7 Things: Red Sox vs Tigers

1) Matsuzaka gets the win last night and improves to 5-0. Does a 5-0 record get any uglier looking that this though? He is walking an average of just under 4 a game – with 8 walks last night. Luckily, most of his walks last night came with 2 outs in the inning. He is averaging 105 pitches a game and has only reached 7 innings once (against Toronto April 30th).

On the bright side, he did only give up 2 hits and 1 run.

2) Kevin Youkilis, who is notorious for a great first half of the season, may be ramping things up in May. His stats for this month are: 5 for 16, with 2 doubles, 2 HR’s and 7 RBI’s. Batting .313 with a .455 OBP and Slugging % of .813.

3) While the knee issue with Ortiz is a little scary, he seems to be back in full swing. A huge HR last night off of Todd Jones in the 9th gave the Red Sox a 3 run cushion. In Big Papi’s last 5 games he is 10 for 21, batting .476, 2 doubles, 2 HR’s, 6 RBI’s, a .522 OBP and slugging .857.

4) Bullpen is still an issue. Hansen gives the club a great 6th, but is shaky in the 7th giving up 2 singles and 2 walks. He left the game pitching 1.2 innings and giving up 2 runs.

5) Is it wrong to want more out of the shortstop position? If you misplaced your bat somewhere between Boston and Tampa Bay, can we get a little fielding from you? Okay, maybe that’s a little crazy to ask – how about becoming a threat on the base paths? I think this topic deserves it’s own post – more to come soon. I promise.

Two asides worth mentioning:

6) Maybe I have been oblivious to this in the past, but last night I noticed something that struck me as weird. I don’t recall what inning it was, but the Red Sox were batting. There on the superimposed ads behind home plate was an ad for Dunkin Donuts. Not terribly strange, but worth noting that the ad was for the “You Win When The Red Sox Win”. Do they typically show ads there specific to which broadcast you are watching it on?

7) Heidi Watney made her Boston Red Sox debut last night. Post game she is interviewing Francona and gives Tom Caron the ole’ “TC”. She is smoking and all, but give it some time. Are you and Tom buddies like that already?