This Just in...Beckett's Got Balls

...and they're dirty big balls. Where have I seen this before? Josh Beckett on the mound, pressure cooking...game, season, dreams on the line. Oh wait, it happens every single time the dude steps on the hill during the post-season. Trust me, Cleveland fans I sympathize with you. And for the record, you can relax...I still think the Indians are going to win this series and I hope they do just that. However, every once in a while you've got to sit back and appreciate just how lights out Josh Beckett is during the post-season.

This happened to me once before. Well, not exactly me, but should I say "we"...that being Cubs fans. The Cubs held a 3-1 lead in the NLCS, as you may recall, way back in 2003. Well, Sammy Sosa guaranteed a series clinching victory in Game 5 over the Marlins. One problem, Josh Beckett was taking the ball for the Marlins on that afternoon. Most Cubs fans will fail to admit they were scared after the filth Beckett flung at the Cubs that afternoon, but not me. I was scared shitless at the nastiness and cockiness of Beckett.

I'd never heard of the guy much before that series and he delivered a performance that's often overshadowed by his World Series clincher (also epic) at Yankee Stadium. However, that game against the Cubs was much more significant for the Marlins season, because there would have been no World Series had Beckett not delivered a gem. And he delivered it by way of arrogance. I remember hearing Beckett's post-game snippet with Jeanie Zelasko on how he wanted to blank the Cubs and how if he got the ball again, he'd do the same exact thing.

Funny thing happened, although most Cubs fans mark the Bartman Incident (Game 6) as the end of the Cubs season, there was still a Game 7 the next night. And Josh Beckett came out of the bullpen that night and threw 4 effortless shutout innings against the Cubs. There was simply no chance anybody was going to derail Beckett's train to success. And the rest, well that's all history...you know what happened next. Beckett carried the Marlins to the World Series and blanked the Yanks in a complete game shutout at Yankee Stadium.

Well, the legend was "sort" of born. Beckett never really gained a grasp on dominance during the regular season until probably this season with the Red Sox. Yet, if any had questions about whether Beckett could pull out a similar performance to 2003...well those have been answered. And now after another gem on Thursday night, Beckett hands the ball over to Schilling and brought his team back to Fenway where anything can possibly happen.

In a hint of irony about this series, Mike Lowell and Beckett were both a part of the Marlins team that triumphed in that 1-3 comeback against the Cubs. Meanwhile, the post-season bridesmaid himself Kenny Lofton was a member of the Cubs. It's no strange coincidence that Beckett was once again in the mix jawing with Lofton tonight. One has to wonder what Lofton was thinking? After all, it only served to spark Beckett just a little bit more. And from all we've seen you don't want to rile up Beckett, because he's got balls and he ain't afraid to show 'em.

*Clip Courtesy of Awful Announcing

Just be thankful Cleveland that he probably won't be around to pitch at all in Game 7 to rip your hearts out...like he did mine.