BALTIMORE — The question was posed to Red Sox manager Terry Francona prior to his team’s game with the Orioles, Saturday night at Camden Yards: Will Josh Beckett throw to Victor Martinez at some point before the end of the regular season in preparation for a potential connection during the postseason?

“You know, I don’t know. It’s not a bad question,” Francona said. “I don’t know.  That’s the answer. I just don’t know. It’s a legitimate question. To be honest with you, I know the numbers with ‘Tek are phenomenal and I believe in that. I also think that the night that Victor caught Beckett [in Toronto] was a crazy night.”

“I just, again, I’m very aware that when Victor catches, our lineup is more potent. Also, our goal is to win that game. That’s where we probably have to sit down at some point and think about … I just don’t know the answer. I certainly don’t think it’s a bad question. I just don’t know the answer.”

Beckett (who had the day off from throwing and will execute his bullpen session Sunday thanks to an extra day of rest) had a similar response when addressing the subject.

“It it will work itself out,” he noted.

The entire subject — and subsequent reaction — surfaced the possibility that Martinez might be linked up with Beckett in a postseason game, after all. For some time it was believed that Varitek was cemented as the ace’s battery-mate, yet with the Red Sox success using the lineup with Martinez at catcher, a different approach may now be considered.

Martinez and Beckett have worked together just one time this season, the seven-run outing, Aug. 18 in Toronto in which the Sox’ starter didn’t find out Varitek was forced to the bench with a bad neck until two hours before first pitch. He has also thrown to Kottaras three times this year, allowing an opponents batting average of .400.

Speaking on the subject a few weeks ago, Beckett didn’t downplay the importance of Varitek, but also didn’t sound like a pitcher who would flounder if the connection was broken up.

“I’ll throw to whomever they put back there,” said the Red Sox starter. “We’ve just got to figure things out. We’re adults. We’re grown-ups. We have to figure (expletive) like that out. You can’t just go about your life hoping things work out because if you’re going about your life hoping things are going to turn out they’re (expletive) not.”

Beckett continued…

“It matters. Don’t get me wrong. It matters,” he said of working with a new catcher. “Jason Varitek is very special to me because we end up getting in a rhythm very, very quickly. But the bottom line is that it’s your fault. If you can’t execute a pitch and you give up a hard hit ball it’s your fault. Anybody who tells you different is probably a (wimp).

“For me the thing is that I throw so many pitches. For somebody new it’s very difficult to remember everything I throw because I throw everything to both sides of the plate. I might want that pitch, but they might set up to the wrong spot, which, like I said, is still my fault. I need to shake until I get what I want.”

Beckett fully understands the challenges that come with truly developing the kind of relationship he has grown into with Varitek. When the two first started working together in 2006, it took three months into the season before the pitcher finally broached the subject of wanting to throw his change-up more, as he done while with the Florida Marlins.

“It’s weird because they’re trying to figure you out and you’re trying to figure them out,” he said. “Neither of you want to step on each other’s toes. It takes time.”