The Red Sox must feel like Ivan Drago from Rocky IV.
They landed punches...scratch that, they landed hay-makers against the Tampa Bay Rays in the form of four home runs, and yet still, when the game ended, the series was knotted at 1-1, and the Red Sox were left with a giant question mark as to what to do with Josh Beckett.
BJ Upton's game-winning sacrifice fly was an unfitting end to one of the better playoff games the Red Sox have played in a long time. Terry Francona was trying to manage his embattled pitching staff with his hands tied behind his back, which explains why Mike Timlin was forced to pitch the 11th inning.
The reason Francona was so strapped was that Beckett didn't just struggle at times, he struggled throughout the entire game.
4.1 IP, 9 H, 8 ER, and 3 HR allowed, is a far cry from the lines that Beckett put in the box score last postseason, and Red Sox fans all over the country are frustrated and worried that maybe the Red Sox only have two solid starters.
Beckett's pitches were lifeless. Last season he was able to get away with the occasional mistake pitch because his pitches were so electric, it is clear that in 2008, Beckett will not be so lucky. His change-up to Longoria barely moved and was not even close to where Varitek set-up his glove. Unfortunately for Beckett, this was recurring theme throughout his short stint.
- B/R Ticket Guide
What really frustrates me is that Beckett seems apathetic to his performances, and the entire postseason as well...like it's old news for Beckett. Watching him walk off the field after Terry Francona pulled him, I was waiting for him to slam his glove and see him mouth some really ugly words at himself. Instead he just put his glove down, put his jacket on, and sat down, no expression or emotion whatsoever.
Either Buck Martinez or Ron Darling (I don't remember) put it best. After Longoria tripled into the corner, one of the two said, "He is just missing...something, I don't know what it is, but he is just missing something."
It's true, what seperated Beckett from other pitchers in his past postseason performances was that Beckett thrived off of the pressure of the situation, and his own adrenaline.
He always seemed to have an extra gear that helped him get out of jams. His competitiveness would never let him quit and would always make him furious with himself when he threw pitches like the ones he threw to Longoria and Upton.
I just have trouble believing that his struggles can be written off due to that strained oblique, it seems like something else is missing that is preventing him from being the Josh Beckett from postseasons of old.
The Red Sox were able to take some positive things away from their two opening games at Tropicana Field however.
First and foremost, they were able to steal Game 1 from Tampa Bay on the road, where they were 1-8 during the regular season. Now they get to head back to Boston, where Tampa Bay struggled, and they get to toss their personal momentum-stopper on the hill in the form of Jon Lester.
Secondly, the offense outside of Kevin Youkilis and Jason Bay finally woke up. Dustin Pedroia put it all back together with two home runs off his own personal batting practice pitcher, Scott Kazmir (he is 16-for-27 against Kazmir in his career). Coco Crisp also had three hits that the Red Sox desperately needed at the bottom of their order.
Finally, after last night, Francona can feel comfortable using as many as five different guys out of his bullpen. Both Masterson and Delcarmen were great and didn't pitch a lot of innings. Okajima was his usual self, and so was Papelbon.
The game may have ended with a loss, but if the Red Sox can continue to have success with their offense, its likely that the Rays won't be able to score like that against Lester or Matsuzaka.
Maybe the Red Sox need to trot out one of Beckett's ex-girlfriends to sing the National Anthem next time he pitches. Something needs to happen to wake him up.
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