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Beckett holds the key for Red Sox in Baseball's World Series

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If the Red Sox starting pitcher maintains current form it's going to be tough for the Rockies in Major League Baseball's showpiece, says Betfair's Mike Robb

Red Sox coach Terry Francona has confirmed that Josh Beckett will take the mound for game one of the World Series and the former Marlins man can fire the Bostonians into an early lead at Fenway Park.

The contrast between Beckett and Jeff Francis, game one starter for the Colorado Rockies, provides a perfect example of the difference between the two rosters - in a word, experience. Beckett was MVP (most valuable player) when he pitched the Florida Marlins to the World Series crown in 2003, and won this season's American League Series MVP for his performance in overturning a 3-1 deficit to beat the Cleveland Indians 4-3 for a place in this years' showpiece.

Francis, on the other hand, is experiencing post-season action for the first time in his career and, although undoubtedly a talented pitcher, a question mark hangs over his nerve on the biggest stage of all.

On current form Beckett is also the man to back. He is the only MLB pitcher this season to reach 20 wins, with just seven defeats, although Francis can boast impressive figures of his own with 19 from nine. Furthermore, the 27-year-old's ERA (earned run average) this season has been 3.27 to Francis' 4.22. Beckett has undoubtedly been one of the hottest pitchers in MLB but it is his aforementioned experience, especially that on the big stage, that marks him out as the star man on Wednesday - he has not earned the tag "Big Game Beckett" over the course of his career for nothing.

Putting pitchers to one side it is also the case that the Rockies' hitting has been below par in post-season. In their last seven games the Rockies have tallied up just 34 runs to Boston's 51, though they have conceded just 16 to the Sox's 32. The Rockies have undoubtedly reached the World Series thanks to their pitchers, not their hitters. Beckett's class coupled with home field advantage and a misfiring Rockies' batting line-up means the task in front of the World Series virgins in game one is colossal.

Some may argue that experience is only important to a certain extent and, more importantly, that the void of any post-season experience has not stopped the Rockies from getting to the World Series in seven straight wins without defeat. However, it is a big leap from winning the National League to winning the World Series, and the question every punter needs to answer is 'how much does experience count?'

Either way we can be sure of fireworks in Boston for Wednesday's opener, and it would not be unwise to expect Beckett to justify his $10 million per year pay package as he fires the Red Sox to a 1-0 series lead. Back the Sox to beat the -1.5 handicap at 2.02

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