In my story for Tuesday's Press Herald, I touch on the topic that the Boston Red Sox are now considered in the same light as the Yankees, both because they are a power, and because they far out-spend everyone else.

John Henry trying to light his victory cigar. The thing was huge. He needed a blowtorch.

Theo Epstein posing with his famiy, and the World Series trophy. Haven't seen Epstein smile like that all year.

Manny Delcarmen shivering in the Denver air – in his champagne-soaked T-Shirt, but relenting for interview afer interview.

Bobby Kielty wondering what he did right to go from being released by Oakland to ending up on a World Series team, and hitting the game-winning home run.

The Rockies finally got their offense going, and the Red Sox scored 10 runs. Only one change in tonight's lineup. Colorado is going with Ryan Spilborghs in center field.

Clint Hurdle cannot go by matchups. None of his Rockies have faced Jon Lester before.

Here are the lineups:

Jacoby Ellsbury going 4-for-5. Dustin Pedroia 3-for-5. How did that 1-2 punch look Saturday? How about today? How about for years to come?

Both teams are going with new lead-off hitters, as the Red Sox deal with no DH, and the Rockies try to get something going with their offense.

Colorado has benched Center fielder Willy Taveras (0-7 in the first two games) and moved Kazuo Matsui to the top spot. Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki has moved to the No. 2 spot. Cory Sullivan gets his first start in center and bats eighth.

Boston, as already announced, put Jacoby Ellsbury lead-off.

Here are the lineups:

Good morning from Denver (actually, I'm in Glendale - more on that later).

During the workout yesterday, you get the sense that this Series is not going back to Boston. The Rockies don't seem to have the pitching to hold off the Red Sox.

But there is confidence among the Rockies and their media.

Here are some of the headlines from today's Rocky Mountain News"

DENVER - Just got back from Terry Francona's press conference, where he announced the expected:

Kevin Youkilis is the odd man out in Denver. Since the Red Sox do not have a DH in the National League city, they will move David Ortiz to first base. Mike Lowell will remain at third base.

If Boston has a lead, look for Youkilis to come in later.

Looks (and feels) like it is going to be colder tonight. I hope the fleece will be enough.

For the big games at Fenway, an auxillary press box is set up in right field (where your Press Herald crew is located tonight). Rarely have to worry about wind chill in a press box (I know, no one is feeling any sympathy ... and, yes, it beats real work).

The Rockies are sticking with the same lineup. The Red Sox did some re-shuffling, with Colorado using a right-hander (Ubaldo Jimenez)

Think the Red Sox will roll over the Colorado Rockies in this World Series?

Maybe.

But expect the Colorado hitters to do better, now that Josh Beckett is off until Game 5 (if necessary).

Greetings from Fenway. There's a chill in the air. Last I heard about the rain, there might be some, but not enough to stop the game.

Terry Francona juggled the positions of his lineup slightly, to separate the left-handed bats.

Here's the lineups:

Here's another surprise from the Red Sox, who just announced their 25-man World Series roster.

With Tim Wakefield out (see previous blog), pitcher Kyle Snyder is replacing him.

Terry Francona and Tim Wakefield just announced that Wakefield would not be available for the World Series because of the continued pain in his right shoulder.

Francona said the starter for Game 4 is TBA, although Jon Lester is being considered. He pitched four innings today to stretch out.

Francona did not announce the roster for the World Series. He did say J.D. Drew would start in right field Wednesday, against lefty Jeff Francis, and that Jacoby Ellsbury will start in center.

Listening to sports radio in Boston on the way to Fenway (alternate between WEEI for the sports and WBZ for the traffic reports). Curt Schilling was going his weekly radio gig for WEEI.

He was asked indirectly about being ready to pitch Thursday, and Schilling said yes.

Not exaclty an official announcement, but it's close.

I'll report back later

The Red Sox are on a Rocky Mountain High (okay, so I had to get that line out of my system, with the Rockies coming) ... Crazy night last night, going from a close game to a rout.

Did you see all the ex Sea Dogs contributing?

Greetings from Fenway where they are wrapping up rehearsals for the pre-game show (Looks like we're in for some Irish step dancing, along with the music of the Dropkick Murphys).

Tonight's Boston batting lineup is the same as yesterday, so I'll add their post-season stats (just to give something new):

BOSTON - Can it get stranger at Fenway Park?

Cheers for J.D. Drew, and then a Curtain call.

Even cheers for Eric Gagne at the end.

The Boston Red Sox are one win away from a World Series berth and they are bringing all their positive mojo in for Game 7, starting with Kevin Millar.

Jacoby Ellsbury has replaced Coco Crisp in the lineup tonight. Trot Nixon is back in the Indians order.

Here are the lineups:

When Josh Beckettt and Kenny Lofton had words in the fifth inning Thursday night, Beckett said the incident "goes back before today."

In fact, when Lofton was with the Phillies in 2005, he drew a walk from Beckett, who was pitching for the Marlins. Lofton flipped his bat after ball four. Beckett said something to Lofton then and, like Thursday night, the benches emptied.

As expected, the only change from the normal Red Sox lineup is Bobby Kielty in right field, with J.D. Drew out (As soon as a righthander comes in for Cleveland, look for Drew to enter).

Here are the lineups:

For an off day, it sure has been busy (i.e. no time to blog, until now).

Here are a few things to expect for Game 5:

In the pre-game interview with Red Sox manager Terry Francona, the topic of starting Tim Wakefield over Josh Beckett came up.

"I can't believe somebody asked me that question," he said in mock disbelief.

Francona knows the decision to start Wakefield is causing debate. But he said the rotation was set beforfe the series and he would not change it because the Sox are down 2-1.

So Cleveland is up 2-1 on the Red Sox.

Time for Game 4, a battle of the soft-throwers: Boston knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield and the crafty Paul Byrd.

"This may be the slowest throwing right-handed match-up of all time in the post-season," Byrd said.

Trot Nixon is in the starting lineup tonight for the Indians. The Red Sox are using the same lineup as normal:

Here in Cleveland, where everyone seems to be wearing something connected to the Indians ... the nice man at the rental car counter wore an Indians tie as he informed two visitors that he was sorry they were wasting a trip to Cleveland to watch the Red Sox.

Ouch. Trash talking from the Enterprise guy.

As I sit here at the Manchester Airport, waiting for the cattle call known as Southwest Airlines, I am wondering about the Red Sox.

Do they have enough pitching?

The team, that has been built on strong arms all season, is looking suspect.

Here is the Boston lineup for tonight's game:

Mike Lowell called it "special," watching David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez reach base a combined 10 times in Friday's playoff game with Cleveland.

So far in the playoffs, Ortiz has a ridiculous .889 on-base percentage (16 for 18).

Here are Ortiz's comments from the post-game press conference:

The Indians are just about to wrap up batting practice. Here are tonight's lineups:

As expected, the Boston Red Sox set their roster for the American League Championship Series by adding pitcher Tim Wakefield and removing No. 3 catcher Kevin Cash.

Also, manager Terry Francona confirmed that Bobby Kielty will start in right field Friday night in place of J.D. Drew. Kielty, a switch-hitter who hits left-handers well, has a career .310 average vs. C.C. Sabathia. Drew is 0-for-3 with three strikeouts against Sabathia.

Who is going to the catalyst for the Red Sox against the Indians?

Against the Angels, Manny Ramirez emerged from his self-proclaimed struggling season to become the "bad man." ... And Curt Schilling dispelled doubts that he can still do his thing in the playoffs ... And some of the usual suspects (Josh Beckett and David Ortiz) were huge.

With the announcement of Curt Schilling as the No. 2 starter, the Red Sox have some interesting pitching scenarios, especially with an extra day off imposed by Fox TV (between Game 4 & 5).

It is possible that the Red Sox could go with a three man rotation - Beckett, Schilling and Matsuzaka - assuming that Beckett goes on three days' rest in Game 4. The pitchers would go on four days' rest in every other game, including Beckett in a possible Game 7.

Just back in from Anaheim. Landed in the Manchester airport and got the news about the Indians.

Hey gang. Got about five minutes until my shuttle takes me to John Wayne Airport. On my way home!

Just got off the phone with my sports editor. He thinks the Indians will win tonight. I countered that sometimes a sinker ball pitcher, like Wang, is more effective on short rest.

And the Yankees should tee off on Paul Byrd.

No changes in the Red Sox lineup. Angels manager Mike Scioscia said first baseman Casey Kotchman is out with "a non-baseball-related medical condition."

One note from Tery Francona's meeting with reporters: Tim Wakefield threw a bullpen session, giving rise to the hope that he will be ready for the American League Championship Series, if the Red Sox make it.

Here are the lineups:

As I write this in the Angels Stadium press box, to my right is a framed copy of a Baseball Weekly from 1999. On the cover is Mo Vaughn, the Angels' new slugger, a free agent from Boston.

Mo did not work out. And the Angels continue to look for power. Vlad Guerrero is not enough.

Manny Ramirez normally does not talk after Red Sox games. But in the playoffs, after hitting a 3-run walk-off homer, he made an exception.

He was worth the wait.

"I haven't been right all year long," Ramirez said about his production being down. "But, I guess, you know, when you don't feel good and you still get hits, that's when you know you are a bad man.

"Sometimes I can miss three weeks and I can still come and get hits because I am one of the best players in the game."

A little late, but here is tonight's lineup. No change with Boston. The Angels did some tinkering, including the addition of switch-hitter Kendry Morales at DH.

Here's the lineup:

Portland Sea Dogs fans will remember how dominant pitcher Justin Masterson was when he first came to Hadlock Field this season. No one could touch his sinker.

Then his sinker stopped sinking so much, and batters teed off.

Which brings us to Chien-Ming Wang. His ball stayed up and the Indians feasted Thursday night.

So you Red Sox fans, it's time to celebrate, right? Um, hold onto that thought.

Thoughts and quotes after Game 1.

The Red Sox could have kept shortstop Hanley Ramirez, the National League Rookie of the Year in 2006 who just had a super sophomore year (.332, 29 homers, 81 RBI, 51 stolen bases).

But then the Red Sox would not have had Josh Beckett.

Red Sox manager Terry Francona announced his lineup for tonight, saying it's the "kind of lineup we've been shooting for, for a while, and haven't been able to.

The Red Sox roster for the series with the Angels will not include Tim Wakefield.

Wakefield would have been a reliever for this series. But manager Terry Francona said Wakefield's back is bothering him and that it would be asking too much for him to come out of the bullpen.

"In his role with us now, if something unfortunate ever happened to a starter, Wake would be asked to come in and fill something like that in the game. And he's not ready to do that," Francona said.

The games times and tentative starting pitchers for the Angels-Red Sox series have been announced by the Red Sox.

As expected, Josh Beckett will start Game 1 for the Sox on Wednesday night, vs. John Lackey.

Game 2 will feature Diasuke Matsuzaka vs. Kelvin Escobar

Here's the schedule (all games will be on the cable station TBS)

Jon Lester threw two 1-2-3- innings (two strikeouts) in relief Sunday.

Very interesting.

Were the Red Sox just using Lester to eat some innings in a meaningless game, or were they seeing if Lester can come out of the pen and be effective?

If Lester makes the post-season roster, then Julian Tavarez is definitely off it.