Will Beckett be in Boston past 2010? - Talksox

TheMino007 · 11-03-2009, 09:07 PM

e have had 4 full seasons of Beckett and one has to wonder if next season will be his last in Boston. He will be 30 next season and probably will be looking for one final 4-5 year contract. While the durability issues have mostly gone away (at least arm wise), one has to wonder if we are looking at Beckett morphing into a #2 versus a #1. I know he can dominate any lineup and still has #1 stuff over stretches but 3 out of his 4 years in the AL has seen ERAs of 5.01, 4.03 and 3.86. I will willing to throw out 2006 as the AL learning curve. But he was basically average in 2008 and he was much better in 2009 but fell off the cliff late summer. I realize all pitchers go through slumps but when Beckett is bad, he is real bad seems to struggle for 3 or 4 games. The guy always seems to get hurt down the stretch run of the season and into the playoffs. We talk about how great a playoff pitcher he is, but he hasn't looked that great in the past two postseasons. I personally love the guy and would love seeing him in Boston for the next 5+ years but I am not sure he is worth anything more than $60M for 4 years. I think the Sox will offer him an attractive contract extension but at the end of the day he gets an offer he can't refuse from someone like the Mets. A lot of this hinges on the development on Buchholz. If he can develop into a solid 2, the I don't see the return of Beckett. The Sox will still have a good nucleus of Lester, Buchholz, (King Felix, one can dream), Throw in Dice-K and maybe Kelly or Tazawa and that is a pretty good rotation.

Spudboy · 11-03-2009, 09:34 PM

Lol.

Sign him.

BigPapiEnFuego · 11-03-2009, 10:26 PM

Come back November 3, 2010 and ask. Now is too early.

a700hitter · 11-03-2009, 10:31 PM

Lester, Buchholz, Dice K and Tazawa is not a good rotation. Unless Beckett can be replaced with a top tier pitcher, he should be re-signed.

example1 · 11-03-2009, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a700hitter

Lester, Buchholz, Dice K and Tazawa is not a good rotation. Unless Beckett can be replaced with a top tier pitcher, he should be re-signed.

I have no reason to suspect that the Sox will go with the above shitstorm.

I agree with you completely, thought I think exploring a deal for Roy Halladay would be worth it and they could attempt to resign him instead of Beckett. He's a better pitcher than Beckett and would probably be a better way to spend the money.

It was interesting, Schilling was on The Big Show on WEEI last week. When given the choice of Cliff Lee, Felix Hernandez and Roy Halladay (as maybe the Sox had at last year's deadline) to add to the rotation he didn't even hesitate. Roy Halladay. Dude is a complete horse, eats innings, throws strikes early, shuts teams down and doesn't rely on K's to dominate.

It was a provokative interview. Schilling certainly knows his stuff.

He talked about the myth of first pitch strikes, and noted that rather than looking at first pitch strikes, people should look at 3rd pitch strikes. In other words, we all know from Moneyball that the pitch that makes the biggest difference in terms of leverage in an AB is the 1-1 pitch. A pitcher who can get to 1-2 rather than 2-1, or 3-0 will be markedly more dominant and will keep pitch counts down.

So it isn't about first pitch strikes, its about first or second pitch strikes to get at the very least to 1-1, the moneyball.

jacksonianmarch · 11-04-2009, 03:19 AM

Halladay is not a good play for Boston IMO, especially if they have any care to resign Beckett. If the hope is to get Halladay and sign him long term while letting Beckett go, then so be it. I think Beckett is gone after 2010. He's going to look for top dollar. Some team will pay him top dollar. I just dont think it will be Boston

Dipre · 11-04-2009, 06:14 AM

Table.

BSN07 · 11-04-2009, 07:43 AM

If the Sox get a young ace I could see them letting him walk after 2010. I love the guy to and he's one of my all time favorites(I had the oppurtunity to get him pitch a lot in the minors), but the above mentioned concerns have some merit. If he will sign for AJ(who he compares a little more too, Beckett having more playoff experience) money instead of CC/Santana money then maybe he's back. But I would imagine someone from his home state of Texas will make a very big push for him. I can honestly see Texas giving him 5 yrs 100M at least. Especially since they are competitive now and Millwood is gone after next season.

Dipre · 11-04-2009, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSN07

If the Sox get a young ace I could see them letting him walk after 2010. I love the guy to and he's one of my all time favorites(I had the oppurtunity to get him pitch a lot in the minors), but the above mentioned concerns have some merit. If he will sign for AJ(who he compares a little more too, Beckett having more playoff experience) money instead of CC/Santana money then maybe he's back. But I would imagine someone from his home state of Texas will make a very big push for him. I can honestly see Texas giving him 5 yrs 100M at least. Especially since they are competitive now and Millwood is gone after next season.

That's an if the size of Texas. Young aces don't grow on trees.

BSN07 · 11-04-2009, 08:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dipre

That's an if the size of Texas. Young aces don't grow on trees.

Well yes of course it's a big if.

I wasn't trying to suggest they do grow on trees. That would be ridiculous. The branches would never hold the wait

I know Young Aces aren't readily available, but you never know who could be available for the right package.

The whole Beckett topic is an interesting one. The Sox could extend him this off season, they could trade him possibly in a block buster, or they could just ride him out until the end of the year, offer him a deal and if it's not enough let him walk. Should make for an interesting storyline.

Mr Crunchy · 11-04-2009, 08:44 AM

He'll be elsewhere in 2010, the guys got a 4 era including the playoffs while pitching here.
3 of his 4 years he hasnt carried us, the year he did carry us we won it all.
His next season will be fabulous then he will walk away a hero and we will have someone from Portland cued in to replace him.

Dojji · 11-04-2009, 08:45 AM

The only reason Beckett moves on is if his demands are unreasonable, and I don't see that happening.

There is no reason whatsoever to "move on" from Beckett.

TheMino007 · 11-04-2009, 09:32 AM

If he accepts a home town discount of sorts and is willing to sign an extension, which I believe the Sox are talking to him about right now, I would love to have him back. But is Josh Beckett worth 20 mill a year? For a guy who when healthy is a top 5 pitcher in the AL? Yes. But that is not always the case, Beckett always seems to be hurt at the worst times and over the last two years we haven't really been able to rely on our ace in the playoffs. IF we trade for a Halladay or a Felix Hernandez and have them locked up for years to go along with the others guys in the rotation, I could see Beckett leaving. He could go out and find top dollar else where.

jacksonianmarch · 11-04-2009, 03:47 PM

WEEI is already reporting that Beckett isnt likely to take a home town discount.

Dipre · 11-04-2009, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacksonianmarch

WEEI is already reporting that Beckett isnt likely to take a home town discount.

He doesn't need to take one.

The Sox have the money, and if he pitches well next year, it's a no-brainer.