Can Beckett Return To Form in 2011? Jets/Pats Today!!

The title of this post consists of a question that has no answer...not yet. The original article was in the Thursday Boston Herald. In it, the search was on to find pitchers in their thirties who posted ERAs over 5.75 while pitching more than 125 innings over the course of a season. Sound familiar? Yes, Josh Beckett had such a season last year and all of Red Sox Nation is awaiting his 2011 resurgence. When the Herald finalized their search, 66 different pitchers fit that bill. Of those 66 hurlers, only THREE managed to regain their form in a starter's role. Three! I say this. Everybody is different and I have faith that Josh CAN turn it around and win fifteen plus games. The 2011 Boston Red Sox will score a ton of runs over the course of the season and they'll also flash a lot of defensive ability. If anyone can do it with the nine guys surrounding him in the lineup, Mr. Beckett will with a little help from his friends. My thanks go out to the Boston Herald for their intriguing and informative article.

I'd like to mention Red Sox first year and starting catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who will handle the behind-the-plate duties with team captain Jason Varitek, the veteran, the teacher, the mentor of this team. A former teammate of Salty had this to say recently...

“If it’s going to happen for him (Jarrod), it going to happen now. He’s gone through his rough spots, had his injury issues and problems, and now he seems to be over everything and on a good team where he doesn’t have to feel the pressure. I think you’re going to see whatever it is Salty is going to become this year. The Red Sox may have timed this whole thing perfectly, but I know Salty has worked really hard and he wants to be what everyone thought he should be. The fact he hasn’t yet, I’m sure eats at him because he’s so competitive and cares so much. So now we’re going to see.’’

I hope whoever that was will be proven correct. If so, 'Tek will start roughly two out of every five games with Satalamacchia handling the other three. Jarrod knows he has to show the Sox fans that he can DO the job and do it well. I have faith. What else is new? I'm an optimistic guy when it comes to that MLB team from beloved Boston. No two ways about it, that's for sure.

If you have time, click on this post's title for more on that HUGE NFL playoff game between the NY Jets and their very much hated division rivals, the New England Patriots. Final score? I don't know but I'll throw out 28-10 Pats. The 14-2 Patriots face the 11-5 Jets and the tilt will be televised by CBS and CBS HD commencing at 4:30pm. There will be a pre-game show beginning around 4pm EST. Have fun. GO PATS!! This will be a game chock full of hatred between the two head coaches, mainly stemming from Jets coach Rex Ryan, who didn't take kindly to the 46-3 thrashing Belichick and his team rammed down their throats. Hey Rex, SHUT UP AND PLAY BALL! You've got a BIG MOUTH. The whole country will be watching.

To my Constant Readers, thank you for stopping by and have a great Sunday. As always, BE WELL. GO PATS.