A.L.C.S. Note

The Red Sox have announced that Daisuke Matsuzaka will start Game 1 of the A.L.C.S. in Tampa Bay against the Rays on Friday. He will be followed by Josh Beckett in Game 2 and Jon Lester in Game 3, when the series moves back to Boston. Many people expected the Red Sox to give the ball in Game 1 to Beckett and to Lester in Game 2 with Matsuzaka going in Game 3. The reasoning behind pitching Matsuzaka in Game 1 is that it will keep him from waiting to long between starts (he started Game 2 of the A.L.D.S. in Anaheim which gives him six days of rest between starts). This also gives Lester, who started Games 1 and 4 of the A.L.D.S., an extra few days off to rest. Lester was also a dramatically better pitcher in Fenway Park than he was on the road in 2008. A full A.L.C.S. preview, plus a look at the N.L.C.S., will be posted tomorrow.