Red Sox 2008 Game 59 Preview

			@
B. Colon		2-0, 2.25		B. Burres		4-4, 4.15
Red Sox		34 - 24		Orioles		26 - 28

Sunday, June 1              Oriole Park at Camden Yards  ✠ 1:35 PM ET

American League

East	W	L	GB	L 10	1 R W	1 R L	X W	X L
Tampa Bay	34	22	-	7-3	8	7	31	25
Boston	34	24	1.0	5-5	9	8	33	25
Toronto	31	27	4.0	8-2	9	11	32	26
New York	28	27	5.5	8-2	9	6	27	28
Baltimore	26	28	7.0	2-8	12	8	25	29

ESPN.Com Preview .
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ESPN.Com after the game Recap.
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From MLB.Com Scouting Report

Red Sox: Two starts into his season, Colon has been everything the Red Sox had hoped thus far. In his last start, he allowed five hits and a run over seven strong innings, beating the Mariners. In Colon's season debut against the Royals, he gave up six hits and two runs over five innings. This will be Colon's first start against an American League East opponent. Lifetime against the Orioles, Colon is 8-6 with a 3.27 ERA in 18 starts. At Camden Yards, he's 3-5 with a 3.53 ERA in nine starts.

Orioles: Burres got smashed for eight earned runs and a career-high four home runs in his last outing but still wound up with a no-decision. Burres is 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA when he allows two runs or less and 0-4 with an 8.18 ERA in his other five starts. Burres had allowed three home runs all season before his last start.

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

Red Sox Batting History vs Burres

Player	AB	Hits	2b	3b	HR's	RBI	BB's	K's	BA	OBA	Slug	OPS
J. Ellsbury	2	2	1	0	0	2	0	0	1.000	1.000	1.500	2.500
D. Pedroia	5	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.200	.200	.200	.400
D. Ortiz	5	1	0	0	0	0	4	1	.200	.556	.200	.756
M. Ramirez	4	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	.250	.400	.250	.650
M. Lowell	5	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.400	.500	.400	.900
K. Youkilis	6	2	0	0	0	1	1	2	.333	.429	.333	.762
J. D. Drew	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	.500	.500	1.00	1.500
J. Varitek	7	1	1	0	0	0	0	1	.143	.143	.286	.429
J. Lugo	5	2	1	0	0	1	0	0	.400	.400	.600	1.000
Totals	41	13	4	0	0	5	7	5	.317	.417	.415	.831

41 at bats vs Burres, so not a lot of history here, the best thing is that the OBP has been high vs this player. The question is whether Drew and Ortiz will play today. Ortiz hurt his wrist, x-rays negative, but he heard something pop which is usually a bad thing. Drew did play last night in the 9th as a defensive replacement so I fully expect him to play.

No Tito today as he is in Boston for his daughters graduation.

Pitching Comparisions Career

Pitcher	GS	W	L	Sho	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP	IP/GS
Colon	17	8	6	0	113	106	41	8	50	75	3.27	1.38	6.65
Burres	1	1	0	0	14 2/3	14	5	0	9	9	3.07	1.57	5.0

Burres has made 8 appearances vs the Sox but has only one start in that time. It was a pretty good start as he went five innings and allowed only two earned runs. That was also his only win vs the Sox.

Bartolo has been very good against the Orioles in the past as he has went at least five innings in every start. A good veteran pitcher who seems to have regained his touch this year. Knock on wood, this will be his third good outing.

Pitching Comparisions this year

Pitcher	GS	W	L	Sho	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP	IP/GS
Colon	2	2	0	0	12	11	3	0	3	8	2.25	1.17	6.00
Burres	10	4	4	0	60 2/3	64	28	7	18	29	4.15	1.35	5.97

Burres has made eleven appearances this year. Every win has been a quality start and three of his four losses has been a poor start. His two no decisions have been against the Yankees and he was good in the first start but horrible in the second start versus that team. Of course that was his last start, so lets hope the Sox can get to this guy early and often.

Sox are 7-2 this year versus Left Handed pitchers.

♊ - When all else fails, get a bigger hammer!