A more-confident Clay Buchholz figures to help the Boston Red Sox to the playoffs, the Boston Globe reports today. Buchholz, who played high school ball at Lumberton, is a starting pitcher with the Boston Red Sox who began the season in the minor leagues but quietly "asserted himself as the clear No. 3 starter behind Jon Lester and Josh Beckett," according to a story on the Globe's Web site, Boston.com.
“That’s what I worked hard for,’’ Buchholz told the Globe. “Eventually, sometime down the road, when it’s my time, I want to be a No. 1 on this team. That’s going to be tough, to fill the shoes that are already in that position right now. I want to be that guy, the No. 3, whenever September is over and into October. That’s the job I want to have.’’
Among Buchholz's struggles last season were a fear of failure that came after he threw a no-hitter in just his second major league start, in 2007.
From the story:
“I was afraid to fail a lot last year,’’ Buchholz said.
He thought so much about bad outcomes that he convinced himself he couldn’t make any outs. At the same time, he felt immense pressure from the previous season - “that whole no-hitter deal.’’
Playing a game defined by failure, Buchholz made perfection his standard.
“It drove me insane a little bit,’’ Buchholz said. “When last year was over, it felt like the weight of the world was off my shoulders.’’
Buchholz credits much of his new found major league success to happiness in his personal life, found with an engagement to girlfriend Lindsay Clubine, "a model who once opened briefcases on “Deal or No Deal’’ - she was No. 26 - and now hosts a travel show," the Globe said.
Link: Buchholz masters changeup (Boston.com)
