Dice-K vs. Beckett

At the beginning of the season some predicted Josh Beckett to be a darkhorse Cy Young candidate (hello Gordon Edes) and while I still don't see that as too foolish of a statement, as the Sox sit halfway through the 2007 season, I don't think I'd pick Beckett to be the Cy Young winner on the Sox starting rotation -- never mind the entire pitching staff. While Beckett has marketedly improved from his performance from last season (5.01 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 36 HRs), his second season in the Junior Circuit -- while being very worthy of his All-Star selection -- is second to teammate Matsuzaka's efforts this year.

While both WHIP and ERA are comparable and I acknowledge Beckett holds an advantage in both (through July 6, Beckett: 3.44 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, Dice-K: 3.53 ERA, 1.19 WHIP), Matsuzaka did not have a trip to the DL giving him more innings pitched (114 2/3 to 102) and has more strikeouts per 9 innings pitched (9.34 to 8.12), 12 quality starts to Beckett's 10 and Dice-K sits at 10th in the league with a .233 opponent's batting average to Beckett's .241 and opponents are slugging .353 against Dice-K and .371 against Beckett.

To his credit, Beckett does lead in a category I consider very important: K/BB at 4.38 (good for fourth in the league) to Matsuzaka's 3.22 (14th in the AL).

On the whole, the numbers are very comparable and the Sox are lucky to have this duo anchoring the rotation. Once Schilling returns (presumably healthy), the Red Sox will have the most intimidating rotation entering the postseason (barring a wretched collapse, or course). While the Angels and the Tigers have solid staffs, neither Lackey, Escobar and Erving Santana nor Verlander, Bonderman and Durbin really put the fear of God into me when entering a best of 5- or 7-game series against the Red Sox. While Verlander and Bonderman are good...I just don't see them as the modern-day incarnation of the staffs of the 1969 Orioles or the 1998 Yankees.

But, back to Dice-K and Beckett -- at this point now, while it would be close, I'd give the "Best Starting Pitcher" award to Matsuzaka. I just feel a little more confident when he's on the mound. Given he has had five games of nine or more strikeouts and Beckett just reached that plateau last night, I give Matsuzaka the slight edge.

As for team Cy Young winner and MVP, it's no contest. Both go to All-Star Hideki Okajima.