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October 19, 2007
Click here to listen to today's edition of projo SoxTalk with Sean McAdam. The topics: Josh Beckett's magnificent playoff run; how he's succeeded this postseason while other big-name pitchers have failed; the Kenny Lofton argument; Manny Ramirez, locked in for the first time all year; Manny's near home run and the case for instant replay; and why Coco Crisp may still get the call in center field on Saturday.
Following are some excerpts from Sean's comments.
On Beckett: "To look at what Beckett has accomplished in his three [postseason] starts -- where he's gone 23 innings, given up just three runs, struck out 26 and walked only a single batter while winning obviously all three starts -- it would be pretty tough, I would think, to have anyone in any other team's history match or top that, nevermind anyone in recent Red Sox history."
On Ramirez: "Manny made a reference on the night he hit that walk-off home run to beat the Angels, in Division Series Game Two, that he hadn't felt like he had a good rhythm or that his swing was locked in all season. But I've got to believe that that has changed now, because he is just red hot, at a time when his team needs it the most. It's often a pretty good indicator that Manny's locked in at the plate when you see him powering the ball to right center. And that's where the home run went in Game Four in Cleveland, and that's where the near home run went last night that missed going out by literally less than an inch."
Ellsbury vs. Crisp: "I had a feeling that if they won [Game Five] ... and Crisp didn't contribute, that they might be willing to go with Jacoby Ellsbury starting in Game Six. But I'm starting to rethink that, not because Crisp did anything to maintain his status as starting center fielder, but if you look at the World Series and looking down the road, I think that the Red Sox have to be looking at the fact that there are two left-handed starters for the Rockies in the World Series, and I think if you open the door by sitting Crisp in either Game Six or Seven, or both, then it's kind of hard to go back to him because you need him and his switch-hitting ability to face a couple of left-handed starters, maybe as many as four times in a seven-game World Series. So that's a long, roundabout way to say I think that, although he did nothing at the plate, they may stick with Crisp because they're looking down the road and trying to see the big picture here."
Posted by Mike McDermott 
at 10:58 AM to McAdam
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