Rosenthal Reacts to Wednesday's Playoff Action

This BoSox win was for the kids

Forget the Angels. If ever there was a game to make the Yankees cry, this was it.

The Red Sox picked up Wednesday night where they left off in last year's World Series, looking like a powerhouse not only for the present, but also the future.

Jason Bay, acquired in the three-way Manny Ramirez trade, was perhaps the Sox's biggest hero, hitting a go-ahead, two-run homer in the sixth inning.

But six farm-system products—six!—made pivotal contributions in the Sox's 4-1 victory over the Angels. Of those, only first baseman Kevin Youkilis possesses more than three years of experience—and the Sensational Six did not even include second baseman Dustin Pedroia, who had a relatively quiet night.

Left-hander Jon Lester, outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, and closer Jonathan Papelbon played central roles in the Sox's World Series clincher against the Rockies a year ago.

Shortstop Jed Lowrie and reliever Justin Masterson joined them on Wednesday night—and don't forget Youkilis, who reached base twice, scored on Bay's homer, and made a brilliant defensive play, throwing out Vladimir Guerrero as he tried to go first to third on Torii Hunter's shallow blooper down the right-field line in the eighth inning.

Lester, continuing his stunning maturation, gained confidence and command after escaping a bases-loaded, two-out jam in the first. Josh Beckett, who remains on track to start Game Three, could not have pitched better.

Lester allowed one unearned run in seven innings, and his body language as he struck out four of his last six hitters was that of a budding October ace.

"I'm feeling it," Lester seemed to be saying. "I've got it."

Ellsbury, still a rookie, went 3-for-5 with a double and two stolen bases—and it should have been 4-for-5, for his rocket that shot past right fielder Gary Matthews in the seventh should have been ruled a triple and not an error.

Ellsbury also made a spectacular diving catch on a blooper by Mark Teixeira leading off the eighth, an inning in which the Angels eventually threatened.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona chose Masterson, another rookie, to face the Angels' 3-4-5 hitters in the eighth with a 2-1 lead.

Guerrero's baserunning mistake helped save Masterson, but it wasn't as if the reliever was hit hard.

Lowrie, atoning for a third-inning error that led to the Angels' only run, led off the ninth with a single and later scored on a single by Ellsbury. Papelbon struck out the side around a one-out Kendry Morales single in the bottom half, and it was over.

A few years back, one general manager told me that the Red Sox soon would blow past the Yankees, pointing to the vastly superior Sox's farm system. The GM's vision could not have been more accurate.

Now that the Yankees have re-signed GM Brian Cashman through 2011, Cashman's mission should be to match the player-development machine that Theo Epstein promised—and delivered—after becoming Sox GM in November of 2002.

The Sox's performance Wednesday night was nothing short of inspired. They might not win the World Series. They might not even get past the Angels. But my goodness, their kids can play.

Cubs can't blame this loss on bad luck

Help!

One game into their supposed October coronation, and the Cubs already are in their century-old form:

- Seven walks in four-and-two-thirds innings by Ryan Dempster, three of which scored on a grand slam by the Dodgers' James Loney.

- Seven unanswered runs by the Dodgers after Mark DeRosa's two-run homer put the Cubs ahead, 2-0.

- And—egads—Carlos "Sybil" Zambrano starting Game Two Thursday in a frantic attempt to prevent the Cubs from falling behind, two games to none.

Game One actually was more about the Dodgers than the Cubs, from Loney's two-out, two-strike blast to Derek Lowe's six-inning quality start, to Manny Ramirez's home run off his shoetops against Cubs reliever Sean Marshall.

Of course, that's not the way it will play in Chicago.

Any moment now, if not sooner, Cubs fans will start moaning about their rotten luck. The Cubs would have been better off facing the Mets but drew the Dodgers when the Brewers won the wild card. I can hear it now: The Cubs should have played harder on the final weekend, when they lost two of three to the Brew Crew.

Which brings us to the Dodgers, who are something of a ringer in this tournament—not the same team they were three months ago, not even the same team they were three weeks ago.

The arrival of Ramirez—and, to a lesser extent, Casey Blake—reduced the pressure and increased the opportunities for younger hitters such as Loney.

The return of leadoff hitter Rafael Furcal, who went 0-for-3, drew two walks, and scored a run in Game One, has further bolstered the lineup.

And Lowe, just in time for his re-entrance into the free-agent market, has emerged as the hottest pitcher in baseball.

The Braves, sources say, are hot for Lowe. But then, so are about oh, 25 other teams. As one rival executive said Wednesday, "Who shouldn't be on him? If (Kyle) Lohse is going to get what he did ($41 million for four years from the Cardinals), what is this guy going to get?"

Quite a bit—Lowe, including his performance in Game One, is 6-1 with a 1.13 ERA in his last nine regular-season starts. He's 35, significantly older than two other prominent free-agent starting pitchers—A.J. Burnett, 31, and CC Sabathia, 28. But he has averaged 208 innings over the past seven seasons, going 106-75 with a 3.79 ERA.

The Dodgers can bring Lowe back on three days rest for Game Four or save him for Game Five at Wrigley, if necessary. Either way, they would be in excellent shape—better shape than the Cubs or their fans ever imagined.

No question about it: Phils used Hamels perfectly

Let's not hear any second-guessing about how Phillies manager Charlie Manuel should have sent Cole Hamels back out for the ninth inning in Game One of the Division Series after the left-hander had thrown 101 pitches.

Hamels did his job, pitching eight shutout innings, and neither he nor Manuel is to blame for what happened next—closer Brad Lidge needing 35 pitches to close out the Brewers, possibly leaving him depleted him for Game Two on Thursday.

The Phillies handled Hamels with care all season, allowing him to throw 120 or more pitches in only three of his 33 starts, and none since July 3. They might need Hamels on three days rest in Game Four if they fall behind, two games to one. Against the top of the Brewers' order, the extra inning was just not worth the risk.

After Wednesday, maybe now people will understand that Hamels is one of the top left-handers in the game, right there in the conversation with Johan Santana, CC Sabathia, and Cliff Lee.

Hamels allowed the fewest baserunners per nine innings of any pitcher in the majors during the regular season, and finished with the fourth-highest innings total.

Yet, Hamels has not been fully appreciated in Philadelphia, a town that seemingly would prefer a macho, rugged, flame-thrower to a physically fragile changeup artist from southern California.

It's time to put that silliness to rest.

Game One of the Division Series was practically a must-win for the Phillies, who knew that Sabathia was looming for the Brewers in Game Two. Hamels never blinked, allowing just two hits, striking out nine, and walking one.

The Phillies gave Hamels as much rest as possible between starts during the regular season, even when it forced him to skip big series against the Mets. At times, their caution seemed extreme. But the team's approach was vindicated when Hamels worked a career-high 227-1/3 innings after appearing on the disabled list in each of the past four seasons.

After clinching the NL East last Saturday, the Phillies were able to scratch Hamels on Sunday, allowing him to start Game One on seven days rest.

He will pitch again in Game Four or Five, if necessary—or in Game One of the National League Championship Series.

End of discussion—Hamels is a true ace.

This article originally published on FOXSports.com.

Read more of Ken's columns here.