+Boston Red Sox (94-68) vs Cleveland Indians (97-65) 
American League Division Series+
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By Anthony Mormile 
SportsTicker Staff Writer 

JERSEY CITY, New Jersey (Ticker) -- The Boston Red Sox travel to
Cleveland for their Division Series hoping that the age-old
adage that good pitching beats good hitting holds true. 

Armed with baseball's best pitcher, Pedro Martinez and crafty
veteran Bret Saberhagen, the Red Sox hope to knock off
baseball's best offensive team, a team they defeated eight times
in 12 meetings this season. 

"I know they're tough, we'll just play our game and see what
happens," said Boston shortstop Nomar Garciaparra.  "This is
where we wanted to be." 

Wednesday afternoon's matchup between overwhelming Cy Young
Award favorite Pedro Martinez (23-4, 2.07 ERA) and Bartolo Colon
(18-5, 3.95) promises to be among the best in the postseason.
The two hooked up twice this year with Martinez getting the
better of it on each occasion. 

Martinez started four times against Cleveland and went 2-0 with
the Red Sox winning three of the four outings.  He allowed a
total of seven runs over 29 innings, walking three and striking
out 40.  But a Martinez victory does not ensure Red Sox success
in the series. 

Last year, Martinez gave the Red Sox seven solid innings in a
Game One victory but the Indians proceeded to win the next three
games and advance to the American League Championship Series. 

Tim Wakefield, now pitching out of the bullpen for Boston, was
hammered in Game Two but Saberhagen and Pete Schourek came
through with solid performances in Games Three and Four. 

This year, Saberhagen has been spectacular when healthy.  The
former two-time Cy Young Award winner went 10-6 with a 2.95 ERA
in 22 starts.  He walked just 11 in 119 innings and pitched well
in his one start against Cleveland this season. 

Saberhagen will be opposed by Charles Nagy in Game Two.  Nagy
had another solid season, going 17-11 with a 4.95 ERA.  He had
just one start against Boston this season and was shelled for
five runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings. 

Nagy and Saberhagen hooked up in Game Three last year with the
Cleveland righthander putting together a brilliant performance.
Nagy allowed a run and four hits over eight innings while
Saberhagen scattered three solo homers over seven innings. 

Crossing the plate is the Indians forte, as they became just the
seventh team ever and first since 1950 to score more than 1,000
runs.  Cleveland's total of 1,009 is the fifth highest of
all-time and there are plenty of reasons why. 

While Martinez is generally considered the best pitcher in the
league, Cleveland outfielder Manny Ramirez is among the most
feared hitters.  He put up Triple Crown-type numbers with a .337
batting average, 44 homers and 165 RBI. The RBI are the most by
a major leaguer since Jimmie Foxx had 175 in 1938. 

Ramirez produced those numbers batting behind two of the best
table-setters in the game, Kenny Lofton and Roberto Alomar.
Lofton hit .305, stole 25 bases and scored 110 runs in 118
games.  Alomar, an offseason acquisition, hit .325 with an
AL-leading 138 runs scored.  Alomar also had 24 homers, 40
doubles and 37 stolen bases. 

What's amazing is that despite all of Ramirez's production, four
other Indians were able to drive in 100 runs.  Alomar had 120
RBI, mid-season acquisition Harold Baines had 103 while sluggers
Richie Sexson (115) and Jim Thome (108) also eclipsed the
plateau. 

All that offense doesn't guarantee Cleveland will produce in the
postseason. In 1998, the club hit just .215 in the playoffs and
managed 38 runs over 10 games.  Among the worst offenders were
Sandy Alomar, Dave Justice, Sexson and Thome. 

"I feel more confident going into this year than I have in the
past," Thome said. "We know what to expect and how to get ready.
I know I have felt more comfortable every year that we have been
in the playoffs.  I think we will really be ready to play and I
think we are going to do well." 

The Indians have been the Central Division champions each of the
last five seasons. 

"Every year you go through this, the experience helps," Sandy
Alomar said. "I think we're more ready this year than we have
been the previous years because we know what is going to happen.
 We know it's important to be ready but also to keep your poise
when things don't go well." 

The Indians scored 10 or more runs on 28 occasions, the most by
any team since 1936.  But a lot of those numbers came against
the weaker teams in the league, clubs Cleveland pounded. Against
teams with records over .500, the Indians were just 30-34 and
against the three other playoff teams Cleveland was 10-22. 

Boston, which reached the postseason in two consecutive seasons
for the first time since 1915-16, was expected to take a step
backwards this season after losing slugger Mo Vaughn to free
agency.  But manager Jimy Williams strung together a strong
blend of veterans and young players to produce a 94-win
campaign. 

The Boston offense is led by AL batting champion Garciaparra,
who missed most of the last week with a sore right wrist.
Garciaparra batted.356 with 26 homers and 102 RBI in 134 games.
He was the only Boston player to hit .300 and joined Troy
O'Leary as the only Red Sox to drive in more than 100. 

Boston got solid seasons from rookie Brian Daubach, who hit .290
with 21 homers and 72 RBI filling in at first base for Vaughn. 
One problem for Boston is that they are predominantly a
right-handed hitting team. Cleveland will start all righthanders
and Colon, Nagy, Jaret Wright and closer Mike Jackson all are
much better against righties. 

Both bullpens are solid with Cleveland having a slight edge with
true closer Jackson and unhittable set-up man Steve Karsay.
Boston has seen Rod Beck, left for dead with the Chicago Cubs,
revive his career and Derek Lowe grow into the role of
late-inning stopper. 

The Indians bench is much deeper with veterans like Baines and
Wil Cordero while Boston has the edge of knowing they can win in
Cleveland, having taken five of the six games there this season.

"I feel good about our team," Williams said. "We're going to go
in there and we're gonna play hard.  Our main goal is just to be
prepared and ready to play.  This is a good ballclub. I believe
in these guys." 

"The playoffs are different than the regular season," Sandy
Alomar said. "We showed that last year.  We didn't play well
against Boston.  Then we beat them in the playoffs.  That shows
the postseason is a different game." 

Both teams have long droughts since last winning a World Series.
The Red Sox have not won since 1918 and the Indians, who
appeared in the Fall Classic just two years ago, last won in
1948. 

"There is going to be pressure on us," Thome added. "I don't
know if any window is closing but you want to win it all when
you have a chance.  We came so close two years ago.  And I think
a lot of people here haven't forgotten that.  I know I haven't."

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