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Josh Beckett News & Rumors

Josh Beckett: 'What goes on in the clubhouse should stay in the clubhouse'
February 3
Boston Herald
 
"Josh Beckett has broken his silence. Nearly two weeks before Red Sox pitchers and catchers must report to Fort Myers, Beckett made his first public comments about the team's historic September collapse in an interview with MLB Network's "Intentional Talk," hosted by former Sox first baseman Kevin Millar. While fellow starters Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have addressed the pitchers' habit of occasionally eating chicken and drinking beer in the clubhouse during games, Beckett explained he has been busy caring for his infant daughter, born at the end of the regular season. "I think the biggest key is what Lester said to the end that, we stunk on the field and that was the bottom line,""
Yanks' Long fires across Beckett's bow
December 12
New York Post
 
"Boston ace Josh Beckett, who always seems to be upset about something, is ticked off at Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long for mentioning that Beckett takes too long between pitches, which can throw off the rhythm of the hitter. That was the word from new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine in comments made Saturday at the Red Sox "Christmas at Fenway'' event. Long, reached by The Post yesterday, said he was merely stating the obvious to Valentine and the ESPN broadcast crew at the time and that it was Valentine who ran hard with his own comments about Beckett's pace, backing up Long's point of view. Long is not losing any sleep over the fact that Beckett is upset with him, telling The Post, "I"
Manager in role of Beckett analyst
December 11
Boston Herald
 
"Bobby Valentine yesterday expanded on his recent phone conversation with Josh Beckett, who was not happy that the manager had complained about all the time the starter was taking in between pitches in a game against the New York Yankees. It turns out Valentine, in his previous job as an ESPN analyst for the game, might have fallen for a trap laid by Beckett. "He felt, and probably correctly so, at the time he was dominating the Yankees and one of the things mentioned across the field was from (Yankees hitting coach) Kevin Long," Valentine said during the "Christmas at Fenway" ticket-selling event at Fenway Park. "I didn't remember this as an ESPN announcer, but Kevin Long started"
Bobby Valentine, Josh Beckett talk
December 8
Boston Herald
 
"Upon receiving a phone call this week from new Red Sox [team stats] manager Bobby Valentine, Josh Beckett [stats] aired out a 4-month-old grudge. As an ESPN analyst, Valentine criticized Beckett for working at a slow pace during an August start against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park [map]. The comment irritated Beckett, who now must pitch for Valentine. "After he got through telling me how pissed off he was, we had a really good conversation," Valentine said with a smile yesterday."
Josh Beckett's tale Page-turner
November 5
Boston Herald
 
"Amidst the avalanche of text messages and well-wishes Dave Page received after being dismissed as Red Sox strength and conditioning coach, one stood out. It came from a Red Sox starting pitcher whom Page declined to identify. And it said, "I feel this is all my fault." Whoever the pitcher, he may be right, because conditioning problems in the rotation helped doom the season, which in turn cost Page his job this week. Born in Malden and a graduate of Southern Maine, Page is New England through and through. So when Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington told him this week he wouldn't return, it was a blow. "It was a shock," Page said by phone yesterday. "I don't think it was handled as"
Clean up starts with Josh Beckett
October 13
Boston Herald
 
"The cesspool that was the Red Sox clubhouse has been laid bare, and the stench is overpowering. Now begins the toxic cleanup, a job likely to fall to GM-in-waiting Ben Cherington. If there's a silver lining, it's that Cherington will have the power to clean house bloodlessly and emotionlessly. It's a skill the Sox front office admires of Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who long ago drowned his sentimentality in a tub. But scrubbing the margins won't cut it. Bid adieu to veterans Tim Wakefield [stats] and Jason Varitek if you want — truly altering clubhouse culture requires bigger changes."
For Josh Beckett, timing is everything
September 27
Boston Herald
 
"Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett, who took the mound at Camden Yards against the Orioles last night, better hope that his rocket scientist wife, Holly, delivers their first baby before the playoffs start. Because, according to Sox skipper Terry Francona, he was ready to go out and buy a cork to keep Baby Girl Beckett at bay before the last weekend's end-of-season three-game series with the Yankees! "I'd go get one of those big corks you get in a champagne bottle," Tito told WEEI's Glenn Ordway and Michael Holley the other day. "(I'd) say, 'Hey, let's go. Clutch up a little bit here! We have a big game.""
Mistakes eventually cost Beckett
September 22
Boston Globe
 
"Even in the early going last night at Fenway Park, when Josh Beckett seemed to be cruising through his second start since spraining his ankle Sept. 5, he knew he was getting away with some things. A couple of fly outs on mistake pitches. A walk that ended up being harmless. Even the pitch that Orioles first baseman Mark Reynolds hammered over the Monster in the second inning - "a front-door cutter that cut too much,'' as manager Terry Francona described it - did minimal damage, as it was a solo shot."
Beckett helps lift Sox over the Rays
September 17
Boston Globe
 
"It's OK to exhale now. Isn't it? With Josh Beckett back on the mound for the first time since he sprained his right ankle Sept. 5 in Toronto, the Red Sox were given a reprieve from a September swoon that saw their once-robust lead in the American League wild-card race dwindle to three games. Set against a playoff-type atmosphere before a Fenway Park crowd of 38,019, this series against the Rays took a turn in Boston's favor last night when Beckett overcame a shaky start and delivered a dominant performance that led the Red Sox to a 4-3 victory. "Beckett was huge, unbelievable,'' said Mike Aviles, who delivered the decisive blow with his solo home run off James Shields in the fourth. "He"
Josh Beckett's on the spot
September 16
Boston Herald
 
"And now for the most important game of the Red Sox season. Getting blown out at Fenway Park last night was on the menu from the moment manager Terry Francona decided to rest ace Josh Beckett [stats] and his ailing right ankle for an extra day. Lo and behold, Jeremy Hellickson dominated, Kyle Weiland didn't, and the Tampa Bay Rays pulled within three games of the wild card leaders with a convincing 9-2 victory. The limp, lifeless Red Sox never seemed particularly interested in winning, which might explain why they're fighting for their postseason lives, but that's beside the point. What matters is tonight. Because it is an entirely different story."
Club hopes Beckett can start vs. Rays after doing well in mound session
September 13
Boston Herald
 
"Josh Beckett's side session today at Fenway Park went well, according to a club official. Assuming his sprained right ankle recovers well overnight, the team hopes that he will be able to make a start in one of the four games of the Rays' series, which begins Thursday. The club is expected to have an update on Beckett's schedule tomorrow afternoon."
Good news on hurting hurlers
September 12
Boston Herald
 
"Five-game losing streak and really bad road trip aside, a couple of bright spots did emerge yesterday. Josh Beckett's sprained right ankle has improved to the point where he is scheduled to throw a side session in the bullpen at Fenway Park today. If that goes well, he could return to the rotation later in the week. "I think that might be a little ambitious,'' Red Sox manager Terry Francona said in response to the suggestion that Thursday would be a nice day to pitch. "I think he wants to do (the side session), which is a good sign. We'll see how he does." And Clay Buchholz (back) is one good long-toss session away from having his own side session scheduled. While it appears improbable"
Beckett to throw off mound Monday
September 12
Boston Globe
 
"There was a sliver of good news as the Red Sox slunk out of Tropicana Field yesterday after being swept by the Rays. Josh Beckett will report to Fenway Park today and throw off the bullpen mound. In theory, that would line him up to start Thursday or Friday. Beckett has been out since last Monday, when he sprained his right ankle in the fourth inning in Toronto. His return would be a huge boost. Beckett is hoping to start one of the games against the Rays, a series that starts Thursday. "We'll see. I don't know. I think that might be a little ambitious but I think he wants to do it, which is a good sign,'' manager Terry Francona said. "We'll see how he feels.''"
With braced ankle, Beckett pushes on
September 11
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett could return to the Red Sox rotation as soon as next weekend, having successfully tested the stability of his sprained right ankle yesterday. Beckett was on the field four hours before the Sox lost to the Rays last night, 6-5 in 11 innings. With his ankle in a brace, he threw from 120 feet and then tried a series of fastballs, changeups, and breaking pitches from 60 feet. Beckett said the idea of throwing a bullpen session on Tuesday or Wednesday and then pitching in a game three days later is realistic as far as he is concerned."
Beckett able to rejoin team
September 8
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett rejoined the Red Sox yesterday, arriving at the Rogers Centre about three hours before the first pitch. The righthander had traveled to Boston Tuesday to get his sprained right ankle examined. Beckett spent his time before the game receiving treatment and did not speak to reporters. He had a compression wrap around his calf and foot and a small brace on his ankle."
Josh Beckett's ankle better
September 8
Boston Herald
 
"It's almost as if the whole episode did not happen. There was Josh Beckett in the Red Sox clubhouse before last night's 11-10 loss to the Blue Jays, taking his iPad and belongings into the back room for a pregame get-together with his teammates. He did have a black ankle brace, not a boot, on his sprained right ankle, plus he was wearing some sort of knee-high sock. But as he walked through the clubhouse without a limp, it was striking how far removed the Red Sox seemed from 24 hours earlier. Then, before medical tests back in Boston revealed that Beckett had nothing worse than the sprained right ankle that was originally diagnosed on Monday, there were more than a few ripples of concern,"
No damage to ankle tendons of Beckett
September 7
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett will need extensive treatment on his sprained right ankle, but he is expected to recover sufficiently to pitch again for the Red Sox before the end of the regular season and beyond. The righthander traveled back to Boston yesterday and was examined by Dr. George Theodore, a foot specialist. A person familiar with the results of the tests said that while Beckett has a significant sprain, he could return to the mound within 7-10 days."
Josh Beckett's ankle sprain a relief
September 7
Boston Herald
 
"The Red Sox dodged a bullet last night when word came that Josh Beckett "only'' has a sprained ankle. When Beckett pitches next remains unknown, but with three weeks to go before the playoffs, the chance of him participating looks much brighter than it did after there was only worry and speculation when he left Monday's start in the fourth inning. Beckett flew to Boston yesterday to be examined by the Red Sox medical staff and the team's foot and ankle specialist, Dr. George Theodore. In a statement from team medical director Dr. Tom Gill, the Sox pretty much repeated the initial diagnosis of a sprained ankle that was dispensed Monday night. "Josh experienced pain in his ankle while"
Beckett tests reveal nothing more serious than ankle sprain
September 6
Boston Herald
 
"The Red Sox may have caught a break with the condition of Josh Beckett's ankle, although much will be determined by how quickly he he heals. An exam today revealed that Beckett has nothing worse, or better, than the ankle sprain initially diagnosed last night when he left the game in the fourth inning."
Red Sox, Beckett suffer an extra hit
September 6
Boston Globe
 
"When Josh Beckett walked slowly off the mound in the fourth inning favoring his right ankle yesterday, did any hope of the Red Sox advancing deep into the postseason go with him? The Sox will send their best starting pitcher back to Boston this morning to get checked by a specialist and determine the extent of the injury he suffered while throwing a pitch to Toronto's Brett Lawrie. Beckett said the sensation in his foot was unlike anything he had felt before. For now, the team is describing it as a sprained ankle."
Beckett's mastery of foe continues
September 1
Boston Globe
 
"Joe Girardi was asked before last night's 9-5 loss to the Red Sox if the Yankees would, sooner or later, finally beat Josh Beckett. After all, the Bronx Bombers had lost three times against the Red Sox righthander this season. "He's pitched extremely well against us this year, and against most everybody else as well,'' the Yankees manager said. "He's been a great pitcher for a long time. We need to put up a good outing against him and figure him out.'' Last night, in the sixth inning before a Fenway Park crowd of 38,021, it appeared the Yankees finally had figured out Beckett, roughing him up for four runs on a pair of hits, a walk, a hit batsmen, and an error by right fielder Josh Reddick"
Red Sox beat Yankees 9-5 behind Beckett, 3 homers
September 1
New York Post
 
"Jacoby Ellsbury hit a tie-breaking two-run homer in the sixth inning off Boone Logan, Josh Beckett improved to 4-0 against the Yankees and the Red Sox came from behind for a 9-5 win on Wednesday night. The Red Sox, who lost the series opener 5-2 on Tuesday night, extended their AL East lead over the Yankees to 1 1/2 games and improved their record to 11-3 this season against their division rivals. David Ortiz and Jason Varitek also hit two-run homers for Boston. The Yankees scored four runs in the sixth off Beckett (12-5) - the same amount they managed in his other 32 innings against them this season - and went ahead 5-4. In the bottom of the inning, Phil Hughes (4-5) retired the first"
Beckett gets Sox off to a rough start
August 14
Boston Herald
 
"The "he's safe, no, he's out" play at the plate in the fourth inning destroyed a perfectly good scoring opportunity for the Red Sox. It would not have turned into such a big deal if Josh Beckett had not used a backhoe to dig the Red Sox into a deep hole before eventually losing, 5-4, last night. Beckett, the class of the Red Sox rotation all season, could not have had a worse start and his night wound up as tied for his worst of the season. The very first pitch he threw was hit for a home run by Ichiro Suzuki. The home run was just the second all season by Suzuki, who also had never had a home run and only one RBI in 27 previous at-bats against Beckett. The start was rough, but it was just"
Beckett is back in control
August 7
Boston Globe
 
"It's no secret that 2010 did not go the way Josh Beckett wanted. He posted a career-high 5.78 ERA. He won just six games, his lowest total since 2002. He dealt with back pain that caused him to miss nine weeks of the season. His struggles didn't come only against the rival Yankees, but those seemingly stand out more than the others. The Yankees are the measuring stick for any Red Sox pitcher. So how did Beckett do against them last year? A 1-2 record and a 10.04 ERA in five starts. Ouch. Especially for a guy who had defined himself as a premier pitcher against the Yankees in the 2003 World Series while with the Marlins. But his disappointing outings in 2010 seem light years away from the"
Delay affects Josh Beckett
August 3
Boston Herald
 
"Josh Beckett only used up 85 pitches last night against the Cleveland Indians, but he threw many more as he warmed up repeatedly during a rain delay of 1 hour, 35 minutes at the outset at Fenway Park. "I had to throw a lot," Beckett said. "When you've got to go warm up twice, and I was actually staying warm during (the delays), throwing in the cage and stuff. It definitely wore on me. It was humid, too." Beckett got a no-decision in the 3-2 win that resutled from Jacoby Ellsbury's walkoff single in the ninth inning. The right-hander went six innings, allowing six hits and two runs, both on solo homers. "I felt really good in the middle innings," Beckett said. "Even though I gave up the"
Josh Beckett far from fourth right
July 29
Boston Herald
 
"Terry Francona called Josh Beckett's fourth inning yesterday uncharacteristic. The Red Sox right-hander, meanwhile, said it was simply frustrating as the Kansas City Royals sent nine batters to the plate and scored four times en route to a 4-3 victory at Fenway Park. Jacoby Ellsbury's two-RBI single in the third looked like it might be enough run support for Beckett, who faced the minimum through three. But the All-Star lost control quickly in the fourth. Alex Gordon and Mitch Maier started it with leadoff walks. Billy Butler followed with a three-run homer to center. With one out, Jeff Francoeur reached second when Drew Sutton dropped his shot to left field, and Mike Moustakas followed"
Beckett holds the fort
July 24
Boston Globe
 
"On June 28, the Phillies shut out the Red Sox. Since then, no team has kept the Sox off the scoreboard. So when starter Josh Beckett said he knew his teammates would score runs for him - despite a game that was scoreless through six innings - his optimism seemed justified. After Beckett allowed a solo home run to Mariners left fielder Mike Carp in the seventh, the Red Sox stormed back with three runs in the bottom of the inning. It marked the first time in 18 innings that Beckett received run support, dating to the second inning of Beckett's start against the Orioles July 8."
Josh Beckett cool in duel again
July 24
Boston Herald
 
"The Red Sox and Seattle Mariners were scoreless through six innings last night at Fenway Park, but come on: Did anyone honestly think this one was going to be an "L" for the Sox? Even when the Mariners broke the deadlock when Mike Carp led off the seventh inning with a home run, the optimism remained in place: The Red Sox were going to win. To be more specific about this, Josh Beckett was going to win. With the possible exception of Vancouver Canucks goaltender Roberto Luongo getting the shakes any time he is within 15 blocks of Causeway Street, the No. 1 thing you've been able to count on this year is that Josh Beckett is going to deliver the goods any time he is on the mound. OK, he"
No waiting around
July 24
Boston Herald
 
"Jacoby Ellsbury was tired of waiting. The last time Josh Beckett pitched, the Red Sox waited eight more innings after Beckett's eight innings to score a run in their 1-0 16-inning win against Tampa Bay. Last night, the Red Sox came up to the plate in the bottom of the seventh not only down one run but also scoreless. On top of his game this season in a way few players ever get, Ellsbury personally put a stop to the waiting game. Ellsbury's two-run single with two strikes and two outs in the seventh propelled the Red Sox to a 3-1 victory over the Mariners. The victory — the 1,000th of Terry Francona's regular-season managerial career — was the Red Sox' sixth in eight games coming out of the"
Beckett's start went long way
July 19
Boston Globe
 
"After pitching eight near-perfect innings against the Rays Sunday night, Josh Beckett followed his usual routine and went to the clubhouse to ice his arm and take a shower. By the time he was done, Beckett was surprised the game was still going on. So he dressed in a makeshift uniform and went back to the bench to watch. "I actually looked over at [Jon] Lester when I came out and I was like, 'Man, this is a fun game.' I didn't realize then it was going to go that long,'' Beckett said. "It was fun to be in a game like that.''"
Beckett cleared to start
July 16
Boston Herald
 
"All along, Josh Beckett expressed confidence that the balky left knee that prompted him to be scratched from his scheduled All-Star Game appearance wouldn't prevent him from starting here tomorrow night. Yesterday, he got the assurance he needed. Beckett played catch and threw off flat ground under the supervision of both Red Sox pitching coach Curt Young and head athletic trainer Mike Reinold, then pronounced himself fit to start the finale of a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays tomorrow night. "Everything's good," Beckett said, "just like I said it was." It has been eight days since the Sox' ace right-hander suffered a mild hyperextension of his left knee when he lost his"
Josh Beckett set for Sunday; Carl Crawford to start rehab on Friday
July 15
Boston Globe
 
"Terry Francona said that Josh Beckett is on track to make his start against the Rays on Sunday. His not pitching in the All-Star Game was a precaution. Carl Crawford worked out at Fenway today and will play for Pawtucket on Friday and Saurday then join the team in Baltimore on Monday. None of the All-Stars were required to show up at tonight's workout. But Jacoby Ellsbury did. In terms of other news: • For the first time since he strained the lat muscle on his left side on July 5, Jon Lester threw a baseball. His workout at Fenway consisted of throwing in the outfield from 60 feet away. "All went really well," Francona said. "As long as it doesn't hurt, I think it will come quick." The Red"
Beckett slated to face Rays
July 15
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett, who did not pitch in Tuesday's All-Star Game because of a sore left knee, remains scheduled to face the Rays on Sunday night. Beckett will throw a bullpen session today, after which a final determination will be made. But the Red Sox believe the righthander is fine. "Josh is pretty confident he'll pitch Sunday,'' manager Terry Francona said. "If for some reason he can't, we'll back him up a couple of days. I have a feeling that's going to be the worst-case scenario.'' As a precaution, rookie righthander Kyle Weiland threw a bullpen session last night during the team's workout at Tropicana Field. "We could slot him in. I don't think that's going to happen,'' Francona said. "I"
Josh Beckett bullish on pitching Sunday night
July 15
Boston Herald
 
"A few minutes after he felt stiffness in his left knee Tuesday night and opted not to pitch in the All-Star Game, Josh Beckett phoned Red Sox manager Terry Francona and delivered a clear message: Don't worry. In fact, Beckett expects to make his scheduled start here Sunday night. "Josh is pretty confident he'll pitch Sunday," Francona said last night before the Red Sox held a workout at Tropicana Field. "If for some reason he can't, we'll back him up a couple of days. I have a feeling that's going to be the worst-case scenario, which is good. But I don't think that's going to happen. I think he's pretty confident that he'll pitch." Beckett, like the rest of the Red Sox' All-Stars, wasn't"
Josh Beckett status questionable
July 14
Boston Herald
 
"The Red Sox open the second half of the season against the Rays tomorrow night, but the team will meet up first at Tropicana Field tonight for a workout. Assessing the beat-up state of the Red Sox rotation will be the first order of business. Before he experienced soreness in his hyperextended knee at the All-Star Game on Tuesday, Josh Beckett was scheduled to fly to his Texas ranch from here and then meet up with the team by tomorrow, skipping the workout. His injury will not require a trip to Boston, but it remains to be seen whether he will indeed join the team tonight to be checked by the Red Sox traveling medical and training staff. Beckett said he asked not to pitch in the All-Star"
Sore knee keeps Beckett out
July 13
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett did not pitch in the All-Star Game last night after his left knee became sore while warming up. But he does not believe the condition is serious. The Red Sox righthander was scheduled to start the second inning. But his knee, which he hyperextended during his last start, did not feel quite right as he threw in the bullpen. Because Beckett had promised manager Terry Francona he would not take any chances, he stopped throwing with about 10 pitches remaining in his warmup."
These Sox may have fit
July 13
Boston Herald
 
"The Red Sox had a prime free agent target in the winter of 2009, and it wasn't Jason Bay or John Lackey. It was Matt Holliday. They didn't get their man. The Cardinals outbid them by nearly $40 million. But it's nevertheless a fun parlor game to wonder how different the 2011 Red Sox would look with Holliday in left field instead of Carl Crawford and Lackey pitching God-knows-where instead of here. Because had the Sox signed Holliday, they almost certainly would not have signed Lackey that same winter. And a year later, they'd have had no room for Crawford, who ended up signing for seven years and $142 million. The Red Sox' interest in Holliday was real, and it was mutual. "I thought there"
Knee makes Josh no-go
July 13
Boston Herald
 
"Josh Beckett could not start the second inning of last night's All-Star Game as planned after he experienced soreness in his left knee while warming up. Beckett hyperextended the knee in his last start before the break, lasting just five innings. Before the game, Beckett said that his knee felt just fine and would not pose a problem. "It's kind of weird — I was warming up and didn't feel 100 percent,'' Beckett told reporters during the AL's 5-1 loss. "I told (manager) Tito (Francona) if I felt it at all when I'm out here I would speak up. It's not something I was comfortable with. I don't think I re-injured it but it still definitely has inflammation.'' Beckett said he had about 10 pitches"
Beckett cleared to pitch in All-Star Game
July 10
Boston Globe
 
"Right-hander Josh Beckett threw a side session this morning, and since then, he's been cleared to pitch in the All-Star Game in Phoenix on Tuesday. The Red Sox have been keeping an eye on Beckett ever since he left Friday's game after five innings due to a mildly hyperextended left knee."
Time to worry?
July 9
Boston Herald
 
"All right, when do we get worried? Members of the Red Sox rotation keep falling and we keep hearing it's nothing. On the night Daisuke Matsuzaka hurt his elbow in May, we were assured he wouldn't miss a start. The Red Sox blasted reports that he needed Tommy John surgery as "unprofessional." Matsuzaka went under the knife last month. He might never pitch here again. When Clay Buchholz left a start in Tampa on June 16 with a recurrence of a sore back, he was initially pushed back a couple of days. Rest would take care of it. He hasn't pitched since. John Lackey's right elbow felt uncomfortable enough to land him on the DL in May. When a Hall of Fame reporter mentioned in a radio interview"
Beckett tweaks knee, but still expects to pitch in All Star Game
July 9
MLB.com
 
"Despite another scare on a wet mound for Josh Beckett, the Red Sox right-hander thinks his left knee should be fine in time for him to pitch in the All-Star Game on Tuesday in Phoenix. Beckett, who allowed three runs in five innings on Friday night in a 10-3 win over the Orioles, suffered a mild hyperextension of the knee on his 51st pitch. That came on a 1-0 offering to Baltimore's Robert Andino, with one out in the fifth. "It's a little tender. It's not too bad, though," Beckett said after throwing 68 pitches. "I think everything is going to be fine. I've done this before playing basketball when I was younger. I'm what they call loose-jointed. When things go a little bit too far, it"
Brilliant outing
July 4
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett could think of no better way to celebrate becoming an All-Star for the third time in his career than by picking up his seventh win of the season. That it came on his home turf only added to yesterday's 2-1 Red Sox victory over the Astros before a Minute Maid Park crowd of 38,035. "Coming here and winning three, it's tough to sweep a series on the road, or at home for that matter,'' said Beckett (7-3, 2.12 ERA), who helped the Sox cap an interleague sweep of the Astros by throwing eight solid innings, allowing one run on five hits while ringing up a season-high 11 strikeouts. He has allowed five hits or fewer in his last nine starts, breaking a tie with Roger Clemens for the"
Feeling Josh-tified
July 4
Boston Herald
 
"Josh Beckett received the news upon his arrival to Minute Maid Park yesterday. After a nightmarish, injury-plagued season one year ago, he had been voted by his peers to play in the All-Star Game. Beckett smiled, then tried to block it out. After all, he had a game to pitch. "It's a great honor, but it's one of those things. I didn't want it to become a distraction," Beckett said. "I think I'll have a Lone Star Lite on the plane." Thanks to Beckett, it was a pleasant flight home for the Red Sox. They capped a three-game sweep of the lowly Houston Astros with a 2-1 victory and finished a nine-game, 10-day swing through three National League cities with a 5-4 mark. Not bad, considering"
Beckett bringing it home
July 3
Boston Herald
 
"This place sure beats Philly for Josh Beckett. When Beckett came back from a bad case of the flu to start in Philadelphia last Tuesday, the Phillies and Cliff Lee were on hand to give him both a rude welcome and a loss. This afternoon in Houston, Beckett will find himself in an entirely more welcoming environment. Beckett, who grew up in nearby Spring, Texas, will have a suite full of family and friends to cheer for him. Besides a lingering cough and a froggy voice, Beckett is also feeling like his old self, the one who has been at the top of his game and most of the league's statistical categories for much of the season. Before noon local time, he will likely learn that he will be"
Beckett struggles in return
June 29
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett looked sharp in the first inning against the Phillies last night, getting three outs on 10 pitches. But the rest of the night was a struggle for the righthander. Beckett looked like a pitcher who had missed 12 days with the flu, giving up five runs on five hits in a 5-0 loss. He threw 53 of his 84 pitches for strikes, but had only one strikeout. "I felt all right. I left some pitches up,'' said Beckett, who didn't think his illness was a factor."
Josh Beckett's illness creates flexibility
June 24
Boston Herald
 
"No one wants to see anyone be sick, but it probably was not the worst thing Josh Beckett's flu lasted a little longer than expected. Rather than pitch tomorrow night in Pittsburgh as originally scheduled, Beckett will pitch the opener of the three-game series in Philadelphia. No knock against the Pirates, who are not their usual pushover selves this season, but the series with the Phillies features the two best teams in their respective leagues and the Red Sox will want their best on the mound. The rotation against Pittsburgh will be Jon Lester [stats] tonight, Tim Wakefield (originally scheduled for Sunday) tomorrow and Andrew Miller in Sunday's finale. For the Phillies series, the off"
Beckett won't go until Tuesday
June 24
Boston Globe
 
"Josh Beckett has been pushed back again because of illness and is now scheduled to start Tuesday in Philadelphia. Beckett missed his start this past Tuesday, and plans to have him start tomorrow against the Pirates were scrapped when the righthander did not improve. But Beckett is expected to be ready for the Phillies, as the extra days off will allow him to get into his normal prestart routine. However, it will be 12 days between starts for him. Beckett (6-2, 1.86 ERA) is lined up to face Cliff Lee (8-5, 2.87) at Citizens Bank Park. The Sox will have Jon Lester, Tim Wakefield, and Andrew Miller face the Pirates, with Beckett, John Lackey, and Lester going against the Phillies."
Josh Beckett status uncertain due to flu
June 23
Boston Herald
 
"The Red Sox' two best starters, Jon Lester and Josh Beckett, are lined up to start the first two games of a nine-game, interleague road series that begins in Pittsburgh tomorrow night. Unfortunately, a lingering "good old-fashioned case of the flu," in the words of manager Terry Francona, is keeping Beckett's availability uncertain. The right-hander already had to be scratched from Tuesday's start because of the illness. "I'm not sure. He's really sick, doctors are trying to figure out. I have not seen him this morning, but he wasn't good (Tuesday) again," Francona said of Beckett after yesterday's rain-shortened 5-1 loss to the Padres. "We're going to have to play this by ear." A decision"
Josh Beckett to return Saturday
June 22
ESPN.com
 
"Josh Beckett, who on Monday was scratched from his Tuesday night start against the San Diego Padres because of "intestinal turmoil," still wasn't looking all that well Tuesday afternoon, said Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona in his pregame chat with the media. Francona said Beckett is expected to return to the rotation on Saturday night in Pittsburgh. "It was necessary what we did," said Francona of holding back Beckett."