After his last two starts, would anyone be shocked to see Josh Beckett take a little trip to the injured list? For the second straight start Beckett was smacked around by the opposition, and this time, no one can say it was because Jason Varitek wasn’t catching him. Beckett gave up a career-high five home runs in the 8-4 loss to the New York Yankees.
Amalie Benjamin has the Yankees leaving Beckett with little to say after the game. John Tomase has Beckett letting this one turn into just another easy Yankee victory. Daniel Barbarisi has Beckett getting pounded early and often last night, right from the first pitch, in fact. Bill Ballou notes the hard-to-believe fact that the Red Sox still lead the season series. Mike Fine has Beckett and the Red Sox once again being humbled by the Yankees.
Steve Buckley has Beckett failing to live up to his big game reputation. Jeff Jacobs says that Red Sox fans should be concerned about Beckett. Paul Jarvey says that blame for last night goes to Beckett, not his catcher or pitching coach. Alex Speier has things we learned last night while Beckett was being humbled.
Dan Shaughnessy has a number of thoughts from another weekend of Red Sox/Yankees. Michael Silverman says that it is clear that the Red Sox can only make the playoffs as the wild card.
Nick Cafardo examines Jonathan Papelbon’s outspokenness on the possibility of the Sox obtaining Billy Wagner. Silverman has Papelbon not sold on Wagner as a great pickup. Joe McDonald has Rocco Baldelli enjoying his time with the Red Sox this season. Brian MacPherson has Casey Kotchman learning to accept his backup role with the Red Sox. Joe Haggerty looks at whether the Sox will be able to add to their strong bullpen.
Adam Kilgore has Tommy Harper ready to be the first to congratulate Jacoby Ellsbury when the latter breaks the formers Red Sox stolen base record. Buckley has Tim Wakefield taking it easy before his return to the Red Sox rotation. Lenny Megliola remembers Greg Montalbano.
Adam Kilgore has Hideki Matsui wrapping up a monster weekend against the Sox, in which he hit four home runs. Ron Borges has the Yankees completely turning the tables on the Red Sox from earlier in the year. Barbarisi has more on Matsui hammering the Red Sox this season.
Benjamin’s notebook has Terry Francona choosing to go with Mike Lowell at DH last night over David Ortiz. Tomase’s notebook wonders if this is the year Derek Jeter gets the MVP nod. The ProJo Red Sox journal has Junichi Tazawa set to remain in the rotation for now, with his next start penciled for Thursday. Ballou’s notebook has Jeter’s leadoff home run a very bad sign. Jim Fenton has the Yankees widening their lead with this series.
Patriots Links coming.
