5/18 vs. Milwaukee Brewers

[Jayhawk Bill]

Winning is different than losing.

Winning teams catch the breaks. Winning teams get bloop-single game-winning RBIs. Winning teams get saves from 42-year-old relief pitchers with 9.00 ERAs entering the game. Winning teams have managers who make lineup and pitching decisions that make their fans cringe at first but cheer in the end.

The Boston Red Sox were a winning team yesterday. They enter today tied for the lead in the AL East with the powerful, young Rays.

But today, Josh Beckett pitches for Boston.

Josh Beckett is only 4-3. Don't let those numbers fool you. Josh Beckett leads his team with 47 strikeouts despite being tied for last in innings pitched among the starting rotation. Josh Beckett is a World Series MVP and a League Championship Series MVP. Josh Beckett led his league in wins last season. Josh Beckett finished second in Cy Young Award voting last year, and if the voters could vote with the hindsight they have today he would have easily been considered the best starting pitcher in the American League. Daisuke Matsuzaka is 7-0, and Tim Wakefield is a grizzled, unflappable veteran of almost two decades of major league baseball. Josh Beckett is considered by all to be the ace of the staff.

After Josh Beckett throws his 100-odd pitches, expect to see Chris Smith come out of the bullpen. Chris Smith is off to a great start in AAA Pawtucket, posting a 1.45 ERA in four starts and six relief appearances. Smith is no longer considered a great prospect, but he's demonstrated that he's ready to contribute at the MLB level with his superb work in Pawtucket, and he'll be needed given that every healthy relief pitcher had to throw last night. From SoxProspects:

Scouting Report: Average 88-92 mph fastball with a power breaking curve and a pretty good change-up. Good knowledge of pitching. Shows starter potential, but may need to add some speed to his fastball to compete at MLB level. Missed most of 2002 season after an ATV accident, from which he took a couple years to recover fully. Great preparation skills. Throws off-speed pitches for strikes, often at unexpected counts. Pounds the strike zone with great command, doesn't walk many batters. Works quickly on the mound. Similar style to Mike Mussina or Greg Maddux. Converted to a part-time reliever in 2007 where he demonstrated some good success, particularly against left-handed batters.

http://www.soxprospects.com/players/smith-chris.htm

There are no notable batter vs. pitcher splits, except that Jason Kendall and Mike Cameron can't hit Beckett and that Hardy, Hall and Weeks have done well in very small samples (12 AB total for the three). Look to see if Manny plays after being hit by a pitch in the first game yesterday.

***

Game time: 1:35 EDT

Current weather: 66 degrees, fair, wind blowing out at 7mph.

Pitchers:

Boston
Josh Beckett
RHP
(4-3) 4.21 ERA

Milwaukee

Carlos Villanueva
RHP
(2-4) 6.00 ERA

[VA Sox Fan]

Brewers

1. Rickie Weeks, 2B
2. Mike Cameron, CF
3. Ryan Braun, LF
4. Prince Fielder, 1B
5. Corey Hart, RF
6. J.J. Hardy, SS
7. Bill Hall, 3B
8. Jason Kendall, C
9. Tony Gwynn, Jr., DH

Carlos Villanueva, SP

Red Sox

1. Jacoby Ellsbury, RF
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B
3. David Ortiz, DH
4. Manny Ramirez, LF
5. Mike Lowell, 3B
6. Kevin Youkilis, 1B
7. Jason Varitek, C
8. Coco Crisp, CF
9. Julio Lugo, SS

Josh Beckett, SP

Go Josh! GO RED SOX!!

[riverside sluggers]

Carlos Villanueva (1 game vs Boston, 0-1 with a 11.25 ERA--Career at Fenway Park in 1 game, 0-1 with a 11.25 ERA)
Jacoby Ellsbury, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) 2 RBIs, K
Dustin Pedroia, 1 for 1 (1.000 avg) HR, RBI, Walk
David Ortiz, 2 for 2 (1.000 avg) Double, HR, 2 RBIs
Manny Ramirez, 0 for 2
Mike Lowell, 0 for 2
Kevin Youkilis, 1 for 2 (.500 avg)
Jason Varitek, 0 for 1, Walk, K
Coco Crisp, 0 for 2, K
Julio Lugo, 0 for 1, RBI, Walk

Josh Beckett (4 games vs Milwaukee, 1-2 with a 9.53 ERA---Career at Fenway Park in 37 games, 19-11 with a 4.59 ERA)
Rickie Weeks, 3 for 6 (.500 avg) Double, RBI, 2 Walks, 2 Ks
Mike Cameron, 3 for 13 (.231 avg) 3 Doubles, 4 Ks
Ryan Braun, 2 for 3 (.667 avg) 2 HRs, 3 RBIs
Prince Fielder, 1 for 3 (.333 avg) HR, RBI, 2 Ks
Corey Hart, 1 for 5 (.200 avg) K
J.J. Hardy, 3 for 6 (.500 avg) HR, 3 RBIs, K
Bill Hall, 2 for 8 (.250 avg) Double, 3 RBIs, 2 Ks, SB
Jason Kendall, 2 for 16 (.125 avg) 2 RBIs, 5 Walks, 2 Ks
Tony Gwynn, Jr., 0 for 3, K
///
Craig Counsell, 2 for 8 (.250 avg) Walk, 2 Ks, SB

[The Dustball]

Fuck Ryan Braun. 2-0 Brewers.

[One Red Seat]

He was sitting curve, and he drilled it. Good pitch, in a good location. Tip your cap.

[Jayhawk Bill]

Villanueva has only an 88-89mph fastball and only 6-7mph difference between that and his changeup.

[Jayhawk Bill]

Nice job by Papi hitting the gap to left-center.

[Jayhawk Bill]

Villanueva has given up an opposite-field double, a walk, and two screaming line drive outs.

Edit: OK, and a pop-up...still, were it not for luck on fielders' positions, it would be 2-2, one out, Manny on first and Papi at third.

[The Dustball]

It's hard to really appreciate how valueable Josh Beckett's curveball is. When Josh mixes up all his pitches, it is a deadly combo against the hitter.

[One Red Seat]

Their first out was smoked too, so it's probably 3-2 them with luck removed.

[The Dustball]

An easy 1-2-3 inning on 10 pitches for Villanueva, he's at 33 for his outing so far.

[One Red Seat]

'Tek, you have to do better than that against a guy serving such weaksauce.

[Jayhawk Bill]

Originally Posted by One Red Seat

Their first out was smoked too, so it's probably 3-2 them with luck removed.

Except that Villanueva would've been pitching from the stretch to Youkilis, and that Boston would've had two extra outs vs. Milwaukee's one.

[The Dustball]

Another nice throw by V-Tek, right on the bag.

[One Red Seat]

Can't take the weaksauce with two strikes.

The Destroya!