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Covering the Front and Back Pages of the Newspaper
April 15, 2009
BASEBALL: Knuckling Under
Tim Wakefield hasn't given up a hit through 7 innings today. These things usually take some help from the opposing team....take a look at that Oakland lineup: Ryan Sweeney CF Now, several of those guys are solid players for one reason or another, but seriously, how many of them would you put money on to bat above .250 this season? Maybe three - Holliday, of course; Cabrera; and probably Sweeney. It's definitely a lineup prone to a shortage of hits. UPDATE: Suzuki singles in the 8th to break it up. For a famous example of how a lineup can set up a pitcher's accomplishments, here's the box score for Roger Clemens' first 20-K game. Again, not a terrible lineup but a very high-strikeout one, with Steve Yeager and Spike Owen and a bunch of big-swinging sluggers including Danny Tartabull at second base. (Amazingly, only one of Clemens' Ks that day was Gorman Thomas). Comments
That would be an interesting analysis-look at perfect and no hit games and determine what was the most and least impressive based on lineups. Have to figure Larsen's because it was in the Series against great players. Posted by: dch at April 15, 2009 6:25 PMAnd didn't Stormin' Gorman take the Rocket deep that day? Posted by: Mike at April 16, 2009 7:11 AMOne odd note and one ironic one. Dwight Evans and Jim Rice were each caught stealing in that game. McNamara used Dave Stapleton as a defensive replacement for Don Baylor at first base. Posted by: Magrooder at April 16, 2009 11:49 AMAlso aided by Don Baylor playing 1B for the Sox in that game and dropping a routine inning ending foul ball that was turned into a K. That was a weird game that Clemens trailed for several innings (gave up an early solo HR) and Seattle swung at everything. Not sure that the 6 run 8th hurt Wakefield yesterday since the knuckler is such a finicky pitch but to throw 67 pitches through 7 innings in this day and age is almost unbelieveable. Posted by: jim at April 16, 2009 3:21 PMPost a comment
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