June 24, 2006

Beckett Being Beckett

Terry Francona:
Two-seamed his fastball, threw his breaking ball very effectively, threw some real good changeups. He pitched. He elevated his fastball, used both sides of the plate with his fastball, threw a couple breaking balls in hitters' counts. Just really pitched effectively. Took the sting out of some pretty good hitters' bats.
Coco Crisp:
He was putting his pitches in the spot he was asked, more so than the movement being so dominant. His location was unbelievable today. If the ball was called to be thrown up, it was thrown right at the mitt, up. If it was away, it was away. His control was unbelievable.
In the eighth, Josh Beckett tired and missed location on several pitches, including the one that Chase Utley clubbed for a two-run home run. Varitek set the target outside (and sort of low), but Beckett threw the pitch (as Jerry Remy would say (and say and say)) "middle in".

Beckett:
It was my most draining game of the season. I didn't get myself into too many jams. It would've been nice to finish and if I had a shutout I probably would have put up more of a stink to stay in.
Interleague play remains a blight on the game and the sooner it is exterminated, the better, but at least Boston is winning these games. The Sox are 9-1 against the NL, outscoring their opponents 73-39, with nearly a 100-point advantage in team batting average (.333 to .236). ... Wily Mo Pena took BP yesterday and hopes to return (after a rehab assignment) the first week of July.

2 comments:

Zenslinger said...

What is so awful about interleague play? Would just like to hear the arguments.

allan said...

Nothing you haven't heard before.

Two things: the teams in the World Series should not have not played each other before (unless in a previous WS). Tradition and the natural order of things.

Plus it makes an absolute mess of the regular season schedule, with two-game series and extra travel.

In a perfect world, I'd get rid of the wildcard and the DH, too. And yes, 2004 (I know) -- but I still hate it.