BOSTON -- While Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona waited his turn at the microphone Monday night, he did a double-take at the two players speaking to the media.

Jon Lester and Jed Lowrie were both explaining their roles in the Red Sox divisional series victory against the Los Angeles Angels. Lester and Lowrie are both 24.

"I was just standing by the doorway when they were talking. I was looking and thinking, 'Boy, they're young,' " Francona said.

Lester, a second-round draft pick out of high school in 2002 who played with the Portland Sea Dogs in 2003, is in his first full season in the majors. Lowrie, a sandwich-round pick in 2005, played in Portland in 2007, made his major league debut April 15 and joined the Red Sox for good on July 12.

As the American League Championship Series approaches, much will be made of the Tampa Bay Rays youth and surprising success. They deserve all the applause they get.

But these Red Sox are not a bunch of codgers. Besides Lester and Lowrie, there are others who have come through the system -- infielders Dustin Pedroia, 25, and Kevin Youkilis, 29; outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury, 25; and relievers Jonathan Papelbon, 27, Manny Delcarmen, 26, and Justin Masterson, 23.

"The organization, we've brought some kids up and they've done such a phenomenal job of competing," Francona said. "I think our organization should be proud.

"I'm the one who gets to stand here on nights like this and talk, but I hope we do this as an organization, because it's an exciting time for the Red Sox."

Lester proved to be the most valuable in this series, with Boston winning both of his starts. He pitched 14 scoreless innings. Lowrie batted .364 in the series (while playing in three of the four games) and singled in the winning run in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the series Monday.

Lowrie could have been the hero on Sunday, but he flied out with two outs and bases loaded in the 10th inning.

We said it before, but it deserves to be told again. Lowrie is not afraid to fail. He can handle it, as well as the pressure of playing in Boston.

(As for the pressure, Angels outfielder Torii Hunter told the Orange County Register: "Those guys don't feel the pressure. They love pressure. In Boston, these guys are under pressure every day.")

Ellsbury batted .333. Pedroia broke out of a mini-slump and doubled in a run Monday. Pressure or not, the young guys are coming through.

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Could Lester have gone longer than seven innings on Monday? Sure. He had thrown 109 pitches and was good for a few more batters in the eighth.

Francona thought that.

"When the (seventh) inning was over, in my mind, he was going back out, at least for two or three hitters," the manager said. "But if you watch his reaction after the last out, in his mind, that was his last hitter."

"He was very willing to go back out, but I think you can make a mistake on a pitcher. He kind of emotionally shut it down, or turns a switch off -- to try to rev it back up didn't seem like it made sense to me."

Interesting insight. Go back to Game 7 of the 2003 American League Championship Series. Pedro Martinez just finished the seventh inning and came back to the dugout, receiving hugs and handshakes from his teammates. It was a sure sign he thought he was done.

But manager Grady Little sent Martinez out for the eighth. Perhaps you heard about that game.

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The Sox rotation will be a subject of curiosity until Boston announces its starters for the ALCS. The natural choice seems to be Josh Beckett and Jon Lester in Games 1 and 2 -- both pitching on regular days' rest -- and then Daisuke Matsuzaka and Tim Wakefield in Games 3 and 4.

When Beckett struggled Sunday against the Angels, Francona said it was because of rust, not health. Beckett had not made a start since Sept. 22. If Beckett is healthy, he should not be held back and risk more rust. Lester, Boston's hottest pitcher, should be given the ball for Game 2.

The risk is a rusty Matsuzaka on Monday for Game 3. His previous outing was last Friday. Wakefield seems to be the choice over Paul Byrd for Game 4, but that is no guarantee. Byrd seems more suited for the bullpen. He warmed up twice during the Divisional Series. Wakefield stayed seated.

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Without Mike Lowell, the Red Sox seem set on moving Kevin Youkilis to third, and playing Mark Kotsay at first base, despite having a natural first baseman in Sean Casey on the bench.

Kotsay, who had a key hit and run scored on Monday, is more mobile. And even though Kotsay is a natural outfielder, Francona said he gives Boston a better defense than Casey would in the infield.

Kotsay showed what Francona was talking about, running down two foul balls in the game, balls that Casey likely would not have reached. Kotsay has always had a good glove, except in his debut with the Portland Sea Dogs in 1997. Playing in center field, Kotsay misplayed a line drive through his legs for a triple. But from then on, Kotsay played superbly at Hadlock.

The Press Herald's Glenn Jordan, who occupied the Hadlock press box back then, said Kotsay, "turned out to be the best defensive center fielder the Sea Dogs ever had -- though Ellsbury fans may disagree."