Key to the Series: Josh Beckett

As I type this, the Red Sox are up 1-0 behind the splendid pitching of Jon Lester (how good was he last night!). With Dice-K pitching game 2, there is a very good chance that the Red Sox will be up 2-0 going back to Fenway. That would leave game 3 in the hands of Josh Beckett, who as we all know, is an absolute beast in the postseason. Beckett's 2008 campaign has been somewhat of a disappointment because of inconsistent performance and injuries. The Sox are deep enough and have enough experience to win some games without a contribution from Beckett, but they will need him on his A game if they are going to win.

Look, even if the Red Sox win game 2, I think game 3 is vital because of Beckett. If he can close the Angels out, then the Sox have to feel confident about Beckett and feel optimistic that they can win another title. If by some chance the Sox lose game 2, then Beckett's start will become huge and the pressure will be back on. Can the playoff wonder kid perform like his October self even with the injuries and poor performance? We shall see.

So maybe Beckett won't make or break this series, but nevertheless, he needs to prove he is healthy and dominant if the Red Sox are going to compete for a title.