The Baseball Reporters Show Recap 6/9
Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe stopped in the studio today with Tony Massarotti on today's edition of The Baseball Reporters. The guys discuss Stephen Strasburg's incredible first major league start and the Mike Lowell situation.
In MLB history, only 19 pitchers have struck out at least 10 batters in their major league debut (minimum 6 innings pitched). Stephen Strasburg is one of them, striking out 14 batters last night with 0 walks in 7 innings. Who are some other pitchers to accomplish this feat? Daisuke Matsuzaka, Tim Wakefield, Luis Tiant, Juan Marichal, J.R. Richard, and Mark Prior.
Tony Massarotti posed the question to Nick Cafardo, who was in D.C. for Strasburg's debut last night, what is Strasburg going to be?
Cafardo, "So far what he is is an elite young pitcher in the mold of a Clemens, Gooden. He's right there with those guys. Strasburg's got 4 pitches that he can throw anytime he wants at age 21. Roger couldn't do that then. He had a fastball and a curve. That's all he had at that time. He's [Strasburg] way ahead of that".
Over the last 47 games the Red Sox have the best record in the American League. Tony Mazz and Nick Cafardo discuss some of the things the Red Sox need to do in order to improve. The guys both see an obvious need for a reliever, specifically a left hander because Okajima scares them. Also, if Ellsbury isn't coming back anytime soon they see a need in outfield as well.
Cafardo thinks the problem with filling these needs is Mike Lowell, "The thing that's clogging them up is Lowell right now. So they've got to make a decision. It's obvious to me they must be contemplating releasing him because they just haven't played him, at all. So at some point I think they're just going to let him go".
The Red Sox continue their 4 game series with the Cleveland Indians tonight. Clay Buchholz will get the start vs. former Red Sox Justin Masterson. Masterson has been abysmal vs. lefties this season which is why the Red Sox lineup tonight features a lot of left handed batters.
