The backs are up against the wall. This is it. A loss and it’s done.
Enter Josh Beckett.
Beckett goes tonight, and if he loses, there’s nowhere else to go.
The man who has owned the playoffs so far has to come up as big as he ever has. If he doesn’t, his team is in for a long offseason with renewed questions about Manny Ramirez, who will play third base, and whether key members of the team past and present will be around for 2007.
Naturally, now would not be the best time to come down with a sore back. But that’s apparently what has befallen Beckett. There are rumors that his prior outing against the Tribe at Fenway, nearly as dominant as his start against the Angels, included back stiffness and a lack of comfort. Terry Francona and the Red Sox brass aren’t answering questions about a potential injury, but they aren’t denying it exists.
Of course all this has been overshadowed by the latest round of Manny Ramirez hysteria and subsequent delusional hyperventilation. And that has overshadowed the fact that the Indians remain below the radar, a win away from the World Series with their two best pitchers headed to the mound. If C.C. Sabathia can come out with a chip on his shoulder, shouldn’t the Sox be particularly worried?
Yes they should. Now we get to find out if that’s justified, and whether the 2007 incarnation of the Olde Towne Team even has a tomorrow to think about.
Tim Wakefield is on the mound, trying to save the season. Just when you thought the Sox couldn’t ask any more of a 41 year-old knuckleball pitcher, they essentially decide to put their entire season on his fragile, aching back. Nice call Tito Francona.
Still, that’s the hand that Boston has been dealt. Because big-ticket free agent pick-ups of the past, Curt Schilling and Daisuke Matsuzaka, couldn’t get the job done in Games 2 or 3, the Sox are relying on the bargain basement innings eater to win a game. In case people have forgotten, for all Wakefield’s 2004 heroics (which, once again, focused largely on eating innings), the last time he had to save a season it didn’t work out. Ask the White Sox.
As a result, while Josh Beckett stews in the dugout wishing he were on the mound and getting even more pissed off heading into his start in Game 5, the ol’ flutterball will be on display. Or so we hope. Remember, Wakefield has taken struggling to a whole new level coming down the stretch this year. After starting off at a near 20-win pace and holding it through much of the season, Wakefield’s track got sloppy in the final few times out, leading many to wonder whether he would make the postseason roster at all, let alone in time to start an ALCS game.
Now here he is starting against a lineup that’s chewed up Schilling and Matsuzaka, and he’s pitching against a guy who, regardless of results, will definitely not have a hard time finding the strike zone. While Paul Byrd’s approach could help or hurt the Sox, depending on whether they revert to the patient group that frustrated C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona or if they keep swinging away early as they did last night, it could very well be a stunning contrast to Wakefield, who has to find the zone early if he’s going to be effective at all.
Now it’s time to find the answers to all those questions, starting in the top of the first. Or so Sox fans can hope.
Seriously, let’s try not to dwell on it. In fact, after this entry we’re officially going to try and pretend Game 2 of the 2007 ALCS never actually happened. But while we’re stuck thinking about last night’s 11th inning beating, let’s do the rundown of everything we learned, shall we?
1) Eric Gagne is officially a waste of a roster spot at this point. In fact, if he could come up lame with a sore shoulder so we could slip Julian Tavarez or Kyle Snyder back on the playoff pen, that’d be great.
2) Despite a solid single batter spot in the ALDS, Javier Lopez still can’t get out lefties. And he’s a sidewinding lefty. Go figure.
3) Curt Schilling may not be his former dominant postseason self. All he was against the Indians was average, and his inability to get through even five innings - or hold a lead, for that matter - cost Boston dearly, and could eventually cost it the series. We know, we cringe to hear it, too, but it’s the truth.
4) Even with David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Mike Lowell bashing their heads off, the Indians lineup is so balanced it can make up for it. That’s a terrifying thought.
5) All that talk about how maybe we’d be better off with Jon Lester starting Game 4 instead of Tim Wakefield? Yeah, we’re sorry we even mentioned that.
6) Now Daisuke Matsuzaka practically HAS to win on Monday. He has to. Or else Boston is all but screwed.
But we’re not talking about any of this stuff anymore, or about how we rolled over this morning and saw the Wicked Witch of the West. It hurts too much.
So do pictures of the disaster, so enjoy the text heavy post folks. We’ll be back soon in search of something uplifting. We hope.
Hey Manny and Papi? You paying attention? This is the dude Curt needs you to hit. And hit him hard, and early, if possible. Gracias amigos.
After last night’s latest edition of “Josh Beckett is a playoff badass”, the Red Sox have the Indians right where they want them, at home, with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
But if Cleveland and suddenly sensational ace Fausto Carmona can pull out Game 2 tonight, the dynamic of the rest of the ALCS could swing drastically. The Sox are sending longtime postseason stallwort Curt Schilling to the mound, which should increase their chances of shutting down Cleveland’s balanced lineup for a second straight night.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that if the Big Schill can’t do that, Cleveland will suddenly emerge from Boston with a significant upper hand heading back to Lake Erie. While that doesn’t necessarily herald the entrance of bad things, it would put additional pressure on the back of Daisuke Matsuzaka before Game 3, and probably just as much pressure on the still-recovering Tim Wakefield in Game 4. Dice-K has a couple things going for him heading into his start. He was brilliant last time around in Cleveland, he was solid despite struggling to locate his pitches in Game 2 of the ALDS and his postseason resume - at least on a global level - is still pretty sterling. Despite all of that, it’s virtually inarguable that the absolute last thing he needs is more pressure before his start.
Here’s hoping that Schill and the Gang (seriously, how many band names could we come up with that start with Schilling’s name? The possibilities are endless) are up to the task for a second-straight game tonight. While Boston is still floating on Game 1 euphoria, Game 2 is much more important than some may currently think.
Big Papi and Josh Beckett sent a Hollaback out to the crowd at Fenway last night.
Sure, Josh Beckett wasn’t quite perfect, giving up a wind-aided first inning homer and later allowing a second run to cross. But for every little one-pitch mistake Beckett made, a rejuvenated Red Sox lineup got to C.C. Sabathia, drilling him for seven runs before he left, then connecting for three more off the midsection of the Indians pen.
That can only help confidence for the Red Sox moving forward. Like a one-night stand with Gwen Stefani, for instance.
And as would be appropriate for such a monumental night, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz were perfect, literally. Big Papi reached base each time he came up, hit once, walked a pair of times and knocking a couple of hits in between. And that’s before Manny fully started being Manny, connecting for a pair of run producing singles and even earning a bases-loaded walk after falling behind two strikes to none.
As the game wore on and it became clear the Sox were trying to run away with a win, it was hard not to hope they’d bottle some of the offense, or at least keep it going for another day. Boston is sure to need similar magic tonight against the overpowering sinker being used by Fausto Carmona. Perhaps his 2006 struggles at Fenway will come back to mesmerize him and make him at least partially hittable in the process.
Who knows. All that mattered last night was that Beckett was on, the entire Sox lineup was on and the Fens got a taste of blood early. Now, if the Sox can pull another Stefani-like superb performance out of their hat today, Boston can head to the shore of Lake Erie feeling pretty confident about itself, perhaps marching behind the lead of that drum major from the bananas song.
It may not be the Yankees, but the Indians enter tonight’s matchup in Fenway Park is equally anticipated, if that’s possible. The Red Sox start a best-of-seven journey that they hope ends in the World Series.
Josh Beckett hunts deer, elk and a variety of birds in the winter. In October he hunts zeros.
The weather has turned to fall just in time to greet the first pitch, which will be fired out by a guy some Sox fans wanted out of town a year ago, yet now are clamoring to try and find a way to pitch three times in an ALCS. That’s how drastic a turnaround young Josh Beckett, still only 27, has gone through in the past 12 months. From maligned No. 2 starter to ace and possible Cy Young winner, Beckett’s move from mediocre to momentous has been nothing short of a full-fledged awakening.
And now he’s pitching in the exact kind of games that drew the Sox front office to Florida’s door, begging for him after the 2003 season. His Game 1 performance in the ALDS was a complete whitewash of the Angels and set the tone for Boston’s sweep. Now, he’ll try to attack a remarkably balanced Cleveland lineup and mow through batters the way he did a week and a half ago.
Not that Boston can take any sympathy on Cleveland hitters. The Indians have quite the ace of their own, C.C. Sabathia, who might pry the Cy Young from Beckett’s very grasp. While Sabathia was dominant throughout the regular season, he has a rough first playoff start against the Yankees, and was also outdueled by Daisuke Matsuzaka in his last outing against the Sox. Does that mean he’ll have troubles at the Fens tonight? Not necessarily, though the resurgent bats of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz beckon. Or so Sox fans hope.
And that hope, as 2004 showed, is enough to bouy spirits and, eventually, lift a team. We’re getting closer to finding out if it can happen again.
Two games does not a series make, but two wins goes a long way toward making one incredibly palatable.
That’s the opportunity the Sox face tonight, hosting the Angels for Game 2. Daisuke Matsuzaka makes his long-awaited playoff debut, with the Angels throwing the twice-unfortunately named Kelvim Escobar at Boston. That’s not all the Angels are throwing out there, either. Manager Mike Scoscia juggled his lineup, pushing Vlad Guerrerro back into the outfield to create room for another bat in the DH hole.
It’s Dice-K time, but will it be gut-check time in Boston?
While it might seem early for that kind of adjustment, this is the playoffs, and the Angels looked positively baffled against Josh Beckett Wednesday. On top of that, LA has never seen Matsuzaka, missing his turn in the rotation in both stints at Fenway and when the Sox hit the left coast in July.
It’s a seeming advantage for Dice-K, a point Scoscia has already made himself. But the bigger question in the matchup will revolve around the Japanese ace’s control. If Dice-K locates multiple pitches and throws first-pitch strikes, the Sox will likely be in good shape. If he doesn’t, it could get to be a long night at the Fens (see below).
Then again, the same can be said for Escobar, and getting to the front end of the Angels pen would definitely be an advantage for Boston. Will they get there? That’s very much to be determined. But if they can be patient and force Escobar into the zone, just as they did with Jon Lackey again Wednesday, they’ll be in very good shape.
Naturally, being in good shape tonight could decide what kind of shape the Sox come out of in the series. Or what shape they stay home in.
That’s right LA of Anaheim of Orange County of California of you get the damn idea. That’s right, Josh Beckett is out to get you. In his Texan dialect, he done hunted your ass down once now. He’s got the scent, and if he has to again, he’ll shoot Jon Lackey right between the eyes.
Ahh, screw it Josh. Go get some. Sox fans won’t judge, you deserve it.
Or many he can leave that to Big Papi and Kevin Youkilis. They certainly did a suitable job of that last night.
But the story, not shockingly, was Beckett’s dominance. At one point he mowed down 19 straight. Nineteen! It’s almost preposterous. And not only did Beckett’s dominance thoroughly frustrate the entire Angels lineup - OK, Vlad the Impaler got a hold of two different pitches that looked impossible to hit and stroked them for singles, but he is Vlad the Impaler - it also saved the Sox bullpen, which can now lineup Hideki Okajima on nearly a full week of rest, not to mention the Irish jigger himself, Jonathan Papelbon.
So, what can you give the guy who just nearly duplicated his epic postseason performance of 2003? What do you give the man who is now riding an 18-inning scoreless streak? Or, because this is The Morning After, who?
You give him the ultimate baseball blogger (seriously, how the hell did she earn that title so fast?), the woman who finally gave up her attempt to sleep through the LA Dodgers rotation (the whole lot of which combined doesn’t have Beckett’s stuff): Alyssa Milano.
Wait, he’s already been there, in 2003? Well, who the hell cares? Alyssa Milano’s still hot. Smoking hot. And Josh Beckett is still nasty. Filthy nasty.
Charmed may have been one of the worst shows of all-time. But it did give birth to this scene, so I think we’re going to call it even.
So we’re hooking it up again. Joshie deserves it after last night. And just think of the possibilities. The last time he was with Ms. Milano, Josh Beckett was sizing up his first World Series ring. Too bad it had an ugly fish on it.
Maybe this time he can get another one, one that might even be a bit prettier. If he gets help from Dice-K tomorrow and Curt Schilling Sunday, he’ll be well on his way.
Let’s get the engines revving folks, the playoffs are officially on.
Tonight, well, this evening? Or should we just call it this supper-time? Whatever. Red Sox fans get to watch a potential Cy Young winner head to the mound for Boston, facing off against a legitimate ace from the left coast. Here, as always, is your Baseball-Reference preview.
Josh Beckett goes back to the mound in the playoffs for the first time since 2003. Think he’s excited to be back on the big stage? It won’t take long to find out.
That, of course, is where the home field Fenway factor kicks in. Because unlike Josh Beckett, who’s been outstanding at home all year (we’re forgetting about that last throw-in start against the Twins), Jon Lackey’s starts in Boston have been an unabetted disaster.
The question becomes one of big game performance, and whether Lackey can put aside those frustrations in the heat of the moment. Beckett certainly has in the past - see 2003, Yankees - but Lackey is a bit less battle-proven.
That doesn’t mean he won’t right his personal pitching ship in the Fens tonight. It just means that Boston’s fans could become a factor, which is exactly what Terry Francona, Theo Epstein and the rest of the Red Sox organization had to be hoping for in gaining home field advantage with the league’s best record in the season’s closing days.
For his part, Beckett certainly seems to be focused. He claims to be patterning his postseason routine after Curt Schilling’s circa 2001 and 2004. He knows how much each batter makes a difference from his own experience in 2003, and he’s had to wait three years to get back near the stage he was on then in Florida.
Now that he has the stage, with the three-ring circus that is a postseason Fenway atmosphere circling around him, will Beckett turn up the heat as he has in the past?
We’re about to find out. Buckle up folks, what Sox fans hope will be a long ride starts. Now.
Now that the Red Sox have officially sewn up the AL East, finally, we know that they’ll be hosting the Angels in the first round. Finally, there’s no drama left to worry about you say? Not exactly.
Tito had a nice night of moves yesterday, so the question now shifts to who he’ll make moves with today.
That’s because home field advantage throughout the playoffs is still very much in play. Boston and Cleveland entered today in a tie for best overall record in the bigs, with the Tribe facing off with the Royals for the finale pairing while Minnesota plays out its string in Boston.
Finishing with the league’s best record might be a measure of pride, but it doesn’t necessarily translate into big things. Remember that 2000 Seattle team with A-Rod? Yeah, not so hot.
Still, home field advantage would be a significant factor, particularly if it swung to Boston as opposed to Cleveland. Just look at the season series. The Red Sox went 5-2 against the Indians, but both of those losses came at Jacobs Field, as part of a four-game split between the teams at the Jake in July.
So, while home field advantage might not be such a huge stick for Cleveland to wield over Boston, it would be a significant one for the Sox at Fenway Park.
Now, because of that 5-2 season series, all the Sox have to do is finish tied with the Tribe to ensure that baseball’s world title will have to go through the Fens. Tonight, Terry Francona is expected to send beleaguered knuckleballer Tim Wakefield to the mound for a faceoff with Carlos Silva a man who has been the very essence of mediocrity all year long. That would seem like a great draw, if not for Wakefield’s struggles since a back injury sidelined him early this month. He hasn’t been the same pitcher since, which means that an average outing from a hurler like Silva might be enough to get the best of Wakefield’s stuff. Or lack thereof.
Meanwhile, the Indians send middling Jake Westbrook to the mound against the one big pitching chip Kansas City has, Gil Meche. That’s about as good a KC bullet as Boston fans could hope for.
The bigger question, of course, is how Tito will draw up his lineup, whether he’ll play regulars or throw an entire B-squad out there. We’re kind of betting on the b-squad.
No matter who he throws out there, if Wakefield has a decent night it’ll be a strong sign for postseason possibilities, both in terms of playing games at Fenway and having a knuckleballer who can make an impact.
That sounds like a nice recipe to cook up a day after winning the franchise’s first divisional title in 12 years, doesn’t it?
