Not in Kansas Any More

The Rockies were on fire as they entered the Series. 21 wins in the last 22 games. No team had entered the post-season that hot in a long time, if ever. Late inning comebacks; walk-off wins; that incredible rally against the Padres in the bottom of the 13^th, down two and scoring three off Trevor Hoffman, the all-time saves leader. The first team to sweep through the Division series, and the League Championship series. 7-0 coming into Fenway.

But all that success disappeared quickly in their collective rear view mirror, once they came to Boston, and had to deal with Josh Beckett. Four straight strike-outs to start Game One. And those Ks were interrupted by Pedroia’s lead off home run, followed by two more runs in the bottom of the first for good measure. Just to serve notice that this was not a National League game. By the fifth inning, it was all over. 13-1; the most lopsided Game One in the history of major league baseball (there’s that phrase again). Most of the country was probably bored by the game, but I found it fascinating. No drama; no uncertainty about the outcome; but a ton of great numbers.

Beckett ran his post-season to 4-0, with two walks, and thirty-five strikeouts. The second post-season walk came in the fifth, when Spilborghs got not just one, but two gifts, leading to Beckett’s second free pass, one that really should have gone for a K. Not that it mattered in any way; just that he was so perfect this October, the umps had to give the Rockies this walk, so they could have a base runner. Beckett’s 2007 post-season ERA was 1.20; his career post-season ERA dipping to 1.73, third lowest all time (that means in the history of major league baseball).

Then consider this: from the seventh inning of Game Seven, ALCS, through the fifth inning of Game One of the Series, the Sox outscored the opposition 21-1. Talk about hot. Twenty-one runs and Josh Beckett on the mound for much of that. Colorado never had a chance. I know, who cares? Oki and Pap had held the Indians scoreless over the last four innings of Game Seven, until the Sox opened the floodgates; but in Game One, we were so far in front that Eric Gagne got to close out a winning World Series game. You know it’s no contest if Gagne was on the mound at the end.

And then of course there are these numbers: over the four game stretch from Game Five through Game One -- Sox 43, opposition 6. 43-6. Against the best teams in both leagues. So the one thing I agree with the haters about is this: there was no drama, but who cares?