Great to see him pitching well. With both Lackey and Beckett struggling, we needed someone to step up.
I have not seen him pitch this year. Is he more aggressive with his pitches and has he stopped his "nibbling" around the plate?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
He's the most frustrating pitcher to watch in baseball, by far. Every batter has to go 3-2, and 100 pitches by the 5th inning.
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me thank the wonderful and highly intelligent folks at Fox. Apparently, they believe New York is more local to Maryland than Pennsylvania, so instead of the Red Sox game, I got Mets-Yankees. That went off in a hurry, let me tell you!! The game was also blacked out on MLB.com, so I couldn't even watch it online. I tried to be a good student instead and work on my paper in between half hour checks of NESN.com. I couldn't believe what I was reading!!
ReplyDeleteHow long have we waited for this Dice-K to show up?? Forever!! This is the pitcher we hoped would return from all the injuries of the WBC; all the BS with wanting to do things his way. Finally, we are all on the same page. Although I didn't see it, I imagine he mixed his pitches quite well.
And, I have to say it. The Boston Globe must be reading this blog because they mentioned this very thing this morning. I was thinking last night about Dice-K's last four starts. In his return from the DL against the Orioles, he threw to Vic and got creamed. In his next outing, he threw to Tek and had a killer start. Last week against the Yankees, again throwing to Vic, he allowed 5 runs in the first inning. He and Vic had a "difference of opinion" after that game too. Saturday night, he was again paired with Tek, and look what we got. I've said it before about the comfort zone with Tek versus Vic. Beckett and Dice-K are better, more comfortable, with Tek. Buch and Lester seem fine with Vic. Wake by default has to throw to Vic. I think management needs to take a closer look at the battery. If it means Beckett and Dice-K throw their A-game to Tek, then by all means, put Tek in the line up!! I think this only confirms what a valuable role Tek has in this club. Are you listening, Theo?? Don't blow this one too!
I like the idea of 'Tek as the battery mate for Dice-K and Beckett. If the pitcher prefers how a certain catcher calls a game, how he sets up, how he can frame a pitch, how he can calm him done, then stay with it.
ReplyDeleteLook at all the years in which Steve Carlton preferred having Tim McCarver behind the plate.
The long-term issue is this: is V-Mart the 'Sox catcher of the future? I think not. Then, where does he fit in their long-term plans? Something for us bloggers to post about in the months ahead.