Beckett, despite intense Cleveland mindgames, forces Game 6.

by Allen Chace on Oct 19, 2007 12:41 AM EDT in Game Stories Comment 36 comments

Josh Beckett, pictured, was clearly bothered by Cleveland's clever choice of anthem singer, but was somehow able to strike out 11 while allowing only 7 baserunners over 8 innings.

Getty Images/Gregory Shamus

Absolutely superb. Josh Beckett clearly feels his WS MVP trophy is a little lonely on the mantle. After a dicey 1st in which he escaped partly due to a non-RBI DP off the bat of Travis Hafner, Becks gave a clinic on pitching, being efficient while also striking out hitters, and almost got an opportunity to teach Kenny Lofton some humility in the process.
The offense finally looked like the offense all season long. Working counts and generally wearing out C.C. Sabathia with a number of great ABs and getting 14 baserunners against him over 6+ innings.
Indians setup man Rafael Betancourt was good in following Sabathia, only allowing one inherited runner to score on a SF. Those that followed were not so effective, with Rafael Perez allowing 3 runs (1 earned) and Tom Mastny allowing all 3 runners he inherited to score during the Sox's 3-run 8th inning.
The ALCS swings back to Boston with Curt Schilling on the hill in another do-or-die game. Aside from allowing Becks to borrow someone else's ligaments for a night, I know you nor I would have it any other way.

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Re: Beckett, despite intense Cleveland mindgames,

Thanks Josh, for the opportunity!

by brianzen on Oct 19, 2007 1:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

GT.

For anyone who was involved in the Game Thread, in honor of Beckett's win, I will be introducing myself as Allen Chace, Gossip Reporter whenever possible over the next coupla days.

by Allen Chace on Oct 19, 2007 1:11 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Better than Gossip Whore

(hiccup)

Sleept time... Go Sox... zzzzzzzz...

Manny Ramirez is a bad man

by tommy.otm on Oct 19, 2007 1:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's still not over

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 4:43 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: It's still not over

YES! BLUTO! NOTHING'S OVER 'TIL WE SAY IT IS!

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 19, 2007 11:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Great game.

Beckett is "awesome" personified. Reminiscent of the way Pedro would put the whole team on his back and win.

Here's hoping we see a LOT more of Ellsbury on Saturday.

by dave in CT on Oct 19, 2007 8:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Gotta give kudos to Pedroia also. You could just tell he was pissed off about his lack of hitting earlier in the series, and he was simply determined not to let that continue. Ballsy, fire in the gut performance.

by dave in CT on Oct 19, 2007 8:34 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Beckett

Kudos to Beckett for a superb pitching performance, and for also being a colossal punkass in that spat with Kenny Lofton. Class guy, he is.

by Turkmenbashi on Oct 19, 2007 9:33 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

Ah you know what? My bad. I have no right to come in here chirping like that. Josh did pitch a superb game. His offspeed stuff made our hitters look silly. I was pretty pissed about that incident, but hats off to eckett, really.

I hereby retract my previous statement. See you all for game 6!

by Turkmenbashi on Oct 19, 2007 9:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

Hey. You're obviously free to feel that way.

Just like I felt the exaggerated bat drop on a pitch that wasn't even borderline was pretty classless from ol' Kenny. I understand that's something "he does", but f---, getting overly upset about someone making a jackass move like that is something "Beckett just does". So it's a wash.

by Allen Chace on Oct 19, 2007 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

Beckett being Beckett?

by sdkramer.otm on Oct 19, 2007 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

Heh. Exactly.

And Kenny dropping the bat like that was just "Lofton being Lofton". Or "Kenny being Kenny", if you prefer.

by Allen Chace on Oct 19, 2007 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

Fan perspective is an interesting thing, eh? I'd have described Lofton as the "colossal punkass".

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 10:01 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

First off, note that I rescinded my comment.

Second, even if Kenny and everybody else on our team was a punkass ass, it would be greatly outweighed by the combined punkass-ness of Manny, Pedroia and Beckett.

But seriously, who cares. Let's just watch the games.

by Turkmenbashi on Oct 19, 2007 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

Yeah, I'm not at loggerheads with you here (or at least wasn't until that comment about Manny, Pedroia and Beckett). But, as I say, you can feel very differently about the same behaviour from your player and from a player on another team.

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 10:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

True, true. Enough with the name-calling. Apologies all around. Here's for hoping for another great game Saturday.

by Turkmenbashi on Oct 19, 2007 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett

Right on.

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 10:48 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brit:

Great summary of the situation. I can't be too upset with Cleveland fans as far as Manny goes re: Game 4 HR, though the Beckett and Pedroia stuff is just them being fierce competitors.

Personally, I think Jhonny Peralta looks pissed off every moment of every game I've seen him, and that kind of pisses me off. Doesn't mean I can just label him a jackass because of it.

by Allen Chace on Oct 19, 2007 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Brit:

Am I alone in not caring when a batter showboats a bit having hit a homerun? Also, I don't understand the objection to running up the score.

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 3:41 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Brit:

No objection to running up the score here. Actually, maybe this is me overrating J.D's speed and underrating Sizemore's arm, but I felt off the bat he had a decent shot at a triple rather than a double last night, and commented to my mom something along the lines of him being too gentlemanly for it.

Re: showboating, I'd be pissed if someone did it to us. You can bet Lofton or Peralta or Hafner or whoever would've gotten one to the ribs from Beckett for such a performance in the same situation.

by Allen Chace on Oct 19, 2007 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Showboating

Maybe I've watched too much football (soccer)...

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Showboating

Don't get me wrong, Brit. Given the right situation (K-Rod's inside FB to Manny in Game 2 of the ALDS was almost tacit disrespect, while there's also the Scott Proctor episode to consider), I'm not against it, but I sat there on Tuesday wishing that in some situations Manny had a little more 'Tek in him (who, on our team, better exemplifies the 'put your head down and run around the bases' than he does?). I still love Manny. I'm not going to make a post calling him out for his behavior. But I can understand the reaction.

by Allen Chace on Oct 19, 2007 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Legend

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 9:59 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Legend

Look at the K/BB... look at the K/9. Wowsers.

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 10:04 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Casey Blake

My buddy's wife last night, while watching the Case Blake at bat, said "That guy doesn't look like a baseball player. He looks like he should be passed out at a Phish show."

So true.

Manny Ramirez is a bad man

by tommy.otm on Oct 19, 2007 10:38 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Re: Casey Blake

Casey Blake looks like a partially melted candle. With a really big chin.

Bottom 9th B:1 S:0 O:0 With Bill Mueller batting, Dave Roberts steals (1) 2nd base.

by britsoxfan on Oct 19, 2007 10:50 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett, despite intense Cleveland mindgames,

Everyone check out the new OTM logo :)

OverTheMonster.com

by Randy Booth on Oct 19, 2007 12:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sweet.

Manny Ramirez is a bad man

by tommy.otm on Oct 19, 2007 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett, despite intense Cleveland mindgames,

I love it! Sent it to all my Sox fans relatives in Maine!

ROFL -- outstanding!

BC14

by BC14 on Oct 19, 2007 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Re: Beckett, despite intense Cleveland mindgames,

Hilarious.

By the way, regarding the whole Beckett's Super-Ex Girlfriend is singing the anthem as a plot by the Clevelanders ... it may have actually backfired ... instead of fazing Beckett, it made him even more pissed off.

Like, "hey, take a look at this baby! (throws a nasty curve) See what you're missin'?!"

by dave in CT on Oct 19, 2007 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs