Chicago Tribune Phil Rogers Column: Calendar Says It's Beckett's Time of Year

Oct 25, 08:00 AM

Current Headlines: By Phil Rogers, Chicago Tribune

Oct. 25--BOSTON

Roger who?

Rocket what?

A time may come when Josh Beckett is jeered at Fenway Park, especially if he is ever disloyal enough to follow Roger Clemens in defecting to the Dark Side. But it's hard to imagine Beckett paying for his own chowder and lobster rolls while a member of the Boston Red Sox.

In only two years in Boston, and seven seasons in the big leagues, Beckett has produced more postseason heroics than Clemens in his 24 seasons, the formative part of which was spent as a New England icon.

Beckett, like Clemens, is from a suburb of Houston. He grew up idolizing Nolan Ryan and Clemens, and relies on a fastball that would make either of his fellow Texans proud. But unlike either of those legends, Beckett has found a way to raise his performance at the biggest moments of his career.

He did it again in Game 1 of the 103rd World Series, with a men-against-boys performance vs. a Rockies team that hadn't been beaten in 26 days.

Beckett blew away the Rockies, just as he had the Angels and Indians earlier this month. He absolutely overpowered them -- and on this drizzly, chilly night it was a case of overkill.

Boston gave no quarter to Colorado starter Jeff Francis and reliever Franklin Morales, who gave up all the runs in the Red Sox's 13-1 win before 36,733 at Fenway Park. The fans were pleased but not surprised -- after all, the Red Sox have won four games by a combined score of 43-6 since losing three in a row to Cleveland.

Dustin Pedroia's leadoff homer, on Francis' second pitch of the game, signaled it was the Red Sox who were on the bigger roll rather than the Colorado team that had won 21 of its last 22 games, including three straight elimination games at one point. The Red Sox needed only five innings to become the first team since the 1925 Pirates to collect eight doubles in a Series game.

But Beckett's 97-m.p.h. fastball made as much noise banging into Jason Varitek's glove as any of those hits did off the Red Sox hitters' bats. He threw nothing but fastballs in the first inning, striking out Willy Taveras, Kaz Matsui and Matt Holliday, and got Todd Helton to start the second inning.

He joined Mort Cooper and Sandy Koufax the only men to strike out the first four hitters in a Series game. It took 10 swings before a Colorado hitter put a Beckett pitch into play, when Garrett Atkins doubled in the second. The first nine swings had resulted in six swing-and-misses and three fouls. That's domination.

Between the first and second innings, the Fenway video board played a spoof of Clemens' infamous broken-bat toss at Mike Piazza in the 2000 Series. The fans who once loved Clemens were laughing at him, as they were on the day in the 1999 American League Championship Series when they chanted "Where is Roger?" after Clemens had been knocked out early.

Beckett's career hasn't included many memories worthy of a spoof, certainly not during October. He has gone 6-2 in his nine postseason starts, including 4-0 this season (1.20 ERA in 30 innings pitched). He's one of only 11 pitchers to win four games in a single postseason and could get a chance to become the first starting pitcher to win five during a postseason run.

The most impressive stat about Beckett, however, isn't a personal one. It's that his teams (Florida in 2003 and these Red Sox) never have lost a postseason series. They have won five series in a row, and now have taken a giant step toward No. 6 -- and Beckett's second World Series ring.

In an early hole, Colorado turns to its version of Beckett.

Ubaldo Jimenez, the Rockies' Game 2 starter, is the owner of the best fastball in the major leagues, according to one scout who watched more than 170 games this season.

"That kid is amazing," the scout said. "He throws 99 and it doesn't look like he's working. When he throws strikes, gets ahead, you can forget about it."

Jimenez is 23. That's the same age Beckett was when he broke the hearts of Cubs fans with his four overpowering innings of relief in Game 7 (not to mention that two-hit shutout in Game 5).

While Beckett grew up thinking about being the next Ryan or Clemens, Jimenez's hero was Pedro Martinez. Colorado needs him to pitch like Martinez in his prime. That's a lot to ask of a kid who has made only 16 regular-season starts.

Beckett had 48 on his resume before he pitched against the Cubs in 2003. Besides, in fairness to Jimenez or anybody else trying to answer Beckett, he is a very special pitcher, especially when there are leaves on the ground.

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progers@tribune.com

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