The Boston Red Sox went into last night’s game against the Chicago White Sox hoping to take all four games of the series. Unfortunately, Ozzie Guillen’s boys had other ideas as they took advantage of ineffective Junichi Tazawa on their way to a 9-5 win.
Tazawa just didn’t have it last night. His stuff was flat and he fell behind in the count to the hitters. In doing so when he threw strikes, the White Sox hitters were ready and capitalized on his flat fastball. He did suck it up though and pitch four innings to help the shorthanded Red Sox bullpen out.
Should we be down on Tazawa? Personally I don’t think so. He has good stuff and he just had nothing to offer last night. People rush to judgment that he may have been called up to early in his development. Trust me folks, Theo Epstein and the brain trust wouldn’t have called him up if they didn’t think he could help the team. I don’t see anyone complaining about Josh Beckett’s last two outings so why bitch and moan about a bad outing from Tazawa.
Sure every game is important down the stretch here but do we honestly believe the Red Sox are going to win every game the rest of the season? While it’s possible that could happen, it’s just not realistic. What is realistic though is that the Red Sox can win every series the rest of the season. Hopefully that is enough to get them into the playoffs whether as the winners of the AL East or as the wild card.
Tazawa’s rough outing and the shorthanded bullpen last night for the Red Sox gave us the MLB pitching debut of Nick Green who had last pitched in junior college eleven years ago. Green, who’s filled in admirably at shortstop for the Red Sox all season long, did a great job on the mound. His fastball topped out at 90 MPH and he went two hitless and scoreless innings. He did walk three but the walks didn’t come back to hurt him at all.
Let’s hope Beckett can turn things around after two poor outings and start the series off with a win tonight against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Before we get on to the links and the video of Nick Green talking to the media about his MLB pitching debut, I just wanted to pass a long a few things.
One if you haven’t donated to the Jimmy Fund, please take a moment to do. Any amount big or small which you can donate will go a long way in the fight against cancer. We’ve all known someone affected by that horrible disease and what better way to help the fight then making a donation. Head over to the Jimmy Fund website and make your pledge.
Secondly, I won’t be around late in the afternoon as I am heading to the shoreline to celebrate the birthday of one of my best friends. I’ll probably miss the game as well. So unless the lineups are out at around 3 PM or so, there won’t be an afternoon Red Sox post. Things will get back on track either tonight or most definitely in the morning. I’ll probably end up watching the game tonight when I get home.
Slights perceived, scores settled and wisecracks dished: A look inside Dustin Pedroia’s new book [Red Sox Monster]
Thrown off [Boston Globe]
Ellsbury suffers ankle sprain on his way home [Boston Globe]
Fresh arm lends hand [Boston Globe]
Their interest in Wagner wasn’t sudden [Boston Globe]
Give it up for the kids [Boston Globe]
Words on Words from Mr. Papelbon [Jonathan Papelbon – Wicked Good Sports]
White Sox Rough Up Tazawa And Red Sox, 9-5 [Hartford Courant]
Wagner Joins Red Sox, Penny Released [Hartford Courant]
BOMBERS MIGHT TURN INTO PENNY SAVERS [New York Post]
Green pitches in [Full Count]
Trio of backstop prospects catching on [Full Count]
Green makes it on the mound [Hacks With Haggs]
Tazawa routed as Sox fall to Chicago [Providence Journal]
Bard’s up-and-down season may be on the upswing once again [Providence Journal]
Billy Wagner happy to be with the Red Sox [Providence Journal]
Red Sox release Brad Penny, who shouldn’t be unemployed for long [Providence Journal]
Carter’s trade to Mets delayed by waiver claim from Yankees [Providence Journal]
The Bradford Files: The Importance of Keeping Victor Martinez [Rob Bradford – WEEI.com]
Junichi Tazawa’s fortune fades vs. Chicago White Sox [Boston Herald]
A loss of speed: Jacoby Ellsbury hurts ankle with slide [Boston Herald]
Nick Green earns save with relief effort [Boston Herald]
He’s no Eric Gagne, Billy Wagner knows the deal [Boston Herald]
For more slices of Boston Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant and Providence Journal websites.
And if the enemy papers are more your style you can check out the Chicago Sun-Times, Chicago Tribune or the Arlington Daily-Herald websites.
