After falling in extra innings last night, the Boston Red Sox will look to put a wrench in the AL East celebration plans of the New York Yankees tonight in their final game of their miserable 2012 season.
First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. and the game will be broadcast on NESN in the Red Sox television market. If you live in the Yankees television market, you can catch the game on YES. If you don’t live in either market you are in luck as well as ESPN will coverage of the game (outside of Red Sox and Yankees televison markets). You can also watch the game online at WatchESPN. If you can’t catch the television broadcast, you can always listen to it on the Red Sox radio network.
Daisuke Matsuzaka makes what should be his final start in what also should be skipper Bobby Valentine’s last game as manager. In his 10 starts this season, Matsuzaka is 1-6 with a 7.68 ERA. He has not faced the Yankees this season and is 3-3 with a 5.52 ERA in 10 career starts. Five of those starts have come in the Bronx where he is 1-2 with a 5.34 ERA.
Hiroki Kuroda looks to help the Yankees clinch the AL East in his 33rd start of the season. In his previous 32 starts, Kuroda is 15-11 with a 3.34 ERA. He’s made four starts against the Red Sox this season and is 1-0 with a 3.86 ERA. Kuroda has made five career starts against the visiting nine and is 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA.
Click on the read more button below to see today’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the overnight and day if you’re on the home page.
Here are today’s lineups:
 69-92 |
 94-67 |
||
| 1. Jacoby Ellsbury | CF | 1. Derek Jeter | SS |
| 2. Dustin Pedroia | 2B | 2. Ichiro Suzuki | LF |
| 3. Daniel Nava | LF | 3. Alex Rodriguez | 3B |
| 4. Cody Ross | RF | 4. Robinson Cano | 2B |
| 5. James Loney | 1B | 5. Nick Swisher | RF |
| 6. Jarrod Saltalamacchia | C | 6. Mark Teixeira | 1B |
| 7. Ryan Lavarnway | DH | 7. Curtis Granderson | CF |
| 8. Pedro Ciriaco | 3B | 8. Raul Ibanez | DH |
| 9. Jose Iglesias | SS | 9. Russell Martin | C |
| Daisuke Matsuzaka | SP | Hiroki Kuroda | SP |
And here is how the hitters have fared against today’s starting pitchers:
NOTES:
REFRESH OR CHECK BACK OFTEN AS MORE LINKS WILL BE ADDED BEFORE GAMETIME IF/WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE AND WILL BE BOLDED
To open the links up in a new tab or window, use Control+click
The real reason why fans aren’t Triple Crown-obsessed [boston herald]
Cherington won’t say Valentine is lame duck [rob bradford – weei.com]
Red Sox beef up front office by hiring scouting director who signed Mike Trout [clubhouse insider]
Bobby V: “I had every opportunity to succeed — and didn’t” [clubhouse insider]
Fitting end to Matsuzaka’s time with Sox [csn new england]
Report: Red Sox to fire Valentine [csn new england]
Tonight marks a likely farewell to Dice-K [espn boston]
W2W4: Sox can play ultimate spoiler [espn boston]
Video: State of the Nation [espn boston]
Podcast: Bobby V on Michael Kay show [espn boston]
Matsuzaka a fitting choice to end this season [extra bases]
Scout that helped lead Daisuke Matsuzaka to Red Sox reflects on pitcher’s career in Boston [full count]
As season winds down, Bobby Valentine jabs at Red Sox medical secrecy [full count]
Bobby Valentine says Red Sox coaches undermined him, talks John Farrell in final Big Show appearance [full count]
Right to the end, everything is wrong for Red Sox [tony massarotti – boston globe]
Jon Lester Already Looking Forward to Bouncing Back in 2013 With Help From LL Cool J [nesn.com]
Bobby Valentine Says Members of Coaching Staff Weren’t Loyal to Him, Felt Undermined at Times [nesn.com]
Red Sox’ Managerial Plans, Jacoby Ellsbury’s Future Will Be Among Top Offseason Storylines [don orsillo – nesn.com]
Valentine says he was undermined by his coaches [projo sox blog]
Dice-K to toe rubber in Sox’s final game [redsox.com]
Bobby V: I had every opportunity to succeed [alex speier – weei.com]
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photo credits: getty images, getty images
