you need to match that. Boston lucked out and got a great start from Matsuzaka, but it's not guaranteed each night out from the entire rotation (ahem, Julian Tavarez, cough). They scored one run in the 3rd, 4th and 5th innings each to take a 3-1 lead, but you would think they may need to produce some more earlier to fend off the Tigers the rest of the week. The Sox did get some insurance in the bottom of the 8th when the lineup went off for four runs and didn't look back, probably knowing full well that the Tigers' lineup is more than capable of two or three runs in the top of the 9th.
Stevie Wonder could tell the Tigers looked a little road weary coming off the Minnesota Twins hanging 16 runs on them last night. Assuming they got into Boston around 4 or 5am this morning, I'm sure they had to be just a little tired. Tomorrow night may be a different story with Justin Verlander on the mound for the Motor City Kitties. Man that's a dumb nickname. Anyway, Tim Wakefield will go for his fifth win on the year. I'm expecting tonight's game to be a bit of a fluke and the next three contests to be a little more competitive from start to finish. Maybe Closer Jonathan Papelbon can get in a save situation for the first time since last Sunday's 10th save on the year against the Twins. Then again, I'm not going to argue with another five or six run win against this team.
A special note from your author - The 8.5 game lead Boston is currently enjoying over the New York Yankee's marks the Sox biggest lead in the AL East since the 1995 season. Significance? It was the same year they won their last AL East crown. Once again, I don't want to jinx my team. So I'm not saying, I'm just saying.
