Tavarez starts to shine for Sox
TORONTO -- If this keeps up, the once-unloved Julian Tavarez won't be able to walk anywhere in Boston without people tipping their hats.
The erstwhile reliever made his fifth start for the Red Sox last night since coming out of the bullpen and this one was by far the best, a complete-game seven-hitter in a 7-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays, a victory that kept the Sox mathematically alive for at least one more day in the American League wild-card race.
The complete game was only the second this season for the Sox (Tim Wakefield has the other) and the second of Tavarez's career, the other coming six years ago against the Chicago Cubs, when the well-traveled pitcher (eight teams overall, seven in the last eight seasons) was in his only season with the Colorado Rockies.
``I'll tell you what, he's been a breath of fresh air," said Red Sox manager Terry Francona, on a night that another Sox starter, sore-shouldered Matt Clement, cut short a pregame bullpen session, was believed headed back to Boston, and is no longer expected to make an appearance this season.
``We've been going through a period where we were looking for bodies to start, and he's been great. Regardless, whether he starts or relieves, he's getting outs, which is what you look for, and he's done that very effectively."
Tavarez needed just 99 pitches, 60 for strikes, to go the distance, at one point setting down 14 in a row until Vernon Wells's swinging-bunt single to open the ninth. By contrast, his opposite number, Toronto lefty Ted Lilly, threw 122 pitches before leaving with one out in the sixth, having been touched for five runs (only two earned), on five hits and four walks.
``You know, it's funny, because when our guys went down, some of us talked about it, and he started for us [in Florida] in '02 and he did a good job, so the capability is there," said Mike Lowell, who made Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay pay for dropping his foul pop by hitting a two-run home run two pitches later, helping Tavarez to what became a 3-0 lead in the second after Alex Gonzalez doubled in another run.
``I think he surprised a lot of us, not so much by him being able to pitch well, but for being able to get up to so many pitches after pitching all year in relief. He was still throwing hard in the eighth and ninth, so I was glad he was able to finish it off. He was very efficient."
Tavarez walked one and struck out one. His sinker was working: Nineteen of the outs came on ground balls, including two double plays.
So, do the Sox ignore the speculation, withdraw from the expected bidding for Barry Zito, Jason Schmidt, and Roger Clemens, and anoint Tavarez as ace-in-the-making for 2007?
Lowell smiled at the hyperbole. ``He gives us flexibility," he said. ``You never know what will happen. We went into spring training this year with seven starters. We had an overflow of starters. But you see, sometimes you run into injuries, and you can never have too many starters. Knowing he can do the job is something for us to consider."
