Category: Daisuke Matsuzaka

 Clay Buchholz

What’s the impact of Justin Masterson in the rotation?

All indications point to Justin Masterson taking Dice-K's place in the rotation after Dice was placed on the 15-day DL with arm fatigue.

As Masterson prepares to face the Orioles on Patriots Day, the trickle-down effect is significant, especially with the specter of the Josh Beckett suspension hanging over the team.

Masterson was a versatile option out of the bullpen that changes the makeup of the pen significantly. Masterson and Okajima were the two options out of the gate in the seventh and eighth to close out a game with the lead. Now, Saito likely takes Masterson's role, with Manny Delcarmen elevated in a role where the Sox pitch from behind.

April 16, 2009 evan brunell
Brad Penny

Don’t Panic: The Red Sox will improve.

Sample size, sample size, sample size! Remember the thing that increases the accuracy of whatever the available data happens to…

April 15, 2009 tito crafts
Daisuke Matsuzaka

OAK 6, BOS 5: Red Sox slide continues

Not only is Daisuke Matsuzaka's arm fatigued, but Red Sox Nation is also after suffering through a 12 inning, four hour and 24 minute, 6-5 extra innings loss to Oakland.

April 15, 2009 shawn medeiros
Daisuke Matsuzaka

OAK 8, BOS 2: Lester roughed up

Jon Lester would certainly trade his start to the 2009 season with Kevin Youkilis. Reason being, they have been polar opposites of what was expected of them coming into this season.

April 14, 2009 shawn medeiros
Daisuke Matsuzaka

The good, the bad, and the Tek

Early season series against top flight division rivals are always difficult to measure. It's been said time and time again that the Red Sox, Rays and Yankees are likely to play themselves all around .500 against each other by the time this season shakes out and the team that outperforms against the rest of their schedule has the upper hand in the race for the division. That said, it's never easy to swallow being beaten in your own house by a team you'll be battling with all season long.

Given that it was the first three games of the season, a whopping 1.9% of the full slate of regular season games, it's difficult to draw any firm conclusions without being beaten over the head with comments about sample size. But as it is the regular season and no longer the fruitless analysis of in game Spring Training analysis, it is fair to point out a few things that were both good and bad omens, directionally speaking.

April 10, 2009 josh lacey
Daisuke Matsuzaka

TB 4, BOS 3: Longoria, Garza power Rays past Sox

Only three games into the season, Evan Longoria has already punched his name into the American League MVP race. And Matt Garza made a loud statement that the Rays aren't a flash in the pan.

April 9, 2009 shawn medeiros
Daisuke Matsuzaka

4/9: With a heavy heart

While Dice-K attempts to build upon his second straight MVP of the World Baseball Classic, the baseball world grieves for the death of Angels starting pitcher Nick Adenhart.

April 9, 2009 evan brunell
Carlos Pena

TB 7, BOS 2: Pena breaks funk, Lester lackluster

Most baseball analysts think Jon Lester will emerge as one of the best pitchers in the league this year. His start yesterday against the Tampa Bay Rays took a sharp left turn. And it wasn't in the right direction.

April 8, 2009 shawn medeiros
Clay Buchholz

Know Thyself 2009: Boston Red Sox

The 2009 Boston Red Sox are in the final stages of preparing for what is certain to be an entertaining and exciting season. The spring is finally behind us, the roster is set and the team is moving northward to christen Citi Field with some Major League talent.

Now all the roster moves are behind us and the questions move from the "who" of the offseason as they shift to the analysis of performance and the "what" of baseball. This past week has been spent looking at the competition in the American League East, and stiff competition it is. In most cases, the Red Sox had the position by position edge over each team from the Yankees to the Orioles and it should come as no surprise, in that light, that the staff here at Fire Brand gives the Red Sox the edge to win the AL East in 2009.

Today we summarize much of what we've talked about in our "For Better or Worse" series this offseason as we go player by player through the Red Sox roster and prepare for live baseball next week.

April 3, 2009 josh lacey