BRADENTON, Fla. — Red Sox starter Josh Beckett, pitching for the first time in 11 days, was roughed up for four runs on six hits and two walks in 3.1 innings against the Pirates. He also struck out a batter and allowed a homer. Yet Beckett, who remained hoarse from the aftereffects of the flu, suggested that the most important number he posted on the day was positive.

“The numbers are obviously what they are. The most important number for me today was 70 pitches,” said Beckett. “Would it be nice to go out there and shut everyone out in spring training? Yes. But the most important thing is to get your innings in, especially for me right now.”

“I was bed ridden for four days. I couldn’t do anything else the other three days. We just pieced this week together,” he added. “I missed a lot of workouts. We just pieced this week together. That’s why I like to get my workouts in – it makes me feel better about my start. I don’t really feel like I was completely prepared for this start. I went out there and did what I need to do.”

Beckett was scratched from a scheduled start last Sunday, remained completely bed-ridden for three of four days, could not follow his normal between-starts workout routine and admitted that he felt fatigued by the end of his outing. Despite the mid-spring disruption to his schedule, Beckett said that he did not anticipate any problems preparing for the start of the regular season on April 4.

Beckett had no insight to share about the status of negotiations with the Red Sox on an extension to his current deal, which is set to expire after the 2010 season. A report on SI.com suggested that there has been progress towards a deal, with Beckett seeking slightly more than the five-year, $82.5 million received by new teammate John Lackey, but Beckett had nothing to say on the matter.

“That’s not my deal. That’s the management and my agent’s deal,” said Beckett. “I just try to stay out of it. People get paid for those things.”