Red Sox 07 Game 41

Game 1 - Saturday, May 19    Fenway Park   1:05 PM ET

ATL Anthony Lerew, RHP (0-1, 6.52) Braves (25-16)
@
BOS Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP (5-2, 4.17) Red Sox (28-12)

Game 2 - Saturday, May 19    Fenway Park   7:35 PM ET

ATL  John Smoltz, RHP (5-2, 3.19) Braves (25-16)
@
BOS Devern Hansack, RHP (0-0, 13.50) Red Sox (28-12)

AL East Standings

Team	W	L	GB	L 10	X W	X L
Boston	28	12	-	8-2	28	12
Baltimore	19	23	10	5-5	20	22
New York	18	22	10	4-6	22	18
Tampa Bay	18	23	10.5	4-6	16	25
Toronto	18	23	10.5	5-5	19	22

ESPN.Com preview should be here.
Yahoo's preview should be here.

The recap after game 1 will be here.
The recap after game 2 will be here.

From MLB.Com Scouting Report

GAME 1
Braves: Lerew threw 38 of his 74 pitches for strikes and allowed five earned runs in just 3 2/3 innings against the Pirates on Sunday afternoon. The easily excitable right-hander will have to handle his emotions while pitching in front of a packed house at Fenway Park. His first Major League start came last Tuesday, when he limited the Padres to two runs over six innings. If he's able to consistently get ahead in the count, his sinker can be a valuable weapon.

Red Sox: Well, Red Sox fans may finally know what they've got with Matsuzaka, Boston's prized free-agent acquisition of the offseason. The answer might surprise: He's more BMW than Corvette -- a model of efficiency and a strike-throwing machine. That is, if things continue to work out. In his past two starts, Matsuzaka has thrown 16 innings, allowing just two runs, 11 hits and three walks.

GAME 2
Braves: Smoltz suffered a dislocated right pinky finger in Monday night's loss to the Nationals. But he still hopes to make Saturday's start against a Red Sox team that he's found success against in the past. In nine career appearances against them, he's worked 24 2/3 innings and allowed just three earned runs. Each of those were accounted for last year when he provided a strong seven-inning effort against them. Before Monday's loss, he had won four straight decisions and three straight starts.

Red Sox: Hansack is making the start in place of undefeated righty Josh Beckett, who was placed on the DL with a skin tear on his right middle finger. Hansack impressed the Red Sox last season after a September callup, pitching five-inning's of no-hit ball in the rain-shortened finale of the regular season. Moving Beckett to the DL enabled Boston to put Hansack back on the roster. Hansack was just sent back to Triple-A Pawtucket on May 11, and he would have had to be in the Minor Leagues for at least 10 days under normal circumstances.

As usual all statistics were found at the day by day database at Baseball Musings and this year at Baseball Reference.

The Game 1 starter Lerew has only faced 1 player for the Red Sox. That was Mike Lowell who went 0-1.

Expected Batters vs opposing starter John Smoltz

Player	AB	Hits	2b	3b	HR's	RBI	BB's	K's	BA
J. Lugo	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.500
K. Youkilis	7	2	0	0	0	1	0	3	.286
D. Ortiz	4	2	0	0	1	1	2	0	.500
M. Ramirez	5	2	0	0	1	1	1	1	.400
J.D. Drew	10	2	0	0	1	2	1	1	.200
M. Lowell	21	5	1	0	0	1	0	4	.238
J. Varitek	9	3	0	0	0	0	0	1	.333
C. Crisp	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	.000
D. Pedroia	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---
Totals	61	17	1	0	3	6	4	11	.279

Don't be surprised if Cora is in the line up against Smoltz. Since he is 2 for 3 against him. Substitute Cora for Pedroia and the Sox are batting .297 against Smoltz.

Smoltz has a a pretty good record against the Sox. Since he is the only pitcher of the four scheduled to start with any type of history against either team I have broken down his history as a Starter and Relief Pitcher.

Historical Pitching line

Pitcher	GS	W	L	Sho	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA
Starts	3	1	0	0	18 2/3	19	3	2	8	21	1.45
Relief	0	0	0	0	6	2	0	0	2	6	0.00
Combined	3	1	0	0	24 2/3	21	3	2	10	27	1.09

As you can see, he has been lights out vs the Sox. At Boston he has pitched 11 2/3 of an inning and has allowed no earned runs. A very tough opponent for the Sox.

IDLE THOUGHTS

In the first game I fully expect Wily Mo and Eric Hinske to play. Will be interesting to see who plays and where. My guess is that Manny will get the early game off, especially since he hits Smoltz well.

In the second game I expect the normal line up, though it would not surprise me if Wily Mo plays center field. Of course if Theo was smart he would play J.D. Drew in Center and play Eric Hinske in right. That would add one more lefty which could be huge since Left Handed Batters are batting .283/.359/.449 against him.