Did That Just Happen?
Before last night’s game, if you were to ask me what the most unlikely outcome of Daisuke Matsuzaka’s return would be, I probably would have said “six shutout innings”. Okay, that’s a lie; I actually would have said “nine shutout innings”, but six is still pretty damn unbelievable.
Stuff wise (and this may be good news or bad news, depending on how you look at it) he wasn’t much different than the disastrous version of Dice-K from earlier in the year. Look at the PitchFX data from his last start in June that prompted his 3 month vacation, and compare it to last night’s start. They are uncannily similar, which leads one to believe that the bulk of his early summer struggles were command-related.
Last night was all about pitch placement, something Daisuke had mastered during his 18 win campaign in 2008. He managed to induce 5 swinging strikes on his fastball. On a heater that averages under 92 MPH, that wasn’t happening due to brute force. It was all guile and deception, and we can only hope that Matsuzaka has remastered those skills.
Magic Number: 14
- Hats off to the Oakland A’s bullpen, who held Texas to only 1 hit over 5 innings of shut-out relief last night, an effort spearheaded by former Sox prospect Craig Breslow.
- Jorge Posada apparently had something to prove last night. Well, he did manage to prove something: his brain is roughly the size of a walnut. It takes a certain brand of stupid to ignite a brawl during the 8th inning of a 6-run game, when the primary goal of your team is remaining healthy and intact for the playoffs in three weeks.
Hi there…I am almost exactly one month behind you as I had surgery Dec. 4 in Miami Beach, FL. The warm weather helps and I certainly don’t have to deal
with snow or ice. Question: On your second visit to the doc, did he give you the instruction to do weight bearing at your own pace or with specific limits,
and if so, what were they? I am scheduled for Jan 20 visit when I am expected to do wb with crutches. Also, how early did you do exercises, massages, and PT?
Finally, when did you start ice?
I appreciate any answers you give me.
Thanks,
Eric