Daisuke Rolls The Dice

Daisuke was on the mound yesterday facing the Baltimore Orioles, his first look at an AL East rival. So he decided to experiment a little. After all, this is spring training, and that's the only time you can get away with an experiment gone awry. I'll let him tell you about it.......

"This being a team in our same division that we're going to face many times, I thought I'd take the opportunity to experiment a little bit.
"In the third and fourth innings, I was definitely throwing high up in the zone. Judging from what I experienced, throwing high fastballs and high sliders can tend to be a little bit dangerous."
Matsuzaka, who threw 63 pitches, 40 for strikes, allowed four runs and six hits while striking out three. His throwing error on a potential double-play ball in the fourth set up a three-run inning, including the second homer."

But then Melvin Mora had THIS to say......

"He's not from this planet," said Mora, who struck out twice. "He's coming from somewhere else. He's awesome. Nasty. He’s good. He’s really good. He’s got command of four pitches and they’re all nasty. His fastball’s nasty. His breaking pitch is nasty. His slider’s nasty. His delivery of the ball is sneaky. He’s going to help Boston a lot this year.”

It was two no namers who hit the homers, and the three run inning was set up by a Matsuzaka fielding error on what would have been a double play ball, so I'm not worried. In Japan, the high strike is a much more effective out pitch. Here, it's hit hard, and sometimes out. As it was yesterday in the latest learning experience for a pitcher named Daisuke. Our guy.

Daisuke will be fine. But..........the search for our closer goes on. Believe me, they're looking in the wrong place! Everyone, be on the lookout. The front office needs big-time help....now! I'd love to hear your comments on my never flinching, always consistant view on the deadly, maybe FATAL flaw of the 2007 Boston Red Sox. Now, while they (we) have time to fix them, or time to convince them! Please, remember, this is the team that I love, and I've seen so many different Sox teams through the years. The plusses outnumber the minuses. But when there is a check mark in the minus column for "closer," well, I am concerned. Bigtime. Panic button pushing. Me??? Not yet. Aware of what the heck (I could have used an entirely different word) the club lacks? Aren't you??? And that's EXACTLY why I need your comments. I DO!!!! I'll be here to reply. That's a promise.