Beckett inks three-year extension

07/19/2006
BOSTON -- Just moments after his most dominating outing in a Red Sox uniform, Josh Beckett had his 12th victory and a three-year contract extension to celebrate.
The Boston Globe reported the deal was worth a guaranteed $30 million, including a $2 million signing bonus and a $12 million club option for 2010, with the option automatically kicking in if Beckett makes 28 starts in 2009 or has a combined 56 starts between 2008 and 2009.
"It is something that has definitely been weighing on me this week," Beckett said. "We've been talking about it for a while. It's nice to get it over with and move on. It didn't drag out. Things take time. It didn't get finished until [Tuesday] night. I'm happy here. These are the greatest fans in the world. It was a deal where it gives me security and that's always a big thing but it was also because I wanted to stay here and play in front of these fans and at this stadium."
After Beckett held the Royals to four hits over eight innings to lead the Sox to their second straight 1-0 win over Kansas City, manager Terry Francona broke the news to the media while praising his starting pitcher's performance.
"He threw the ball so well that I think Theo [Epstein] just gave him a three-year deal," Francona said. "I'm serious. He pitches good next time, he might get a six-year [deal]."
Beckett, 26, is in his first season with Boston and was arbitration-eligible following this season. The new contract will keep Beckett in Boston through the 2009 season. His eight-inning shutout performance Wednesday improved his record to 12-5, tying him with Roy Halladay for the AL lead.
Epstein said formal negotiations on the new contract began just before the All-Star break and concluded Tuesday night.
"I think the talent was obvious from Day 1, the day the organization traded for him," Epstein said of the trade with Florida on November 25, 2005. "It was just a matter of getting to know Josh a little bit as a person, see his work ethic, see how committed he was to personal accomplishment as well as team success. I think when we saw that, there were no doubts that we wanted to extend him, it was just a matter of finding the right time."
Assistant general manager Jed Hoyer was active in brokering the deal.
"He had one more year under our control anyway," Epstein added. "I think you started to see last year that sometimes free agent contracts for pitchers can get a little bit out of control and as a five-plus [year] player, Josh might have the benefit of comparing himself to those free agents. If we were able to get to a deal we were comfortable with, we thought now was the time because we didn't want anyone to change the market for us."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Wakefield heading to disabled list

07/20/2006
BOSTON -- A stress fracture in his ribs will send Red Sox starter Tim Wakefield to the disabled list.
Manager Terry Francona confirmed the injury prior to Thursday's make-up game with the Rangers at Fenway Park.
"He's been diagnosed with a stress fracture in one of his ribs," Francona said. "He's actually been pitching with pain in his ribs for about a month or six weeks. [The] bone scan shows that there's significant healing now, which is good."
The veteran knuckleballer was not immediately placed on the disabled list as the team was considering options both inside and outside the organization to fill his spot in the rotation.
"He's not going to make his start, obviously," Francona said. "The DL is a definite, but that wouldn't happen [Thursday], probably [Friday]. We need a pitcher for Saturday. When we name our starter, whether it comes from within in the organization or [outside], we'll do that when it's appropriate. We're not there yet."
Wakefield was originally scheduled to start Saturday's game in Seattle before team doctors confirmed the injury this week during a bone scan.
"The good news is that it shows significant healing but it's still giving him a lot of pain, especially in the muscles that lead away from that," Francona said. "When [he was] pitching, I know it was grabbing him every time and I'm sure it was grabbing him a lot.
"We knew Wake was sore. We thought he slept wrong originally and he may have. When this turned into this, it's hard to tell. Even talking to medical experts who have a lot of knowledge, they say he could've done it sneezing. He doesn't remember one incident," Francona added.
Francona said Wakefield has been dealing with the injury for at least a month. However, the manager said the club was encouraged by the results of a bone scan that showed significant healing of the injury.
The club is hopeful to have Wakefield's services back by mid-August.
"I think there's a chance we could have him back with us -- best-case scenario -- three weeks," Francona said. "That's if the stars align and I think four weeks is probably more what we're looking at."
Wakefield will stay back in Boston and begin his rehab next week.
"He's not going to go on the road trip," Francona said. "He's going to stay back with [rehab director] Scott Waugh, have three days of inactivity and then start on Monday doing things with Scott."
Wakefield was limited to four innings and 77 pitches in his last start Monday against Kansas City and is 7-8 with a 4.14 ERA in 19 starts this season.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Notes: Ortiz sits out with sore back

07/20/2006
BOSTON -- Another day and another nagging injury for the Red Sox to contend with. However, it's not just another player -- it's their biggest run-producer.
David Ortiz, who had started Boston's previous 84 games as its designated hitter, was not in the starting lineup for Thursday's makeup contest with the Rangers because of a sore back.
"I thought [Wednesday] was a good day off for him," Red Sox skipper Terry Francona said. "His back's a little sore. He didn't have any All-Star break. He kind of talked me out of it. We talked to him after the game [Wednesday] and just thought today would be a good day."
Francona eased any concerns that this would be a serious issue.
"He's not hurt," Francona said. "It just made sense to me. When he came back from the All-Star break he was tired, and that's not what you're looking for. That home-run hitting contest, part of me wasn't that sad when he fell out of it. I love him to death and I want him to get all the accolades he can get, but I knew he was going to be wiped out. And he was, I knew it."
The Red Sox manager said he would not hesitate using the slugger off the bench in a late-game situation.
"It'll be interesting when they want to get a right-hander up in the bullpen, it'll make them think about it a couple of times."
Ortiz entered Thursday's game leading the club in homers (32) and RBIs (90). His 32 home runs also led the Majors.
"Trying to pick a time to not have [Ortiz] out there is [difficult] because he's so good," Francona said. "It's just a good day to do this."
Lineup on the fly: Francona's challenges began early Thursday when he knew he would have to go to plan 'B' without the services of Ortiz in the lineup. Then he learned of a stomach bug that put Mike Lowell out of commission for the day.
"Lowell came in throwing up and he's not playing all of a sudden," Francona said. "He was going to hit third today. That was plan 'B' and plan 'B' went out the window."
Coco Crisp hit leadoff for the 23rd time while Youkilis was moved down to third in the order for just the second time in 2006.
"The thinking is maybe the change of scenery one day for Youk will be good for him."
Youkilis, who singled in his first at-bat, entered the game mired in a 5-for-34 (.147) slump in his last eight contests.
Wily Mo Pena got his first start since the June 1 surgery on his left wrist while Gabe Kapler filled in for Trot Nixon in right against Texas southpaw John Rheinecker.
"We keep Gabe in there and let Wily Mo get his bat in there off a lefty," Francona said.
Travel plans: Francona announced that David Wells and Keith Foulke will travel with the team to Seattle to continue their respective throwing programs on the side. Meanwhile, Matt Clement (right-shoulder strain) and Lenny DiNardo (neck strain) will stay back with Tim Wakefield and work with rehab director Scott Waugh.
Speaking up for the Manny: Josh Beckett said Wednesday, following a diving catch by Manny Ramirez, that the Red Sox left fielder is playing like he wants to win a Gold Glove. While not going that far, Francona on Thursday also sang Ramirez's praises for his glove work this season, especially in light of his sore right knee.
"I think Manny's moving around pretty well. I would prefer when we're at home to have Manny in left, because I think he does a good job out there," Francona said. "He's a great offensive player but I tell you what, this year he's very accurate with his throws when he needs to make an accurate throw. He's done a good job, especially here where he has that comfort zone that other outfielders come in and don't have."
Sign of the times: Another day game meant another day with the green tarp over the far two sections of the center-field bleachers. But Francona mentioned that players and umpires have expressed their concern with a Stop and Shop billboard on the garage door in center that is making it difficult to pick up the baseball.
"I talked to Larry [Lucchino] and John Henry. I know there are financial [implications]," Francona said. "Not to [upset] the Stop and Shop people, but it is a little bit of a hindrance. There's nothing we can do about it. When lefties throw on day games, it's the section over from the green [tarp] section that's the one that's the problem. I don't expect us not to sell tickets. That's not going to work. You just have to deal with it. Hopefully, it will get cloudy.
"You can tell when guys are having a tough time. You can when guys are swinging through changeups, guys are going through the lineup too easy," Francona added.
In his wake: Doug Mirabelli met with Francona before Thursday's game to discuss his role now that Wakefield is off to the disabled list.
"I'll sit on the plane and try to look at everything," Francona said. "I do like to let everyone know when there's a pretty good chance they'll play. It might be a little more conventional, and what I mean is [playing] day game after a night game. I want to see who's pitching for Seattle and Oakland before I do it. It's getting to that time of the year where it's getting hot."

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/

Red Sox top Rangers in makeup game

07/20/2006
BOSTON -- The Red Sox didn't get eight innings of shutout pitching from their starter like they did the previous two days. But they got what mattered the most.
Curt Schilling battled through seven innings, allowing 10 hits and four runs, while Mark Loretta redeemed himself for two outs on the bases by collecting three hits and driving in the go-ahead run to help Boston beat Texas, 6-4, in a makeup game Thursday afternoon at Fenway Park.
Boston finished its eight-game homestand with a 5-3 mark, winning the last four to build some momentum as it heads out on a six-game road trip through Seattle and Oakland, beginning Friday night.
With the stakes raised by Jon Lester on Tuesday and Josh Beckett on Wednesday, Schilling went to the mound looking for his 12th win to match Beckett and Toronto's Roy Halladay for the American League lead.
"I've always enjoyed pitching in a rotation where guys compete like that," Schilling said. "Early in the year, I went to Josh and said, 'Let's go. Pick it up. I don't want to finish one [win] ahead. You are going to win tomorrow and we'll be tied.' Now it's on. I've always enjoyed being in a rotation where you can do things like that."
Schilling (12-3) finished with six strikeouts while throwing 109 pitches. The Red Sox right-hander remained perfect this year at Fenway, improving to 8-0 in nine starts on home turf, becoming the first Red Sox hurler to do so since Dennis Eckersley started 9-0 at Fenway in 1978.
Schilling improved to 22-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 34 Red Sox starts in Boston. He has won his last nine decisions at Fenway since losing to Oakland on Sept. 15, 2005.
"I felt good," Schilling said. "I felt strong. They hit some good pitches, they hit some bad pitches. I didn't feel like I had to battle as bad as I had to battle. The sixth inning was probably the most disappointing for me from an execution standpoint."
Manny Ramirez's RBI double off Texas starter John Rheinecker highlighted a two-run first that gave Schilling his first of three leads on the day.
"I feel like that, here with this team, we're never out of a game," Schilling said. "The key for me here is giving our offense a chance early to score some runs, and I certainly didn't do a good job of that today. But we're a good team here. There's no question about that. This is a good place for us to play."
But the Rangers wasted little time responding. Brad Wilkerson's double drove in their first run and Rod Barajas followed immediately with a soft two-run single to right, plating Kevin Mench and Wilkerson and giving the Rangers a 3-2 advantage.
The three runs snapped the scoreless string by Boston pitchers at 22 innings, dating back to the sixth inning Monday against Kansas City.
Boston reclaimed the lead, 4-3, when Mark DeRosa misplayed Wily Mo Pena's fly ball to the warning track in right. DeRosa juggled it but it fell to the ground, allowing Kevin Youkilis and Ramirez to score. Pena started at designated hitter for David Ortiz, who missed his first game of the season with a sore back.
"His at-bat, the double that he hit to right field, was probably the biggest at-bat of the game," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "[Loretta] gets thrown out at the plate, Jason [Varitek] getting a 3-0 pitch that he likes and gets under it. Suddenly, we have a chance to turn a potential big inning into nothing. We get the two runs and that, to me, was the biggest at-bat of the game."
Texas tied the game on Barajas' two-out double in the sixth, but Loretta retaliated with his own two-out heroics, lining a single to center off reliever Bryan Corey (1-1), scoring Alex Gonzalez and putting the Red Sox ahead, 5-4.
"I was gratified to come up with the go-ahead hit there, and I thought it was a great team effort today," Loretta said. "We had guys who haven't been playing regularly step up. Schilling did a great job to keep us in the game."
Moments after his third and most important hit of the day, Loretta was picked off second base to end the sixth. That came after getting thrown out without sliding into home in the third inning.
"I was pretty bad on the basepaths," Loretta said. "The play at home, I kind of got off stride, tripped a little bit and that was my fault. On the pickoff, I was trying to get a big lead to score. It was a roller-coaster day for me."
Manny Delcarmen pitched a scoreless eighth, while Mike Timlin pitched the ninth for his second save.

Source: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/