A L C S P R E V I

SECTION B FR IDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2007 COMPLETE SPORTS COVERAGE, BEGINS ON B4 ALCS PREVIEW R ED S OX VS . I NDIANS ■ G AME 1 TONIGHT, 7:10 P.M. ■ FENWAY PARK ■ FOX ACES UP KEN BLAZE/The Associated Press ELISE AMENDOLA/The Associated Press Beckett, Sabathia give Game 1 an extra shot of excitement By JON COUTURE it on paper, this would be the two teams Red Sox vs. Indians More on the ALCS Standard-Times staff writer matching up.” DUELING ACES Tonight BOSTON — The Cy Young ballots are And both are here on the backs of their Cleveland (Sabathia 19-7) at Boston already collected, and we won’t know what starters, which ranked as the AL’s two best C.C. Sabathia and Josh Beckett are likely to finish (Beckett 20-7), 7:10 they reveal until mid-November. collectively — Cleveland (4.19) edged the 1-2 for the AL Cy Young Saturday And that’s fine. While the winner of that Sox (4.21). award. Here’s why: race might resonate louder years from now, Beckett and Sabathia buoyed those staffs, Cleveland (Carmona 19-8) at Boston Josh Beckett and Cleveland’s C.C. Sabathia and while the likes of C.C.’s teammate (Schilling 9-8), 8:21 want Game 1 of their first AL Champion- Fausto Carmona and L.A.’s John Lackey Monday ship Series that much more. nosed into the discussion from time to Boston (Matsuzaka 15-12) at “The match-up, it’s a great thing for time, tonight’s twosome owned 2007. Cleveland (Westbrook 6-9), 7:10 ■ Jon Couture breaks down the baseball,” said Sox captain Jason Varitek. Beckett’s 20 wins led the league, just Tuesday, Oct. 16 matchup, position-by-position. B2 “Those two guys have had tremendous ahead of Sabathia’s 19. Sabathia had the Boston at Cleveland, 8:21 years and they have tremendous stuff.” better ERA, 3.21 to 3.27, plus led most of ■ Complete statistics for both x-Thursday, Oct. 18 “Any time you go into a series knowing the major counting stats because he threw teams, including how they fared Boston at Cleveland, 8:21 that your ace and your No. 1 starter’s going the most innings (241) of anyone in base- Sabathia Beckett against each other. B2 x-Saturday, Oct. 20 to lead things off, you feel good. Much like ball. ■ Bobby Kielty will get the start in Beckett, who missed two starts with a fin- 241.0 IP 200.2 Cleveland at Boston, TBD, if I’m sure Cleveland feels with C.C. leading place of J.D. Drew tonight. B3 off,” Sox pitching coach John Farrell said. “I ger avulsion in May, allowed fewer homers 19-7 W-L 20-7 necessary think it’s fitting that these two teams are in and fewer hits per inning. Sabathia walked 3.21 ERA 3.27 x-Sunday, Oct. 21 ■ Grady Sizemore (above), not the ALCS given both have led the league in fewer. 209 Ks 194 Cleveland at Boston, TBD former Indians Coco Crisp, is the total number of wins. If you were to draw See ACES B3 x-if necessary star center fielder in the series. B3 e’s been phenomenal. ... He’s developed relationships. The young guys, the veteran Pair of leaders “Hguys, they’re all running to him. Those relationships will do nothing but grow.” behind the plate TERRY FRANCONA Varitek, Martinez HERE’S THE CATCH THROWING STRIKES know top priority is Both are respected leaders, After coming from but Victor Martinez has handling the staff surpassed Jason Varitek as Cleveland front ofﬁce, an offensive force. Here’s a look at their 2007 numbers: Farrell ﬁnds home as By DAVID BROWN Standard-Times staff writer Sox pitching coach BOSTON — Danger lurks in BOSTON — Two years ago, JON COUTURE every batter’s box. Scary lum- Manny Delcarmen wasn’t At the ALCS ber with scary numbers. That’s thinking about an impending why October is a good time to appearance in the American director of player associate with masked men. League Championship development, where he And we don’t mean trick or Series. He was thinking of oversaw six minor league treaters. an impending trade to the teams, operations in Venezuela When the American League Varitek Martinez Cleveland Indians as part of a and the Dominican Republic Championship Series begins and assisted with MLB player .255 Avg. .301 package to get Coco Crisp. tonight at Fenway Park, Red And, as fate would have it, acquisition. Sox catcher Jason Varitek and 17 HR 25 he was guided through both It was all part of a presumed Indians backstop Victor Marti- 68 RBI 114 times by a man responsible for path to becoming a general nez will try to guide their teams 57 Runs 78 nurturing his, and loads more, manager, perhaps even to the World Series by helping the man who’d succeed his 122 Ks 76 young talent into something pitchers avoid trouble. more. mentor, Cleveland GM Mark Each lineup has a powerful John Farrell. Shapiro. middle that chews up mis- The Red Sox finished third “He was the one talking to That’s now on hold, after the takes and neither has many in the American League with my agent,” Delcarmen said well-spoken Farrell accepted soft outs. To combat these 867 runs scored and were first Wednesday. “‘How would Boston’s offer to become potent offenses, each pitching pitching coach last October. with a 3.87 team ERA. Cleve- STEVEN SENNE/The Associated Press Manny feel if he happened to staff will count on its catcher land was sixth in runs (811) First-year pitching coach John Farrell has made believers of the come to Cleveland?’ Stuff like “It was not an easy decision, to call a smart game. It’s a for- and third in ERA (4.05). In that that.” and I say that only because mula that worked in the regu- regard, they were the two most Red Sox staff, incluing Curt Schilling, who went out of the way It was part of Farrell’s the two opportunities and lar season for both teams. See CATCHERS B3 to praise Farrell after his ALDS Game 3 masterpiece. five-year stint as Cleveland’s See COUTURE B2.

Load more