[RedSoxAnni]

Game time: 7:00 pm

Scheduled starters: Daisuke Matsuzaka (0-0, 5.79) v. Jake Westbrook (0-1, 10.80)


The game will be on FOX, WRKO, and ESPN Radio


Cleveland weather: 11 am observation at KCLE: Wind out of the south at 9 mph, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 8,000 feet, broken clouds at 15,000 feet, temperature 63F, DP 45F

Forecast: There's a ridge of high pressure moving east across Ohio today, and that will dominate the weather. There were some low clouds and light drizzle early this morning along the lakefront, but right now that appears to be clearing except at one reporting location. The day should warm up into the upper 60's to low 70's, and it will be in the 60's at game time with a light wind out of the south to southeast, which is blowing out toward left.

[Jason Flatley]

I know its early to start the bandwagon right now but I really hope that we can pull through on tonights game. I also hope that if there is another bug problem, that they will maybe at least delay the game to deal with it. Maybe they could spray the field or something.

[BigSlick]

Some Troy O'Leary mojo. The picture below is from right after his Grand Slam in game 5 of the 1999 ALDS against the Indians

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/1999/postseason/division_series/al_div2/news/1999/10/11/oleary_ap/t1_sox_ap.jpg

[RSNLoyalty]

Take em down in Game 3.

This post has been edited by RSNLoyalty04: 15 October 2007 - 02:21 PM

[MTSUDaff]

I don't know how long it's been since I posted in a game thread, but I felt the need to do it now. Matsuzaka has been shaky. There is no way around that. I really get the feeling we're going to see what this team paid for tonight. This lineup scares me, no doubt, but this is his defining game of his young major league career. I think he steps up big tonight.

As for Westbrook, and Byrd if they pitch him tomorrow, I think they are both getting rocked.

[JMDurron]

I think this is the key game in the series. If Matsuzaka gets it done tonight, the Red Sox can pitch Wakefield in Game 4, and get a rested Beckett, rested Schilling, and rested Matsuzaka in games 5-7 to finish things off. If Matsuzaka doesn't do the job tonight, there will be more pressure to pitch Beckett on short rest (always dangerous, and it's not 2003 anymore) in Game 4, which would likely lead towards a less-rested Schilling in Game 5 and a less-rested Matsuzaka in Game 6, thereby possibly making a normally-rested Beckett in game 7 a moot point. Due to the strategic decisions that will likely be made about the pitching staff as a result of this game, I think this is the biggest start of the series for any of our pitchers. If Matsuzaka gets bounced early, we're looking at a worn-out bullpen without a day off before a Wakefield start (scary), or before Beckett on short rest (I find this nearly as scary as Wakefield starting). He absolutely must go deep tonight, and we need this game.

[rominer]

JMDurron, on Oct 15 2007, 12:50 PM, said:

I think this is the key game in the series. If Matsuzaka gets it done tonight, the Red Sox can pitch Wakefield in Game 4, and get a rested Beckett, rested Schilling, and rested Matsuzaka in games 5-7 to finish things off.

I think at this point, Wakefield is a given for game 4 no matter what -- not so much because what short rest does to Beckett, but because of what "regular" rest does to Schilling and, to a lesser extent, Daisuke.

That said, this is absolutely the key game.

Nobody was prepared for how we lost on Saturday, but with Sabathia and Carmona going, we were all prepared for the series to be 1-1 (sure should have been, anyway). Easy to lose sight of that after blowing multiple leads, but this is where we thought we might be.

Westbrook and Byrd are both very winnable games - but if you're Cleveland, you probably think that Matsuzaka and Wakefield are winnable games, too. Another split over the next two days is a strong possibility, and wouldn't be the worst thing in the world -- but Cleveland has to feel like they have the momentum right now. The sooner we win, the sooner we negate that.

Also, I didn't sleep at all last night. Delayed reaction from Saturday. I slept ok Saturday night, because I was sick as hell on Saturday. Now I'm only sick as heck, and losing keeps me up at night. I'M TIRED. I WANT SLEEP. WIN.

This post has been edited by rominer: 15 October 2007 - 03:34 PM

[Jason Flatley]

JM.....

I agree with what you are saying all the way. I believe as well that this game will be the deciding factor of the series. However, even with Matsuzaka making it big tonight, we still need our bats to come through all the way. I think if we can get on the bored early we have a strong chance.

[BillyJo]

This is a game where we really need Dice-K to pitch like a player whom the Sox invested a ton of money in. It's far too soon to say that he has or has not pitched up to expectations, but a nice 7 inning, three run outing would be very nice.

With Wake pitching tomorrow (and Cora and Hinske likely getting starts -joke), tonight's game is huge.

Monday night in October in Cleveland - thanks, Slick for posting that picture. We may not have O'Leary or Pedro in there tonight, but at least we don't have to worry about facing Thome and Ramirez.

(do you realize that Pedro threw 6 innings of no-hit ball in a do or die situation against that lineup? Doesn't have anything to do with tonight's game, but when I think back to that, all I can say is -Wow.)

[ability]

BIG GAME! BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG GAME!

[DesertDirtDog]

The exterminators are in town, bitches! :bosox:



Some Aerosmith mojo...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_hP8PPjedA...ated&search=

This post has been edited by DesertDirtDog: 15 October 2007 - 05:18 PM

[acr]

Sox win 8-3

Matsuzaka goes 6 2/3 of 7 hit, 3 run ball, Delcarmen, Okajima, and Papelbon close the door
JD Drew finishes 2-4 with a pair of doubles and 3 RBI, and Coco Crisp hits a solo homer in the 2nd to set the pace

[RedSoxAnni]

Boston								  Cleveland							 
 ------								  ---------							 
 
 Pos  Player			   HR  RBI  AVG. Pos  Player			  HR  RBI  AVG.
 ---  ------			   --  ---  ---- ---  ------			  --  ---  ----
  2B  Pedroia, Dustin	   0	1  .190  CF  Sizemore, Grady	  2	2  .346 
  1B  Youkilis, Kevin	   1	2  .300  2B  Cabrera, Asdrubal	1	4  .200 
  DH  Ortiz, David		  2	3  .615  DH  Hafner, Travis	   2	3  .292 
  LF  Ramirez, Manny		3   10  .429   C  Martinez, Victor	 1	5  .360 
  3B  Lowell, Mike		  1	9  .353  1B  Garko, Ryan		  1	4  .368 
  RF  Drew, JD			  0	3  .222  SS  Peralta, Jhonny	  1	6  .458 
   C  Varitek, Jason		0	3  .143  LF  Lofton, Kenny		0	4  .346 
  CF  Crisp, Coco		   0	2  .263  RF  Nixon, Trot		  1	3  .600 
  SS  Lugo, Julio		   0	0  .222  3B  Blake, Casey		 0	2  .154 
   P  Matsuzaka, Daisuke (0-0, 5.79)	   P  Westbrook, Jake (0-1, 10.80)

10/15 18:11:03 ET

[Jack Hayden]

I'm arbitrarily predicting a big game from Pedroia.

[Kylyk]

I'm thinking the bottom of the lineup starts coming up big tonight.

[BamaBoSox]

Kylyk, on Oct 15 2007, 05:53 PM, said:

I'm thinking the bottom of the lineup starts coming up big tonight.

Coco.

Most 'def.

[Jason Flatley]

Im am also hoping that the umpires are fair as well tonight.

[jbelushi]

looking foward to another tight game, hope we take to westbrook early and often, a pivotal game, im sure we all agree

dice k for the win

go sox

[DesertDirtDog]

Jason Flatley, on Oct 15 2007, 04:02 PM, said:

Im am also hoping that the umpires are fair as well tonight.

I'll settle for consistant