Squawker Jon came over last night to watch Yankees-Red Sox with me (we had the Mets game in the picture-in-picture, and DVRed it as well). We were both surprised over Josh Beckett. But not for the reason that you might think.
When I was on the Larry Milian Show Thursday, I told him that if the Sox were struggling this weekend, a Yankee would get hit. I mentioned that the ball always seems to get away from the Boston pitchers in situations like that.
But I didn’t expect anything like what happened with Josh Beckett. He started out great, but in the sixth inning lost his control. He reminded me more like a wounded animal lashing out than a headhunter in that inning, starting with hitting Robinson Cano. Now you can’t really say it’s a full out “intentional” plunking when you hit Derek Jeter with the bases loaded, and pitch inside to Francisco Cervelli and Mark Teixeira, also with the bases loaded. It almost seemed like Beckett just wanted out of the game or something.
What surprised Squawker Jon and me was how long Terry Francona kept him in the game. Beckett faced, what, 111 batters in the inning (or, at least it seemed like that!) Why did Terry keep him in so long – did he did into some of Joe Torre’s green tea supply or something? It was just strange. Just when you’ve seen it all with Yankees-Red Sox, something like this happens.
At any rate, the Yankee dugout was positively peeved at Beckett by the time Jeter was hit. CC Sabathia and A-Rod apparently were the most angry. So I’m expecting CC to enact a little retribution today. As is the Boston Herald. John Tomase writes:
If and when Dustin Pedroia or Kevin Youkilis gets drilled by CC Sabathia this afternoon, they’ll have Josh Beckett to thank….
The Yankees were not happy.
And why should they have been? While it would be nearly impossible to make the case that Beckett hit either batter intentionally, it’s not about intent. Cano’s throbbing left knee and the welt on Jeter’s back could care less what Beckett intended.
I don’t want anybody to get hurt. But let’s just say I am glad that the Mike Mussina Years are over, and that CC is on the mound today. Especially if Cano, the Yankees’ best hitter, ends up missing today’s game.
Sabathia is an interesting combination – he’s both laid-back and fierce. Did you see what he said yesterday about Dallas Braden flapping his gums again about A-Rod?
“He’s a clown,” CC Sabathia said of Braden. “Guy says he’s from the 209, what the [bleep] is that? That’s where I’m from and I don’t know what he’s talking about. Two-oh-nine. He needs to just calm down – put that in the paper. That’s just tired.”
This fan from the 718 (originally from the 201) applauds CC!
What do you think? Tell us about it!
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