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Baseball Today: Thursday, October 4

FEVER PITCH: If it's true that nothing can carry a team through the minefield of October baseball like a dominant ace, the Red Sox have every reason to be encouraged on this cloudy, muggy morning. Josh Beckett (above, Journal photo by Bob Breidenbach), writes Sean McAdam, turned in ''the kind of October performance that gets you mentioned with the game’s pitching greats'' as he authored a complete-game, four-hit shutout (no walks, eight strikeouts) in subduing the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Game One of the ALDS. Yours truly, while noting that it's not truly comparable since it occurred in the first game of the first series rather than in an absolutely crucial situation, found that Beckett's night matched up pretty well against some of the other great postseason pitching performances in Red Sox history. The Boston Globe's Bob Ryan concurs but goes back farther than me; whereas I stopped at Jim Lonborg 1967, he goes on to Boo Ferriss 1946, Babe Ruth 1918 (or 1916), Smoky Joe Wood 1912 and Big Bill Dineen 1903. The Angels, wrote Steven Krasner, tipped their hats to Beckett . . . which was about the extent of what they could do against him all night. All of which, says the Boston Herald's Steve Buckley, makes him the new Mr. October. SI.com's Tom Verducci agrees and thinks Beckett ''might have set the tone for this series, if not for all of October.''

AND THAT'S NOT ALL: Joe McDonald writes it was a strong all-around performance for the Sox that had them ''feeling very good about themselves.'' Kevin Youkilis was feeling especially good, both physically and psychically, after getting Boston off and running with his first postseason hit, a first-inning homer. McDonald and Krasner have the details in their late notes. Now that they're mostly healthy and have their house in order, says the Herald's Tony Massarotti, the Sox can play as well as anyone.

FEELING GOOD, FEELING POWERFUL: Jim Donaldson reports that David Ortiz is healthy again, as evidenced by his home run last night, and the best may be yet to come.

CAN'T GET HIM OUT: In the uncut version of Inside The Game, Krasner examines the battle between David Ortiz, who also homered last night, and Angels starter John Lackey and concluded that Lackey ''does not have anything in his repertoire to get Ortiz out.'' He also includes pieces on the Angels' running game, some hustle by Manny Ramirez, how Orlando Cabrera ''sold'' a call to the umpires, and the Sox using a rare hit-and-run. In a separate piece, Krasner also notes that Lackey -- a loser yet again at his personal house of horrors, Fenway Park -- didn't think he pitched that badly.

THE BAD NEWS: Tim Wakefield is suffering from a bad shoulder, not a bad back, which is why he was left off the ALDS roster. McAdam, McDonald and Krasner have the details in their pregame notes.

ONLINE ONLY: Projo.com's Sox Blog includes elements that weren't in the newspaper or elsewhere on the Web site, including:

-- Postgame clubhouse reaction from McDonald.

-- McAdam putting Beckett in perspective.

-- Angels manager Mike Scioscia talking about the game, written by Donaldson.

-- Jerry Remy winning the election as president of Red Sox Nation, noted by this writer

-- McDonald on Curt Schilling's wild game of pregame long toss.

-- A question from projo.com producer Sheila Lennon asking where you plan to watch Friday night's game.

Along with many, many other postings that did get into both the paper and the Web site.

The at-Fenway postings began at 2:06 p.m. yesterday and went on until after 11 p.m. That'll be the norm throughout the playoffs, so check here early and often.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE AISLE: The Riverside Press-Enterprise's Matt Hurst examines the Angels' decision to pitch to Ortiz with first base open in the third inning, which didn't exactly work out well. Colleague Gregg Patton says what was missing from the Angels' aggressive base-running style last night was baserunners, thanks to Beckett.

IT'S BACK: Bill Reynolds revels in the return of October baseball to Boston.

FROM THE HORSE'S MOUTHS: Youkilis promises to update his blog after every postseason game and he had plenty to write about after last night. Former teammate Gabe Kapler is blogging for the Boston Globe and thinks Youkilis must have felt intense relief -- ''kind of like throwing up after feeling nauseous for a while'' -- after his first-inning home run. Curt Schilling, however, hasn't posted since Sept. 24, when he was gloating about winning in fantasy football.

WE HAVE NO TICKETS, DRAT THE LUCK, BUT HAVE YOU TRIED OUR PARTNER? The Globe reports Major League Baseball is directing fans who had no luck purchasing Red Sox playoff tickets directly from the team to try StubHub Inc., an online marketplace where tickets are being resold for as much as $20,000 apiece. MLB and StubHub signed a five-year contract in August.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PART ONE: The Herald's Michael Silverman that J.D. Drew's hot September is drawing some attention from the Angels.

IN THE SPOTLIGHT, PART TWO: And now the light shines on tomorrow's starting pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka.

GET READY FOR ARMAGEDDON . . . AGAIN: The Diamond Mind simulation software predicts a Red Sox-Yankees ALCS. (sports.espn.go.com)

IF SO, IT MAKES SENSE: SI.com's Jon Heyman lists the Yankees first and the Red Sox second in his postseason rankings.

RELAXING YEAR: Peter Abraham writes that Alex Rodriguez' career year began when he adopted a carefree attitude.

DEAR ERIC: The blog Vegas Watch writes an open letter to Eric Wedge in which it pleads with the Indians manager not to use Joe Borowski as his closer against the Yankees.

DIFFERENT MAN: The Yankees haven't faced C.C. Sabathia since September 2004 and the Akron Beacon Journal writes he's now a far different pitcher than the one who went 1-7 with a 7.13 ERA against New York early in his career.

YOU'VE CHANGED: Former Cubs first baseman Mark Grace tells the Daily Southtown that Wrigley Field is a different place, ''much meaner,'' since the Steve Bartman incident and the disappointment of 2003.

NLDS: The Rockies opened with a win at Philadelphia (Denver Post) . . . The Diamonbacks beat the Cubs in Arizona (Arizona Republic).

THINGS GO BETTER WITH COKE: The Philadelphia Daily News reports that Colorado closer Manny Corpas poured ''a cup of water or soda on the front of his shirt before leaving the bullpen and then rubbing dirt on the area'' as he came in to pitch the ninth inning yesterday.

SLAVE TO FASHION: In an attempt to keep his injured elbow warm, Cole Hamels wore a long-sleeve shirt yesterday. But it may have sapped his strength in the hot Philadelphia weather and contributed to his defeat. (mlb.com)

I'D DO IT AGAIN: Umpire Tim McClelland admits to having doubts about calling Matt Holliday safe on the final play of Monday's wild-card play-in game between the Rockies and Padres, but says based on what he saw, he'd call it the same way again. (Des Moines Register)

WHISPERS: The Mariners may dangle Adam Jones for Johan Santana (Seattle Post-Intelligencer) . . . Scott Boras will be surprised if the Tigers don't pick up their option on Ivan Rodriguez (Detroit Free Press) . . . A.J. Burnett is selling his Canadian condo. Does that mean he'll be exercising the post-2008 opt-out clause in his Blue Jays contract? (Toronto Star)

QUICKLY: Attention local fans: Cox Cable has added WTBS in High Def just in time for the baseball playoffs . . . The Cardinals fired GM Walt Jocketty. (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Quote of the day from Cards chairman Bill DeWitt Jr.: ''To say (Jocketty) was not 100 percent happy would certainly be accurate.'' . . . FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal thinks the move was a good one for the Cards' N.L. Central opponents . . . Barry Bonds' ex-mistress details his temper and his steroids use in an interview with the New York Daily News . . . Paul LoDuca wants to stay with the Mets (New York Daily News) . . . Gary Sheffield will decide soon whether or not to have shoulder surgery (Detroit News) . . . Marlins shortstop Hanley Ramirez underwent shoulder surgery (Miami Herald) . . . The Pirates are remaining mum on whether or not they'll retain manager Jim Tracy. (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

AND FINALLY . . . I don't know where he found it, but Chad Finn uncovered a You Tube clip of the famous Mark Fidrych-Dave Righetti pitching matchup in Pawtucket, the one PawSox owner Ben Mondor and president Mike Tamburro say was one of the events that help put that jewel of a franchise on the map:

Thanks, Chad, for the memories.

-- ART MARTONE

Posted by Art Martone  at 7:15 AM | Permalink