| Boston | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Matsuzaka (W, 1-0) | 6.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 2.31 |
| Oakland | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Buck, RF | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | .000 |
Daisuke Matsuzaka is still working on increasing his pitch efficiency to go deeper into games, topping out at 96 pitches in this one. Daisuke was actually one of the most abused pitchers last year, with 17 starts coming in at over 100 pitches.
What all of this doesn't change is his ability to be completely dominant in a game. He did give up his second home run of the year, but that was the only damage done in this match as he racked up 9 strikeouts and mixed in five pitches from the onset of the game, keeping hitters off balance. He did not throw his changeup often and only once for a strike, but he had good control of everything else.
Don't expect Daisuke to be throwing two-hitters all season, but as he works to increase his efficiency we could see his numbers take a positive jump this year.
Travis Buck just came to watch the show. Possibly inflating Daisuke's numbers, Travis Buck struck out swinging three times against Matsuzaka and once against Jonathan Papelbon. He is currently in an 0 for 14 slump with 7 strikeouts to start the season.
Buck did offer some promise when he put up a line of .288/.377/.474 in 285 ABs last year, but he is not worth waiting on right now as he obviously has some things to figure out to start the season. He has displayed good enough skills in the past that he should rebound as the year goes on to put up respectable numbers, but the Oakland A's just aren't going to score many runs.
| LA Dodgers | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Furcal, SS | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .556 |
Rafael Furcal managed to fly a bit under the radar this spring, coming off a down year. Many remain down on him to this day, with ESPN projecting him for basically a repeat of last year. However, this is a guy who stole 37 bases and hit .300 with 15 home runs in 2006 and suffered some ankle problems that derailed him last year.
Furcal had a solid spring where he hit .373/.422/.675 that he has continued into the regular season with five hits in only nine ABs. Those who drafted Furcal saw this season as a continuation of 2006 rather than a continued decline. Still only 31 years old, Furcal is in his peak years and looks to greatly reward owners who had faith in him.
Drafted in the 6th round or later in most mixed leagues, Furcal could easily be the 4th best shortstop by the end of the year. He will be leading off for an improved Dodgers offense without Juan Pierre's feeble bat behind him if Joe Torre continues sticking Pierre at the back of the order.
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