Projo Sports Blog

By Joe McDonald
Journal Sports Writer

BOSTON -- Major League Baseball and the Red Sox have come to an agreement to reduce Josh Beckett's suspension by one game.

Boston's ace will now serve a five-game suspension, but he says he's still frustrated by the entire process.

"I don't support this at all," he said. "If it was up to me, we would go through the whole process."

Beckett was cited for "aggressive actions" after one of his pitches against the Angels' Bobby Abreu last week in Anaheim led to a bench-clearing scrum.

Originally Beckett was suspended for six games before he appealed the decision. Early Sunday morning, however, Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein, manager Terry Francona and Beckett spoke with MLB officials via conference call and accepted the agreement.

"I don't think the organization felt like it was ever going to get lessened more than five games," said Francona. "Regardless of how we feel about what happened, once the decision was made to overturn the umpires, looking at past history, and how the league feels about it, regardless of what kind of case Josh stated, I don't think they go below five because they want you to miss a start."

While Francona and Epstein believe this is the best thing for the club, Beckett still isn't happy about it.

"We didn't have a hearing and that's because everybody has to answer to somebody and my bosses (Francona and Epstein) told me this was the best thing for the ballclub," Beckett said. "If it was up to me obviously we would have went through with this whole thing because I don't think I deserve even one game. When your boss tells you that something's best for the whole group then that's what we do."

With the Sox having Thursday off, Beckett and Jon Lester will now flip-flop days. Lester will start against the Yankees on Friday and Beckett will go on Saturday.

"I understand that," Beckett said. "I don't support this thing. I truly believe I don't deserve one game. It's unfortunate, but other people don't always see things the way you see them."

With one out in the bottom of the first inning last Sunday, the Angels' Chone Figgins was on second base when Abreu stepped into the box. The count was 1-2 when Beckett was taking his time, looking back at Figgins.

Finally Abreu asked for timeout, which was granted by home-plate umpire Paul Schreiber. Beckett had all ready began his windup and still delivered a 92 miles-per-hour pitch, which barely missed Abreu's head.

Abreu wasn't happy with it and had words with Schreiber before Beckett began walking towards home plate with some words of his own for Abreu. The benches and bullpens emptied and things got heated in the middle of the diamond.

As a result the Angels' Torii Hunter, Justin Speier, hitting coach Mickey Hatcher and manager Mike Scioscia have all been ejected from the game. No Red Sox players were ejected.

Beckett, and the Red Sox feel the league overturned crew chief Joe West's decision by not ejecting Beckett.

"I really don't have a comment on that," he said. "I'll let them sort those things out."

 Tags  Boston Red Sox Josh Beckett

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