Game 3, @KC, Matsuzaka (0-0) vs. Greinke (0-0)
April 5th, 2007 by Tim Daloisio
The much anticipated debut of Daisuke Matsuzaka is finally upon us. All the talk is over, the speculation done. It’s time to pitch. Reports from Kauffman Stadium have the game temperature around 40 degrees.
I’ll leave you with these two thoughts heading into today’s game, as they sum it up better than I. Matsuzaka’s Nike commercial that is airing now in Japan.
And from Mike Plugh at Matsuzaka Watch:
“The way people are talking about the Matsuzaka debut, it’s as if we’re about to witness the prophecy of the Archangel Gabriel’s “end of days”, or at least the coming of the Nazgul to the American Midwest. Spring Training has been very exciting and a lot of people have come to know Daisuke Matsuzaka a bit better for having seen him firsthand. You’d have thought that the mythical version of his background would have subsided just a bit with a closer personal experience with the pitcher, but in fact it has grown. To paraphrase Verbal Kint
He’s become a myth, a spook story that managers tell their hitters at night. Don’t take your swings, and Daisuke will get you. Ty Cobb always said ‘I don’t believe in God, but I’m afraid of him. Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Daisuke Matsuzaka.”
Boston Red Sox
Starting Pitcher: Daisuke Matsuzaka
SS Julio Lugo
1B Kevin Youkilis
DH David Ortiz
LF Manny Ramirez
RF J.D. Drew
3B Mike Lowell
C Jason Varitek
CF Coco Crisp
2B Dustin Pedroia
Kansas City Royals:
Starting Pitcher: Zack Greinke
CF David DeJesus
2B Esteban German
RF Mark Teahen
DH Emil Brown
3B Alex Gordon
1B Ryan Shealy
LF Ross Gload
C John Buck
SS Tony Pena
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Player to Watch: Dustin Pedroia - Ok…who am I kidding here. Of course all eyes will be on Daisuke Matsuzaka and there could be no other Player to Watch today.
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If you are interested in game flow and specifically Win Probability Added or WPA, follow the game live on Fan Graphs live WPA scoreboard. I’m already hooked.
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I’ll be making my live comments in the comments section today as I won’t be able to recap inning by inning (who schedules day games anyway).
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WP: Daisuke Matsuzaka, 1-0
LP: Zack Greinke, 0-1
S: Jonathan Papelbon (1)
HR: Bos - none, KC - David DeJesus (1)
Player of the Game: Daisuke Matsuzaka - With the weight of a Nation (or two if you listen to Larry Lucchino) on his shoulders, Matsuzaka pitched incredibly well today. His final line was a confident 108 pitch outing over 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 1 HR.
Person Most Responsible for Win (Highest WPA): Matsuzaka was 36.7% responsible for the win today.
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There must be 40 people with cameras pointed down the tunnel waiting for Matsuzaka to arrive.
Matsuzaka has taken the field and is running to loosen up in the outfield. He’s got his warm up jacket zipped up tight in the cold weather.
First Inning:
Manny gets the Red Sox an early 1-0 lead with a double. The Sox have scored in the first inning of all three games in KC.
Matsuzka’s on the mound and gives up a single up the middle to leadoff batter David DeJesus on a 1-1 count.
Esteban German grounds into a fielder’s choice, and Matsuzaka walks Mark Teahan on a full count with one out.
Daisuke helps himself out getting Emil Brown to tap into a double play started by the pitcher to end the inning.
2nd Inning:
Lowell extends his hit streak to 3, Coco still can’t find a groove and the Red Sox leave one man on.
Matsuzaka gets a fly out to right and a fly out to left for the first two outs. I am impressed more with his offspeed stuff, tumbling change (82), cut fastball (87) than his fastball (91-92). Ross Gload saw those pitches in order and went down swinging on a 91 mph fastball.
Third Inning:
Lugo aboard on a single off Alex Gordon’s glove at 3rd. The rookie Gordon has had a tough opening series. Ortiz strikes out looking for the second time of the game on a pitch down in the strike zone. Ortiz gets into it a little with the home place umpire. One more call like that and Papi may get himself tossed. Manny gets his second hit of the game once again, off Alex Gordon’s glove. Sox leave two as Drew hits a slow roller to the catcher for an out.
Matsuzaka gets his second K of the game to start the 3rd and breezes through the inning 1-2-3.
Matsuzaka gave up a home run in the 6th inning to David DeJesus and worked out of some trouble in the 5th. The third time round the order is creating some better at bats for the Royals. Emil Brown just doubled with two outs after German was caught stealing for the second out. Alex Gordon gets strikes out to end the inning.
Matsuzaka’s final line: 7 IP, 6 H, 1 ER, 1 BB, 10 K, 1 HR
The Red Sox have tacked two more on in the eighth to get some breathing room.