Anyone Missing Daisuke Matsuzaka?
By Editorial Staff
I find it odd, sitting here on this 17th day of October, wondering if the outcome of this season would have been different with a healthy Daisuke Matsuzaka. Is it a full moon or has the September collapse finally set in? Daisuke does hold a 62% overall winning percentage and a 3-1 record in the Post Season. But, wasn’t it me who wrote about how bad he was and how he had to go. I guess that saying, “Be careful what you wish for’” holds true in this case. So here I am, missing Daisuke.
Who would you rather have seen on the mound in September, Tim Wakefield, Kyle Weiland or Daisuke? As crazy as it sounds, I choose Daisuke. Yes, he is maddening to watch, in fact almost unwatchable, but he did have a way of lasting until the 5th or 6th inning of each game. Once Clay Buchholz went down, the Sox really had no one to turn to. A healthy Daisuke probably would have won 12-14 games. It would be highly doubtful that he would have been as bad as Wakefield, Lackey or Wieland was. He probably would have had more quality starts than Jon Lester or Josh Beckett did in August and September.
So if the Sox can’t figure out a way, albeit trades or free agents to fix this starting rotation, do we look for Dice-K to return in the second half of next year? Daisuke is heading to his last year of his contract. When he underwent Tommy John surgery in June, did we not all think that we have seen the last of Dice-K in a Red Sox uniform? I know I did, I never want to see someone get injured but I wasn’t to upset about it either. Daisuske threw for the first time earlier this month and was pain free. What next for the once promising pitcher? Will he be roaming the friendly confines of Fenway next year or do the Sox let him go?
I will make my decision on the situation when the offseason pitching needs are addressed. If we start next year with this same rotation that had a late season meltdown, then welcome back Daisuke!
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