However, through the ups and downs there really haven't been many opportunities for Lackey to shut up his critics. Sure, he's made 57 starts in his two seasons and has faced the Yankees and Rangers and Rays and all the chief competitors that pop up along the way. But there have not been many notable chances for Lackey to put the team on his back in a critical situation, such as he did with the Angels before coming to Boston for $82.5 million and with the reputation as a big-game pitcher.
Because Boston was a third-place team in Lackey's first season with the club and because there hasn't been much drama in the playoff race in his second, Lackey has yet to operate under the must-win spotlight as a member of the Red Sox.
Friday night in Tropicana Field, where that playoff-race drama will percolate, may represent one such opportunity.
Boston still holds a sizable lead over Tampa Bay, but it's one that has been shrinking. The advantage over the Rays in the loss column was 10 games roughly three weeks ago. It is six entering the series in The Trop, where the Sox are 12-21 since 2008. The two teams meet for four more in Fenway Park next week, giving Tampa Bay ample opportunity to chip away.
It goes beyond the standings, though. As the two rivals get ready to tangle, Lackey's crew is slumping. It has dropped seven of 10, and its lifeblood, the starting rotation, is in a temporary state of disrepair.
While Boston holds its breath on Josh Beckett and Erik Bedard, it is forced to work September call-up Kyle Weiland into a grouping that continues to feature Andrew Miller and endure the so-so-ness of both Lackey and Tim Wakefield. The staff, and the team as a whole, is in dire need of a pick-me-up.
Meanwhile, the quintet in Tampa Bay has been among the best in baseball all year and is peaking at the right time, fueling that team’s recent 19-10 surge.
The Sox will avoid David Price and Jeff Niemann, but the scheduled starters are no pushovers. Wade Davis, the definitive No. 5 guy, has a 3.75 ERA at home. He will go Friday opposite Lackey. Saturday's starter, Jeremy Hellickson, ranks fifth in the AL in ERA with a 2.90 mark. James Shields, who goes Sunday, is fourth at 2.77.
On paper, Tampa Bay may hold an advantage in all three games, if you give Shields an edge over Jon Lester based on his phenomenal season and Davis the advantage over Lackey based the latter’s unsightly 6.11 ERA.
Lackey might laugh at such an assertion. He has an extensive postseason resume while Davis is in just his second full season in the majors. If there’s a debate to be had, Lackey can let his performance do the talking.
Friday night is not Game 7 of the World Series (a game Lackey won as a rookie, incidentally). But if the Red Sox are eventually going to bury the Rays, a strong showing this weekend in Florida would do it. If they are going to allow Tampa Bay to hang around and make all of New England sweat out the final three weeks, falling flat in Florida would do it.
Lackey can set the tone either way. If he stinks up the joint, you can bet he'll hear about it. If he rises to the occasion, it will go down as perhaps the biggest contribution he has made since joining the team.
