Matsuzakas Much-awaited Comeback | IXGAMES

Daisuke Matsuzaka made a comeback after three months of being in the disabled list. The so-called comeback can also serve as a preview of what he can do for the Boston Red Sox during the playoffs. The good thing is that Red Sox fans have great things to expect judging from Matsuzaka’s performance last September 15, 2009. Matsuzaka held opponent Los Angeles Angels scoreless in six innings with his powerful pitch. He managed to scatter three hits and five strikeouts on that same game. The win against the Angels was a good sign because the Red Sox will most likely be matched up with the Angels on the first round. Their head-to-head matchup is also in favor of the Red Sox as the team leads the Los Angeles Angels 12 to 1 in playoffs. However, together with this win, Matsuzaka and his Red Sox teammates must continue to do well. By this time, other teams may have heard of his blazing performance that help the Boston team achieve victory. Matsuzaka’s teammate, David Ortiz helped clinched the win for the Red Sox with his 270th career homerun. The homerun made it possible for the Red Sox to inch above still scoreless opponents, the Angels. However, the Red Sox also has Angels pitcher John Lackey to credit for the score beause of his throwing error. Unlike Lackey, Matsuzaka shines with a pitch that has prevented the Angels from scoring in four consecutive innings. He says that he no longer wants to be a burden to his teammates. He goes on to say that his good performance is partly thanks to his need to show his fans and teammates appreciation. Good play does show that appreciation and respect. Angels outfielder Torii Hunter expressed his shock over Matsuzaka’s performance which was long time in coming. The Red Sox pitcher was twice the MVP of the World Baseball classic but his recent performances are lacking. In fact, Matsuzaka has not performed well since June 19. This means that the surprise factor may have also boosted the team’s chances of winning. This also affirms the need to move quickly before other teams are more prepared for the former MVP’s recharged performance. Because of the win over the Angels, Red Sox manager Terry Francona included Daisuke Matsuzaka in the Sept 20th game. He believes that the pitcher should be able to sustain his outstanding performance in the long run especially during the playoffs. Though Francona is thinking long-term, he is also milking it for what it’s worth for the short term. The decision to make room for Matsuzaka during the September 15 game was a good one although the rest of the team definitely contributed positively. Red Sox hopes to make this a streak. Want to know more about MLB? Visit our MLB Guide