September 28, 2008

Herald: Beckett Has Oblique Injury; Francona Confirms Report

Steve Buckley, Herald:
The Red Sox could be facing a Tom Brady-like blow to their postseason plans.

Just as the Patriots are trying to make it work this season without the injured Brady as their quarterback, the Red Sox could be going into the playoffs without Josh Beckett as the ace of their pitching staff.

According to a source, Beckett sustained an oblique injury during a bullpen session following his last start.

Asked last night if Beckett is suffering from an oblique injury, a separate Red Sox source said a medical update on Beckett will be announced today, before the team boards its charter flight to California for Wednesday's Game 1 of the American League Division Series against the Los Angeles Angels.
After Sunday night's game, Terry Francona said Jon Lester and Daisuke Matsuzaka would pitch the first two games in Anaheim -- with Beckett penciled in for Game 3 at Fenway (Sunday, October 5).

SoSH discussion, with news links, here.

33 comments:

Rob said...

Quite possibly the first ever Patriots/Tom Brady reference on JoS by our esteemed host.

Rob said...

Even though it was a quote.

Amy said...

Any confirmation of this yet? I saw it on the game thread, but moved here.

allan said...

ish from G162:

NESN... "Trouble news for the Red Sox ace, Josh Beckett that we're working on."
Sun Sep 28, 10:48:00 PM

allan said...

Heh. I almost cut this part out:

"Just as the Patriots are trying to make it work this season without the injured Brady as their quarterback,"

then didn't.

Rob said...

Unrelated note: Cubs/Astros game for tomorrow has been cancelled.

Amy said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Rob said...

You couldn't have edited my little typo a little bit? :P

Rob said...

NESN is still quiet...

Wait. Here we go.

Rob said...

NESN is reporting the Boston Herald is reporting. So, it's still Buckley alone. And that team source, obviously.

Rob said...

Francona: Lester game 1, Dice-K game 2, Beckett game 3. On Friday in a side session he strained his oblique.

Rob said...

"So we'll pitch those two guys first and slot him in on Sunday."


Are you confident?

Stammering. "Yeah. I don't think we would slot him in... certainly, if it goes the long way, we're going to use hopefully, pretty good judgement. We're slotting him in there because we hope he can pitch there. There was no discussion for Friday. ...I think he's gonna be okay."

Rob said...

Do you have any contingency plan in place?

"Oh, I hope so." Then NESN cut away.

allan said...

Sounds they will give him rest hoping for the best in G3.

nixon33 said...

i hope this isnt another one of those "beckett scheduled to pitch X day" and then the day before they scratch him

if this does work out, and he DOES pitch sunday, i will be there.
FY

Rob said...

So, to answer your question about Buckley puffing up the report... Basically, yeah.

Amy said...

So who do we believe? Is the team playing it down or Buckley playing it up?

Rob said...

To me, Francona really didn't LOOK like he was sure.

But as it stands, the Red Sox lose Beckett for one of those games.

Rob said...

One thing the Red Sox have going for them, is that this didn't happen today. Beckett's had time to sleep on it and wake up this morning.

Rob said...

But he was stammering a lot. Usually he has a pretty good idea of what to say, but sounded like tonight Terry was flying by the seat of his pants.

Rob said...

"It's not just health, but competing. He has to go out there and execute his pitches."

nixon33 said...

ish, dont be so sure. we'll have to see it to believe it, either side of the argument.
i could see beckett being totally fine, and i could see beckett being scratched the day before.

either way, it still prevents him from pitching game one. plans were altered.
hopefully we can win it either way.

Rob said...

"I don't think it's frustrating. Things happen and you deal with them and if you deal with them well enough, you handle it. If you don't, you go home. Things happen and you have to find a way to win. I think Lester, Dice-K, will do just fine."

nixon33 said...

at least its not "season ending"
(fingers crossed)

Rob said...

Not just one night, actually. This happened Friday, and today's Sunday.

They are a bruised bunch, that's for sure.


Meanwhile, listening to some fun Schadenfreude. Suzyn Waldman thinks the Yankees will sign Sabathia AND Burnett next year. Sterling thinks the Yankees would have made the playoffs if they dealt for Santana this year. He's got a bit of a point. Hughes and Kennedy stunk things up down there this year.

Rob said...

"Tom Brady-like is bullshit, then."

Rob said...

Last year's final Yankees broadcast was much more Schadenfreude-filled than this one. They can't believe the season's over, but they've accepted it. Last year it could have gone either way, and so they hadn't accepted it yet.

Rob said...

I've typed so much on this game thread today... I can't even get my posts right anymore, haha. About time I call it a night. Don't know about any of you, but I'll be watching the White Sox/Tigers game tomorrow.

nixon33 said...

To me, Francona really didn't LOOK like he was sure.

totally agree.
i just hope this isnt a lot of smoke and mirrors and getting all of our hopes up and then they end up scratching him. it reminds me of the early part of Sept. where they scratched him, what, 3 times after they said he was good to go all three times?

nixon33 said...

i'm definitely hoping for the white sox to win, so we get the 1 game playoff.

Rob said...

Me too, Nix.

Giamatti was right about how this is the time of the year when we need baseball the most.

nixon33 said...

fuck it. we'll win this shit anyway.
DO IT

SoSock said...

fuck it. we'll win this shit anyway.

ATTA BOEEEEEY !!!