A look at the pitching matchups for the 2007 World Series:
Starting Rotation
Boston: RH Josh Beckett (20-7, 3.27 ERA in regular season; 3-0, 1.17 in playoffs), RH Curt Schilling (9-8, 3.87 in regular season; 2-0, 3.38 in playoffs), RH Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-12, 4.40 in regular season; 1-1, 5.65 in playoffs), LH Jon Lester (4-0, 4.57 in regular season, 4.91 in playoffs)
Colorado: LH Jeff Francis (17-9, 4.22 in regular season; 2-0, 2.13 in playoffs), RH Ubaldo Jimenez (4-4, 4.28 in regular season; 2-0, 1.59 in playoffs), RH Josh Fogg (10-9, 4.94; 2-0, 1.13 in playoffs), LH Franklin Morales (3-2, 3.43; 0-0, 5.14 in playoffs) or RH Aaron Cook (8-7, 4.12, not active so far in postseason)
EDGE: RED SOX. Having Beckett, the ALCS MVP, at the top of the rotation is the difference in a close call. His postseason reputation and production is stellar - he's 5-2 with a 1.78 ERA and his teams have never lost a series - although Francis has been outstanding in his two starts as well. Schilling vs. Jimenez in Game 2 is an interesting matchup. Will Matsuzaka fare well at Coors Field in Game 3? Colorado's Clint Hurdle will go with Cook, the team's opening-day starter, in Game 3 or Game 4. He missed the last two months with a strained muscle in his side.
Bullpen
Boston: RH Jonathan Papelbon (1-3, 1.85, 37 saves in regular season; 1-0, 0.00, 1 save in playoffs), LH Hideki Okajima (3-2, 2.22 in regular season, 0.00 ERA in playoffs), RH Eric Gagne (4-2, 3.81 in regular season, 0-1, 8.10 in playoffs), RH Manny Delcarmen (0-0, 2.05 in regular season, 9.00 in playoffs), , LH Javier Lopez (2-1, 3.01 in regular season, 15.43 in playoffs), RH Mike Timlin (2-1, 3.42 in regular season, 0.00 in playoffs), RH Kyle Snyder (2-3, 3.81 in regular season).
Colorado: RH Manny Corpas (4-2, 2.08, 19 saves in regular season; 1.04, 5 saves in playoffs), LH Brian Fuentes) (3-5, 3.08, 20 saves in regular season; 4.50 ERA in playoffs), RH Taylor Buchholz (6-5, 4.23 in regular season, hasn't pitched in playoffs), RH LaTroy Hawkins (2-5, 3.42 in regular season, 0.00 in playoffs), RH Matt Herges (5-1, 2.96 in regular season, 1-0, 0.00 in playoffs), LH Jeremy Affeldt (4-2, 3.51 in regular season; 3.86 in playoffs)
EDGE: ROCKIES. Papelbon and Morales have been great in the playoffs as closers, and Okajima vs. Fuentes is a push as the left-handed setup relievers. But the Rockies win in overall depth, as Gagne has been awful in the postseason and Lopez and Delcarmen were hit hard against the Indians. If Morales moves to the bullpen, the Rockies have a third left-hander in the pen. That's the good news. The bad news for Colorado is the Red Sox killed every lefty that Cleveland threw in the ALCS.
