IP H ER BB K PIT
Wednesday vs Pirates: 5.2 1 1 1 7 92
Monday vs Reds: 5.0 0 0 5 6 104
Daisuke Matsuzaka had some trouble commanding the strike zone -- the high pitch count meant he did not work his scheduled six innings -- but he's allowed only one hit in his last 11.2 innings over three outings.Matsuzaka will throw about 60 pitches on Saturday in an exhibition in Philadelphia, then it's on to Kansas City (with a cooler full of Asahi).
For most of the spring, the Sox top starters (and the past and future closer) have had excellent control. It is especially good news for Beckett, who walked a career-high 74 batters last year (only four AL pitchers franked more). To date:
IP BB KDice came into his start today with a 2/13 split. Wakefield's ratio is superb, but he has given up 23 hits in those 15 innings.
Beckett 25.2 4 29
Schilling 16.1 2 9
Wakefield 15.0 1 10
Matsuzaka 17.2 7 19
Papelbon 12.2 3 17
Well, I hope he has a better understanding of the strike zone now, because he won't be making it into the 7th inning unless he throws 120+ pitches. Matt Clement we don't need him to be.
ReplyDeleteHe has said the US strike zone is bigger than the one in Japan (not so much inside, but the outside corners). I'm very interested in seeing him exploit that.
ReplyDeleteI'm also very curious about his pitch counts this year. I could see them being high -- but he won't be working on 6 days rest anymore, so maybe not.
Nice piece. Beckett in particular looks really ready to go. He could be the sleeper-story of the Sox season behind all the Matsuzaka, Manny and Lester stuff we keep hearing about.
ReplyDeleteI am positively giddy about the rotation right now.