Right now, he's money in the bank

But somehow the parts have blended together and produced the best record in the American League. And really, that's all that matters.

The 10 or so scouts who watched Beckett recover from a tough start last night -- a home run by Alex Rios on the first pitch and a double by Adam Lind right afterward -- drooled over Beckett's talent.

"Boy, he really recovered," said a veteran scout. "That was so impressive. He's a bulldog. Once he had that big lead, he wasn't going to be denied. He finished off the job. He's the best pitcher in our league right now. And I wouldn't have said that about him last year."

Nobody would have.

With all due respect to Curt Schilling's fine start, Beckett is the team's top starter.

He's made the mechanical adjustment of moving his plant foot from the first base side of the rubber more toward the third base side, which has given him control of his breaking pitch and changeup. He's no longer worried -- consciously or subconsciously -- about the blisters he had in Florida since the Red Sox diagnosed and treated the eczema that ac companies the problem.

He's always had great stuff, but this is big-time-pitcher territory we're heading into.

"Filthy stuff," said a scout. "Absolutely filthy."

Last night, three-run homers by Dustin Pedroia and Mike Lowell and solo shots by Jason Varitek and Kevin Youkilis gave Beckett more offense than he needed. Sometimes pitchers relax with a big lead, but Beckett was like a boxer with a head of steam trying his best to finish off the opponent.

The offense certainly loves it when Beckett starts. The Sox have scored 55 runs in his seven starts -- almost eight runs per game -- but he hasn't needed them all. Beckett has allowed three runs or fewer in six of the seven starts, one run in four starts, and the only time he was "roughed up" came when he allowed four runs to the Yankees April 21.

The impressive thing about his most recent win is that a night that didn't start his way surely ended that way.