Beckett's king of the hill in October
Posted: Friday, October 05, 2007 1:32 PM
Josh Beckett made a huge statement to all in the postseason with his Game 1 shutout of the Angels. He is now the starting pitcher to be most feared in October. Obviously, the Angels have to get to Game 4 first, but if they do trailing 2-1, facing Beckett will be brutal.
Look for Vlad Guerrero to return to right field with Chone Figgins in center field and Kendry Morales at DH for Game 2. Mike Scioscia knows he needs offense.
Seeing Manny Ramirez in the Red Sox clubhouse before Game 1 was a stunning sight. It was the first time I had ever broadcast a game involving Ramirez, a total oddity. But he is much smaller than I imagined and in quite fine shape. His work ethic is often praised and the baggy uniforms he prefers don’t flatter him.
Think about this: the Red Sox have a terrific lineup and averaged 5.35 runs per game. Yet they still scored 101 FEWER runs than the Yankees.
Great note from New York Daily News columnist Mike Lupica: Eleven October wins are needed to win a World Series. The Yankees have won a total of nine postseason games with Alex Rodriguez.
Sad to see St. Louis and Walt Jocketty part ways. Stability was the sales point for the great Cardinals franchise, just as we have seen from Minnesota and now with the Angels. If Tony LaRussa leaves, the Cardinals may enter a rebuild, though it could be a short one given their relatively unimposing division and the presence of Albert Pujols.
Even sadder to see the continued heat on Willie Randolph and Tom Glavine. It appears Glavine will sever ties with the Mets. Atlanta is always regarded as the one place Glavine might pitch again but I’ll offer a darkhorse -- Boston, the team he rooted for in his childhood.
Randolph was left hanging unnecessarily following the season finale. Then a disturbing story -- perhaps planted -- in a New York newspaper posed the question of whether Randolph was the “right man to lead the Mets forward.” This was the same rationale used by the Mets publicly to fire Art Howe in 2004. His replacement? Randolph.
The Mets are showing signs of internal tension, the very issue addressed by St. Louis in the Jocketty matter. Will the Mets let this lie?
And adding to the pain Mets fans feel is former Met Kaz Matsui, who hit a grand slam and drove in five runs in the Rockies’ 10-5, Game 2 win over the Phillies.
Who would have thought that after the week experienced by the Mets and Knicks coach Isiah Thomas and Madison Square Garden that the Yankees would be the model of organizational stability in New York professional sports?
Broadcasting postseason baseball on a national platform is an honor few realize. Having that opportunity in Fenway Park magnifies one’s good fortune. It’s a gem. Historic in every way yet upgraded to allow for modern necessities and revenue demands.
After 15 years I walked into Fenway Tuesday and immediately realized the essence of Fenway hadn’t changed. A few moments passed and I began to notice Monster Seats, billboards, rooftop boxes, and other add-ons. But never once did I think it was anything but the same Fenway I first broadcast from in 1984. Like Notre Dame Stadium -- a place very close to my heart -- Fenway has been improved without compromising its identity.
