[craig]

Got this from SOSH who is quoting boston.com:

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CLEVELAND -- If the Red Sox happen to lose Monday's Game 3 and fall behind in this American League Championship Series, there could be the temptation to bring back ace Josh Beckett on three days of rest for Game 4. That way, Beckett, who threw just 80 pitches in Game 1, would be available on regular rest in a potential Game 7.

However, Red Sox manager Terry Francona won't give in to that temptation. Win or lose on Monday, it will be veteran knuckleballer Tim Wakefield taking the ball the next night for Game 4.

"He's pitching," Francona said of Wakefield.

The decision is one the Red Sox have given a lot of thought to and they simply feel they have a better chance of winning the series by keeping the rotation as it is.

"You know what, I think what we're trying to do is set up our rotation so we can win a series," Francona said. "I think sometimes you get short-sighted if the need for panic arises, like perceived panic. If you lose a couple of games, everybody wants you to immediately change what you've set up. The reason we set it up like this is because we think it gives us our best chance to win a series."

Francona can understand the public sentiment of wanting to see Beckett pitch as many times as possible in the series. But it's his job to take a broader view of the situation.

"Doing something like [pitching Beckett in Game 4]may give you a chance to win a game, it may not, but it doesn't set up the rest of the series," Francona said. "We really value the rest that [Curt] Schilling can get, and Daisuke [Matsuzaka] also. It's not just one guy that it affects -- it affects three guys in the rotation."

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