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October 19, 2007
BY SEAN McADAM
Journal Sports Writer
CLEVELAND -- One question: Can Josh Beckett start Game Seven Sunday on two days' rest?
It didn't work with Jim Lonborg 40 years ago, but at this point, is there anything Beckett can't do in the postseason? Anything at all?
''He is the best pitcher I've ever seen in the playoffs -- ever,'' said David Ortiz after Beckett had extended the Red Sox' season with a masterful eight-inning, one-run start Thursday night in Game Five.
It's hard to argue with Ortiz's point. After all, Beckett now has the third-lowest ERA -- 1.78 -- in postseason history among pitchers with 50 or more innings pitched, behind only Sandy Koufax and Mariano Rivera.
This October alone, Beckett is 3-0 with 26 strikeouts in 23 innings. Oh, and one walk -- one.
''He's got something other guys don't,'' said third baseman Mike Lowell, who was part of the 2003 Florida Marlins for whom Beckett won a World Series MVP. ''There's a much different feeling when he takes the mound than anybody else. I just think you have this antcipation that he dominate any lineup any time he goes out there (in October).''
Like Thursday night. Or Game One, last Friday. This American League Championship Series has been unpredictable, but one distinct pattern has emerged through the first five games: When Beckett pitches, the Red Sox win; when he doesn't, they don't.
Talk about valuable.
''We leaned on him all year,'' said manager Terry Francona. ''He gave up three hits (and a run) in the first and then the line drive single to (Casey) Blake and the infield single (in the fifth). That's all he gave up. That's pretty ghod.''
During the season, Beckett was 10-3 after Red Sox defeats, ensuring that losing streaks didn't go and negative momentum was stopped in its tracks. But Thursday night, Beckett operated without a safety net. Without a win, the Red Sox would have come to the end of the road.
After a somewhat shaky first in which he left some pitches up, Beckett established his curveball and the Indians were overmatched the rest of the way. After the first inning, he allowed four baserunners over the next seven frames.
One of those was an infield single that resulted from Julio Lugo ranging too far to the right side, screening double-play partner Dustin Pedroia; another was his own error when he was over-amped to field a slow comebacker from Kenny Lofton.
Other than that, he was nearly perfect.
''He's a big-stage pitcher,'' gushed Ortiz, ''and he knows how to handle it.''
Over the last few days, there were stories from the Red Sox clubhouse that Beckett had felt some stiffness in his right shoulder, cutting short his Game One start after just 80 pitches. But there were no signs of fatigue, nothing holding him back. His fastball popped, his breaking ball dipped, his changeup danced and the Indians were punchless.
''You can see (catcher Jason) Varitek sets off a little bit,'' said Kevin Youkilis, ''and he hits off the corner and guys are taking because they just don't see it that well.''
In eight postseason starts over his career, Beckett has allowed two runs or fewer seven times. Five times, he has allowed a run or pitched a shutout.
Really, given his age, his excellennce in the postseason and his stuff, is there a single pitcher in the game for whom you would trade him?
If you were on the edge, perhaps Thursday night won you over.
''Josh,'' said Varitek, ''gave us exactly what we needed.''
What they needed, of course, was more time, a chance to go back to Boston, an opportunity to tie this series Saturday, and, maybe, a chance to win the pennant Sunday. Without him, they would have packed and gone home for the season.
Thanks to him, they packed and got ready to play some more.
He'll be ready to go for Game One of the World Series. All the Red Sox have to do over the weekend is make sure they get him there.
Posted by Sean McAdam 
at 1:36 AM | Permalink
