2007 World Series - Unlikely Rockies Repeat Of Fenway Series Win

Back in June, the Colorado Rockies sauntered into Fenway Park and proceeded not only to grab an impressive series win over the Boston Red Sox, but also a 7-1 thumping of their ace pitcher, Josh Beckett. Now, with an even more dazzling baseball run of 21 wins in 22 games, the Rockies look to put a few more over their more illustrious opponents on their way to a first World Series championship.

However, can they really come into the series with a real confidence on the back of that showing 5 months back?

First, let's look at what they did to Josh Beckett in that Fenway Park game. Beckett lasted only 5 innings, after being burnt for 5 runs off 10 hits. It was his second shortest mound appearance of the season but he came back even stronger in subsequent trips. Mind you, that was also on the back of a terrific 9-0 run in terms of wins earned. Something had to give.

In comparison, Rockies starter Jeff Francis also lasted 5 innings, but possibly due to the high pitch count that Red Sox batters produced. What was more interesting was the Red Sox stranded 9 runners on base, and a total of 1-14 with runners in scoring position for the game. It showed that Red Sox could still hit him, they just could string a couple of hits together at the right time. Francis also made a recent comment that his team had bailed the pitching rotation out more than a couple of times in the season.

On the Red Sox current batting form (they are finding their bats at the right time after enduring a mini-barren run in the early games of the ALCS series), it would take more than a few bailouts for Francis to survive his pitching duel with Beckett. Beckett seldom gets himself into 2 pitching duds in a row against the same team. It might be 2 games that the Rockies have to discount for the World Series.

The key might be down to Daisuke Matsuzaka's confidence heading into his first appearance in the World Series in just his rookie season. If he maintains his self-belief and continues to be boosted by his teammates' support (again, Beckett was key in Dice-K's renewed throwing vigour in the deciding ALCS Game 7), he could be the man who nails the all important clincher for Boston's second World Series win in 4 years.

The Colorado Rockies have coasted to their solid run on the back of a complete team game - quick defence, strong and steady pitching rotation, and their sometimes explosive bats. But the length of the same run might be stretching it a bit too far for the young team. While some might say experience might not count for much at times, it counts double when you have won it before. The Boston coaching staff would head into the series knowing what it takes to manage a team over 7 of the most important games of their season. Witness how Cleveland third-base coach Skinner got caught in two minds just a day ago, when his team's future hung in the balance of just one call. It is likely Terry Francona and company would have a huge back catalog of notes to fall back on during the most trying of times.

A great fairytale if the Colorado Rockies were to pull off one of the major upsets in baseball history, but it is also highly unlikely for this Boston Red Sox team to choke on a mission to rubberstamp their legend.