The first game of any series is important, but for the Colorado Rockies, Wednesday night's Game 1 of the World Series against the Boston Red Sox could well be a forecast of the entire series.
Teams that win the opener have won the Fall Classic nine times in the last 10 years, with 2002 the lone exception. It also has happened in 11 of the last 13 and 16 of 19.
The Rockies come in as arguably the hottest team in baseball history, winners of 21 of 22 games. However, they will have endured the longest layoff between a championship series and the World Series, eight days, since the 1910 Philadelphia Athletics.
"The more emphasis you put on something, the more power you give it,"Rockies manager Clint Hurdle said.
"We haven't given the layoff a lot of power, a lot of emphasis. We will not apologize for winning quickly."
And Colorado faces Red Sox postseason giant Josh Beckett tonight in Game 1. Beckett is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA and opponents are batting .160 off him in three starts in this postseason. He also has 26 strikeouts in 23 innings. The Red Sox ace was named the ALCS MVP for his 2-0 record and 1.93 ERA against the Indians.
Beckett also is 4-1 against the Rockies in his career, but allowed 10 hits and six runs over five innings in June in a loss to Colorado (the Rockies took two of three in the interleague series). So far this postseason, the Sox are 3-0 when Beckett pitches, 4-3 when he does not.
Largely because of Beckett, Boston is -230 on WagerWeb.com for Game 1.
"Beckett's a very, very good pitcher,"Hurdle said.
"He's on top of his game right now. Last time we came in here, he was undefeated (9-0). That's going to be a challenge. We're looking forward to it."The Rockies have an AL-type lineup to face Beckett, with Matt Holliday, Todd Helton, Garrett Atkins, Troy Tulowitzki and Brad Hawpe combining for 131 home runs and 554 RBIs. Holliday and Atkins each homered and doubled on June 14, when the Rockies beat Beckett. And the Rockies will get to add a hitter in Fenway Park with the DH rule, likely to be Ryan Spilborghs.
Colorado doesn't start some slouch in Game 1. Ace Jeff Francis is 18-5 in his past 23 decisions since May 7, a period during which he has more wins than any pitcher in baseball, including Beckett.
Francis has beaten aces twice this postseason, both on the road. He outdueled Cole Hamels in beating the Phillies in Game 1 of the NLDS and followed that with a conquest of Arizona ace Brandon Webb in the NLCS opener. However, that last start was 12 days ago.
"The thing that really impressed me about Jeff, watching him in October, was that he never changes moods,"Beckett said. "They always stay the same. It was really impressive to watch him pitch in both of those playoff games and be the No. 1 guy in both series."
Boston's lineup is, of course, built around David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, the Nos. 3 and 4 hitters who have combined for seven home runs and 20 RBIs in 10 postseason games, with an on-base percentage of .567 in 90 plate appearances. Ortiz had a postseason hitting streak end at 14 games Sunday. Ramirez is hitting .400 in 30 postseason at-bats. Kevin Youkilis was Boston's best hitter in the ALCS, however, hitting .500. Meanwhile, rookie Jacoby Ellsbury will start in center field ahead of a slumping Coco Crisp.
All of the numbers favor the Red Sox, which is why they are -240 series favorites on WagerWeb.com.
However, many on Boston's side aren't buying it - at least publicly.
"The playoffs are all about momentum, right?"Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon said. "So how are we the -- favorites? They won 20-something games in a row. Do you understand the words that are coming out of my mouth?"
Holliday, the leading candidate for NL MVP who has four homers in seven playoff games, doesn't much care who is favored.
"I could care less,"Holliday said. "Everybody is going to have their opinion on whether or not we're the underdog. I'm sure we are because of the team we're playing. But nobody in this locker room cares really."
The lowdown: Colorado must take one of the first two at Fenway in hopes of making this a series. Of the last five NL wild-card teams to make the World Series, only Florida won it all - in 2003. Of course, that was behind Josh Beckett. Hard to see how the Rockies can win this series, but if they steal Game 1 behind
Francis, despite the layoff and facing Beckett, then watch out.
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