What the hell with Josh Beckett already?

by SC on Nov 30, 2007 2:29 PM EST in Commentary Comment 10 comments

Am I on crack or drugs or is Josh Beckett already being written into tales where he was, without any question, the greatest pitcher to ever live?

Take this Tim Brown article at Yahoo. I have nothing against Tim Brown other than the fact that he shares a name with a despicable Notre Dame wide receiver and he never says anything interesting, but how about this quote when discussing Johan Santana being on the market:

Barely a month after Josh Beckett confirmed that a standup, shutdown ace could carry most of a team from the beginning of October to the end, the Minnesota Twins introduce to the trade market Beckett's left-handed complement.

Johan Santana, everyone.

"You want to be able to line up against Josh Beckett," one American League personnel man said Wednesday afternoon, "and think you have a chance to win the game."

Josh Beckett had a really good season. He was outstanding, and he undoubtedly carried Boston for periods of time, and was the one no doubt about it, go-to guy on the staff. He was a true ace.

He also wasn't any better than Cy Young winner C.C. Sabathia or John Lackey (who continues to be the Rodney Dangerfield of AL starters), not to mention Fausto Carmona and our own delightful Erik Bedard.

There were five starters in the American League this year that were a hair or two better than the pack:

                GS    IP    W   L    K    ERA  WHIP   Adj. ERA+
J Beckett, BOS       30  200.2  20   7   194  3.27  1.14   145
E Bedard, BAL        28   182   13   5   221  3.16  1.09   146
F Carmona, CLE       32   215   19   8   137  3.06  1.21   151
C Sabathia, CLE      34   241   19   7   209  3.21  1.14   143
J Lackey, LAA        33   224   19   9   179  3.01  1.21   151

Does that one stupid win really mean that much to some people? 20 wins! 20 wins!

I also get that he was exceptional in the postseason. I know why Sox fans and many in the media are in love with Beckett right now. And he deserves that.

But really?

You want to line up against Josh Beckett and feel like maybe you can win? Just maybe?

There are four guys in the AL -- two on one team, the team that Boston beat in the ALCS -- that had a season that stacks up to Beckett's. He didn't suddenly become a best day version of Pedro Martinez.

Maybe it's that goatee, his ridiculous hemp and puka shell necklaces, his general American Eagle-ness, or just the logo on his cap, but I can't damned stand Josh Beckett. Still, again, I get the hubbub -- he had a great season and a greater postseason. But let's not make the fella out to be peerless. Or even on level with Johan Santana, who just had a down season that was pretty remarkable in its own right.

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if W. bush had 20 wins...

i would vote for him for a THIRD TERM IN OFFICE....

nothing beats 20 wins... NOTHING.

by dfleis on Nov 30, 2007 3:04 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

21 wins?

"Baltimore? That's like being hit in the head with a crowbar once a day."

by spike2131 on Nov 30, 2007 3:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

21 wins

is mythical...

"Hating the Yankees is as American as apple pie, unwed mothers, and cheating on your income taxes." -Mike Royko

by BPinOK on Nov 30, 2007 4:14 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

agree

It's the Boston-love fest, just-a rolling along.

I thought he was more Abercrombie & Fitch, but whatever. Anyone wearing that necklace is a douche.

Our fans are better than yours.

by OEutaw on Nov 30, 2007 3:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Where does it say Beckett

is the greatest of all time?

Change your rag.

by timg56 on Nov 30, 2007 4:09 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

re:

Maybe read past the opening sentence. I find it ridiculous that Johan Santana is coveted so that you can line up against Josh Beckett and win. There are several pitchers as good as Beckett.

I suppose maybe it would make sense if that quote were about the Yankees, made by a Yankees executive.

I don't hate Josh Beckett as a player. He's quite good. Sorry I don't want to make love to his kickin' chin goat.

Thanks for the time that you've given me...

by SC on Nov 30, 2007 8:01 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

that same article

says the Diamondbacks are most likely to get Bedard. First I've heard of it.

It's just a question of arrogant self-entitlement against drunken limp-dicked self-loathing--DaBB

by zknower on Nov 30, 2007 10:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Good points here

In terms of shameless self-promotion, I'll link my article that supports your argument. :P

http://saberrox.blogspot.com/2007/11/come-with-me-to-hell.html

But seriously, it's really uncanny the difference a couple pitcher wins can make. Not to mention, as detailed in my post, how screwed up Cy Young and ROY voting can be...

"True friends stab you in the front."-Oscar Wilde.

by NHZ on Dec 1, 2007 5:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Beckett is the tits

You could probably make a somewhat reasonable case that he is the best non-Santana pitcher in baseball...based on this season and with significant weight added to the postseason (which was, like, awesome). I don't know if I'd buy that case, but you could probably make it.

Unfortunately the backlash against the new and bizarre open and shut case of Josh Beckett the Super Ace of the World may lead people to think he was, like, bad. He was freakin' awesome, let the record show.

by Awesome Mike Awesome on Nov 30, 2007 5:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

He was this year, no question.

But of course last year, he kinda sucked.

The year before that he was pretty damn good.

The year before that he was not as good, but still good.

Will Beckett be this dominant in 2008? I doubt it. He had a helluva ride, but there's no guarantee he'll be in the zone in the same way. I mean his K/BB ratio this year was sick. I'd put him down for 16-18 wins next year, with his ERA back in the mid 3s.

It's just a question of arrogant self-entitlement against drunken limp-dicked self-loathing--DaBB

by zknower on Nov 30, 2007 10:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs