Buchholz Lackey-like
Boston Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz is 3-1 but has posted a 8.69 ERA in his first five starts. Opposing hitter are batting .331 against him. He has a WHIP of 1.90. He has allowed 28 earned runs, 15 walks and seven homers in 29 innings.
Buchholz is off to a worst start than John Lackey had last year after his first five games. Lackey had a 2-3 record and 5.65 ERA after five starts in 2011. He had allowed 18 earned runs, 10 walks and three homers in 28 2/3 innings.
Lackey then allowed 17 earned runs in his next two starts combined and his ERA increased to 8.01.
Part of Buchholz's problem is he is lacking some velocity on his fastball and he is not using his changeup as much as some believe he should be.
Buchholz was throwing his fastball an average of 94 mph back in 2010 when was an All-Star and won 17 games while posting a 2.33 ERA. This year, his fastball has averaged out at 92, according to fangraphs.com.
Meanwhile, he is throwing his changeup 11.5 percent of the time at an average of 78 mph compared to 2010 when he threw the changeup 18.7 percent of the time at an average of 82.0 mph.
He also is throwing his fastball 45.8 percent of the time this year as opposed to 54.1 percent of the time in 2010.
Buckner ball sold
The ball that triggered the most horrifying moments in Red Sox history was sold at an auction Friday for $418,250. Yes I am talking about the ball that went through Bill Buckner's legs in game 6 of the 1986 World Series helping the New Hyork Mets to the championship.
The ball was sold to an anonymous buyer at an auction in Dallas.
-Compiled by Christopher Smith and Nick Curcuru
