The Red Sox are going to get unceremoniously dumped out of the playoffs tomorrow night and they only have Terry Francona and John Farrell to blame...well that and a complete lack of offense and shoddy D.
The Sox intend to send Clay Buchholz to the mound in Game 3 at Fenway. Why? This should be Dice-K's spot in the rotation.
While the Japanese Megastar has had a less than outstanding year bouncing back from injury he has been extremely solid in his last few starts, including a beauty last week against the Indians that it was my pleasure to actually be in attendance to witness.
Buchholz however got whalloped by the Indians and has proven a model of inconsistancy and poor pitch selection throughout his Red Sox tenure.
Daisuke may not even pitch in Game 4 if there is one (highly unlikely). The plan seems to be to start Jon Lester again on short rest for that game.
This makes absolutely no sense. Just about the only chance the Sox have in Game 3 is that the Angels will be sending LHP Scott Kazmir to the mound in lefties-graveyard Fenway Park. Buchholz, as a righty, might, and its a big might, be able to squeak out a W if the likes of Jason Bay, Youk and V-Mart can get the right-handed offence motoring at home. The likelihood then after in Game 4 is that the Halos will be forced to put another lefty on the mount in Joe Saunders. Why then would Francona want to offset the obvious advantage of starting another RHP like Dice-K against Saunders by using a LHP on short-rest in Lester. The same Jon Lester who got hit hard by, and walked a ton of Angels hitters in Game 1.
Even Wakefield would be an improvement on Buchholz in Game 3 or Lester in Game 4 and watching Tim pitch makes me as comfortable as going to the dentist.
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