DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Byrd vs. Wakefield

I just checked the weather - looks like the game will be fine. Can you Cleveland-area dawgs confirm this.....



After not having Tim Wakefield available at all in their last series, the Boston Red Sox could use a big effort by him in this one.

The knuckleballer will make his first appearance of this postseason on Tuesday night as the Red Sox look to draw even with the Cleveland Indians in Game 4 of the AL Championship Series.

Wakefield was not on Boston's postseason roster for the division series against the Los Angeles Angels due to back problems. The reliable veteran went 17-12 with a 4.76 ERA in 31 starts this year, but hasn't pitched since Sept. 29.

"I really don't have any concerns," Wakefield insisted. "I was able to throw a simulated game last week in Boston. Went five innings, threw 77 pitches and got my work done in between there, and I feel ready to go tomorrow."

The right-hander didn't face Cleveland this year, and he's 5-4 with a 4.82 ERA in 10 career starts at Jacobs Field. The 41-year-old Wakefield is 4-0 with a 2.61 ERA in four career LCS starts.

"I think when you get to this time of year, you have a great deal of challenges when it comes to the opposition, or they wouldn't be here," Indians manager Eric Wedge said. "Surely a knuckleball pitcher takes it to the extreme. It's not something you see very much of anymore."

There will be pressure on Wakefield and the Red Sox, who will be on the brink of elimination with a third straight loss. The Indians got a well-pitched game from Jake Westbrook to win 4-2 on Monday and take their first lead of the series.

Westbrook took a shutout into the seventh inning before he allowed a two-run homer to Jason Varitek. He scattered seven hits over 6 2-3 innings.

Three Cleveland relievers retired Boston's final seven batters on Monday, extending the bullpen's scoreless streak to 7 1-3 innings.

"Our bullpen has been working hard. Jake controlled the ballgame. He did a good job working ahead and keeping the ball on the ground," Wedge said.

Kenny Lofton hit a two-run homer off Daisuke Matsuzaka in the second inning that barely cleared the right-field wall. It gave Cleveland a 2-0 lead and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

"It was a really pivotal point," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "Dice-K throws a fastball that runs, I think, middle in to Kenny, ends up being a big swing."

Lofton has given the Indians a major boost. He's hit safely in six of seven playoff games, batting .345 (10-for-29) with six RBIs.

"For a guy who's been in the league for so long, there's a bounce to his step and that excitement in his eyes," Cleveland first baseman Ryan Garko said. "For a young guy to see that out of Kenny, obviously you know how important this is."

Cleveland improved to 3-0 at home in the postseason, partly by limiting Boston sluggers Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz to two hits in six at-bats and no runs scored. The duo combined to go 6-for-12 with seven runs in the first two games.

"We have to come in tomorrow and play hard," Ortiz said. "We've been in worse situations, but we have to produce. It's that simple."

The Indians look for another solid outing from Paul Byrd (1-0, 3.60 ERA), who helped Cleveland clinch its division series against the New York Yankees. Byrd yielded two runs over five innings last Monday in a 6-4 win at Yankee Stadium.

This is the first time Byrd has pitched in the LCS since he went 1-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two outings for the Angels in 2005 against the Chicago White Sox.

"You know what you're going to get from Paul. He knows himself very well," Wedge said. "He's pitched in a lot of big ballgames."

The veteran right-hander had a better record at home (8-4) than on the road (7-4) this year, but had the fourth-highest home ERA in the majors at 5.68.

"I don't know the answer to that, other than I had two absolute disaster outings here," Byrd said. "I had a game against the Yankees, which I just got killed."

Byrd is 4-2 with a 4.12 ERA in seven career starts against the Red Sox. He beat them on May 30 by yielding two runs over six innings in an 8-4 victory at Fenway Park.

Ramirez, who is just 2-for-14 lifetime against Byrd, is 7-for-17 (.412) with three homers, 10 RBIs and 10 walks in the postseason.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/preview?gameId=271016105

http://www.wkyc.com/weather/forecast/local/wx_article.aspx?storyid=76222

CLEVELAND --- Wet start, but drying out tonight!
Here we go...GAME 4!!

Showers and thundershowers are showing up on Channel 3 Weather Plus XBAND Doppler Radar. These showers could end up soaking the field just a bit to start.

There will be RAPID IMPROVEMENT as the evening wears on. We're not expecting any rain delays, but stay tuned.

You may want to take along the rain gear just in case.

Wednesday still looks great.

Thursday and Friday, however, are a different story all together!

Rain and thunder along with very breezy weather will wind up over the Buckeye State. The rain could be heavy at times, and may jeopardize the game.

The weekend looks good, and the better of the two days will be Sunday with highs in the 60s.

Stay up on the latest Channel 3 Weather Plus forecast.

Our forecast:
=============

Tonight: Shower early, otherwise mostly cloudy with a spotty sprinkle. Lows Near 58.

Tomorrow: Partly cloudy. High near 74.

Thursday: Rain and thunder with the winds really picking up! High near 75.

Marine Forecast:
================

Winds: SW 5-15 knots
Waves: 2 ft or less
Lake water temp: 64 degrees.

My wife checked the Internet weather and reported that there is a 70% chance of "sprinkles." The radar shows no big major surges after the drenching that central Ohio got earlier today.

you have to be patient with wakefield...

don't let him get into a groove, he hasn't pitched in a month, but he has a good playoff record

he's feast or famine...

as far as byrd goes, he's gotta throw strikes, and get us at least 5-6 innings...

vegas actually has this game at almost a dead even bet... bosox are -108, tribe is -106...

and speaking of betting, did you guys know the tribe has yet to be favored in a playoff game this year?

The Tribe has hit him pretty good before (when, don't remember).

They'll be OK.

Like they said on ESPN: when facing Wakefield forget all about hitting mechanics, just play some schoolyard ball. See where its coming and go after it.

I went to a game back when Wakefield played with Oakland and we couldn't touch him. I'm hoping things are different tonight!

Bad decision by Francona. We should start Beckett on 3 days rest. This is a must win.

8:00 let's go tribe

Rev up the Injuns....T-Minus 5 minutes

lololololololol

-
-
-
v

Is this a good thing?

I hate youkilis. His stance is so gay.

byrd looks sharp

1-2-3...very nice Paulie!! Very Nice

So far, so good!!!

Strikes out Ortiz on the DOUBLE windup!!! LOL!

Nice start

t-pronk

fantasy football guru

That made me laugh

-130 means you have to bet 130 to win 100
+130 means you win 130 if you bet 100

Run Grady Run!!

Wakefield is looking sharp with that knuckle ball. Two guys looked foolish.

byrd has had a first pitch strike every at bat

Byrd looks ridiculously good early - I'm just hoping we can figure out Wakefield soon.

Byrdie!!

I was at the game last night. I can tell you its much more stressful watching on TV than being there. Playoff baseball; its bad for the heart.

Oh that makes sense. I'm used to horseracing bets, which are just listed as 2-1, 10-1, 9-5, etc.

Byrd looking good so far!

Wakefield is sick tonight. We might have problems.

I'm betting on another pitching duel

except no -100 or anything like that.

Crud ... this is what I was worried about. A young inexperience lineup facing a knuckleballer. This was why I was hoping Boston would listen to the talking big-heads in the media and go with Beckett on 3 days rest.

The guys need to get up in the box. Stop trying to kill the ball.

Wakefield has yet to throw a ball over 70 mph

fox posed the trivia question... lofton was the 7th oldest to hit a postseason home run who is the oldest...

babe ruth?