Westmoreland out of I/C...Beckett Battered

I just read this update from the Boston Globe's EXTRA BASES (Thanks BG-EB) on the condition of Boston Red Sox phenom prospect Ryan Westmoreland. He is in the very first stages of recovery after serious brain surgery. If you want more details, scroll down five or six posts. You'll find it easily. Here is the Red Sox statement which was released yesterday...

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"According to Dr. Robert Spetzler, Westmoreland’s neurosurgeon and the director of Barrow Neurological Institute at St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Ryan has been moved out of the Intensive Care Unit and into the hospital's Neuro Rehabilitation Unit, where he will undergo physical and occupational therapy.
"Ryan is right on track and we expect progressive improvement," Dr. Spetzler said
“We are thrilled for Ryan and his family that the surgery went so well,” Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said. “While we recognize that the recovery process is long and complicated, we are excited that all of the early indications are so positive. On behalf of the Westmoreland family, we thank everybody who has expressed concern and support for Ryan."
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The Red Sox and the Pitsburgh Pirates engaged in a slugfest with the Pirates coming out on top by a score of 9-7. Josh Beckett made his first start since he missed one because of illness. It showed. He threw 70 pitches over 3.1 innings but he has caught up arm strength-wise. It was said that he looked "spent" in the locker room after his outing but that's what spring training is for...get yourself and your body into a position where you can go at least six innings and build from there in the regular season. He's doing exactly that. Here he is...

"It would’ve been nice to spread those 70 pitches out a bit over two more innings, but the bottom line is I got there,” Beckett said. “Obviously, the numbers don’t look good, but the most important number for me was 70 pitches.”

I have one other Beckett-related item. Josh's agent and the Red Sox have been negotiating on a contract extention, something that is vital for the ballclub. Beckett doesn't want to go anywhere and Boston HAS TO know they will have to shell out "Lackey numbers." That's just fine with me. The Boston Red Sox without Josh Beckett, well, I don't even want to think about it!

Yesterday here in inland Connecticut we set an all-time high temperature record for March 19th. The thermometer peaked out at 72 wonderful degrees. It will be more of the same today and tomorrow before reality once more sets in. Thanks for stopping in and click on this post's title for SI dot com's Red Sox page. Have a great weekend, enjoy the men's and women's NCAA basketball tournaments (GO UCONN WOMEN!) and as always, BE WELL. See ya!