Beckett: can't give him the ball.

[Danzz]

It really is time to sit Beckett. His fastball is straight, flat and about 90 MPH and his offspeed pitches aren't good enough to make up for it. He can probably make some adjustments in the offseason and spring training to become a different type of pitcher but it isn't going to happen this season.
Beckett wasn't the only reason the Sox lost tonight but he was at least half of it.
My rotation would look like this:
Bucholtz, Lester, Cook, Morales, Dubront/Miller. Not exactly World Series material but it is a stronger rotation than one with Beckett in it.

 

[The Viking]

Here's the problem though. If the Sox really do want to move him this offseason it's imperative that they pitch him and hopes he finds a hot streak. If they shut him down for the rest of the year who the hell is going to take him this offseason?

To be fair tonight he did have some bad luck, a bad no call on a check swing and then a joke of a hit. Then Melancon comes in and promptly allows 2 of Beckett's runners to score.

If the Sox really do envision Beckett as a part of the 2013 team however, I would shut him down, get his arm looked at and if any type of surgery is recommended do it now. Worst case scenario maybe he can help the team out in the 2nd half of 2013.

Regarding 2013. If Beckett is no longer there, the rotation would look something like this:
Buchholz, Lester, Doubront, Morales, Lackey with a free agent pitcher or two as depth (hell maybe even Aceves).
I'm really interested in how Morales would do as a fulltime starter if you get him into the offseason on a program to get his arm ready. He came up as a starter with Colorado and was pretty good as a 21 year old with 8 starts under his belt the year the Sox beat the Rox in the WS. Could end up being a very good under the radar move by Theo.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Try Beckett as the closer, put Aceves back into rotation. Might as well make things interesting, season is shot. Speaking of which, shoot Valentine, Cherington (not even innocents are spared) Henry, Werner and Larry Lucchino. Shoot Lucchino a 2nd time just to make sure.

 

[Waquoit]

Cherington (not even innocents are spared)

He's no innocent. He's a big part of the problem. When Petey shot Bobby V. early on, Li'l Ben didn't support the manager. That set off a chain of events that came to a head a few weeks ago. Ben is pathetic. When I think of him, I visualize a guy whose feet don't touch the floor. Has he come close to winning a trade? He should be the 1st to go.

 

[60'sfan]

He's no innocent. He's a big part of the problem. When Petey shot Bobby V. early on, Li'l Ben didn't support the manager. That set off a chain of events that came to a head a few weeks ago. Ben is pathetic. When I think of him, I visualize a guy whose feet don't touch the floor. Has he come close to winning a trade? He should be the 1st to go.

I agree with you on Ben. Some will say that the his bosses are not giving him a free reign but shame on him if he allowed himself to be put in a no-win situation. Theo made a lot of mistakes but they were mistakes of aggression - many of which seemed OK at the time. I'm not sure that Ben even realizes that there is a problem.

 

[Deepster]

The good thing about Beckett is he's down to a 6 handicap this year.

 

[60'sfan]

The good thing about Beckett is he's down to a 6 handicap this year.

Handicap is a good word to use with Beckett.

 

[Dogdeacon]

Latest player controversy is only 4 guys went to the Pesky funeral. Clearly an instance where a leader has to step up and tell guys that they are going because its an important organizational thing.

Valentine went as did Ortiz, Buchholz, Salty and Vincent Padilla. Further evidence that Pedroia may not be the leader he says he is.

Reasons cited for low turnout is team arrived from NY at 4AM on Monday (an off day, buses for funeral left Fenway at 11 so not much time to sleep). Pedroia's wife is 9 months preggo and on bedrest, AGone had a prior commitment to hand out school supplies in Dorchester which is legit.

However 'most of Beckett's teamates including the following were reported at the Beckett Bowl: skipper Bobby Valentine and Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Will Middlebrooks, Jon Lester, Cody Ross, Aaron Cook, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, Ryan Lavarnway, Jon Lester and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit the red carpet before the event.

Go to funeral, go home take a nap - go let some steam off at BBowl. If your wife is pregnant and you need to be there for her funeral seems the like the logical choice (drive there yourself so that you are on-call).

 

[60'sfan]

Latest player controversy is only 4 guys went to the Pesky funeral. Clearly an instance where a leader has to step up and tell guys that they are going because its an important organizational thing.

Valentine went as did Ortiz, Buchholz, Salty and Vincent Padilla. Further evidence that Pedroia may not be the leader he says he is.

Reasons cited for low turnout is team arrived from NY at 4AM on Monday (an off day, buses for funeral left Fenway at 11 so not much time to sleep). Pedroia's wife is 9 months preggo and on bedrest, AGone had a prior commitment to hand out school supplies in Dorchester which is legit.

However 'most of Beckett's teamates including the following were reported at the Beckett Bowl: skipper Bobby Valentine and Jacoby Ellsbury, Dustin Pedroia, Will Middlebrooks, Jon Lester, Cody Ross, Aaron Cook, Clay Buchholz, John Lackey, Ryan Lavarnway, Jon Lester and Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit the red carpet before the event.

Go to funeral, go home take a nap - go let some steam off at BBowl. If your wife is pregnant and you need to be there for her funeral seems the like the logical choice (drive there yourself so that you are on-call).

This is clear evidence that the Boston sportswriters are desperate for something to write about. The team is out of contention, their GM is frozen in inaction, the players just want the season to end and Bobby is blowing up over nothing. This is a team that has lost its way. Nine years ago, they had an aggressive GM, a solid manager who handled the press well, some very good players and they had a plan. They would look for players who could work the count and get the starters out of the game, they would use statistics to aid decision making and they would focus on developing players in their minor league system. Today, the only thing they seem to concentrating on is convincing themselves that every game is a sell-out when 1/3 of the seats are empty. Not a good time to be a Sox fan.

 

[Dogdeacon]

This is clear evidence that the Boston sportswriters are desperate for something to write about. The team is out of contention, their GM is frozen in inaction, the players just want the season to end and Bobby is blowing up over nothing. This is a team that has lost its way. Nine years ago, they had an aggressive GM, a solid manager who handled the press well, some very good players and they had a plan. They would look for players who could work the count and get the starters out of the game, they would use statistics to aid decision making and they would focus on developing players in their minor league system. Today, the only thing they seem to concentrating on is convincing themselves that every game is a sell-out when 1/3 of the seats are empty. Not a good time to be a Sox fan.

You are echoing media and hater bs. No one cares about a sellout streak but media, ownership and antiSox types. And I was at park tuesday and it was 90%+ I don't understand why anyone would care if they sell 37000 seats or 38k?!

To me the rumors of disconnect and player ambivalence are confirmed in little things like this. Would the owners prefer all players went to funeral? Yes. Would players rep/brand be better served if they went? Yes. But owners can't get them to go and no player steps up and says do the right thing. It's unquestionably broken and thus they are blowing it up as I type.