IN THE FIELD
Tim Wakefield last pitched in a game on September 28, meaning that while he will be extremely well-rested, the potential exists that he will be far too rusty to make a meaningful contribution. The question then becomes: how long of a leash do we offer Tim?
Tim has a 3.10 ERA at Fenway in 90 innings this year. In one more inning, he has a 5.14 ERA on the road. That bodes well for Wake’s chances in Game Four, yet another pivotal game (what playoff game isn’t?) in the ALCS. If we lose this game, we have to win three straight, two in Tampa. If we win this game, we have a chance to go up three games to two heading to Tampa.
These last two games, Terry Francona has shown a tendency to stick with his starting pitchers (Jon Lester, Josh Beckett) even when the pitchers clearly don’t have “it.” Francona cannot operate like this tonight, not with his entire bullpen sans Paul Byrd at his disposal. There was an off-day Sunday and there is an off-day tomorrow, so there’s no excuse to try to get Wakefield through a game where he’s not succeeding when you have an entire bullpen at your hands, one that has proven it can get the job done (Mike Timlin excepted).
The concern against the Rays is evident, because after years of dominating the Rays, Wakefield had a hiccup against them this year, posting a 5.87 ERA and 0-2 record. That line goes against his home park line, so it can be an either/or proposition. One positive is that the Rays have gone an extended period of time without seeing a knuckleball, so it may take them a turn through the lineup to adjust.
Years of watching Tim Wakefield knows that the pendulum can swing either way with him from game to game, inning to inning. We can’t afford a disastrous game, let alone a disastrous inning.
There’s no easy way to know when a player is “done” ahead of time — it will become evident during the game. Josh Beckett was done after the Sox brought it to 6-6, yet Tito sent him back out for the fifth to try to force him through. It didn’t work out.
AT THE PLATE
Wake is going up against Andy Sonnanstine, a control artist who throws first-pitch strikes 90 percent of the time. The Red Sox need to be ready for this. He also walked just 37 in 193.1 innings. The Red Sox need to be ready for this. The Sox’s game is working the count, but in Sonnanstine’s case, a different tack may be needed.
He pitched against the Chicago White Sox on October 6th, going 5.2 innings with three hits, one walk, four whiffs and two runs. Against Boston this year, he has started two games and pitched 13 of a possible 18 innings, giving up zero earned runs (two total), walking two and whiffing 12. If that doesn’t prove the Sox need to adjust their game against him, what does?
