September 8, 2007
...
Daisuke Matsuzaka's horrid struggles of late aren't due to a physical
problem or fatigue or anything that could be defined easily,
according to Terry Francona, John Farrell, and Matsuzaka himself. At
a time when the Sox are trying to get their rotation in shape with
three weeks remaining in the regular season, Matsuzaka has hit the
proverbial wall, and the next few weeks will be devoted to finding a
way to resolve what's bugging the $103 million pitcher. That job will
fall to Farrell, the pitching coach.
After the
shortest outing of his major league career, Matsuzaka has allowed 28 earned runs
over his last 26 1/3 innings for a whopping 9.57 ERA in his last five starts.
Matsuzaka, who turns 27 Thursday, allowed seven runs in the third inning because
he couldn't locate his pitches. After his two bases-loaded walks, Scott Moore
capped the misery with a grand slam to right-center.
It appeared
Matsuzaka was going to wiggle out of the inning with just three runs in. With
the bases loaded and no outs, Matsuzaka (14-12) struck out Aubrey Huff swinging
and got Jay Payton to pop to second. But Matsuzaka, who continually left his
fastball in the fat part of the plate (as he did on Tike Redman's solo homer in
the first inning), left a 2-and-2 pitch to Moore's liking. Once Moore finished
rounding the bases, his night was over. Ever courteous, he waited on the mound
until Julian Tavarez came to relieve him, and patted him with his glove before
leaving to a mixed chorus of boos and cheers.
The Sox
didn't seem overly concerned in Matsuzaka's start last Monday when he captured
his 14th win with a 13-10 decision over the Blue Jays. In that game, Matsuzaka
nearly squandered a 10-1 lead, only lasting 5 1/3 innings and allowing 10 hits
and seven runs. There have been concerns of fatigue creeping in because his
innings are accumulating. Last night's start was the 29th of the season for
Matsuzaka, and he has thrown 184 1/3 innings. But throughout his slide, he has
told the media (through his interpreter) that he doesn't feel tired.
At playoff
time, Matsuzaka reasons to be the Sox' second or third choice after Josh
Beckett, depending upon whether Tim Wakefield will be inserted between the
right-handers. Also, if Curt Schilling continues to pitch well, he could
conceivably leap over Matsuzaka.
Adding to
the frustration is that the offense provided Matsuzaka with a 4-1 lead, thanks
to David Ortiz's two-run homer in the first and back-to-back doubles by Julio
Lugo and Jacoby Ellsbury in the second inning. That set the stage for the
ugliness of the third.
Matsuzaka
dug himself a huge hole by allowing a leadoff single to No. 9 hitter Gustavo
Molina (who was 1 for 19 heading into the at-bat) and a double to Brian Roberts.
He walked Redman to load the bases and then Nick Markakis to force a run home.
The free-swinging Miguel Tejada pounced on his first pitch and stung a single
between short and third, scoring the Orioles' third run. Kevin Millar then took
a bases-loaded walk to tie the game. The Orioles, so miserable this season,
continued their assault on Tavarez with three runs in the fourth, highlighted by
Markakis' two-run bomb.
Eric Gagne
came out of a 40-pitch bullpen session feeling he could be ready to pitch in a
game as soon as tomorrow. Gagne, who hasn't pitched since Aug. 26 (against
Chicago) because of a sore right shoulder, has been strengthening the shoulder
and working on the side. Too much work in trying to correct some technical flaws
in his delivery, one of which was the tipping of his pitches, might have caused
him to overextend himself. Gagne said he'll take today off and be ready to go
tomorrow.
