Tag Archives: Doug Fister

Bullpen Needs Additions In 2018 Season

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Bullpen Needs New Starting Pitchers

The Red Sox were rebuilding their bullpen during the 2017 season, but with a new coaching staff for 2018, another update may be needed.

E-Rod Now in Recovery

Eduardo Rodriguez recently had surgery, and is now in the recovery process. He will not be able to start until May or June, at the earliest. Even then, he may only be pitching out of the bullpen. Rodriguez struggled with his knee throughout the season, and was eventually placed on the 10-day DL. After his return, it was obvious Rodriguez was going to need to look at surgical options during the offseason. With Rodriguez out for spring training, the Red Sox will need to look into another starting pitcher for the 2018 season.

Is Price The New Secret Weapon?

After David Price returned from the DL, it took time to work him back into the pitching rotation. The coaching staff decided he wouldn’t start, but rather would play when necessary. Price was quick to show his injury not only made him stronger, but he was also back to earn his spot in the rotation. He proved his value in late middle relief. He thrives off run support, and a strong offense behind him. With Price pitching as middle relief, things are looking up for the bullpen.

Porcello Not As Strong As 2016

It was clear to Red Sox Nation that something about Rick Porcello was different this season. He didn’t play like the Cy Young winner he was for the 2016 season. After watching Porcello play, he didn’t seem injured. It appeared as though he was not practicing, or looking for any way to improve. Porcello needs to work on his pitching throughout the offseason if he wants to stay in the starting rotation for 2018.

Doug Fister- A Giant Question Mark

Doug Fister was a question mark all season. No one knew if he would have a great game, or a terrible one. With Alex Cora coming in, he will want the starting rotation to be reliable. Fister showed progress throughout the 2017 season. He carried an ERA of 4.88 for 2017, which was the highest ERA of his career. This could be a red flag to the new pitching staff when deciding if they will re-sign him for 2018.

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Red Sox Playoff Pitching Rotation

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With The Regular Season Ending, The Red Sox Get Their Rotation Ready

The Major League Baseball season is almost over, believe it or not which means teams will be getting ready for the playoffs. While others will be making plans for their off season.  The Red Sox have 11 regular season games left before the playoffs get underway. The starting rotation all year has been in question. With David Price now coming out of the bullpen, Chris Sale having a few rocky starts lately, the true ace on the team right now is Drew Pomeranz.   Pomeranz is 16-5 with a 3.28 ERA for this season.

Chris Sale Gets The Ball For Game One Of ALDS

there is know doubt Chris Sale will get the start in game one of the ALDS. Chris Sale has never pitched in the playoffs, so this will be the true test to see how he does in a bigger stage. Sale is 16-7 with a 2.86 ERA so far this season. LDavid Price who’s making $31M should be a playoff starter.  I know his two wins in the playoffs have come while pitching out of the bullpen. But he could prove everyone wrong and earn his contract by pitching well in the playoffs.

Drew Pomeranz, Doug Fister, Rick Porcello: Are The Bottom Three Of The Rotation

Drew Pomeranz would likely be third on the playoff rotation.  He’s had a pretty good season, but in the ALDS last season against Cleveland he only pitched 3.2 innings, gave up two runs, and two hits.

CLEVELAND, OH – AUGUST 22: Starting pitcher Doug Fister #38 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on August 22, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio

My  fourth starter would be Doug Fister who’s 4-2 in the postseason, with a 2.60 ERA according to Baseball Reference.

BOSTON, MA – AUGUST 15: Rick Porcello #22 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates after a triple play during the fourth inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Fenway Park on August 15, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

My fifth starter would have to be Rick Porcello Even though he has 17 losses this season I’d rather have him pitch in a playoff game because I trust him more in the playoffs and who has the experience too. Eduardo Rodriguez is an average pitcher but I don’t think is ready to start a playoff game.

  1. Chris Sale
  2. David Price
  3. Drew Pomeranz
  4. Doug Fister
  5. Rick Porcello

 

Red Sox Even Tribe Series with Unanticipated Dominance by Doug Fister

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“Oh man,” I muttered to myself as I rolled out of bed Tuesday morning. I could not stop thinking about the tragic loss the Sox suffered Monday night on a Brock Holt throwing error. It was a game the Red Sox certainly could have won as they carried a 4-3 lead into the eighth inning. This was the type of loss a crazed Sox fan such as myself loses sleep over. The flow of irrational thoughts began to surge through my brain as I thought “Oh no, last night’s loss was such a momentum killer. How will we rebound from this? How long will this losing streak last? Pretty soon the Yankees will pass us in the AL East. Before you know it, we will be in the basement and out of the playoff picture.” I tried to calm myself with some positive thoughts.  Then the cruel realization popped into my head: “Doug Fister is pitching tonight.” Face palm.  Depressed sigh.

Fister’s struggles

Doug Fister stepped on the mound with a record of 2-6 and an ERA of 5.56. Not the numbers a fan wants to see when he knows his team needs a bounce-back win. But I remembered  Fister pitching later in the day, had a game earlier in the season when he threw 7 2/3 innings while giving up just two runs against Cleveland. Good memory swiftly replaced by bad in his more recent start against them when he lasted just 4 1/3 innings while giving up seven hits and five earned runs. Certainly not an assuring stat line.

As much as I tried to avoid it, 7 pm finally rolled around. I had a brief moment of joy when the Red Sox took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a Hanley Ramirez RBI single. That abruptly ended in the bottom half of the inning as Francisco Lindor took Fister deep on just his third pitch of the game. “Doug Fister are you kidding me?! How can you not hold onto a lead for more than three pitches?!” I shouted as I pulled my own hair out.  About to give up on him, then…  BANG! Fister silenced his critics — including me —  with a nearly perfect nine innings.

Fister looked like the guy who shut down Cleveland on July 31st at Fenway in a dominant 7 2/3 inning effort with a 6-2 win. In fact, he was better than that. Fister successfully did what every good sinker-ball pitcher does.  Keep the ball down in the strike zone. All night it seemed like he got ahead of batters 0-2. Doug induced 13 ground-ball outs which is a clear sign he was on his game. As a guy who can’t blow many guys away with his fastball, ranging from 88-92 mph, commanding his fastball down in the zone will always be essential for Doug’s success. On Tuesday night, he did just that. His final pitching line was: nine innings, one hit, one earned run, two walks, six strikeouts and a win. It was truly one of the best outings by any pitcher in the MLB of the 2017 season, Well done Doug, well done.

CLEVELAND, OH – AUGUST 22: Starting pitcher Doug Fister #38 of the Boston Red Sox celebrates with a teammate after allowing only one hit against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on August 22, 2017 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Red Sox defeated the Indians 9-1. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)