Beckett now looks powerless

Either Beckett IS injured or he and his ego are grossly out of shape. Or all three. But it's clear he isn't right. Last night was a shameful display.

Beckett is done. Should put Paul Byrd in Game 5 and save Dice-K and Lester for 6 and 7 if it gets that far. I don't buy in the fact that Beckett is healthy....obviuosly he is not. Do the Red Sox organization think us fans are idiots? I'm not a huge Byrd fan, but I know he would do a lot better than what Beckett has done so far.

We still love Beckett. But he's injured and pitching him injured does no good to him or the team. In my opinion Red Sox should try their luck with Paul Byrd in Game 6. And I would think a majority of fans would agree with me. Unfortunately it's not going to happen, unless they find some obscure medical reasons to hold Beckett back. Losing with your "ace" is easy, but replacing an ineffective ace with your #5 man and trying to win would take a lot of courage. Dare I say Francona does not have courage to make such a gutsy call.

"Diminished velocity" is right on target. I can't remember when I last saw Beckett consistently throw 95-96, and ramp up to 98 if needed. Something definitely is not right with him, and it is on Terry for leaving him out there too long when it was clear by the second inning that Beckett was going to struggle again.

just wondering why terry francona would keep a pitcher who had absolutely nothing in a game that if the redsox won would have almost assured them of a playoff birth,,,terry the devil rays thank you so much for switching momentum to theyre side....you are definitely a hero.."in florida" i love the redsox but lets get facts straight...they win in spite of franconas moves..adding timlin to the roster for "his mindset and relaxing presence"?? hmmm gee if this was the case why didnt we just put a uniform on the team psychologist?? wait...then terry would have started him in the 7th! in a nutshell if francona would have ditched becket after seeing 3 inning of obvious gopherballs and brought in byrd to pitch then we wopuld have been 2-0. now if somehow tampa catches fire which we know they can...then we are in trouble. terry in game 3 i will predict this...the score will be low....2-2 maybe and in the 7th you will have to make a decision...remembre terry mike timlin is your friend...dont listen to the fans friendship is everything.....put timlin in but make sure he gives up just enough runs so we cant catch up......if your gonna throw the games terry do it quick....im tired of these 5 hour games....

Beckett must be hurt, if not hurt, we are in big trouble. BIGGEST PROBLEM: HE SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PUT BACK IN THE GAME AFTER 4TH INNING. Francona says "I stick with my guys", last night he beat Beckett like a sick mule. We lost the game because of the fifth inning meltdown, NO FAULT of Beckett. He tried, but sucked. Francona did nothing and SUCKED WORSE.

WHY WAS BECKETT LEFT IN SO LONG WHEN IT WAS OBVIOUS HE DID NOT HAVE IT ANYMORE

Both beckett and any shot we had of advancing are done.

The real problem is that Francona should have inserted Paul Byrd after the Red Sox took the 6-5 lead , and The Rays were down. Beckett, Francona, and Timlin, who should have retired in mid-season, gave the Rays momentum.

After last night's truly dire display in the terrible Trop ("the bells, the bells'!), there can be little doubt that there is a physical issue with Beckett. The angst-ridden performance against the Angels the previous Sunday suggested a psychological maladjustment just might be the cause of a very poor showing, but the loss of velocity and the uncharacteristic inability to throw first pitch strikes after the second inning in particular all point to the oblique injury sustained in late September as more serious than anyone in the Red Sox management is prepared to admit.
Against that grim background what is the solution for Francona and Farrell, assuming (as one must) that the series will go beyond five games? Unless there is compelling medical advice to suggest that Beckett can return to something like the form he showed in the September outings against the Rays, then a gamble on Byrd in game six looks like the only choice available. Despite the decidedly mixed results achieved with Byrd on the mound (generally against the Blue Jays!), a season ago he performed very credibly for Cleveland against our very own Sox in the ALCS and it's not irrational to entertain the possibility he might show similar form against the
Rays this October.
Overall, though, there is a good deal of comfort in leaving the Trop with the series level despite the multiple disappointments of Game 2. Though not quite of the same magnitude as Beckett problem perhaps (not least with Edwin Jackson in reserve) Joe Maddon must have serious concerns about Kazmir, who was erratic against the White Sox in the divisional series and no less disastrous than Beckett vs the Red Sox last night.
Finally, I find Mazz's analysis frequently insightful and am enjoying Bob Ryan's elegant prose, but can Dan S spare us his swings from cocky triumphalism after Game 1 to petulant comparisons between Tito and Grady Little the following day? I too questioned the wisdom of sending Beckett out for the fifth, but the call made strategic sense in a way not remotely comparable to what Little failed to do in the eighth inning of a game in New York one October night some five years ago.

Is anyone gonna ask Francona why he brought Beckett back out for the last of the 5th after the Sox had just given him a lead for the THIRD time, and after he'd already blown the other two?? ... Of course he immediately surrendered 3 runs, meaning he's blown FIVE leads in two games a half inning after getting each. ... That's TWO Grady Little moments in two nights for Francona, after his nearly disasterous decision to bring Dice-K back out in the 8th inning of Game 1 on 106 pitches with the top of the order coming up (Okajima and Masterson bailed him out of that one). ... Don't get on Timlin, he's got nothing and shouldn't have been ou there. ... The turning point was Francona's decision to put a completely ineffective Beckett back on the mound after the Sox hit those 3 homers in the 5th to take a 6-5 lead. ... This loss is TOTALLY on Francona.

You're certainly right, WAG, because Fran-coma didn't have the courage or brains to go to the pen in the fifth inning. Now the Sox have to win at least two of three at home to reach a Game 7 after Beckett gets pounded again in Game 6. If they don't win enough at home, Game 6 will be the end of the line.

Honestly, I think Beckett is still our Ace either way. He's probably just losing his confidence or something. I tell you one thing, Francona has faith in him, so we should too. Francona has faith in every player on that team, and you know it.Late in the season, Lowrie was in that slump. Francona played him game after game after game. Lowrie said he never lost his confidence, and I bet you that that's because Francona never lost faith in him. And because Francona had faith in him, he was able to have faith in himself.Ellsbury, he's my favorite player, but he also was in a slump for a while. Francona just does not give up on his players. That's why he's probably the best manager in baseball right now.

something is definintly wrong with beckett. However he got hurt on pitches that missed location not velocity that was down. pitches that are middle middle get crushed and thats what happend. He should be on a very short leash if he gets another start.

I don't think he's injured (could he have thrown 93 pitches if he was?), but clearly he's fatigued, and he pitched his B and C game his last two outings. Wasn't it just last year that everyone was praising Beckett for becoming a pitcher after years of being a "thrower" that relied purely on his velocity? We need the pitcher back if he's going to make a positive contribution to the team the rest of the postseason. Beckett is an amazing player and I have complete of respect for him. I hope for his sake as well as for the fans and team, that he can return to his rightful place as the ace of the staff.

Granted that Beckett's health is now an issue for the rest of the ALCS. The poor decisions made by Francona are even larger. To send Beckett out for the 5th inning when it was clear to every one but Francona that he didn't have made no sense. To use Drew to hit for Varitek then replace Elsbury in the field was another poor call. Elsbury is not hitting so his speed means nothing if he can't get on bases. Better if your going to pinch hit to hit for Elsbury. And the "coup de grace" was Timlin with Bird available. Look at the number of games Timlin has blown this season and any damn fool should know what was to follow.

This feels like Pedro Martinez all over again - learning to get hitters out with less velocity. For the sake of Josh Beckett and the Red Sox, let's just hope that this is a temporary problem (versus the career shift in pitching strategy/style that Pedro had to encounter due to age and wear and tear on his shoulder).

Neither team has a reliable bullpen. The Sox may get the Fenway Bounce when returning home. Sit Beckett and give the ball to Byrd the next time around.

I was flat out stunned that Byrd wasn't up in the pen in the 3rd or 4th inning, and coming into the game...it was clear that Beckett wasn't Beckett. Plus he's shaking 'Tek off a lot. In the ALDS it seemed like 'Tek was getting irritated with Beckett. Last night it was kind of like he resigned himself to keep throwing out signs and hoping one stuck. It ain't over, of course, but assuming Lester throws like he has been, we need Wake to be the old Wake who used to baffle the Rays. I have no faith if they throw Beckett out to the wolves again. And I agree with WAG to go with Byrd in game 6 (if needed). I wouldn't throw him in game 5 because IF Lester and Wake pitch well, you might not need a game 6 or 7. What team was it last year (my brain says Cubs with Zambrano) that held back from pitching it's ace on short rest because they'd need him for the next game or the one after...with the other team only needing that one game for the win, which they did.

Seriously, I think Byrd didn't come into the game last night is because they were thinking they may need to start him in place of Beckett's next.

Whatever Francona does regarding Beckett in game 6 will be the right move. Only the people within the organization truly know what is going on with Beckett. If he comes out in game 6, we have to assume he is good enough to go. And if he is on the mound, then we will all expect him to dominate. So before we burn Francona and the upper management in effigy, just remember that they helped this team win 2 of the last 4 World Series Titles. I'm pretty sure they know what they are doing.

After the Red Sox hit the three homers and, yet again, took the lead, why on earth did Francona send Beckett back out to start the 5th? What did he see in any of the first four innings that made him think Beckett was going to be effective?. Instead, he sends Beckett back out to record no outs (just like Dice K in the 7th inning of game one) and leave a mess for the bullpen. Tito has to stop staying with his starters when they are obviously done.

Mazz,

Its Tampa Bay hitters, not Tampa hitters. Where were you the past 3 days? St. Petersburg? Hello, McFly!! HELLO!! Earth to geographically impaired!! Life exists beyond 128 and 495!!!

The excuse they used after Beckett's game against the Angels was that he was "rusty". Clearly, they can't use that one after last night's game. So that leaves but two options: He's hurt, or he suddenly just plum forgot how to pitch. I'm guessing it's the former. Beckett cannot take the ball again in the postseason. So far the Sox have lost two of their post-season games, and they just happen to be the games Beckett started. Had either Wakefield or Byrd started last night, with Kazmir stinking up the joint the way he did and the Sox scoring 8 times, I feel confident that the Sox are up 2-0 today. This is the playoffs. We can't afford to be crossing our fingers that the"real" Josh Beckett shows up for the next start. He's had two shots, and he seems to be getting worse. If we lose, we lose. But it's clear he just can't get it done.

Oh, and another thing. I don't want to see Mike Timlin again, even if we're up by 15 runs in the 9th inning.

Beckett is in the same boat as Lowell-neither should be playing.

I'm on board with having Byrd pitch Game 5 or Game 6. At this point, even though he hasn't pitched in at least two weeks, he has to be better than what we're seeing with Beckett (who, like Lowell, is too injured to help the team). I hope Francona will make the decision that is in the best interest of the team and shut Beckett down for the remainder of the post-season. It can't be good for Beckett's confidence to have him be repeatedly shelled in playoff games, so it's really in his best interest as well.

With the travel days scheduled for today and to trip back to Tampa Bay after Game 5, Jon Lester would have already accumulated normal rest to pitch Game 6. Lester should pitch tomorrow (Monday) and Game 6.

Before you decide who should pitch game 6 you'd have to wait and see what the situation is. If we're down 3-2, would you send Byrd out there? I don't think so.
At the same time, I don't think Beckett should pitch again this year.

As obvious as it is that Beckett has lost 3-4 miles off his fast ball....and that the Red Sox hierarchy is refusing to admit to this...Why can't Francona and Farrell at least coach their way through this dilemna? Give Josh his due as Mr October, let him try to finesse his way through a game....But....A beantown size BUT...when he is getting shelled and giving up hard fought gutsy comebacks from his offense....why must we wait until the game is out of hand before pulling him? Respect is a great thing, but it has to be applied evenly for the other members of this team.
PS Let's also quit thinking Timlin is going to find his form again. Use the Byrdman.

I can't believe how fricken arrogant Beckett is. He's pitching like crap for 4+ innings, his team gets him the lead back, Upton's on 2nd and he's got the incredible gall to be SHAKING OFF SIGNS during the Pena at-bat! OVER AND OVER AGAIN! Unbelievable. He'd have some credibility if he were pitching decent but he wasn't, so he should just shut up and throw the pitch he's told to. Somebody's gotta straighten his ego out.

Varitek said we were lucky Beckett even took the mound against the Angels.
How lucky were we last night Varitek?

Beckett tells us he's fine. This is ridiculous.

Beckett is useless right now, but the poor guy can't admit it. His fast ball is pin-straight and 91. You can barely tell the difference between curveball, change and slider. All 3 have only a slight bend to them and unfortunately they're bending right into barrels of the Ray's bats.

It's Clark Kent throwing cookies right now. NOT Superman throwing fire.

Hey Josh, please sit down with Mike Lowell and have a discussion about what's more helpful to the team -- removing yourself when you're useless, or putting the team in a sinkhole while you try and find your arm slot??!!

Thanks for '07, and thank you in advance for putting your team first for the rest of '08.

OORRR... prove us all wrong. If you get the ball again, you'd BETTER FRIGGIN' GET IT DONE!

Otherwise we will truly get to blame a series loss on you.

Is anyone at all worried about the lack of production from Ortiz?
How many times was he up last night with a chance to get the lead
back. Over and over, he missed. Where are the homers, the extra base
hits.? Mr Clutch seems like a long time ago.
On form, Youk or Bay should be batting 3rd, now that Pedroia is hitting
again and getting on base.

A soccer mom could have seen that Beckett was not hitting his spots all night long. Francona blew this game by not replacing Beckett sooner, especially after seeing the effort put up by the Relievers. Very poor game management by the manager. I have to wonder what his motives are, "Sticking with my guys" is a lame excuse based on Beckett's obvious control issues throughout the 5 innings. When does a mnager keep any pitcher in a game where they have already given up 6 runs in 4 innings? Francona deserves only minimal credit for the success of the team over the past 5 years. The talent is the reason for their success, & Theo deserves much of the credit for assembling the talent , not only for these teams, but for the entire organization. Francona is not even in the same league as Madden. On another note, Big Papi needs to quit whining & get over the fact that Manny is no longer here. There is plenty of support in front & behind him in the lineup. He is not even showing that he is a major league caliber player since Manny left. Is he going to force Theo's hand & end up being traded to wherever Manny is playing next year? Are the Redsox going to have to pick up his salary for the remainder of his contract in order to "dump" him, based on his numbers since Manny left. Time to step up & play like a Major League Hitter. Maybe You could take a lesson from Pedroia after his comments following the 3rd game in the ALDS. Look at what he has done since.

Obviously, something's wrong with the guy. But now, he has to learn how to pitch. Unless he get those extra 5 MPH in the next start, he's going to have to do a 2007 Schilling.

If you remember, Schilling got shelled once (because this finesse stuff won't work all the time) last year in the playoffs, but other than that, he was solid.

Like the writer says, when you're used to just chucking it as hard as you can and these guys swing and miss, it's hard to learn and accept the fact that you now have to move the ball in and out, up and down, and change speeds. I guess it would be like going from a Porsche to Kia: You can still drive and get to where you are going, but not in the same way.

I think this means that Tito needs to realize he doesn't have 2007 Beckett. He has 2007 Schilling. Which means if he starts to see trouble, it's time to hook him. However, the glaring problem with that is that the bullpen is bad. There's two, maybe three relievers I trust: Pap, Masterson, and Delcarmen sometimes. The rest? Yikes.

I think the strategy with Beckett now is you tell him 4 IP is what you are looking for. You get three more from Byrd (yikes) and hope the bullpen can close the door in the last two.

It's not Beckett's fault. People writing "shameful display," do you think he wants to pitch like that? You think he's pitching like that because he's overweight or out of shape? Of course not. He's trying, he's just got an injury issue.

Jeez.

I am from Florida Marlin country (the Bosox official AAA farm team) and wathced Josh come and go. He must be hurting as the key moment was in the bottom of the 5th with Upton on first in an obvious steal situation. Josh made no attempt to hold him on, not even an easy toss to first. Baseball 101

Gate, I for one am extremely concerned about Ortiz. Wish we had a power right bat on the bench to replace him for a couple of games, but doubt Terry would dare put him on the bench. I'm also concerned re Ells and think Crisp should start when we return to Fenway. But like most posters, Im more concerned re Beckett and agree that he should never have come out for the fifth. As an aside, why won't Ells drop a bunt down from time to time--when is the last time he did so?

we were at the game in st petersburg having arrived at 6p.m. and stayed through top of eleventh 1:10 am when i told the kids if sox dont score we are leaving because we can't watch Timlin lose the game. so glad we left when we did, sorrry to be such a pessimist but couldnt take the Tampa celebration. thank goodness its back to Boston. If you do go to St petersburg in the future advil and earplugs the cowbells are sooo irritating.

What a bunch of quitters and whiners on this message board. Sure, Beckett was awful, but blaming Francona??? You had to see if he could pitch out of it - otherwise you were giving up on the guy that's been your #1 for three years now. They got the split they needed and are coming home for three games. People here act like the Sox are done when Lester and Dice-K still have an outing to go. Wakefield's start become very, very important now for many reasons. You can't blame Francona for the player's inability to get the job done. He cannot hit for them with runners ISP.

Beckett? what about Tito, doesn't take a rocket scientist to KNOW that JOsh should've been pulled after the 4th. Worst managed game i've seen in my 30 years.

I'm with swinging gate regarding Ortiz. Every ball he hits is off the top of the bat. He's swinging like he's determined to get out of his slump by launching one out of the park. His bat speed seems fine so he needs to focus on connecting squarely with the ball. Maybe Mike Tilmin can work his calming presence magic on him.

If Beckett is not injured, then he is rusty from the long layoffs between games. Someone needs to go back and look at the films. When Beckett was pitching strong, he has this clear, definite break in his windup. He starts the windup real slow and then it is like someone hits a switch and he then finishes fast. The last two games he has a more gradual increase in speed through out his whole windup. His start is faster, his finish is slower and there isn't the clear snap transition in his finish.

I'd rather see Wakefield in for Beckett in game 6. If he's one, he's golden. If he's not, he's no worse than Beckett is these days.

It's not the oblique.....it's the elbow. Josh should be with Lowell...on the bench.....WTF is wrong with Tito? He knows how hurt Beckett is....Lester should have started. Tito has no sack.

Its kind of pointless at this time to blame anyone for becketts dead arm, but if Ttito bring timlim in again for ANY reason i swear i will find a new team to root for!!!
I would have preferred Cora to come in to pitch the 11th!!!!

game 3 lester
game 4 wake
game 5 byrd
game 6 lester
game 7 dice-k

If the starter had been Byrd or Wakefield, and if he had given up the lead twice in four innings, Francona would never have brought him back out for the fifth. Thus, Beckett's producing worse results than a number five starter proves that Francona was acting on emotion, not on objectivity. He should admit his mistake before tomorrow's game--MAN UP!

I would put him on the back burner and go with Paul Byrd---Ellsbury --Kotasy and the shortstop Lowrie need to be sat down..Play Coco in Center and JD in right--Cora on shortstop and Casey on 1st---No more Timlin--Give Tek a rest--Try Ross as the catcher..

Masterson back in the rotation?

We'll be fine....all you clowns need to settle down.

How long does one stay with a pitcher who has shown nothing? The yanking of a pitcher should be taken away from Francona, who has showed during his entire tenure with the Sox that he cannot handle it.

If given the chance, he def. should NOT start another game in the ALCS, give the start to a healthy Paul Byrd. Maybe give Beckett another shaot if the Sox make the Series, but otherwise I think he's done for the year.

I also think that Mike Timlin is toast. He's had a good long run, but time to let him go.

Beckett is done. Lester is overrated. Wake is lame. Byrd is a basketball player. And DiceK is rolling the dice. Therefore, here's what we need to do:

Game 3: Eckersley
Game 4: Sonny Siebert
Game 5: Ray Culp
Game 6: Bartolo
Game 7: Foulke

Contrary to "WAG" and his second, Tito is NOT a comatose/gutless mistake- maker: To be managing in Boston at a time when baseball's been corrupted by money and Scott Boras, now that takes courage by itself!
But I digress. Though it was mistaken to respect # 19's words (probably, I suspect) and his past performance and run him out in the 5th, when I saw Timlin and Byrdie out warming, I thought : "Use Timlin, it's the bottom third of the Ray's order, and this (game and series) is shaping up to be a mini-marathon mirror of the 166 preceding it - Lopez is unreliable, Aardsma big ?? Oki nervous-making, I only trust Masterson and MannyD." I like Byrd a lot, think he was another in a growing line of very good aqusitions, BUT I like him in for 3-4 innings b/c I think he plans ahead with his hitters and needs the time. And time is what we are going to be looking at as this series is going to be SERIOUSLY long and we are going to need pitchers. Anyone who thought these TB Rays were going to be patsies for a quick run through is as deluded as possibly # 19 is about the current state of his prowess - truly Wasdinesque, and yet there he is-shaking off like L.A. Loosh. Also, you Timlin deriders, he was squeezed on 2 AB's by an ump whose strike zone negatively affected the game for both teams. Remember Farrell getting tossed? That must have been embarrassing for Tito, too, to have his pitching coach on the field, and to have to restrain him, but he handled it with class, as he has many other situations; eg, CocoLoco, who deserved NO support from his mates or manager as he was out of line in June.
But I digress...point to me here is that leaving 13 on, Papi missing in action, leadoff 0 for 6; and, (of course) 8 ER by our starter, plus Fernandez' steal of 3rd as well as other Ray performance notables were the ingredients for a most disappointing long-game loss.
I DO agree that Byrdie should be on call in #6 (if occurring) at the barest whiff of trouble for Josh. Rust and Loyalty, most praiseworthy, have been checked off.

When players lose the game its unfortunate, but when managers lose the game its inexcusable. And why did John Farrell get kicked out of the game? Because he's the REAL man in the dugout. Not Francona. Your days are numbered Tito. You have failed us for the last time.

I was there last night and Beckett simply can't drive toward the plate like he normally does. It's the injury and he should be shut down. Go with Byrd and Tito needs to come out of the coma or his Grady Little impersonation. Beckett should never have gone out after they got him the lead the 2nd time - let alone in the 5th!
I applaud Beckett for trying but it's Tito's job to take him out.

No more Beckett.Lester, Dice,Byrd,Wake,Lester.Bench Ortiz, Ellsbury,and
Kotsay...play Casey, Drew and Crisp.

PLEASE

Dan Cain/ Scottsdale,Az

---amazing how many posters think that if byrd enters the game to start the fifth with a one-run lead, the sox are assured of a victory. who knows what happens after that. what doesn't make sense to me is that after beckett allowed another baserunner in the fifth, he wasn't removed. call me crazy, but that's when I would have brought in timlin. a better option than byrd in my opinion.

Hey guys!! I agree with Mark. Settle down, is 1-1 and Boston is coming home!!! From the beginning I knew this series was going 6 or 7 games anyways. But I agree also that Francona stayed too long with Beckett.

There is hardly one sensible, well-reasoned comment amongst all of the above (no.37 excepted)! What we all witnessed last night was simply just the game we like to call baseball and all of this second guessing and whinning after the event doesn't change the fact that the Sox still have an excellent chance to progress. A split of the first two games is far from being a bad result - especially given the way that Game 1 played out. Have Sox fans really become so accustomed to success in such a short space of time that winning in less than 5 games is unacceptable? Yes last night's game could have been won - just like Game 1 could have been lost. Tampa Bay are a good team and cannot be taken likely. If we end up in the WS it will be because of the decisions made by Tito and the front office over the course of the season, up to and including the most recent game - and not in spite of those decisions. Grow up bloggers!

Beckett''s performance last night was awful...but only superceded by Francoma's mammoth braincramp to bring him in, and then in keeping him in, as the sky fell during the 5th inning. Of course, having Timlin in for the 11th was a beauty in it's own right. Both Beckett and Timlin have excuses...but I'm not sure what Tito can offer here. Tito needs to be taken to the cleaners by the press for this. So Boston writers, what's your excuse?

Francona-enough with Timlin already! If he continues to be used then the electronics industry will be loving the sales of new TV's to replace the ones being broken by flying remotes from millions of red sox fans po'd at the way he has once again blown the game.

Tito has the best job in America. He is not a baseball manager since he cannot handle a pitching staff when there are problems and his in game strategy is almost non-existent. His best move is when someone gets hit with a pitch and he runs out to the player whether he is hurt or not. More way more often than not his managerial gaffes or lack of strategy are overlooked since the Sox win a lot of those games and everyone forgets about his moves, or lack of moves because of a victory--see game one when DK should not have gone out for the 8th or at least being yanked after the 1st hit. Did anyone ask him what he is saving Byrd for and the thought process behind Ellsbury playing ahead of JD last night.

Splitting at the Trop was ok. Hell we almost pulled it out.

Sure, TITO stinks. Come on, don't get spoiled.

You guys are all a bunch of over-reacting cry babies. The fact is that the Red Sox split the first two on the road and now have home field advantage, and they still haven't pitched their ace in the series yet.

Get a clue and don't lose your faith because the Red Sox lost a game.

I love Francona - hope he's the coach of the team for a long time. I don't always agree but give him the benefit of the doubt - the guy's results speak for themselves. That said - he must have been smoking something to leave Beckett in so long. Last night's loss was entirely his fault.

Secondly. - "How to lose (late inning) games and alienate fans": Bring in Mike Timlin. ...............When are we FINALLY going to stick a fork in Timlin???? A beer and a ham sandwich would be more effective.

Franconia shows the problem with ex-players being Managers... He's Beckett's buddy not his Coach...and did what Beckett wanted and Franconia would of wanted when he was a player.. "KEPT HIM IN".
Looks like its back to Tampa in a 6-7 game series without Beckett. At least I hope Beckett isnt put out there again...He's done.. Let him see a doctor and get ready for next year.

Mike Timlin, I'm sorry but it's Bob Stanley all over again for those of you that remember. Why do these guy's want to end a great career like that. When your done your done get out of the game and let the young guys play. Wake up management and ownership, yu put the young guys in to throw one pitch, one inning maybe two and then let's bring in the old washed up guy to blow the game. As a baseball fan the ending of that game was so predictable. LET THEM PITCH!

Two bad decisions by Francona have the Sox at a disadvantage: 1) leaving Beckett in for the fifth when anyone watching knew he was done? 2) Why didn't the hot pitcher, Lester, start Game 2.
The White Flag went up as Timlin entered in the 11th. Timlin didn't disappoint.

Everyone complains about Dice-K's type of pitching. He knows that if you serve it up to these caliber hitters at this stage of the season even 90+ mph fastballs won't get it done! I wish Beckett would take a page from Dice-K's book! He is still a great talent, but needs to "grind" on every pitch. Bravo Dice-K!!!!!

Yaz8 is 100% correct. Put Paul Byrd in Game 5 and save Dice-K and Lester for 6 and 7. Beckeet is done. He should work hard in the off season and prepare for next year. My son is a yankee fan. He said he would love to see Beckeet is still in the mount for Game 5.