Pecking Order: Sox-Jays Gamer II

Clay Buchholz' remarkable season in 2007 was marred by only one loss, a night game in Toronto on Septmeber 19th where he found himself in trouble in the fifth inning and was lifted for Manny Delcarmen. Only two runs were charged to Buchholz on the day but that was enough as the Sox only managed one run in what ended up a 6-1 loss. The winning pitcher that day was Jessie Litsch.

Those same pitchers face off again today at Rogers Centre. With birds grabbing all the headlines, it's your Red Tail Hawks Sawks vs. those noisy upstart Canadian bluebirds led by their rare and prized yellow-headed white-bellied grit warbler. Lineups follow, comment away.

Boston
J. Lugo ss	.308
D. Pedroia 2b	.200
D. Ortiz dh	.111
M. Ramirez lf	.238
M. Lowell 3b	.200
J.D. Drew rf	.250
J. Varitek c	.235
S. Casey 1b	.000
C. Crisp cf	.308
C. Buchholz	0.0
Toronto
D. Eckstein ss	.188
M. Stairs lf	.286
A. Rios rf	.333
V. Wells cf	.267
F. Thomas dh	.167
L. Overbay 1b	.267
A. Hill 2b	.312
M. Scutaro 3b	.273
G. Zaun c	.200
J. Litsch	0.0

Comments

[Brad]

Manny!

[Brad]

The Red Sox really need to get off the schnide (sp?) with this Toronto team..they really have owned us lately.

[Brad]

great...lugo with the error while Eckstein dives into first.
Guys shit on him, but I like a guy that will do that kind of stuff...

Dive I mean, not make a stupid E6

[Dionysus]

I'm in! Sorry! I didnt get up till 3am, got up at 730am to go to a special family breakfast, then fell asleep when I got home!

I'm here now.. for now. Need to get movign on errands before too logn, but I should be able to watch most/all fo the game

[Brad]

Buchholz' stuff is sooo live

[Dionysus]

STRIKE HIM OUT THROW HIM OUT DOUBLE PLAY!!!

HELL

YES

[Brad]

strike 'em out, throw 'em out! Eckstein gunned down!

[Brad]

I'm standing by my prediction of Buchholz for this year..he'll hit his bumps, but his stuff is just unbelievable.

[Dionysus]

Is it just me or is it odd that Youk is gettign a day off already? We just had a travel day, and its only been five freakin games.

I wonder if he's nursing something.

[Brad]

C'mon JD. Lets get a nice inning going here.

[Dionysus]

Drew just seems more comfortable, the K not withstanding.

And we seem to be seeign a few more pitches early, as compared to yesterday, which is HUGE

[Dionysus]

3-0. take, take, take

[Dionysus]

SON OF A BITCH!

Not our fault. That just blows.

[Atheose]

DAMN, I walk in and see Casey line out to the first baseman. Great hit, just right to the guy. He wouldn't have caught it if he wasn't holding 'Tek at first base.

How's Buchy looking so far?

[SF]

Why isn't this game on Major League Extra Innings? I am shut out. Grrr.

[Dionysus]

Not to shabby, Atheose.

The important thing is, we've been seeing multiple pitches at the palte this game so far. A hige improvement after last ngihts debacle.

[Dionysus]

Ball three was strike 3, and it comes back to bite as Wells walks.

I have to say... I dont think Clay is quite ready. I hope Bartolo turns out ready, because I'd rather Clay get a bit more work and not turn into Craig Hansen

[Dionysus]

DAMMIT MANNY!

This is turnign into a disaster

[Atheose]

Is it me or did it look like Manny was jogging towards that fly ball? Goddamnit.

At least he has given up a hit already. That monkey is off of his back.

[Brad]

oh for pete's sake
\

[Atheose]

Overbay gets a hit, tie game. Goddamnit.

[Dionysus]

Go calm him down, Cap

[Atheose]

Announcer: "Buchholz hasn't found the strikezone consistently yet"

Actually, the strikezone hasn't been consistent.

1-2 count to Hill. Finish him, Buchy.

[Atheose]

Buchy shakes off Tek, then strikes out Hill. Way to bounce back kid.

[Dionysus]

huge k right there.

Now a DP please

[Dionysus]

BJ announcers just inform me that Terry is only plannign on gettign 5 innings from Beckett tommorrow...

Does that mean we'll see Snyder? God please no. I'm ascared

[Atheose]

Scutaro K's too! 4 for Bucky so far.

One more out and you're out of trouble.

[Brad]

kid is going to have to get out of this crap.

[Dionysus]

Out of the inning!

[Atheose]

On 1-2 count he draws a pop-up. Great way to recover after letting the first three batters get on base.

Come on offense, let's give him some support!

Meanwhile, the Yanks have the bases loaded and 2 outs in the 2nd inning.

[Dionysus]

Any way we get a man on is a good way.

[Atheose]

YES, Jeter strikes out with the bases loaded.

And then Coco grounds out weakly, though he almost outruns the pitcher to first. Lugo is immediately hit with a pitch though.

[Atheose]

Especially someone fast like Lugo, Dio.

[Dionysus]

Yay! Dustin!

[Atheose]

Pedroia with the single! Make him pay Papi.

[Atheose]

Come on Manny, make up for letting that pop-up drop in earlier.

Wow, them Canadians are giving Manny the boo-birds.

[Dionysus]

Ick Papi grounds out weakly, but the runners advance.

Dare I dream that Manny can do it twice in a row?

[Atheose]

Aaaaaaand Manny gets an IBB.

[Dionysus]

Nope. Intenting him. Up to Mikey who's had a slow strat

[Dionysus]

bases loaded, no outs for the D-Rays btw

[Atheose]

Lowell hits some wood on it, but Overbay makes a good play to catch it. Bases loaded and nothing from it.

[Brad]

jesus.
how many great plays can come in the first half of a baseball game..against Toronto?

[Dionysus]

SON OF A BITCH!!

FRAK FRAK FRAK! I thought thsat was gonan slip through!

[SF]

Sox let another bases loaded opp go by the wayside. Is that like the fifth time this year already?

The bats have yet to impress.

[Brad]

what happened in NY, dio?
Don't have a TV right now..

[Dionysus]

Rays got jobbed (runner called otu at second who wasnt), and its runnerss on secodn and third, one run in, one out.

[Atheose]

Some singles and walks, Brad. Tied 1-1 right now with 1 out, runners on 2nd and 3rd for the Rays.

[SF]

2-1 Rays.

[Atheose]

Pedroia makes a great play to get over and throw out Eckstein. Rays now up 2-1 thanks to a Sac-fly.

[Dionysus]

Nice play by Pedroia.

[Atheose]

I had really forgotten how sick Buchholz' curveball and changeup were.

Once again the ump calls balls 3 on a pitch right down the middle.

[Dionysus]

This ump has a wacky strike zone

[Dionysus]

Got the K there. Whew.

[Brad]

Five for the kid...

[Brad]

95 to 79.
It's just filthy

[Atheose]

Frick, Rios doubles down the right-field line. Settle back down Bucky.

[Dionysus]

Rios. Hate.

[Dionysus]

z"Alot of these Red Sox Starters havent gone deep into a ball game" What? Hunh?

6 2/3 (Matsuzaka and Lester) is damn good. WHats deep, you fraktard?

[Dionysus]

Nice job, Stickbug.

[Atheose]

Buchholz out of the third. 55 pitches, 5 K, 1 BB.

[Dionysus]

Way too many pitches, Atheose, but limiting it to one walk is pretty huge so far.

[Dionysus]

Lead off double for Drew!

He's like a robot! No expression!

[Dionysus]

Tek grounds out weakly. Drew to third. Capitalize people. Drew's got some speed, just get it in the air in the outfield at least.

[Atheose]

Lead-off double, then immediately moved over to 3rd. So how long before Drew is batting 5th?

Dio, I was just thinking the same thing about what the announcer said. What an idiot.

[Dionysus]

CASEY!

[Atheose]

Casey singles to right field, Overbay doesn't steal it this time! 2-1 Sox.

Edwin Jackson is at 65 pitches through 2.2 innings for the Rays. They're winning 2-1, but the Yankees will get at least 4 innings of the Rays bullpen. Not liking that.

[Dionysus]

Crisp, with the wheels, beats out the DP *deep breath* More runs please!

[Atheose]

Coco grounds out, but outruns the DP. I would have liked to see him try dragging a bunt down the 1st base line.

[Dionysus]

Screw you Lugo. Just.. screw you. Can't you give me anything to be happy about? All you bring is tears.

[Dionysus]

Anyone know offhand if we face the Brewers at all this year? I'd love a chance to have our guys get soem revenge on Gagne. (I could check the scheule myself but Im lazy!)

[Atheose]

I've gotta go do laundry, I'll be AFK for a few. Go Buchholz!

[Dionysus]

Ugh. Overbay singles on a liner. ugh

[Dionysus]

Oh for petes sake, now Hill bunts for a base hit!

*kicks a chair over*

DP. Right. Now.

[SF]

Come on, Clay, this is the bottom of the order for heck's sake.

[Dionysus]

3-1. Calm himn down Tek!

[Dionysus]

Oh SHIT. Bases loaded. one out.

Come ON Stickbug.

[Dionysus]

FUCK! Casey screws up an easy play and two runs are in!

[Dionysus]

WHERE

IS

YOUK? He wouldnt have made that error. Tell me Those runs dont get charged to Clay, please.

[Dionysus]

This is a MESS. 4-2 Jays now.

[SF]

What a frustrating start to the season. I wasn't too excited for baseball as it was, and the way the Sox are playing I haven't had my interest piqued much, to be honest. Poor fundamentals all around, other than a couple of nice starts from the rotation.

[yankeemonkey]

All runs are earned. Sorry Dio =(

[Dionysus]

Gamedays says those runs are earned which is bullshit. He should have two earned runs and two unearned

[Dionysus]

Seriously. Why isn't Youk playign today? There's no fucking excuse.

[yankeemonkey]

Buchholz looks really strange in his gameday photo.

[Dionysus]

Buchholz back out there, to my surprise. To be fair, that inning was only half is fault. 1/2 -> Buchholz, 1/4 --> Casey, 1/4 --> Terry for nto havign Youk in there

[Dionysus]

I feel a little better. Goems just hit a three run homer of Andy Pettite.

[yankeemonkey]

Meanie.

[Dionysus]

aaand K and Buchholz night is almost certainly over.

Pretty good outign for him. Very few walks but too many pitches. Frankly, if it wasnt for Casey this'd be a whole different ballgame.

Lets get soem runs back and take Stickbug off the hook, guys.

[Devine]

Gameday now says three runs are earned.

Being down stinks, but Buchholz has done pretty well considering the strike zone. And in pressure spots (runners on, few outs, etc.), he has buckled down very nicely, getting key strikeouts.

It's encouraging, even if we lose.

Casey can suck it for that error, though.

[Dionysus]

BJ announcers tell us Gameday is wrong and 2 of Buchholz's runs are indeed unearned.

Lowell gets the leadoff single and gets Jesse pulled. Let's get to this bullpen guys!

[Atheose]

I'm back, and now annoyed that Gameday is attributing 3 earned runs to Buchholz instead of 2. Ugh.

At least Lowell leads off with a single.

[Devine]

And now...the battle of the bullpens.

[Atheose]

Buchholz is only at 89 pitches, I hope we see him out for the 6th. Of course it's only his first start, so this is probably it for him.

[Dionysus]

YES jsut showed the new D-Rays stadium virtual rendering. It look VERY pretty.

[Atheose]

Hey, I just noticed that the Yanks are down 5-1. That makes me happier!

[Devine]

I'm a bit surprised they took Litsch out so soon.

[SF]

Not worth nitpicking over the runs. The fact is that it sounds like Buck pitched very, very well, far better than his line indicates. That's a good sign. Had Casey and the defense done their jobs, Buck may have pitched another inning, at least, given up fewer runs. Good start to the season for Clay.

[Dionysus]

Drew flies out. K-aptian now at the plate. I smell a LOB

[Atheose]

The new Rays (no D, Dionysus) stadium looks cool as hell. Much better than the crappy Tropicana Field, which I am at often becuase I have family in Tampa.

Tek grounds out. Can we PLEASE get some runs?

[Dionysus]

Screw you Tek.