Dominance, Thy Name is Beckett

You know that old saying about momentum being the following day's starting pitcher? Yeah, turns out there's something to that.

Not only was Josh Beckett dominant against the Tigers Thursday night - his one run came when he got a bit cocky against a bit player who hadn't started in a week and a half - he was dominant without any drama whatsoever, the diametric opposite of Tigers ace, Justin Verlander, who put in a workmanlike if unspectacular effort for Detroit in yet another losing cause.

As a result, the Sox leave the Motor City having taken an impressive three of four, and knowing that they should have taken a clean sweep. Even without Manny Ramirez in the lineup - the bopper took the night off so Coco Crisp and Jacoby Ellsbury could both get at-bats - the Boston batters strung together hits and could have done even more damage against Verlander early. After all, when they put up runs in the third, there was only one out when Varitek tagged from third with the third run of the frame on a sacrifice fly.

No matter. When Beckett is feeling it on the mound as he was Thursday, it hardly matters. And if it's pure data you want, try this number on for size. Guess how fast Beckett's change-up was moving ... 88 mph. That's right, Josh Beckett was throwing a change-up faster than Greg Maddux throws a fastball. Not to mention Brett Myers. Sheesh. Sure, his breaking pitches were much slower, more like traditional change-ups in the 70s range. When your fastballs are flying in at 95 and 96, 88 is plenty slow enough, particularly when you hide the ball so well against your body that batters can't see it anyway.

Momentum, you are a starting pitcher indeed. So, how you feeling Jon Lester?

STARTING PITCHING: √+
Well, we've already been raving about it, so let's just drop the actual numbers out there and let them speak for themselves. Seven innings, 6 hits, 1 run, 8 strikeouts. That's right, more strikeouts than hits. Again. Oh, and no walks. Evidently Beckett doesn't do walks anymore. They're beneath him.

MIDDLE RELIEF: N/A
No need when Beckett's dealing, even against a lineup like Detroit's.

SET-UP RELIEF: √+
Craig Hansen picked up where Beckett left off, tossing an inning of perfect ball. Three batters faced, three batters down. Twelve pitches, and nothing from anyone to make it look like they were catching up to his stuff.

CLOSER: A night after Jonathan Papelbon got tagged with both horrendous luck and a tough loss, the Manny Delcarmen reclamation project resumed. This time, it brought along with it some positive results ... a save, and only one batter beyond the minimum, on a hit that nearly was an out in itself. That's a big step in the right direction for Delcarmen, who needs a couple more outings like that to truly be considered back on his game. Still, a good start is a good start.

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