June 29, 2007
2-1 Night
The Athletics-Yankees game ended in a 2-1 New York victory. It's one of three tonight in the American League. The Indians took down the Devil Rays 2-1, and the Red Sox just finished off the Rangers 2-1. Edwin Jackson pitched his second fine game in a row for Tampa Bay, going six innings, allowing one run. Jake Westbrook also allowed just one run, but managed to pitch seven frames. It all came down to Ben Francisco leading off the ninth. Playing in his fifth game, he gets his first extra-base hit, a walk off home run to put the Indians back into first place. (The Tigers lost 11-1 to the Twins.)
Tim Wakefield didn't pitch all that well tonight, giving up seven hits and four walks in 6 2/3 innings, including three doubles. His defense helped him out with two double plays, but Tim was lucky to have the Rangers go 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position. Papelbon got into a little trouble with two out in the 9th as Lofton beat out an infield hit that looked like a tie as Jon covered first (he almost was thrown out arguing the play). After hitting a batter, Papelbon struck out Michael Young looking at a pretty knee high pitch. The Red Sox will at least maintain their lead in the AL East tonight.
Posted by David Pinto at
10:19 PM
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More evidence of Baseball Musings' flagrant Yankee boosterism/anti-Red Sox bias:
* Mussina allows one run, strikes out three, allowing 7 baserunners over 7 innings. The Yankees defense turned two double plays.
* Wakefield allows one run, strikes out four, allowing 10 baserunners over 6 2/3 innings. The Sox defense turns two double plays.
So how are these outings described by Pinto?
"Mussina pitched seven very strong innings."
"Tim Wakefield didn't pitch all that well tonight... Tim was lucky."
Okay, so Mussina's line is slightly better... But the result is identical. So it is humorous to this Sox fan that the Yankee-boosing Pinto takes such a negative line on Wakefield. (By contrast, MLB.com says that Wakefield "stifled" the Rangers.)
If it were Wang, this site would say he "induced" two double plays; instead, Pinto writes that the Sox defense bailed Wakefield out. Considering how seldom Yankee pitchers go more than six innings allowing just one run, their fans should not denigrate other pitchers who do so.
If you're going to criticize me, at least get your facts right. Wakefield allowed 11 base runners, seven hits and four walks. So for the evening, Wakefield had a WHIP of 14.8, Mussina 9.0. Mussina pitched a much stronger game.
And if you read the Boston papers this morning, all the talk is about how great Wake pitched. Last night's game typified Wake's April where he had a very low ERA but peripheral numbers essentially identical to those of last year's. Of course, regression to the mean soon ensued. It's amazing how many people receiving enormous salaries to cover baseball have no clue about howw to really understand pitching.