Game 1 in the Books

Game 1 Recap

Good morning and if you stayed up for the entire game, I didn’t 1130 I was gone, wipe the sleeps out of your eyes and start up another pot of coffee.

So game 1 goes to the Red Sox and if there was any concern the Red Sox may stumble out of the gate those fears was calmed within in the first 10 minutes. First, Josh Beckett was once again the ace and amazing. Last night his first inning performance was one for the record books becoming the first person since Juan Guzman in 1993 to strike out the side in the first inning of a World Series game. Then the Sox went to work, led by the new young star, Dustin Pedroia who just got it over the green monster and the offense was ready to roll on a wet night at Fenway. And roll it did, putting up 13 runs, including blowing the doors off game 1 with a 7 run 5^th inning. Oh by the way the 13 runs scored is also a World Series record, so do we crown the Sox?

Not quite so fast. The Rockies clearly stumbled out of the gate. Do you blame the 8 days off or was it good pitching? In this situation I think you need to give Josh Beckett the credit here. Once again Beckett continues to shine and dominate in the post-season. Beckett in 2007 has been the complete opposite of 2006. Last year he was continuously bit by the long ball and his inability to throw strikes and keep guys off base. If you look back at 2006, Beckett’s main problems came when he would give up homeruns, but with all the walks they were usually 2 or 3-run home-runs and not of the harmless solo variety. In 2007 Red Sox nation is seeing why Beckett is the ace of the staff that so many teams want. He is clearly pitching with high confidence, whether he’s throwing the fastball by the hitter, or painting the corners so precisely and snapping over the off-speed. Beckett is in complete control. Just look at his post-season numbers following last nights performance where he allowed six hits in seven innings, struck out nine and walked one. He has now improved to a record of 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA in the postseason. Also with the offensive help Beckett was once again to throw under 100 pitches which could make him available for a game 4 if needed.

However, on the other end the Rockies for the first time in a long time looked flat. They appeared to be very anxious at the plate, swinging early in the counts and not working pitch counts. Going into the series I said the key for the Rockies is to split in Boston and I am still confident they can do that. Game 1 is over and done with so the Rockies must now turn the page and get back to playing Rockie baseball. The key for game 2 is to work the pitch count. Curt Schilling has been good this post-season but to me on Saturday night it looked like the Indians got themselves out more then Schilling got the Indians out. Meanwhile Ubaldo Jimenez will make the biggest start of his career. He will have the tough task of having to navigate his way through a red hot Red Sox lineup, which frankly right now looks unstoppable. In his first 2 post-season outings he was able to Stifle the Phillies and Diamondbacks for 5+ innings, and tonight the Rockies need that and maybe a bit more. With Jeff Francis struggling Clint Hurdle had to go through his bullpen much more then he would have liked in Game 1. Hurdle needs Jimenez to give the start of his life but he also needs the Rockies offense to wake up, before its too late.

If the Rockies come back to Coors down 2, the party might be over and for that matter and may be just beginning back in Boston. Game 2 is tonight, so get the coffee going again, its going to be another late night. .

Enjoy the game.
Jason Deger