With blazing fastball, Beckett owns October

BOSTON - Sitting at the postseason podium where he's become such a staple, Josh Beckett glared at a room full of reporters Tuesday and grew increasingly annoyed with questions about his success.

The accolades, the analysis - he insists none of it matters this time of year. The only thing that counts is making one good pitch after another.

Maybe that's why he owns October.

''He gets mad about outs that are hit hard,'' Boston Red Sox teammate Kevin Youkilis said. ''He's a perfectionist.''

Indeed, Beckett has been nearly perfect this postseason. He is 3-0 with a 1.17 ERA in three starts, striking out 26 and walking one in 23 overpowering innings.

He'll take those astounding numbers to the mound Wednesday night in the World Series opener against Colorado, which banged Beckett around Fenway Park in June and handed him his first loss after a 9-0 start.

Jeff Francis, enjoying an excellent postseason himself, will pitch for the Rockies.

''They've got some speed at the top, they've got their thumpers in the middle,'' Beckett said. ''They remind me a lot of an American League team. They can hit.''

All true, but so is this: If he shuts down the Rockies to help Boston win it all, 2007 will belong to Beckett in baseball lore.