Well, Josh Beckett has finally spoken up. For a long time, he said little or nothing about last year’s collapse. Nick Cafardo’s “On Baseball” piece on Monday finally had some quotes.
Earlier this spring, in an interview with former teammate Kevin Millar on MLB Network, Beckett seemed angrier about who leaked the negative clubhouse info than what happened in it. Now, however, he took some responsibility: “The bottom line is my last two starts, they just weren’t that good,” he was quoted. “I’m not saying we didn’t make mistakes in the clubhouse, but the biggest mistake I made was not pitching well vs. Baltimore….I didn’t execute pitches when I needed to.”
Beckett is known to be “very emotional”. In interviews, he seldom smiles, and the look on his face at times seems surly. He is not insolent, like Roger the Texas Con Man sometimes was, but his image is not a friendly one. That could be a good thing, because he has been considered the leader of the staff, and there competitiveness is important.
Without being specific, Beckett admitted things were not as they should have been. “I’m not saying we didn’t make mistakes because we made mistakes in the clubhouse…I had lapses in judgement. I can’t speak for anyone else.” He admitted that the team had lost the fans’ respect and “we need to earn that trust back.”
The important thaing about this interview is that Josh is taking some responsibility. Other pitchers in the rotation may be tough, but none-not Jon Lester, not Clay Buchholz, not Alfredo Aceves, not Daniel Bard-have Beckett’s lifetime stats and experience, and it is up to him. He is only 31 years old. If he wants to be the leader, he must act like one.
It’s time for Beckett to step up, both on and off the field.
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