Dice k to start game 2

[Mikiemo83]

according to Dan Roach and the herald the 1st 3 game starters are Beckett, DiceK then Shilling in game 3

[southcarolina]

Have an extra cup of cofee this morning mikie? :)

[Mikiemo83]

Have an extra cup of cofee this morning mikie? :)never touch the stuff but Idid have a large Tea with lemon - hot tea

a lot of thinking over the weekend but no time to post my thoughts

[oldskool138]

Bad idea...Dice-K has pitched better on the road this year. I hope they know what they're doing...

[southcarolina]

Bad idea...Dice-K has pitched better on the road this year. I hope they know what they're doing...


Know what they are doing? A chimp with a dartboard would have won 125 - 130 games this season. Pffft. Know what they are doing....



*wanders off muttering to himself*

[Mikiemo83]

I have faith and if I am wrong, I will cast a vote for president of Redsox nation to embarrass myself

[jaychamp]

Bad idea...Dice-K has pitched better on the road this year.
So has Schilling and Beckett.

I didn't agree with it at first then thought about it some more.

I think the reasoning is that Dice is a rookie, playing in his 1st playoff, so they decided to give him the security blanket of playing him at home to take some pressure off. Odds are Beckett is going to win game 1. So you take even more pressure off by having him pitch when up 1-0 in the series, instead of potentially 1-1 on the road.

Also, Schilling is, well, old. They probably don't see him being able to pitch effectively on short rest if the series goes 5 games. If you pitch Schilling in game 2, and Dice in game 3, we might be looking at Wakefield having to pitch either game 4(Beckett if it's a must win) or 5.

[Mikiemo83]

A reason that no one wants to discuss is Shill then goes as No. 1 game starters in the next series if it were to happen, a much better alternative than Dice-K IMO

also wake will be in the pen and listening to a portion of Tito on WEEI he mentions Clayton taking BP so does that iclude him in this series?

Lester out of the pen? a playoff home for him?

[jaychamp]

A reason that no one wants to discuss is Shill then goes as No. 1 game starters in the next series if it were to happen, a much better alternative than Dice-K IMO

also wake will be in the pen and listening to a portion of Tito on WEEI he mentions Clayton taking BP so does that iclude him in this series?

Lester out of the pen? a playoff home for him?
Man, I think Wake out of the pen is worse than having to start him.

[3 Point Stan]

Man, I think Wake out of the pen is worse than having to start him.
I think if you see Wake, it would be in a Game 4 or 5 starting situation where, if he struggled early, you'd also see Jason Varitek ultimately pinch-hitting for the starting C.

[NewsBot]

Sox pull a playoff rotation switcheroo
10/01/2007 2:30 PM ET
By Ian Browne / MLB.com

BOSTON -- Red Sox manager Terry Francona revealed his pitching plans for the American League Division Series against the Angels, and Daisuke Matsuzaka is the choice for Game 2 instead of Curt Schilling.
The main reason cited is that the 40-year-old Schilling can benefit from the extra rest time more than Matsuzaka. Schilling was on the disabled list from June 19-Aug. 5 as he recovered from right shoulder woes.

Though Schilling finished strong down the stretch, his velocity isn't what it once was. The Sox feel that the more rest Schilling gets, the better he will be.

Ace and AL Cy Young Award candidate Josh Beckett will open the postseason for the Red Sox on Wednesday, when he pitches Game 1 against the Angels.

Matsuzaka's start in Game 2 comes on Friday, while Schilling takes the ball in Anaheim on Sunday.

Tim Wakefield will open the postseason in the bullpen.

Because of the eight-day schedule the Red Sox and Angels are on, Beckett would have the flexibility of pitching Game 4 on the standard four days of rest and the same applies to Matsuzaka in Game 5.


More... (http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071001&content_id=2243674&vkey=news_bos&fext=.jsp&c_id=bos&partnered=rss_bos)

[Mark_Henderson]

A reason that no one wants to discuss is Shill then goes as No. 1 game starters in the next series if it were to happen, a much better alternative than Dice-K IMO

also wake will be in the pen and listening to a portion of Tito on WEEI he mentions Clayton taking BP so does that iclude him in this series?

Lester out of the pen? a playoff home for him?


The idea of possibly setting Schill up as the game 1 starter of the ALCS is the main aspect of this that makes sense to me. Since Schill's last start was before Dice-K's, he's really going to have a lot of rest before the game 3 start in Anaheim, though maybe that's a good thing if we advance. On the other hand, Schilling's last 6 or 7 starts were really good, whereas Dice struggled until his last 2, so maybe it's Dice who could use the additional rest.

And, if the Angels series comes down to a 5th game, I trust Schilling more to give us a decent 7 innings than I do Dice.

I'm uncertain about Lester in the pen because in a lot of his starts he gives up runs early and then settles down (though his last start was the opposite). If that's his tendency, it could hurt us in the pen.

[Mikiemo83]

alright so DiceK scares a lot of people as the number 2 but when the sox stunk out the place in June, who was the lone bright spot with a 1.59 era in 34 innings? DiceK, hopefully the pressure will have a positive effect on him

[Mark_Henderson]

alright so DiceK scares a lot of people as the number 2 but when the sox stunk out the place in June, who was the lone bright spot with a 1.59 era in 34 innings? DiceK, hopefully the pressure will have a positive effect on him


I totally hope you're right. I just think it's about riding who's hot now. A couple years ago Matt Clement looked great in June, but by September he was abysmal. I feel fine about JD Drew starting over Ellsbury now, but a month ago I wouldn't have.

I hope Dice has recovered from the fatigure or whatever it was and is back to his earlier form. Someone pointed out on 'EEI that Dice has done much better the first time he faces a team. So, I'm not sure how many times he's faced the Angels, but maybe that's a factor.

[Mikiemo83]

Someone pointed out on 'EEI that Dice has done much better the first time he faces a team. So, I'm not sure how many times he's faced the Angels, but maybe that's a factor.
I think he has yet to face them

[SamBam39]

Have the Sox posted their playoff roster yet? I haven't seen it!

[Mikiemo83]

still trying to choose 10 or 11 pitchers

[Baron Samedi]

I still think Francona is taking the approach that you want to give yourself the best chance to win 7 in the first 2 rounds. I think he is looking at the second series and wanting to set up his rotation for that series.

Of course, you don't know how many games the first series will go, but you can leave yourself as many good, solid options as possible for series 2.

This is an approach I agree with. You really want your big guns twice in a 7 game series, and on solid rest. You don't want to get to the World series and have your best pitchers burned out already to get there.

[Mikiemo83]

Tito, according to D & C on WEEI this morning, mentioned the 1st game of the second series , if you get there, would be the place a No.3 starter in a 5 games series would be used.

I just find it amazing how he talked about it

[nomars_girl]

In a 5-game series, the 3rd game is the most critical. If we are up 2-0, it is a chance to end it early. If we are split 1-1, you really want to take the lead. And if we're down 0-2, it is a must-win. I think Francona is doing this right.

[Baron Samedi]

In a 5-game series, the 3rd game is the most critical. If we are up 2-0, it is a chance to end it early. If we are split 1-1, you really want to take the lead. And if we're down 0-2, it is a must-win. I think Francona is doing this right.

Right, and it lines up your best pitchers for the beginning and end of the next series, with plenty of rest.