Josh Beckett is awesome.

That's not a word I throw around easily, but it fits Beckett tonight. He pitched a complete game, four hit shutout of the Angels in game 1 of the ALDS. He never walked anyone (and I think he had only one 3 ball count). Big Papi and Youk hit home runs to provide more than enough offense, as the Sox won 4-0.

Game 1 always seems to be key in these 5 game series. In the 20 division series played over the last five years, 13 were won by the team that won game 1. In an odd twist, however, the winner of game one in all five of the series involving the Yankees over the past five years ended up losing the series. So, if you eliminate the Yankees series, 13 out of 15 of the game 1 winners won the series.

Leave it to the Yankees to screw up a good theory.

We have tomorrow night off and Daisuke makes his postseason debut Friday night at Fenway. Go Sox!