Odd Cast of Characters Leads Boston in Season's Two Most Dramatic Games

In light of the dazzling efforts on the mound from a resurgent youngster and a rejuvenated graybeard last Saturday and Sunday, it seems the Red Sox have had their decisions made for them regarding the first three spots in the potential postseason rotation—it’ll be Paul Byrd, Clay Buchholz, and Junichi Tazawa, just like everyone planned all summer.

Wait, that’s not what we thought?

Strange how things change so quickly in the game of baseball. John Smoltz is imitating Walter Johnson in St. Louis, Daisuke Matsuzaka is getting pancaked in the minor leagues, Tim Wakefield is getting fitted for a walker, and Brad Penny is taking up two airplane seats on his flight to San Francisco.

Three months ago, those were four guys the Sox were counting on in the postseason.

In their place? A still unproven but developing 25-year-old in Buchholz, a grizzled vet who just picked up a baseball again about a month ago in Byrd, and a 23-year-old Japanese dude who was signed for slightly less than the $103 million the Sox threw at his more famous countryman.

I wouldn’t say things have gone according to plan.

Yet here the Red Sox are, fresh off a huge win at Tampa Bay that leaves them firmly in the driver’s seat for the American League Wild Card. The cast of characters has changed, and Red Sox Nation had to endure a month-long funk not long ago, but there are bright skies on the horizon, and wins in the next two games at Tampa could make the Wild Card fight a two-team race.

Of course, the aforementioned playoff rotation is entirely in jest. Nobody is expecting meaningful playoff innings from Byrd or Tazawa, both of whom will have to fight their way onto the postseason roster.

Buchholz, however, is another story. If he continues to pitch the way he has and Wakefield continues to have back issues, he may find himself slotted behind Josh Beckett and Jon Lester as the No. 3 starter for the postseason.

All of which makes the current Tampa series so critical—and given the fact that the back end of the rotation continues to feature new faces, things couldn’t have lined up any better for the Sox. Lester pitched the opener, to be followed by Beckett and Buchholz. Those are most definitely the three names you want to see pitching critical innings at this juncture of the season.

Lester did his part. He was his usual strong self in limiting a Tampa batting order that has hammered Sox pitching at the Trop this season. The offense finally decided to play along on the road, slugging out seven runs.

Any question as to the importance of the game inside the Red Sox clubhouse was answered when Jonathan Papelbon was called upon for six outs to save the game.

It was the first six-out save of his career.

It doesn’t get easier, though. Matt Garza takes the hill for the Rays tonight, and he’s done nothing but baffle the Red Sox since his performance in last season’s ALCS. David Price amounts to what has been kryptonite for the Sox this season—a young left-hander. More than once the Boston bats have gone silent when facing such a hurler.

So while Tuesday’s win was certainly uplifting—and perhaps the most critical win of the season to date—it doesn’t mean much just yet. If the Sox come out and lose the next two, Tampa climbs right back into the thick of things, and the door will be open for Texas to take a few more steps forward.

Last month, when the Sox opened a brief two-game set in Tampa before heading to the Bronx for four, I dubbed it the biggest week of the season. Boston promptly went 0-6. I hesitate to place such importance on the next two contests, but I fear it’s true: These are perhaps the two most critical remaining games in the chase for October.

Two Red Sox wins and the Rays are all but done. Two defeats and the local radio airwaves will again be flooded with doomsday calls.

Then again, maybe it’s not all doom and gloom. After all, if Beckett and Buchholz falter, the Sox can always turn to staff aces Paul Byrd and Junichi Tazawa to bail them out.