Double Dip: Tigers-Sox Gamers III & IV

Thanks to a rainout, the Sox and Tigers play two today, a split-admission affair that features both ends of the Sox' starting rotation. While Julian Tavarez maintains his role as starter for Game 1, Mike Maroth disappears, and in his place is Zach Miner, who has yet to make an appearance in 2007 after acquitting himself fairly well as a rookie last season. He made his big-league debut against the Sox last year, taking the loss in an 8-3 game.

The second game features a much better matchup for the Sox. Curt Schilling faces Chad Durbin. A split of the doubleheader means a split of the series, something I think we can live with. Anything better is just gravy. Consider this your thread for both ends of the doubleheader.

Comment away!

Comments

[Dionysus]

Well I leave for work soon, but I predict a split. Oh well. *sigh*

[Dionysus]

I hate MAgglio Ordonez. Unless someday he plays for the Sox.

SUch a great baseball name. But I hate facing him.

Ugh. I must get ready for work. I hereby predict a split.

[SF]

Tavarez makes it through the first unscathed. Pull him, Tito! Quit while ahead!

(Go Sox!!!!)

[Paul SF]

About to head for lunch, but here's rooting for the sweep while expecting the split.

[Dionysus]

Coco is fast! Or Gameday is crazy! He reached THIRD on a David groundout?

[Dionysus]

Also I shan't be posting anymore for now.. not just cause I have to get ready for work, but cause the site is slooooooooooow. Fromt he time I clicked "Post" abotu Davids out, Manny and Youk got hits and Lowell is halfway through his atbat before it posted.

[rootbeerfloat]

I'm listening on MLB Radio and it sounded like the Tigers were caught sleeping on that baserunning bit by Coco.

[sf rod]

in a perfect world....sheff would be in jail.

[Devine]

Can't believe they got away with no damage after Tavarez walked 2 and Sheffield was up with 2 out. Still 1-0 Sox mid-3rd.

[ToddSF]

On the Coco play, it was a routine grounder with the shift on, and Guillen grabbed it by second, and tried to tag Coco, who slid under the tag in the basepaths, then got up to go to second. He noticed no one was on third at all when they threw Ortiz out, so he took off when the Tigers were napping. Then Manny swatted him in. Great heads up baserunning by Coco.

Lugo leads off the 3rd with a nice single.

[sf rod]

good ab by coco. lays off three boarderline strikes. runs the count full, and makes a productive out advancing lugo. he didn't have too many ab's like that last year.

[SF]

Tiz walks, 1/2 for Manny. One down.

[Devine]

Outside corner to righties looks like it's being called today.

[rootbeerfloat]

I love Youk....

[Devine]

Youk singles! It's 2-0 Sox.

[sf rod]

yooouuuk. 2 - 0 sox.

[ToddSF]

Youk with his second hit of the day, drives in Coco...Papi to third. Youk is really coming around!

[SF]

Miner now at 64 pitches through three after Lowell pops out again with 2 men on. Blech. No way two runs wins this game.

[Devine]

Youkilis has been ridiculously good recently.

[Devine]

DP! Julian is through 4. Is it greedy to ask for two more?

[SF]

Tavarez through four, Sox up 2-0 going to the bottom of the inning.

[SF]

Let's start with one, D, and go from there.

[Devine]

Innings, not runs, is my request. But I wouldn't mine two more of those run things, either.

[SF]

And I am saying let's start with one inning...

[SF]

Belli back to Earth, down to .226. The bottom third is regaining it's "Black Hole" status. Cora's regressing too.

[Devine]

No, I know. You're assuming I responded, when actually I was just following up and hadn't seen your post.

[SF]

Tavarez says "I'm melting, I'm melting...".

[Devine]

2-1. Still 1st and 2nd, 2 out. C'mon, Julian.

[Dionysus]

FREE PEDROIA!

Also, get Tavarez OUT OF THERE while we still have a lead!

[SF]

Frack. This is not going to end well. I sense looming disaster. 2-1 Sox.

[Dionysus]

I should start a website freepedroia .com or something.

[SF]

We're in the "let's get greedy with Julian" portion of the game.

[Dionysus]

He should be pulled. I'm FURIOUS that he's facing SHeff.

[Devine]

Walks Sheffield. Loaded.

[SF]

Ridiculous. Bases plugged. Tavarez melting down completely.

[Paul SF]

Ugh, I tune into the game for the first time and Tavarez gives up a run-scoring single and walks Sheffield to load the bases... Maybe I should go back to lunch.

[Dionysus]

And now Magglio "Death to Pitchers" Ordonez. Good night folks. This one is lost.

[SF]

Most important moment of the game, and the Sox choose to go with a pitcher with a 7.00 ERA who, at the moment, is sucking. No surprise if this inning ends in a Sox deficit.

[Devine]

Popped him to center. Escapes.

[Paul SF]

Wow, That was ridiculously fortunate.

[Dionysus]

Well, I'll be damned.

[SF]

Well, surprise! Magglio flies out. Phew.

[Devine]

I think SF is gonna disagree, but I say you leave Tavarez in till he gives up a baserunner (just one...and yes, I'm aware it could be the tying run on a massive blast). This IS a doubleheader, after all, and if you can avoid the pen for one or two more outs, I think that's good.

But if they think that's it, and that's all from Tavarez, I wouldn't be surprised.

[Paul SF]

Two questions:

Why does Terry bat Lugo and Crisp at the top when one of the Youkilis-Drew combo is out of the lineup? And why are we basically platooning Pedroia and Cora when EVERYONE knows that Cora's OPS is directly inverse to the number of at-bats he receives??

[Dionysus]

If it was Wily Mo in center, we'd be losing right now.

[Paul SF]

I'd like to see Tavarez get into the sixth as well. He doesn't strike me as a "fall-to-crap" pitcher, in that while he may have innings where he falls to crap, that's not really indicative of his performance with the bases empty in the next inning.

[Devine]

The Pedroia/Cora thing is a travesty (bench Pedroia more as he's getting hot?), and the Lugo/Crisp thing (I was aggravated enough when only Lugo was bad at the bottom of the order) is mind-numbing.

[Dionysus]

I agree on Cora, Paul. He's been wodnerful in spots, but I dont want him platooned. I'm GUESSING we're doign it because its a double header.. but I'd rather see Pedroia right now. I'm finally warmign to the kid.

FREE PEDROIA!

[Dionysus]

Papi grounds out. It's been like 1000 years since he's homered. But his average is nice and he's gettign RBIs so I'm not too mad.

[SF]

Yeah, just as Pedroia gets hotter, he starts seeing spot action. Seems misguided to me.

[Dionysus]

Well, I'm off to work. See y'all later.

[Tom sf]

Well obviously Francona is keeping Tavarez in the game to rest the weary bullpen..wait a minute...oh never mind.

[SF]

Sox getting impatient as the game goes on, kind of the opposite of what we're used to, for the most part. Very frustrating. They had a shot at getting Miner out of there after 5, now he can probably go six easy, maybe even pitch into the seventh.

[Devine]

Effing super, Tavarez. You didn't completely implode (just mostly) in the 5th, and you got us through six with 1 run. That's about the ceiling of my expectations there.

[SF]

Greed is good...Tito rolls dice and wins that inning.

[Paul SF]

And to make me look smart, Tavarez retired the Tigers in orders (thanks, Julian!)...

[Devine]

Nice. Manny hits a single after seeing some pitches.

[Devine]

Not a common occurrence--Youk down on 3 pitches.

[Devine]

Yeeeeep, fan's a moron, might have cost the Sox a base there.

But objectively, I kind of like that call by the umpire.

Tito is up in arms.

[Devine]

HAHA! We got more from our starter than the Tigers and it was TAVAREZ.

[Devine]

Go Whiffy Mo!

Takes ball one.

[rootbeerfloat]

I'm on Game Day (had to turn MLB Radio off since I'm on a conference call at work) - what happened with the fan?

[Devine]

Lowell hit it down the left field line, but a fan reached out and touched it. It would have hit the wall behind 3rd (i.e. not got down the left field foul line). The umpires called it a single and put the lead runner at 2nd.

[Paul SF]

With the wild pitch, that might have cost a run.

[Devine]

Sucks. Wonder who's pitching the 7th.

[SF]

Tavarez coming back out? I don't know if I can take it. Tito is coating his prized rubber duckie in gasoline if that's the case.

[Devine]

God, and Pena's in right. I can't wait to see this unfold. *blindfolds self*

[SF]

Holy crap, Tavarez is back in. Tito with the anti-Torre here.

[rootbeerfloat]

"Tito is coating his prized rubber duckie in gasoline if that's the case."

OK, I completely don't get that.

[Paul SF]

Especially since Pena and Mirabelli both strike out. The Pena deal is looking less and less beneficial. He looks like he's gotten worse at recognizing and laying off breaking pitches than last year.

[Devine]

God, and Pena's in right. I can't wait to see this unfold. *blindfolds self*

*peeks* Well, there's one. *blindfold back on*

[sf rod]

let's hope leyland is as familure with wily mo's outfield prowess as he was with that japaneese kid who pitched the other day. sorry jim, no smoking in fenway.

[rootbeerfloat]

Tavarez = 3 up, 3 down 7th??

[Devine]

Holy crap on a stick. Tavarez just had a very, very good outing for anyone and an EXCELLENT one for him.

Okay, you can stop now, Tito. Take your chips and walk away.

[Paul SF]

I guess I wan't the only one who found Leyland's "Matsuki kid" reference somewhat ummmm... culturally insensitive.

Tavarez Ks two, has thrown 103 pitches, 4 hits, 1 run. I assume that's all for him. Bravo!

[Devine]

Sox are making the pitchers be close to perfect. Is it Okajima next?

[Paul SF]

I know it's Okajima and Papelbon, but I sure wish the Sox could have gotten that run back...

[sf rod]

paul- jim is old school...and by old school i mean ignorant.

[rootbeerfloat]

So who is closing this evening's game?

[sf rod]

r kellys sloppy seconds sits down. thanks sheff, now go punch someone.

[Devine]

The front half of the Okajima/Papelbon back end lives up to its name.

RBF, I'd wager that if there's a save situation this 9th and tonight's, Papelbon will pitch both, but I'm not sure. Who are we/they facing this weekend? That might play a role in determining...

[Andrew F]

Okajima with the scoreless inning of relief.

[Devine]

PS Okajima's scoreless stretch? 18 2/3.

Okajima's ERA? 0.46

[Paul SF]

I can't believe Jose Mesa is still pitching in the big leagues...

[rootbeerfloat]

Maybe all that head rubbing is doing Tavarez some good. Manny has the golden touch...

[Paul SF]

And that's the ballgame. Impressive performance from Papelbon, throwing the first eight pitches for strikes, and all but two for the inning...

[sf rod]

i love nothing more than winning a 2 - 1 games. everyone did their job. and the bully remains rested for game two. thank you julian.

[sf rod]

i love nothing more than winning a 2 - 1 game. everyone did their job. and the bully remains rested for game two. thank you julian.

[Paul SF]

Always good to win the first game. We have a good chance now for the sweep if Schilling brings his A-game.

[Hudson]

Heckuva win by the pitching staff.

Now let's get two, and put the Yankees down 9.5 (they'e losing to Chicago 4-0 right now, top of the fifth)...

[LocklandSF]

I have to say I would have preferred that they use either Paps or Okie today and not both, but I guess you take the win when you can and worry about the next game when you cross that bridge.

We basically have 2 legit closers, a dream situation for the rare doubleheader.

[Steve]

To all those bitching about Crisp, let it be known his OBP out of the 2-hole is .350, give or take a few points. He's nearly 100 points worse out of the bottom of the order. If he can sustain success in that spot, leave him there and bat Youks 6th, since Youks will do well wherever you put him. It makes the entire lineup deeper.

I've never seen so much unnecessary negativity as there was in this game thread. Cheer the hell up, we're 27-12 and Tavarez just threw a gem.

[Steve]

Okajima and Paps should be fine if they really need them in the second game.

They both only threw 13 pitches, and they haven't exactly been getting work lately. Okajima hadn't pitched since Saturday.

[Josh SF (D1)]

So Beckett's likely headed for the DL, or else Boston's going to have to option Lopez back to make room for someone to pitch tomorrow. Looks like Hansack lines up nicely to throw tomorrow after 5 days of rest...that should be fun. Wake's getting pushed back to Monday because of the DH so he can start against NY; another callup should make the Sunday start against Atlanta. That should be either Gabbard or David Pauley, both of whom have been fantastic this season and could be lined up to start Sunday with relative ease.

[Paul SF]

I've got the time, so I'll post another gamer up top in a few minutes.

[Rob SF]

No Drew tonight or Papi

[Steve]

WMP-Coco-Hinske outfield is going to be ugly. Schill better be on his game, because line drives to either corner will likely be problems.