Neither rain nor cold nor doom portended by a loaded Yankees lineup will stay John Lackey from an appointed, round, minimum $100 million this winter. Even in an economy that has tanked far worse than the Angels ace ever will in 100 million years.
“I’m not going to get intimidated by anybody,” said Lackey, CC Sabathia’s opponent in Game 1 tonight, when asked if it’s hard not to be threatened by a team this deep. “That’s why I’m throwing [tonight].”
A man of few words, who has made short work of postseason lineups with the best pitchers of this generation, left it to Mike Scioscia to explain how.
“He’s pitched big games wherever they show up, in the pennant race or playoffs,” said the Angels manager. “Sometimes a pitcher might get a little too amped up in the playoffs and all of a sudden they’re trying to do too much. Some guys maybe can’t get their game onto the field.
“John has that ability. You talk about some of the great pitchers that have pitched in the playoffs, John is right there with them.”
In 2002, Lackey became the first rookie to start and win a World Series Game 7 since the Pirates’ Babe Adams in 1909. In 2008, he gave up four runs in 13 2/3 innings in two 2008 ALDS duels against Josh Beckett, the preeminent playoff pitcher of this generation. This year, he is coming off a 7 1/3 inning masterpiece (no runs, four hits) in last week’s Game 1 of the Angels’ sweeping vengeance of Boston.
Lackey, who settled for 11-8, 3.83 this season after missing its first five weeks with a forearm strain, but allowed three runs or less in 11 of his last 15 starts, won his only one against the Yankees this year, on July 12, giving up two runs over seven innings.
The biggest break the Yankees might get in this series is Scioscia’s decision to go with four starters, unless it turns out Lackey wins Game 7 in relief.
“I’ve seen a Game 7, not a lot is going to surprise me,” Lackey said yesterday about postseason experience. “It doesn’t guarantee success, but there’s definitely a comfort level having seen it before.”
At this stage, no stage is going to be too big, even a cold and slippery one.
“Big game like this,” Lackey said, “the last thing on my mind will be the weather.”