Lackey has truly come full circle

BOSTON ? If the underachieving Red Sox of the last couple of years were capsulized into a dart board, there?s a good chance John Lackey?s nose might be the bull?s eye.Over the course of two seasons, nobody came to represent all that was wrong with the Red Sox, or how far afield they?d strayed from their mission.Lackey was signed for big money as a free agent prior to the 2010 season. Then, he went out seemed to do everything he could do alienate the fans who paid that salary. He?d go into histrionics on the mound if a teammate made an error. He?d snap at reporters. He didn?t pitch exceptionally well. And when the 2011 season ended with the rubble of a true September implosion lying around, it came out that Lackey was front and center in the “chicken and beer” clubhouse brigade that contributed to the bottom falling out of the organization?s credibility.That was then. This is now.Lackey took 2012 (from pitching anyway) to have Tommy John surgery. But it?s obvious he didn?t sit around waiting for his elbow to heal. He lost weight ? got in shape ? and when it came time to pitch, he did it magnificently.He was on the mound Wednesday as the Red Sox wrapped up their third world championship of the new millennium with a 6-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 6 of the World Series.?In a way,” said manager John Farrell after Lackey pitched 6 2/3 gutsy innings to help the Red Sox wrap up the 2013 World Series, “It think it was almost fitting that he was on the mound to finish it off tonight.”Farrell said Lackey?s redemption is emblematic of the entire team?s. The Red Sox had to win back their fans after the disastrous 2012 season and so did Lackey. Both succeeded better than they could have hoped.Lackey was often victimized by lack of run support during the season, so his record could have been better than the 10-13 it was. His 3.52 earned run average says more.However, he was 3-1 during the post-season, outdueling Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers in the ALCS and outpitching St. Louis rookie sensation Michael Wacha Wednesday.His performance wasn?t smooth. He had his dicey innings, but he wiggled free of all of them until the seventh, when the Cardinals started getting to him the fourth time through the lineup.Lackey never likes to come out of games, and this time wasn?t an exception. After he got two quick outs in the seventh, he couldn?t get No. 3. Farrell came out once with the intention of lifting him and Lackey chased him back.?I won?t tell you what he said,” Farrell said.But a single by Matt Holliday that knocked in St. Louis? only run spelled the end for Lackey, and he left the mound to a thunderous ovation.?When you think of the ovation he got,” Farrell said, “I think people have seen the turnaround in him. Like I said, it was very fitting.”Lackey got into jams in the second, fourth and fifth innings, but wiggled free of all three threats.?Nothing?s easy this time of the year,” he said. “(The Cardinals) didn?t get here because they?re a bad team. They?re a good team, and they?re tough.?I might not always be good out there,” he said, “but I?m never scared.”This was Lackey?s second series-clinching game ? the first one coming in 2002 with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.?This one?s way better,” he said. “It was a long road to get back here, and this is awesome.”