October 10, 2007

Wakefield Says He's Ready For ALCS Start

Tim Wakefield threw 77 pitches in five simulated innings yesterday and believes he'll be ready to pitch Game 4 of the ALCS next Tuesaday in Cleveland.

Pitching coach John Farrell: "He went through these five innings with no problems getting loose between innings; that's always the key when you're getting up and down multiple times."

The Courant speculates that if Wakefield cannot pitch, Josh Beckett might get the ball on three days rest. If so, and because of an extra day between Games 4 and 5, Beckett could also return for a possible Game 7 on regular rest. (Jon Lester is also a possibility as a Wakefield sub.)

5 comments:

Rob said...

That's a tough situation, throwing Beckett out there for 1, 4, and 7. Most likely Paul Byrd will start Game 4, but we haven't seen Beckett on short rest this season. He'll be going from 11 days rest to 3 days rest to regular rest.

I'd rather see Lester start Game 4 than Beckett. But we don't know how they've been exercising Lester, either. Long man? Short relief? Starter?

The only upside would be Beckett being able to pitch Game 7. If there is a Game 7, that would then jumble up the rotation for the World Series. Not too much, but enough. He'd probably go Game 2.

Schilling and Daisuke would have regular rest and go Games 5 and 6, respectively.

When you get right down to it, this will ALL hinge on how well the Red Sox do for the first two or three games of the series. If it's 2-1 or 3-0 after 3 games, then you could throw Beckett out there and seal the deal, or not feel so apprehensive about Wake/Lester. If it's 1-2 or 0-3, well, you've got a whole new set of problems anyways. You're trying to save your season right there. Either the Big Three pitched poorly, or the offense slept. We'll hope that doesn't happen, in which case all this talk might as well be irrelevant.

Win the first two, hopefully first three, then worry about Game 4.

allan said...

Globe says the Sox will take 11 pitchers -- add Wake and drop Cash, I presume.

Rob said...

add Wake and drop Cash, I presume.

Then you pray nothing happens to Belly.

s1c said...

add Wake and drop Cash, I presume.

Then you pray nothing happens to Belly.


Actually, they will drop Cash and add Wakefield. As for the nothing happens to belly, remember you can substitute for someone if they are injured. You just can't use them in the next series. So, if belly or tek goes down then you bring in Cash and whoever he replaced is done for the year.

Rob said...

So, if belly or tek goes down then you bring in Cash and whoever he replaced is done for the year.

Oh yeah! That's perfect, then. Drop Cash, add Wake. If Belly goes down, you have Varitek catch Wake for the rest of whatever game it is, and then you drop Belly and add Cash.

Works for me.