Projo Sox Blog

By DANIEL BARBARISI
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Manager Terry Francona will send Daisuke Matsuzaka to the mound Friday night in Tampa to kick off the American League Championship Series with the Rays, saving 2007 postseason star Josh Beckett and Division Series hero Jon Lester for Games Two and Three, respectively.

Tim Wakefield will start Game Four in Boston.

Francona could have brought his hottest starter, Lester, out on normal rest to start Game Two, but that would have thrown the rest of the rotation out of whack, he said. Considering the workload Lester bore in the Division Series, it was better to get him an extra day anyway.

"The reasoning is actually pretty simple," Francona said.

"It gives people rest. Not too much rest, not too little. This is the probably the best way, where we only have one guy going on eight, one guy going on regular. Keep everybody somewhat in line. Rest at this time of year is huge, and we'll take advantage of it while trying not to give too much," he said.

Francona bristled at the notion that Lester should be pressed into service in Game Two. The Sox have a proven performer in Beckett, he said, who boasted a lifetime postseason ERA under 2.00 until he allowed four runs and nine hits in five innings against the Angels in Game Three.

"Before Beckett's last start, he was [thought to be] the best postseason of the pitcher maybe in the history of the game," said Francona. "He had the audacity to be a little rusty after two weeks. We don't need to run away from Beckett, we need to get him on a run."

Lester has been magnificent at home this season, racking up 11 wins and a 2.49 ERA at Fenway, while going 5-5 with a 4.09 ERA on the road. Pitching Game Three will let him throw where he has been at his best, in Boston. Francona was aware of Lester's home record, he said, but he didn't juggle his lineup to ensure that the 24-year-old started at Fenway.

"Not really, I know what it is. You can get into a lot of details, but there really didn't need to be. The way it lined up was appropriate. In the end, as long as they're pitching, the order isn't as important so then you go on what's best for them," Francona said.

Matsuzaka brings an 18-3 record and a 2.90 ERA into the Tampa series, but wasn't as sharp against the Angels, allowing three runs over five innings in a winning effort last week. Matsuzaka pitched well in three starts against Tampa this season, allowing five runs in 15 innings, while picking up a win and two no-decisions.

Wakefield will make his ninth postseason start for the Red Sox Tuesday in Boston. The veteran knuckleballer was in competition with midseason acquisition Paul Byrd for the last rotation spot, and won out partly because of the difficulty of planning around Wakefield's unique pitch.

"We considered everything," said Francona. "When it comes down to what serves the ballclub best, Byrd can probably be used a little more flexibly . . . out of the bullpen.

"You line up Wake, you put him with [catcher Kevin] Cash, you see how far he can go, and then you can make your determinations on how to go to the bullpen, as opposed to trying to bring in Wake in the middle of the game knowing that he's possibly trying to throw to a catcher that you haven't had -- it's kind of an easy decision when you look at all the dynamics."

Jason Varitek, who was credited with handling the pitching staff well against the Angels, said moments before Francona's announcement that he didn't know who he would be catching in Game One. But it didn't matter, he said.

"As far as any one of our four, five starters that gets the ball, I have confidence in any of them, because they've been a part of this team winning all year," Varitek said.

 Tags  Francona Lester Matsuzaka Red Sox

---