TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Cy Young Hopefuls Match Up In ALDS

ADVERTISEMENT

By CARTER GADDIS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 3, 2007

Updated: 10/02/2007 11:55 pm

One pitched his heart out in Game 7 of the World Series five years ago. The other did the same four years ago in Game 6. Both completed the journey to a championship on those respective nights a season apart, and they're about to take the first step toward another potential title together at Fenway Park.
John Lackey of the Angels and Josh Beckett of the Red Sox have earned their share of postseason hardware, and one of them could walk away with a Cy Young Award in November. But when they take the mound for their respective teams in Game 1 of an American League Division Series today at Fenway Park, one thing they won't have in common is how they'll draw from the experience of those seventh games of years past.

'I've got to go out and execute pitches, just like I did for the Marlins in 2003,' Beckett told reporters on workout day Tuesday in Boston. 'Just like I did throughout this season. I don't think anything's going to change because they're certainly not going to be a different lineup because of what I did in 2003. So, I don't think it has any bearing whatsoever on what's going on now.'

On the other hand:

'I think the Angels' Game 7 victory against the Giants in '02 is definitely something I can draw upon,' Lackey said.

Interesting that Beckett (20-7, 3.27 ERA) chose to focus on the present, while Lackey (19-9, AL-leading 3.01 ERA) chose to focus on his initial, successful foray into the postseason glare as a rookie in '02.

Interesting, but not surprising. Lackey, after all, hasn't done much worth remembering against the Red Sox - this year or ever.

In Lackey's 11 lifetime starts against Boston, the Angels are 1-10. His personal statistics against the Red Sox hardly read like those of a perennial Cy Young contender: 1-6, 6.27 ERA (including 0-2 with and 8.38 ERA in two games at Fenway this year).

'I don't think they could start with any extra runs today,' Lackey said, 'because of what I've done here in the last two starts. So it doesn't matter.'

Beckett's career numbers against the Angels? A 2-0 record with a 2.16 ERA in four starts, including 1-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two starts this year.

Devil Rays manager Joe Maddon, who was the Angels' bench coach when Boston defeated his former team in the 2004 division series, said the Angels might have had the edge in this series if they had managed to secure homefield advantage.

'That's the one matchup that I thought would be tougher for the Angels,' Maddon said last week at Tropicana Field. 'It's based on homecourt advantage.'

And that's based on the Angels' major-league best 54-27 record at home. But the Red Sox were no slouches at Fenway, where they were 51-30.

'We play here 81 games, and I think we're somewhat built for this ballpark,' Boston manager Terry Francona told reporters Tuesday at Fenway Park. 'We get to hit last. Hopefully that and the fact that we play better than them - because that's what it's ultimately going to come down to - will make a difference. I know that at their place they have one of best home records in baseball. So getting them here, hopefully that will mean something.'

Reporter Carter Gaddis can be reached at (813) 259-8291 or igaddis@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT