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Game Story: Dice-K roughed up by woeful O's

BALTIMORE – What’s wrong with Daisuke Matsuzaka?

Has he hit the wall in the major leagues? If it’s not fatigue, is there something physically wrong with him?

How else to explain Matsuzaka’s dreadful performance last night when the woeful Baltimore Orioles, losers of 15 of their last 17 overall and a franchise-record-tying 11 straight at home, battered the right-hander for eight earned runs on six hits in only 2 2/3 innings at Camden Yards, a game the Boston Red Sox lost, 11-5.

Included in that ugly line were two gopher balls, a solo shot in the first by light-hitting Tike Redman, who began the year playing ball in Japan, and a grand slam by Scott Moore, a veteran of only 53 big-league at-bats before unloading on a fat fastball for his first hit in 14 at-bats in the majors this year.

Moore’s slam capped a seven-run third-inning explosion at the expense of Matsuzaka, who had been handed early leads of 2-0 and 4-1. As the ball disappeared into the bleachers, well past Coco Crisp’s vain attempt at a leaping catch, Dice-K put his hands on his knees and bent over in frustration and irritation, and a few seconds later he was yanked by Boston manager Terry Francona.

The start was by far the shortest of the season for Matsuzaka, who had gone at least five innings in each of his previous 28 outings.

His fastball had very little life or movement. His slider had precious little movement or bite. And in the seven-run third, Matsuzaka was missing consistently up and away with fastballs to left-handers and tried to navigate his way through the jam by using just fastballs and sliders, a plan that clearly didn’t work.

What makes last night’s horror show all the more distressing is that it cannot be shrugged off as an isolated, one-of-those-games kind of outings. It continued a downward spiral for the former Japanese League star, for whom the Red Sox paid over $100 million to secure his rights and sign him to a contract last winter.

The postseason is around the corner, and Dice-K is faltering badly down the stretch.
Over his last three starts, Matsuzaka is 1-2 with a 12.56 earned-run average, having been strafed for 22 hits and 20 earned runs in only 14 1/3 innings. And over his last five starts, Dice-K is 1-4 with a 9.57 E.R.A., tagged for 32 hits and 28 earned runs in 26 1/3 innings.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to guess that maybe he is getting tired, worn down by the season, which is longer here than it is in Japan and features much more travel.

The Sox have tried to give him extra rest between starts – as they try to do with everyone in the rotation. Over his last five starts, for instance, he worked on an extra day of rest three times.

As the innings have piled up, so have the gopher balls he has been surrendering.

Over his first 17 starts, totaling 114 2/3 innings, Matsuzaka was victimized for only 9 homers, which averages out roughly to one every 12 2/3 innings. But beginning with his start in Detroit on July 8, the last day before the All-Star break, Dice-K has been crushed for 14 homers in only 12 starts totaling 69 2/3 innings, roughly one every five-plus innings. It’s worse over the last four outings – 6 homers in the last 20 1/3 innings, or one roughly every 3 1/3 innings.

In his last two seasons in Japan, Matsuzaka pitched 215 innings in 28 games in 2005 and 186 1/3 innings in 25 games in 2006. This season, Masuzaka has made 29 starts already, totaling 184 1/3 innings, and it’s only Sept. 9.

Prior to last night, the Sox have been quick to discount any tired-arm theories.
In his previous start, staked to a 10-1 lead against Toronto, Dice-K came unglued in the sixth inning. Matsuzaka retired only one batter in the inning and ultimately was charged with seven runs.

After the game, manager Terry Francona waved off any suggestions that Matsuzaka might be getting tired, bemoaning a little bit of bad luck on a flare and a touch bounce. Catcher and team captain Jason Varitek echoed the theme.

Last night, it was hard to watch Matsuzaka struggle through the third – single, double, walk, walk, single, walk, strikeout (after Aubrey Huff ‘s bid for a grand slam to right curved foul at the last instant), popup, grand slam – without wondering if there’s something wrong with Dice-K, and if can be counted on down the stretch and through the postseason.

--STEVE KRASNER

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 9:58 PM to Krasner | Permalink | Comments 3

Sox notes: Gagne ready to return?

BALTIMORE – Reliever Eric Gagne threw a 40-pitch bullpen session early yesterday afternoon, and pronounced himself “perfect” and ready to return to action.

Gagne, who hasn’t pitched since Aug. 26 because of tendinitis in his right shoulder, said he threw all of his pitches during his workout and didn’t feel any discomfort. He said the plan for him now is to take today off and then he’ll be available to pitch in a game beginning tomorrow.

He said he thought the Red Sox might be careful about when they use him the first time, likely in a situation where the game is not on the line, but he’s encouraged by how he feels.

“I’ll be able to give some innings to the bullpen (corps) so they’re not overworked. That has been the most frustrating part of it, not being able to give the guys down there some rest,” said Gagne after his session in steamy conditions at Camden Yards.

“But the Red Sox really took their time with me. We didn’t want to rush it because we had a good lead. There’s never a good time to get hurt, but this was a better time. They wanted me to be healthy (when he returned rather than be rushed back),” he said.

There was little follow-up, at least on the Red Sox’ side of things, from Friday night’s spirited banch-clearing gathering that resulted from Daniel Cabrera’s fastball behind Dustin Pedroia’s head one pitch after a fake dash down the third-base line by Coco Crisp had rattled the Orioles starter into committing a run-producing balk.

One member of the Sox wondered if Baltimore was taking “ducking practice” as they set up for batting practice, but Boston was more concerned with the fact it had won Friday night’s game and was trying to win again last night.

Baltimore manager Dave Trembley addressed the situation in a pregame radio show, saying, “He (Cabrera) lost his poise, embarrassed himself and it’s not going to happen again.”

Cabrera had said, apparently with a straight face after the game, that the pitch had “slipped” out of his hands, that he was trying to pitch inside and it simply got away from him.

Upon hearing that, one member of the Orioles reportedly said, “Yeah, and the dog ate his homework, too.”

Pedroia wasn’t too pleased at being the target.

“The guy is an idiot,” said Pedroia after the game. “It kind of freaked me out. I was upset they took him out of the game. He is good to hit. He’s 9-15. The guy (stinks).”
“I’m just glad Pedroia didn’t get hurt, to be honest with you,” said Trembley.

Kevin Youkilis set a record for American League first baseman by playing in his 179th consecutive game without committing an error on Friday night. The previous mark of 178 had been set by Mike Hegan with Milwaukee and Oakland from Sept. 24, 1970 to May 20, 1973.

Youkilis handled 1,510 chances, starting 167 of the 179 games. Hegan had only 52 starts and 787 chances in his 178 games.

Youkilis wasn’t impressed with the record.

“I didn’t even think about it,” he said. “I just go out and play every day.”

David Ortiz’s homer in the first inning was his 28th of the year and his seventh in his last 15 games. The two-run blast to center in the first increased his season’s total to 98 RBI . . . J.D. Drew smacked a double to left-center in his first at-bat for the second game in a row. He has had an extra-base hit in back-to-back games only six times all year . . . Jacoby Ellsbury slammed an RBI double off the first-base bag in the second inning. He has had at least one hit in each of the eight games he has played in since being recalled from Pawtucket on Sept. 1.

--STEVE KRASNER

Posted by Corey Bourassa  at 9:05 PM to Krasner | Permalink

Pregame Notes, Sept. 8

-- Reliever Eric Gagne threw about 40 pitches in a bullpen session before batting practice and said he felt "perfect."

Gagne said the plan now is for him to take tomorrow off and then he'll be ready to pitch in a game on Monday. He figures the team will be careful about when they put him in a game for his first appearance since Aug. 26, when shoulder tendinitis forced him to the sidelines. He thinks he might be used first in a situation where the game is not on the line.

-- Tim Wakefield, who surrendered six runs on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings on Thursday night, threw an extended bullpen session after Gagne had finished his.

-- Doug Mirabelli's left hamstring still is sore, but manager Terry Francona said he would have been able to go behind the plate had something happened to catcher Jason Varitek in the latter innings of Friday night's game. Backup catcher Kevin Cash was tossed from the game in the fourth after Daniel Cabrera's head-hunting pitch behind Dustin Pedroia head caused a spritied bench-clearing gathering on the field.

-- Pedroia's locker was adorned with a photo of the name "MILLAR" on the back of a Boston uniform and a pitcure of the former Red Sox infielder. Millar had written on his photo, which was taped to the locker, "The original 15."

Pedroia, who now wears the number 15 that was on Millar's back from 2003-2005, broke into a broad grin when he saw his locker decorations. He read them and shook his head at what the Sox' "Cowboy Up" guy had done. And a short time later the display was yanked down from the locker.

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 4:53 PM | Permalink

Starting Lineups, Sept. 8

BOSTON

Ellsbury lf
Pedroia 2b
Ortiz dh
Lowell 3b
Youkilis 1b
Drew rf
Varitek c
Crisp cf
Lugo ss

Matsuzaka p

BALTIMORE

Roberts 2B
Redman cf
Markakis rf
Tejada ss
Millar 1b
Huff dh
Payton lf
Moore 3b
Molina c

Leicester p

-- Steven Krasner

Posted by Steven Krasner  at 4:46 PM | Permalink

Hall of Fame trip

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. _ The scorecard has been delivered!

At approximately 12:30 this afternoon, I handed over my scorecard of the no-hitter thrown by Red Sox rookie pitcher Clay Buchholz against the Baltimore Orioles last Saturday at Fenway Park. It will be on display soon at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in a wing named “This Year in Baseball” and will feature Buchholz’s game-worn hat and a game ball provided by the Red Sox.

Jeff Idelson, the Hall’s vice president of communications and education, met my wife and I and took us on a quick tour, showing us where the exhibit will be. Idelson and his staff were great, friendly and the hospitality was second to none.

They even held a parade for our arrival. Well, not really. It just so happens to be the Bicentennial of Cooperstown and the village began its week-long celebration on Friday. If you’re a baseball fan, even if you’re not, this is a great place to spend a few days with family and friends.

Idelson took us to his office where he unpacked a box sent from Boston with Buchholz’s hat, game ball, along with the spikes Red Sox reliever Mike Timlin wore for his 1,000th appearance. I didn’t want to tear the two pages out of my scorebook because with my luck they would have ripped one of them, so I let Jeff do the dirty work.

He said he felt like he was performing surgery as he carefully removed the pages. When the display is finally in place, I’m planning a return trip. I just want to make it clear that the Hall didn’t come looking for my scorecard specifically. Brad Horn, communications director for the Hall of Fame, contacted Jeff Horrigan of the Boston Herald, looking for scorecard, his, mine, didn’t matter. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

Still, it’s an honor to be a part of something special where baseball fans can enjoy a little piece of history.

--Joe McDonald

Posted by Joe McDonald  at 3:13 PM | Permalink