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Beckett Scratched From Start, Again
August 29, 2008
If you haven't already heard, there is more bad news on the Josh Beckett front. After yesterday's loss to the New York Yankees, the Red Sox decided to scratch Josh Beckett's schedule start for tonight at Fenway Park against the Chicago White Sox. In an attempt to avoid sending Red Sox Nation into a panic, the Red Sox have said that scratching Beckett from his start once again is just a "precautionary measure.
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Beckett is scheduled to see Dr. James Andrews to get to the bottom of this injury that has had him out of the rotation since making his last start on August 7. A game in which Beckett was torched for eight earned runs in just two and a third innings. The Red Sox have not yet placed Josh Beckett on the disabled list but with Daisuke Matsuzaka filling in for his start tonight, expect to see David Pauley called up and Josh Beckett to be put on the shelf for 15 days.
According to multiple sources, Josh Beckett will not be making the trip to se Dr. James Andrews alone. He will be joined by Sean Casey who has been out of action since August 19 with pain in his neck and JD Drew who has been out of action due to a herniated disk in his back. The company that Josh Beckett will be receiving should not be of much concern as Drew feels as though he is close to returning to the lineup and Sean Casey has told reporters that his neck is slowly starting to feel better and definitely will not need a stint on the disabled list.
In the absence of Sean Casey from the infield bench, Mark Kotsay will routinely be taking ground balls at first base to enhance his versatility for the Boston Red Sox in order to help in any way he can. In his Red Sox debut, Kotsay went 1-for-4 with his eighteenth double of the season off of Mike Mussina.
Tonight the Red Sox hand the ball to Daisuke Matsuzaka who in in search of his sixteenth win of the season. Matsuzaka has been phenomenal for the Red Sox all season long having lost just two games and even in his no decisions he leaves the game giving the Red Sox the chance to win.
The Dice-man is 6-1 in his last ten starts with an ERA of 2.73 in 62.2 innings pitched to go along with 57 strikeouts. Matsuzaka is 4-0 in his last five starts having picked up a no decision in his last outing. The White Sox are a team that Daisuke handles well. In his last start against Chicago, Matsuzaka hurled eight innings giving up just one run on four hits.
-Jared Carrabis
-Jared Carrabis
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