Red Sox 2008 Game 41 Preview
 | @ |  | |||||
| C. Buchholz | 2-2, 4.50 | L. Hernandez | 5-1, 3.83 | ||||
| Red Sox | 24 - 16 | Twins | 19 - 17 | ||||
Monday, May 12 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome ✠ 7:05 PM ET
American League
| East | W | L | GB | L 10 | 1 R W | 1 R L | X W | X L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | 24 | 16 | - | 7-3 | 7 | 5 | 23 | 17 |
| Tampa Bay | 21 | 16 | 1.5 | 6-4 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 17 |
| Baltimore | 19 | 19 | 4.0 | 4-6 | 9 | 5 | 18 | 20 |
| New York | 19 | 19 | 4.0 | 5-5 | 4 | 4 | 19 | 19 |
| Toronto | 17 | 21 | 6.0 | 6-4 | 4 | 9 | 18 | 20 |
ESPN.Com Preview .
Yahoo's Preview .
ESPN.Com after the game Recap.
MLB.Com Press Pass
From MLB.Com Scouting Report
Red Sox: Buchholz did not look good in his last start. After winning two of his last three starts, he earned a no-decision, allowing five runs on 10 hits in just four innings in his first career start against the mighty Tigers' lineup. Buchholz let in four runs in the third and one in the fourth to put the Red Sox in a hole. Buchholz faces the Twins for the first time in his short career on Monday.
Twins: In his first career start against the White Sox, Hernandez delivered his 44th complete game. The crafty veteran held Chicago to just one run on seven hits with the lone run coming on a Jermaine Dye solo homer. Mixing in pitches ranging from 59 mph to 85 mph, Hernandez has been teaching the younger arms in the Twins rotation how to keep lineups off-balance by changing speeds. The hope is that Hernandez can do the same in his next start against the Red Sox.
As usual all statistics were found at the day by day database at Baseball Musings and this year at Baseball Reference.
Sox Batting vs Hernandez
| Player | AB | H | 2b | 3b | HR's | RBI | BB's | K's | BA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| J. Ellsbury | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| D. Pedroia | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| D. Ortiz | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| M. Ramirez | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| M. Lowell | 47 | 17 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 7 | .362 |
| K. Youkilis | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 |
| J. Drew | 32 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 | .250 |
| J. Varitek | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .333 |
| J. Lugo | 18 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .333 |
| Totals | 105 | 34 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 13 | 15 | 21 | .324 |
Among the bench players only Kevin Cash has not faced Hernandez in their career. While Cora only has so so numbers against him (.231/.279/.282/.561 (ba/obp/slg/ops)), well actually those are bad numbers I would not be surprised to see him play for Pedroia tonight.
The best numbers though are by Sean Casey. In 30 PA's he is hitting .520/.567/.760/1.327. He owns Livan, absolutely owns the man. Tito would be foolish to sit him tonight.
In fact Tito should be making sure he has in the lefties tonight. This year lefties are going off on a .323/.343/.521/.864 clip. Those are appreciably above his career stats vs lefties (.285/.357/.444/.801).
Pitching Comparisions Career
| Pitcher | GS | W | L | Sho | IP | H | ER | HR | BB | K | ERA | WHIP | IP/GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Buchholz | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Hernandez | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 11 | 2 | 6 | 5 | 12.38 | 2.75 | 4 |
Both of Livans starts came at Fenway and neither of them were good. His first start back in 1999 was his best since he went 6 1/3 innings and only gave up 6 runs (5 earned). Needless to say, the Sox are probably licking their chops to get at him tonight.
Buchholz has never faced the Twins, but I expect an impatient team to have problems with his change up and curve ball. I fully expect HH to win this game.
♊ - When all else fails, get a bigger hammer!
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