The Red Sox are slated to leave Florida for Japan a week from Wednesday and there's a distinct possibility ace righthander Josh Beckett won't be accompanying the team to pitch the opener.
Beckett suffered back spasms while warming up Saturday and left without throwing a pitch. He has yet to speak publicly about the injury, but manager Terry Francona allowed yesterday in Vero Beach, Fla., that Beckett might not be with the team when it opens in Japan against Oakland. Beckett has yet to pitch to major league hitters this spring and his scheduled Thursday start has been given to Bartolo Colon.
"We're not there yet," cautioned Francona when asked about Beckett not being available for Japan. "When he's ready, he'll be ready. And when he's ready to be himself, that's when we want him. If we had to miss a start, and we're not good enough, then we're not good enough. We'll figure out a way.
"We need him to be healthy all year. That's what we did last year with his avulsion. It didn't make sense to pitch him. We'd be doing him, and our ball club, a disservice to have him go out and pitch when he's not supposed to."
Francona saw Beckett yesterday morning and said, "He looked much better than we expected. He's day-to-day, but it's a best-case scenario. It's not like he'll go out there tomorrow and start running, but we were all relieved to see him moving around the way he was. Still, that's not the way you want to start your day."
Beckett has started against Boston College (two innings) and pitched a B game (three innings) against the Twins. The Sox are mindful that a 16-hour flight to Japan might not be the best medicine for a starter who recently has experienced back spasms.
Boston's No. 2 starter, Daisuke Matsuzaka, threw 72 pitches in three innings plus of a 4-0 loss to the Dodgers yesterday. It was the Sox' sixth consecutive spring defeat and Boston has scored only six runs in its last four games.
Matsuzaka endured a 28-pitch first inning and surrendered a three-run homer to Matt Kemp. Francona was concerned with Matsuzaka's pitch count, which was problematic last season.
"He ran into some deep counts when he didn't have to," said the manager. "This is spring training, but when you're near 70 pitches at the start of the fourth inning, that doesn't bode well for going seven innings in a game."
Matsuzaka was happy with his curveball and said he "left a pitch in a soft spot" to Kemp.
"I was starting to feel a little fatigued, but at this point that's par for the course," said Matsuzaka.
Francona said Friday that the club plans to have Matsuzaka on the trip to Japan, but the pitcher's wife is due to deliver a baby on the date of the Sox' departure.
Meanwhile, Clay Buchholz (who is working on mechanics with pitching coach John Farrell) and Jon Lester have spring ERAs of 12.60 and 11.25, respectively, and Curt Schilling's career may be over because of a shoulder injury.
Colon on track
While most of the rest of the Red Sox were headed across the state to face the Dodgers, Colon was throwing on a back field at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers.
With general manager Theo Epstein and Farrell in attendance, Colon threw 43 pitches to four batters brought over from the minor league complex.
Farrell said that, as long as the pitcher comes through fine today, he will be pitch Thursday against Tampa Bay.
Colon should throw one or two innings in that game, but no more than 30 pitches.
"If it is an inning, it might be 20-25 [pitches]," Farrell said. "But you could also see him going through an inning fairly quickly because he locates the ball. That's the one thing in all of his [bullpen sessions], his command of the baseball has been very good, particularly with the four- and two-seam fastballs."
Colon threw all of his pitches yesterday, including fastballs, changeups, and breaking balls. He said through interpreter and Red Sox Latin American coordinator Eddie Romero, "I feel really good and I was very pleased with my control more than anything."
Colon added that his arm feels healthy and, given his preparation in the Dominican Republic, he is exactly where he expected to be at this stage, even though it's ahead of where the team had estimated he would be. He originally wasn't supposed to throw in a game until Saturday.
There has not yet been a decision on whether Colon will be ready for the trip to Japan.
Flying high
The Sox, who had only five hits against the Dodgers, enjoyed a 23-minute flight across the state and back yesterday. They'll fly to the east coast of Florida again this morning to face Johan Santana and the Mets in Port St. Lucie. "Our ownership really took care of us and it's very much appreciated," said Francona . . . Shortstop Julio Lugo (back) missed his seventh straight game. Coco Crisp (groin) didn't make the trip and has played in only two spring games, none since March 2. "The problem is when he's running straight forward," said Francona. "He's just not ready. He's trying to be ready, he's just not ready." Team physician Tom Gill arrived in Florida and is scheduled to see Lugo today . . . The Sox and Dodgers used designated hitters. Nomar Garciaparra did not play for Los Angeles.
Conducting self well
Dr. Charles Steinberg, maestro of Fenway Park during the recent golden years, is working his magic for the Dodgers these days and lunched with former New York (football) Giants GM Ernie Accorsi before the game. Steinberg says the Dodgers are hoping to draw 115,000 for the exhibition against the Red Sox at the Coliseum March 29 (he's counting on about 40,000 Sox fans). The US record for attendance at a baseball game is 93,103 for an exhibition at the Coliseum honoring Roy Campanella in 1959 . . . Faces in the crowd at Dodgertown: Larry King and his party of 14; actor James Van der Beek, and former Dodgers Ron Cey and Tom Niedenfuer. Bill Mueller, now a special assistant with the Dodgers, visited with his former Sox teammates after the game . . . The game was broadcast by NESN on tape delay to make room for the Bruins' live telecast . . . Old friend Mike Greenwell will throw out the first pitch tomorrow against the Mets.
Shaughnessy reported from Vero Beach; Benjamin reported from Fort Myers.
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