Postseason Heroes?

It's never easy for these Red Sox. Close but yet so far. They can't lose the division now when they are so close, can they? It's not as important that they win as that they don't lose. They've come too far to let the Yankmees overtake them yet again. To do so will subject us to another year of New York taunting if the Sox happen to get off to another lead next year. I for one do not look forward to that.

That being said, it really doesn't matter since they are in the "tournament" as Kevin in New York likes to say. So who will emerge as the big hero for the Sox in the postseason?

We all remember 2004. As that season wound down, Derek Lowe was buried so far in the Sox doghouse, you needed the jaws of life to pry him out. He was banished to the bullpen, where most of us figured he would quietly sit out his final days in a Red Sox uniform.

Well, as we all know, that was not exactly what happened. DLowe ended up being the darling of the postseason, winning the clinching game in all three playoff series. Who will be this year's top performer? Here in reverse order are my top three candidates.

3. Manny Ramirez. Sure it's not going out on a limb to tab Manny as a potential hero. He won the World Series MVP in 2004 and is not exactly going to sneak up on anyone. However, he is coming off a tricky injury and going into this week, hadn't played in a month. But it is the latter that I feel makes him a top candidate to catch fire. He needed the rest and has looked rejuvenated since coming back into the lineup. It would not surprise me to see him take off and carry this team for the month of October.

2. Clay Buchholtz. Also known as "the Secret Weapon", look for the rookie righthander to step up big time in the playoffs. The Sox have played this one nicely. They have kept him under wraps under the guise of limiting his innings, and that may be true. But I think the real reason was the Sox wanted to unleash him in the playoffs with as little history as possible. For a couple of weeks, he may be able to baffle some teams who will not have an extensive library of videotape on him. It's no secret that the Sox continue to apply the Patriot Way in their quest for another championship, and this move is typically Belichickian. (see, Moss, Randy). If it works out, Buchholz could be the eighth inning answer and perform a similar role to that of KRod for the Angels in their run to the 2002 World Championship.

1. Curt Schilling. My top choice to come up huge in the post season is old 38 Pitches. While he has not fallen to DLowian depths this year, he has clearly fallen into the "average" category. Why else would the Sox be debating whether to use Dice K or Schilling in game 2?

They can't be serious. Schill has been the Sox best pitcher in September and has succeeded in reinventing himself from the power pitcher he was to a pinpoint location pitcher. Add to that his extensive post season experience and success, and making him the number two guy is a no brainer.

Please spare me the great feats of Dice K. The Japanese High School Tournament? The World Baseball Classic? Pulleeease. Those may be "big games" but they are not "BIG GAMES", like oh, I don't know, say GAME SEVEN OF THE WORLD SERIES!!!! Yeah I think Curt qualifies as a big game pitcher and I know Tito understands that.

It says here that Schill comes out and personally carries this pitching staff in October. He has done it before and will do it again. First of all he relishes the big stage. Secondly, he needs this to propel him to another contract...with the Sox preferably, but with someone ultimately. He promised to bring a championship to Boston but I think he has a good chance to bring us another one.

So let's go Sox. Wrap up this Division thing so we can get on with the games that really matter.