Remember last postseason when Josh Beckett was making three of the best teams in Major League Baseball look like the Bad News Bears? It was right about then everyone anointed him the anchor of the Boston pitching staff and forecasted a shelf or two full of Cy Young trophies.
Funny thing is, the last time Beckett looked dominant was last October. Friday perhaps provided a glimpse of things to come (let's hope) and if it were October again and the Red Sox had to pick one pitcher to give the ball to, I'd still pick Beckett.
But he's not necessarily the ace of the staff. Not right now. That honor, my friends, goes to Jon Lester, a 24-year old kid who hasn't had to buy his first razor yet.
ESPN gets the award for most tantalizing graphic (though they admittedly stole all the info from some Boston blog) about Lester's life thus far during Sunday's broadcast. It detailed how, at the ripe old age of 24, he'd already defeated cancer, thrown a no-hitter and pitched the clinching game of the World Series.
And then there was Sunday. In a game the Red Sox absolutely needed to have after two straight demoralizing losses, Lester went out and completely handcuffed a surging Yankee offense. They looked silly, downright silly. And Giambi's mustache had nothing to do with it (well, ok, maybe it had a little to do with it, even if he wasn't in the lineup).
But here's the thing. That's the type of performance Lester has been turning in all season. When the Red Sox are going through a tough spell, he's the guy you want on the hill. Four times now he's ended losing streaks with gutty performances. He also tossed a no-hitter at Fenwway and shut the Yankees out in Yankee Stadium. Those, in case you are wondering, are the credentials of an ace.
I admit, I was hesitant to jump on the Lester bandwagon. I didn't think he'd win more than 15 games in a season, assuming that he'd be a solid middle-of-the-rotation kind of guy. Truthfully, I though Buchholz was the better prospect. But, as was the case with Dustin Pedroia, chalk one up for the Sox scouting department. Lester has emerged as a truly dominant left-hander, a rare commodity in the Major Leagues these days. Jason Varitek says Lester is going to be the best left-hander in the game in a few years, and watching this season, it's hard to argue with The Captain.
Let's just say this: When the Red Sox have most needed wins this season, Lester has provided them on a regular basis. If you were to pick the top five clutch performances on the mound this summer, he'd have at least three of them. Don't get me wrong, I love Beckett and think he's going to be The Man for years to come, but Lester has certainly emerged as a bonafide running mate.
In fact, the thought of them being Nos. 1 and 2 in the rotation for four or five years is enough to make any Red Sox fan salivate.
Come October, I'll still give the ball to Josh Beckett for game one of any playoff series. But there's no more debate about who starts Game 2.
Move over Daisuke, there's a new co-ace in town.
