Josh Beckett

[a700hitter]

Two glaring things that Beckett has yet to do effectively in a Red Sox uni so far:

 

 

1) pitch well against the bankee$

 

2) pitch well against the Jays

 

 

Both teams are in our division, you would think after watching him fail at both for six years yet still be our "ace" that the FO would catch on soon.

I think he had a very good season against the yankees last year.

[Brennan]

I think he had a very good season against the yankees last year.

 

 

 

I'm talking about his body of work in a Sox uniform.

[example1]

Do you think there are many pitchers who have a body of success against the Yankees? Seems like a pretty high threshold.

[Brennan]

Do you think there are many pitchers who have a body of success against the Yankees? Seems like a pretty high threshold.

 

 

 

There are alot who have fared better in the last six years. And we put Beckett up against them quite a bit.

 

And how about his record vs. the Jays? What gives?

 

My point is, I like what I see in our "non aces", Doubie for example, I think it might be time to get rid of the bad blood or even what the fan base sees as bad blood at this point. That might sound ridiculous but I don't think that the attacks on Beckett's character af been a total fabrication of the media, we have all seen his pressers.

[redsoxbeatz]

Beckett still has given 10 quality starts in 16 try's and has a good FIP.

 

He just has 1st inning issues that demoralize the team, apparently, and then no one hits the ball. Beckett gets horrid run support, where as Doubront averages 8.0 runs of support each outing.

 

Bad 1st innings & bad luck for Beckett. I bet he won't be traded either.

[example1]

There are alot who have fared better in the last six years. And we put Beckett up against them quite a bit.

 

And how about his record vs. the Jays? What gives?

 

My point is, I like what I see in our "non aces", Doubie for example, I think it might be time to get rid of the bad blood or even what the fan base sees as bad blood at this point. That might sound ridiculous but I don't think that the attacks on Beckett's character af been a total fabrication of the media, we have all seen his pressers.

 

I think even MLB regular pitchers would put the Sox in a position to win half their games. Lester and Beckett have been proactively bad, not just average. They have pretty much taken the giant bag of feces that John Lackey carried with him last year, divided it into two equally sized satchels, and ported it with them from start to start. Not just struggling, but really bad.

 

That's why I'm more aggressive toward the Sox getting Garza and/or Dempster. Both can be at worst MLB average and don't have this pig-pennish cloud hanging over them. Hell, Dempster has a sub-2 ERA, which means he is throwing very well. He pitched very well against the Sox this year too, so it's not like he's doing it solely against s***** NL teams.

[example1]

FWIW, I bet Beckett and Lester each get one more start before the Sox do something drastic like sitting one or both of them. At some point, Lucchino/Ben/Henry are going to say "We literally cannot put you back out on the mound right now. The games are too important."

[redsoxbeatz]

Beckett has also been striking out batters at a good rate. Less walks and no home runs in a long f***ing time. Maybe if the offense gave him some run support and maybe if his first innings were better...

 

Beckett is not as bad as reactionary Boston is making him out to be. But He is NO ace for sure.

[example1]

It's completely on him to make sure the team isn't facing a hole after the first inning. That kills a team's offense.

[d-money]

This guy after 2007 pretty much has been going downhill.He will ocasionally pitch a good game then give up batting practice.Its frustrating to watch!!!!!!!!!!

[SoxSport]

Speier has a good analysis at WEEI of Beckett--Josh is simply in decline. His heat is now 91-93, not 95.

And when he grooves it in early innings, he gets hit. He has to throw more off speed stuff early. He still thinks he can throw the ball by batters. That could be his problem.

 

He is no longer an ace pitcher, and the Sox have got to recognize that. They overrated their starting pitching at the start of the season, and have paid for it. The guy is 16MM dollar #3 starter.

[SCM33]

Beckett has also been striking out batters at a good rate. Less walks and no home runs in a long f***ing time. Maybe if the offense gave him some run support and maybe if his first innings were better...

 

Beckett is not as bad as reactionary Boston is making him out to be. But He is NO ace for sure.

 

 

He has the second best offense in all of baseball.

 

He puts his team in a hole before they even have a chance to score runs.

 

No excuses. Good pitchers find ways to win. Notice how I used the term good, and not great.

[SoxSport]

Beckett, by the way, isn't the only starter flaming out in early innings. That points to preparation as the general problem.

[Scottish Red Sox Fan]

I've always been a fan of Josh Beckett but he's really trying my patience this year. He needs to give himself a shake, NOW!

 

This team can't go deep into the play-offs, and probably won't even make the play-offs, without Josh Beckett pitching well. It's time he started earning the large salary he is on and pitching like the ace he is supposed to be.

[BillBuckner]

I've always been a fan of Josh Beckett but he's really trying my patience this year. He needs to give himself a shake, NOW!

 

This team can't go deep into the play-offs, and probably won't even make the play-offs, without Josh Beckett pitching well. It's time he started earning the large salary he is on and pitching like the ace he is supposed to be.

 

I agree with you 100%. We all have been fans of him at some point, this year I suppose many have lost their patience, a few more bad starts and I wont know what to do.

[redsoxbeatz]

He has the second best offense in all of baseball.

 

He puts his team in a hole before they even have a chance to score runs.

 

No excuses. Good pitchers find ways to win. Notice how I used the term good, and not great.

 

Yeah but look at his run support! Beckett rarely gets the support that the team is capable of. Buchholz and Doubront get all of the support if you hadn't noticed.

 

Yes, does put his team in the hole right away but I also said he needs to correct his first inning woes.

 

He is a good pitcher. He is having a bad season AND is not benefiting from the run support that the red sox are capable of providing.

[SoxSport]

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/rob-bradford/2012/07/23/jon-lester-josh-beckett-have-left-red-sox-the

 

If you want to know what's wrong with Lester, here's a good piece by Bradford on the observations of 3 baseball people. They say he's opening his body up too soon; his pitches are flattening out and he is telegraphing his curveball. His mechanics have gone astray, and there is no decent pitching coach on the Red Sox to tell him about it. It's the management, stupid.

[SCM33]

Yeah but look at his run support! Beckett rarely gets the support that the team is capable of. Buchholz and Doubront get all of the support if you hadn't noticed.

 

Yes, does put his team in the hole right away but I also said he needs to correct his first inning woes.

 

He is a good pitcher. He is having a bad season AND is not benefiting from the run support that the red sox are capable of providing.

 

4 out of his 7 seasons here have been average to bad. What does that make him?

 

Let me guess, hes just unlucky right?

[a700hitter]

4 out of his 7 seasons here have been average to bad. What does that make him?

 

Let me guess, hes just unlucky right?

Extremely.

[jung]

Run support is not an element of the game that exists in isolation. If you are either a team 1 or 2 you often get poor run support because of your spot in the rotation. You are for the most part pitching against the opponent's best pitchers. They do a good job of holding your team down and if you as a pitcher do not do a similar job to the opponent's hitters....you lose.

 

In fact, #2 might even be worse than a #1 as far as run support goes. A 1 might get the other team's 5 on occasion because of the way the match ups work out but a 2 more often than not will get the opponent's 2 or possibly the opponent's 1 and maybe on occasion the opponent's 3. So there is the chance that a 2 will get the worse run support of the rotation. Just the way it works out I think.

[SemperFi Sox]

Yeah but look at his run support! Beckett rarely gets the support that the team is capable of. Buchholz and Doubront get all of the support if you hadn't noticed.

 

Yes, does put his team in the hole right away but I also said he needs to correct his first inning woes.

 

He is a good pitcher. He is having a bad season AND is not benefiting from the run support that the red sox are capable of providing.

 

Beckett is not a good pitcher. Good pitchers don't suck every other season. He's been going down hill since 2007.

[jacksonianmarch]

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/baseball/red-sox/rob-bradford/2012/07/23/jon-lester-josh-beckett-have-left-red-sox-the

 

If you want to know what's wrong with Lester, here's a good piece by Bradford on the observations of 3 baseball people. They say he's opening his body up too soon; his pitches are flattening out and he is telegraphing his curveball. His mechanics have gone astray, and there is no decent pitching coach on the Red Sox to tell him about it. It's the management, stupid.

 

Lester's delivery used to be a little tighter' date=' now that I look at it. He's showing the ball way earlier than he used to.[/quote']

 

I said the same thing. He's opening up early and showing the ball much sooner

[Bellhorn04]

Run support is not an element of the game that exists in isolation. If you are either a team 1 or 2 you often get poor run support because of your spot in the rotation. You are for the most part pitching against the opponent's best pitchers. They do a good job of holding your team down and if you as a pitcher do not do a similar job to the opponent's hitters....you lose.

 

In fact, #2 might even be worse than a #1 as far as run support goes. A 1 might get the other team's 5 on occasion because of the way the match ups work out but a 2 more often than not will get the opponent's 2 or possibly the opponent's 1 and maybe on occasion the opponent's 3. So there is the chance that a 2 will get the worse run support of the rotation. Just the way it works out I think.

 

Not sure if that holds up to analysis, jung. Beckett had poor run support last year and so far this year, but from 2006 to 2010 his run support was consistent with the average run support for the team. I think it's mostly a random stat.

[jung]

The link between Lester's leg kick and his shoulder is interesting and is also accurate I think. Funny how that leg kick has gotten more and more acute over time. It almost looks like he is trying to throw off the shoe on his front foot it has gotten so acute now.

 

But much like the analogy of a golf swing that I used earlier, often things like that do get more and more acute over time and you get farther and farther away from correct whether it is a golf swing or a pitching motion.

[jung]

Ii will go take a look and try to see if I can find something relevant. It would be hard to deny that the number of runs your team scores is to some extent tied to the effectiveness of the opponent pitcher though. The more you face the iron of the opposition, the less your run support is going to be. I will try to see if there is something worthwhile in those other years.

[SCM33]

There is no need to analyze run support and splits.

 

He sucks.

[SCM33]

Pete Abraham

#RedSox RHP Josh Beckett on getting booed when he left the game with an injury: "It is what it is." Any reaction? "None whatsoever." Did he notice it? "Yeah, you always notice."

[SCM33]

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21217726/injured-beckett-you-always-notice-boos

 

"I've had this before," Beckett said, alluding to his 2010 injury. "It's been worse. [but] it wasn't getting any better. I obviously couldn't throw a strike. ... New York was kind of like one of those deals where I felt it on one pitch. This wasn't that severe. Like I said, it kept getting worse and I couldn't throw a strike.

 

Oh boy, he missed 56 games in 2010 with that injury.

[jung]

Yea as soon as i saw it I was thinking weeks on the DL anyway.

[SoxSport]

Pete Abraham

#RedSox RHP Josh Beckett on getting booed when he left the game with an injury: "It is what it is." Any reaction? "None whatsoever." Did he notice it? "Yeah, you always notice."

 

Big article in the Globe today about Beckett getting booed.

 

Instead of the Globe getting all over this in the wrong way, they should have pointed out that Beckett had a subjective type of "injury", back spasms--something the fans couldn't see--as opposed to getting hit by a line drive or twisting his ankle. So you have to take his word for it that he had back spasms. Well, Beckett's word is not so good these days--after skipping a start and playing golf. So he gets booed. They don't hate him--they just don't know if he is really hurt.

 

But what the hell, their editor says, it's a nice story, so let's go with it--and spin it negative. Here's the story:

 

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/extras/extra_bases/

 

Beckett has had other minor physical problems this year-- a sign he is not properly conditioned. I think their training staff sucks, and some of the players still aren't in shape. That was probably their problem last September when they folded late in the season.Henry doesn't appear capable of cleaning house to solve these problems.