Red Sox 2008 Game 73 Preview

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B. Colon		4-1, 3.41		C. Hamels		6-4, 3.27
Red Sox		44-28		Phillies		41-30

Monday, June 16      Citizens Bank Park  ✠ 7:05 p.m. ET

American League

East	W	L	GB	L 10	1 R W	1 R L	X W	X L
Boston	44	28	-	7-3	10	8	43	29
Tampa Bay	40	29	2.5	5-5	10	7	37	32
New York	37	33	6.0	7-3	12	9	36	34
Baltimore	34	34	8.0	6-4	15	10	32	36
Toronto	35	36	8.5	3-7	11	16	38	33

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

Red Sox: The big righty has been one of the best early-season stories in baseball. The man who was unemployed in February has won four of his first five starts for the Red Sox. Colon has given up three earned runs or fewer in four of his five outings. Colon has made four starts in his career against the Phillies, going 1-1 with a 4.00 ERA. This will be his first start at Citizens Bank Park.

Phillies: Hamels stuck out 13 on Wednesday against Florida, his highest total of 2008. For the second consecutive start, the 24-year-old lefty looked firmly in command, walking only one and giving up two earned runs on three hits over eight innings in earning a no-decision. Hamels has never faced the Red Sox during his first three seasons in the Majors, meaning he'll have to contend with some of baseball's most explosive hitters -- such as Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz -- for the first time.

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

The only Red Sox hitter who has faced Hamels is shortstop Julio Lugo, who is 2-for-3 with two home runs against him.

A batter to watch will be J.D. Drew, who refused to sign with the Phillies in 1997. In 24 games (23 starts) at Philadelphia he is batting .300 / .417 / .533 /.950 (ba/obp/slg/OPS). You could say he is comfortable in the batters box in Philadelphia.

Red Sox are 10-2 versus left handers this year.

Pitching Comparisions Career

Pitcher	GS	W	L	Sho	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP	IP/GS
Colon	4	1	1	0	27	26	12	1	11	14	4.00	1.37	6.75
Hamels	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---	---

Colon has faced the Phillies four times with two of those starts being quality starts. Surprisingly, all four starts were in 2002 and none of them was in Philadelphia. He needs to just keep on doing what he has been doing this year, be effecient and throw strikes.

Hamels has never faced the Sox but with the Sox being 10-2 versus left handed pitchers this year I really like our chances. Of course there is that 1st start struggles, but hey if Lugo is 2 for 3 with 2 home runs, how much stock should we put in that scenario?

Pitching Comparisions this year

Pitcher	GS	W	L	Sho	IP	H	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP	IP/GS
Colon	5	4	1	0	29	31	11	2	7	22	3.41	1.31	5.80
Hamels	14	6	4	2	99	74	36	11	27	86	3.27	1.02	7.07

Just like Volquez on Saturday, the Sox are facing another tough pitcher, but like I said before, the Sox are 10-2 versus left handers this year. I really like our chances versus this guy, even with out Manny and big Papi.

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