Projo Sox Blog

BY KEVIN McNAMARA
Journal Sports Writer

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It sure didn't look like we'd be back in these parts so soon.

The Red Sox are happily hitting baseballs again here at Tropicana Field right now. Late in the seventh inning of Game Five last night at Fenway, it looked like they'd be taking batting pracitce again in Ft. Myers in February. A stunning rally, loads of great at-bats, a heavy dose of power from David Ortiz and J.D. Drew and, presto, we're back in Tampa-St. Pete.

The Sox landed in Tampa at around 6:30, slept a few hours at their St. Pete hotel and arrived here at the park around 2:30. You fearless sports writers didn't do much better in the sleep department. We left Fenway around 3 a.m., went home to pack and flew to Florida at 6:30. A little nap later and we're at the park preparing for Game Six of the ALCS as well.

The Rays, by the way, chose not to work out at all today. They didn't between Games Four and Five, either.

The Sox will start Josh Beckett in the sixth game and Terry Francona said "if you have to give a ball to somebody in Game Six, I can't imagine not being excited to give him the ball.''

Beckett has been lit up (11.57 ERA, 18 hits in 9 1/3 innings) in his two postseaosn starts and if he's not bothered physically by an oblique injury, you have to wonder what is wrong. The Sox are hoping that he's getting stronger by the week and will be ready to be Beckett-like tomorrow night.

How are the Red Sox feeling after pulling off one of the greatest Lazarus jobs in baseball history? Pretty happy, and fortunate.

"It's a blast. It's why we play the games,'' said Jonathan Papelbon. "I guess when you back us up against the wall, we find a way to succeed.''

We'll have some more Sox reaction, a profile on Beckett heading into his big start and a look at Game Five star J.D. Drew coming up soon.

 Tags  David Ortiz J.D. Drew Jonathan Papelbon

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