Sox will top Indians in 6 games

Adages have a reason for being: They are borne out by history. The postseason in baseball is about pitching and defense. That doesn’t mean the bats don’t dominate some games, but not many.

The Red Sox and Cleveland are close in overall defense. Kevin Youkilis is a Gold Glove player at first base, and that is no small matter. If he saves his infield an error or two, that can make the difference in the series.

If Boston’s Josh Beckett beat C.C. Sabathia Friday night, the Sox are in good shape. The psychological advantage of doing so is bigtime.

Fausto Carmona, Cleveland’s Game 2 starter, is a pronounced sinkerball pitcher. Hitters swing and miss at pitches that start at the knees and end up in the dirt. When he is off, as we saw with Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees, another sinkerballer, the hitters feast on fat strikes.

Boston’s Curt Schilling, if he pitches as he did in the ALDS, can match Carmona long enough to let the Sox offense take over.

Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka is a roll of the dice right now. Who knows? He will face Jake Westbrook, who has had a roll-of-the-dice season from day one. This one could be for the bats.

Boston’s Tim Wakefield brings the knuckler to Game 4 against Paul Bird. As with the sinker, the knuckler either does or doesn’t.

Bird is a finesse pitcher who has turned a journeyman’s repertoire into a long career. He is smart and tough, but if the corner strikes aren’t in his favor, the hitters take over.

Cleveland must deal with the eternal question of how to, or whether to, pitch to David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez.

Some say you cannot consistently surrender free passes to one, and certainly not two hitters in a lineup. That is especially so with the likes of Mike Lowell to follow.

Others say you must pick out the one guy in the lineup you will not let beat you and never give him the chance to do so.

My broadcast partner in Baltimore, Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer, is fond of saying there is always an open base. That means with the sacks full, the plate is still available.

A bases-loaded walk is better than the grand slam off the bat of Ortiz.

If Cleveland never gives Ortiz a chance to beat them, and pitches Ramirez the same way, where possible, they will be smart.

If they don’t, Ortiz will beat them.

The playoffs bring unsung heroes. So much energy is spent figuring out how to deal with the stars that the role players get overlooked. Boston’s Jason Varitek has struggled with the bat this year. He is ready to be a surprise hero.

Casey Blake and Ryan Garko could fill that role for the Indians.

For Old Town residents, don’t forget the Indians owe their name to the former major leaguer and Penobscot Nation member, Louis Sockalexis. His picture is the first one on the hallway wall entering the Cleveland clubhouse.

One nation of today vs. a team named for a player from a nation of its own.

Sox in 6, but not easily.

Old Town native Gary Thorne is an E

SPN and ABC sportscaster.