Dice-K gets call for ALCS opener

Matsuzaka will be followed by Beckett, Lester and Wakefield

There’s a new face in the Sox 2008 starting rotation, but it’s a familiar one.

Venerable knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, the elder statesmen on the Sox staff, will join the imposing troika of Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett and Jon Lester when the postseason resumes tomorrow with an American League Championship Series matchup against Tampa Bay.

Dice-K is slated to start Friday night’s Game 1, Beckett is expected to pitch Game 2 and Lester is scheduled to pitch Game 3 — and potentially pitch a Game 7, should the Rays and Sox push the series to the limit.

“Experience-wise, a lot of the guys in this clubhouse have pitched in a lot of postseason games, and hopefully that will give us an edge when we go down to the Trop,” said Wakefield, who was able to only make one start during last season’s World Series title run while battling a right shoulder problem.

“From a physical standpoint, I feel 10 times better than I did last year. I’ve had some time off in the first round, so I feel good physically and hopefully I will get an opportunity.”

The Sox call to arms also allows Matsuzaka and Lester to pitch accordingly with their home/road splits this season. The Dice Man was a staggering 9-0 with a .178 batting average against and a 2.37 ERA in 13 road starts, and Lester was 11-1 with a 2.49 ERA in 17 Fenway starts this summer. The Rays rotation makeup also sets a must-see showdown between Beckett and Scott Kazmir in Game 2, as well as a Game 3 duel between Lester and Matt Garza at Fenway.

Sox Manager Terry Francona indicated the home/road phenomenon didn’t really factor in his decision-making, and the rotation was instead based on giving each starter sufficient extra rest without overdoing it.

“You can get into a lot of details but there really didn’t need to be,” Francona said. “The way it lined up was appropriate. [Matsuzaka, Beckett and Lester] will pitch twice if it goes seven.  In the end, as long as they’re pitching the order isn’t as important so then you go on what’s best for them.”