Dice-K Back To The DL

We all knew it was coming. Dice-K was going to need a good outting to stay in the rotation. He didn't get it done, so now he heads back to the DL...

Coming off the mound Friday night, Daisuke Matsuzaka began to think about speaking with his coaching staff. He thought about it all night. And when he arrived to the ballpark Saturday, he learned they shared his desire to meet. So they did, determining that Matsuzaka needed an MRI, setting in motion steps that would lead to the pitcher back to the disabled list yesterday. “Immediately after I came off of the mound, my thought was if I keep going like this, I’m just going to be a burden to this team and there’s no way I can keep going like that,’’ Matsuzaka said, through interpreter Masa Hoshino. “As time passed and I spent more time thinking about it, I reached the point where I really needed to approach the coaching staff and be prepared to say even from my end, to be taken out of the rotation. To be prepared for that.’’ He was told Saturday that would be the case, at least for the near future, and then was placed on the DL yesterday with a mild right shoulder strain, the same reason given when Matsuzaka went on the DL in April and missed five weeks (Boston.com)."

The Sox called up catcher Dusty Brown from Pawtucket to fill the roster spot until John Smoltz comes off the DL Thursday to make his season debut. Dice-K's velocity seem to be fine. It just seems like he has lost all confidence, and that maybe MLB batters have figured him out. Last year he got away with nibbling, and really was a statical anomaly. Now there are starting to even out. You can't throw that may pitches every inning, or load the bases frequently. It seems like Dice-K is paying for his sins from last year. He has the stuff to be a good pitcher, but he really needs some time in the minors to right the ship. The question is will he?