Rotation Equation...Question Marks

It's the day before game 1 of THE WORLD SERIES. Wow, I love typing that! But there are some question marks about the Sox exact pitching rotation. One thing's for sure...Josh Beckett will be on the mound Wednesday night pitching his heart out for Boston at Fenway Park. After that, question marks. Remember, the middle 3 games will be in Colorado, and the DH will not come into play until game 6 on Wednesday, October 31st, Halloween night. Here's what might happen. To avoid having to insert Dougie Mirabelli into the lineup when Papi plays first base and either Youkilis moves to third and Lowell sits, or Lowell plays his position and Youk plays rightfield while JD Drew moves to center, which, in my opinion would be a HUGE mistake because Youk had problems playing left last year at Fenway, Wakes might be chosen to start game 2 Thursday night at the Fens. The Colorado outfield, rightfield especially, is a huge territory for Youkilis to man. So the way I see it, we'll be without an on-fire Youk or an always hot Mike Lowell for the games in the west. But such is the way it is in the World Series. There has been no official decision yet on this Tuesday morning, but I'm sure the scenario will be announced today. I'll post it as soon as I learn the strategy. I have all the faith in in the world for Kevin Youkilis when he's playing third, his initial infield spot, or, even better, first base, where he is quite simply the best defensive guy in MLB. But he had big problems in left last year, as I said, and the World Series is not the time or the place for a liability of any kind. So we wait.

I'll be posting on Wednesday my opinions about the games to come, the most important time of the year for ANY team. But there are only two left....the Colorado Rockies, rested, maybe too much so, and our very own Boston Red Sox, who are heavy favorites to earn their second world championship in the last four years. But the Rockies showed us all when the two teams played earlier in the regular season that they will be a force to be reckoned with, and predictions and odds are just that....guesses. I do NOT want to see Wakes starting game 2, but deep down, I see the logic, reluctantly.

Click on the title of this post for the Globe's RED SOX NOTEBOOK, in which the future rotation is the lead item. As always, Constant Readers, be well on this Tuesday, as our excitement slowly builds towards tomorrow night at 8:20PM EDT. The night our dreams start to take seed before blossoming and every game is vital. Be well.