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Target Field: Sox-Twins Gamer II

Boston continues their first trip to Minnesota's new baseball digs.  No more pinball in the dome!  Comment away.

52 replies on “Target Field: Sox-Twins Gamer II”

No strikeouts for Lackey yet. It seemed to me that the Sox’ starters, along with being generally mediocre, have struck out an inordinately low number of batters.
Sure enough, 36 through seven games, last in the AL.
Now two runners on against Lackey. Sigh. It’s been a little dispiriting to see the Sox stumble out of the gate like this.

Pedroia hit his fourth homer on July 9 last season, on May 31 in 2008, and on July 16 in his rookie year of 2007. He’s making sure he lives up to his goal of 20 home runs this year, I guess.

Hmm, sure would be nice to have J.D. Drew up with two on and two out instead of David Ortiz…
Of course, Slowey is suddenly verrry wild, so it may not matter.

Ahh, apparently they’re just trying to dry the mound.
Also, I forgot that Slowey’s being “wild” was really him just not pitching to Youkilis with Ortiz on deck. Why isn’t Drew batting fifth again??
And Ortiz flies out on the first pitch after the delay. Yep.

Lackey gets screwed on a 3-1 pitch right over the inside part of the zone. Orlando Hudson helps him out by flying out on the first pitch. Two down, Mauer up with tying and go-ahead runs on. AB of the game right here.
And Okajima to come in? Hmm. Not a fan of this move, given his struggles with inherited runners. Just let Lackey finish the inning…

Somehow the Red Sox escape that ridiculousness unscathed. GREAT start from Lackey, especially with the strike zone jumping all over the place today.

I think we’re going to have to postpone our disagreement for another day. I, for one, do not consider a six-pitch outing, of which three are balls, two are intentional balls and the only strike is a lucky out with the bases loaded, any kind of successful performance. Okajima did exactly what I expected: failed to throw strikes to two of the most dangerous hitters in baseball with the go-ahead runs on base. Bad Oki. Bad.
But he did get out of it. Thank God for that.

Yeah we’re pretty lucky to have gotten out of that inning. Imagine if there wasn’t a passed-ball, and suddenly Okajima is pitching to Mauer in a 2-0 count with no open base. For what it’s worth, Mauer is .444/.493/.679 when he’s ahead 2-0.

So when Ellsbury returns, it’s Ortiz to the bench, right? I mean, how do you not let Hermida keep raking the way he’s been? He’s almost like… David Ortiz, c. 2003. Irony, thy name is baseball.

Yes, Hermida should stay in. But I doubt Francona is going to bench Papi this early in the season. Dropping him to 7th would be a good idea though.
And Cuddyer with a solo shot.

Sox’ bullpen is terrrrible. Maybe it evens out as the starters improve and guys like Bard aren’t being used every single day, but still… now a two-out double from Young.

Bard becomes a victim on the shrinking strike zone on a 0-2 count but gets Thome to pop up. Wonder if those two pitches would have been called strikes on 0-0 or 1-1 counts.

Ortiz doubles to bring up Beltre with two on and two out. Having Ortiz is arguably the best-case scenario for the Sox this year, but I fear hits like that because it feels like Francona will use them as evidence to keep giving Ortiz more time to try to get right…

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