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Josh Beckett: Happy in Boston, Red Sox’ clubhouse ‘the exact opposite’ of dysfunctional 08.07.12 at 12:54 pm ET
By DJ Bean

Josh Beckett wouldn't take a swing at Bobby Valentine. (AP)

A notably chipper Josh Beckett joined WAAF’s Hill Man Morning Show Tuesday to discuss his situation with the Red Sox and the upcoming sixth annual Beckett Bowl.

Following is a complete transcript of all baseball and Red Sox-related questions. To hear the complete interview (and it’s recommended just for the sake of hearing how cheery the generally stoic Beckett sounded), click here.

On how he’s feeling:

“I’m good. Just muscle spasms. We traveled in late from New York, and I didn’t sleep particularly well. I had a lot of anxiety and stress things going on, exterior distractions. I don’t think a lot of it was great for my back. Then going out and pitching on that mound, it was very wet and my back just locked up on me.”

On making his start tomorrow:

“Oh yeah. I think I could have went today, Jonny [Lester]‘s day. He pitched so well last time that it was kind of up to him when he wanted to pitch. He was going to go today on his normal day and I’ll go tomorrow.”

On whether this season has been harder:

“Well I think just this past week [regarding trade rumors] was different for me, and I alluded to that, I did a little press conference after my start the other day and I alluded to that. Just that week was so much different for me because they were all rumors. They were apparently not being brought up by the Red Sox, because I was hearing from everybody that none of this was true and everything like that, but I still had to answer questions about it, so it was very confusing. That’s where I think the anxiety comes in. It’s not so much stress, it’s more anxiety than anything because you’re not real sure how things are going.”

On whether he feels he’s misunderstood by fans and media:

“I think for me, I’m just me. I don’t pay too much mind to when people have their opinions about it. I’m not going to change and I think sometimes that’s kind of what the media outlets want you to do here. They want you to be who they want you to be instead of just who you are. I’m just me, and I have a really good support group around me. As long as I don’t do anything to piss my wife off, I’ll be OK.”

On players potentially ratting Bobby Valentine out to upper management:

“I don’t even know. I heard something about the Will Middlebrooks thing, but I’m almost positive that Bobby was the one that brought that up to the media. I don’t know. Like I said, you can’t pay attention to it. I’ve got too many other things to do, basically. I don’t have time to pay attention to what Joe [expletive] is writing.”

On Curt Schilling saying he would take a swing at a manager for what Valentine said to Middlebrooks and whether he’d do the same:

“No, not if he’s my manager I wouldn’t. I think that’s easy for Schill to say now that he’s not on the team.”

On whether he’s happy in Boston:

“Yeah.”

On if the Red Sox have a dysfunctional clubhouse:

“No, it’s the exact opposite. There’s people who want it to be that way, and it’s not so it makes them mad when they come in there and we’re laughing and joking and having a good time. They want the perception to be something, and that’s what they’re going to write. There’s some very, very good media outlets here and there’s some very, very not good ones. The ones that are not good are the ones that want to perception to be what they want it to be no matter what, and that’s what they’re going to write.

“There’s nothing you can do about it, and that’s the way it’s been here for a long time. I talked to Jim Rice about it a few days ago. Jimmy was obviously not a fan of the media at all when he was here and had a lot of trouble with that and ended up to where he thinks it actually cost him a couple years on the ballot for the Hall of Fame. That’s just the way it is, that’s the way it’s always been here apparently. They talk about Ted Williams had problems with it when he was here.”

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  • Anonymous

    “There’s some very, very good media outlets here and there’s some very,
    very not good ones. The ones that are not good are the ones that want to
    perception to be what they want it to be no matter what, and that’s
    what they’re going to write.”

    Hate Beckett all you want, but don’t be a hypocrite — he spoke the truth.

  • kozlodoev

    Under this “definition”, the major “not very good” media outlet there is Rob Bradford, since he seems to always want things to be hunky-dory.

  • Felgy

    Josh is in la la land! I hope he get’s shelled tommorow!

  • Doug

    I like what Josh said about the Media, it is so true, some things never change and the media is that constant!  Teddy Ballgame had nothing but trouble with them, the media ripped Yaz, they were at odds with Jim Rice, is it a big surprise that people like Rosenthal writes a “Toxic Clubhouse” article and names no names no sources etc, this is typical, another thing was the Middlebrooks “nice inning”  it was reported on audio, a spot where Valentine said to lester, “nice inning, then later told Middlebrooks that he made 3 errors in one inning and was booed off the field, cushions being thrown at thim, this latter part wasn’t mentioned by Curt Schilling in the radio spot, what kind of media is this, being not fair is an understatement!  Life goes on, but I think it would go on in a better fashion without the media.

  • Doug

    The truth in Boston media is a no no in some quarters as I just illustrated, why can’t the media tell it like it is?

  • Nwo4life

    He spoke the truth about everything

  • Bob M.

    Who WAS that guy????

  • Cccn98

     You mean the media was lying about him playing golf while injured, the chicken and beer and the fact that he has been horrible for the last 5 seasons? Well lets give him 20 million for another seven years and continue to pay some of the highest tickets prices in sports while the red sox continue to not make the playoffs.

  • Frankhemphill

    THE MEDIA HAS AJOB TO DO.  THEY JUST HAVEN’T FIGURED IT OUT YET.  ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO WRITE ABOUT THE PLAYER’S SHORTS ARE DIRTY OR HOW HE PLAYS THE GAME.  MEDIA!!!! GET A LIFE AND LET THE BALLPLAYERS PLAY BALL WITHOUT YOUR CRAP!!  MAYBE THEN WE WILL GET ON A RUN TO THE PLAYOFFS…..

  • Blivetz

    Bugger Off!!

  • BABABLACKBEEP

    All well and dandy he’s a happy boy in Boston right now, but we all remember how a good BOOOOO gets to him after a butthole performance on the mound. He’s not an emotionless horse. He’s a coward who gets anxiety when his name comes up in trade talks. Little snot’s been pampered with contract extensions his entire career, and his crap attitude reflects all the comforts he is undeservingly given.

  • FHCJP3 9

    I’ve been a fan of the Red Sox since 1947,and the Boston media in the worst in the world.They get everyone all in an uproar and then wonder whycertain players won’t talk to them.Why don’t they write the good things about a player instead of being negative.
       All of them try to out do each other looking for the cheapest shot that they can take at a ball player.Grow up guys.

  • Ellencullum

    Can’t be A RedSox fan and hope that he fails. If he fails, the RedSox fail!

  • Shennessey

    In case you haven’t noticed the Sox are a failure!!! For three years, unless you call being in last place most of the year is a good thing. And with Beckett and Lester being the main guys in the collapse of last year, you would have thought they would have come back with something to prove well they have, they have proven that they are not as good as everybody thought. The media isn’t the ones that created chicken and Beer, It isn’t the media that makes all these dumb statements. This is the most dysfunctional team in sports right now

  • Tbullitt

    Schilling needs to stay out of it!  Didn’t like him when played, still don’t

  • Cjbdelaney

    I think what we see on the field is a reflection of what goes on in the clubhouse.  They are a mess, I have always liked Schill except for his politics.  This is the worst situation I have seen the Red Sox in over 20 years.

  • Anonymous

    I think we are past “power rankings”.  Seeing as they beat Denver, and despite their worst half of football, came back and almost beat San Fran, see me for the”final power ranking” on February3rd.

  • Lmorea

    Bengals should be higher and the Colts lower. I would rate them Broncos, Forty Niners, Patriots, Packers, Falcons, Texans, Bengals, Ravens, Redskins, Seahawks, Vikings, Colts

  • jwol16

    This was an impressive way for Ben Rohrbach to fish for Twitter followers while avoiding actually writing an article.

  • Matt

    Ainge is the definition of a fraud. He laughed at the mistake Red made by holding onto players too long and watching the team get old and lose their title window, and said he would never do that. Yet he has. I think some of it might be PR-related. The celtics are already the 3rd or 4th team in this town. instead of having the team be mediocre a few years to collect assets that can be used as trade chips to acquire all-star caliber players like he did in 2007, or build around them like the Thinder, which would mean this team would be the DISTANT 4th team in this town (check the ratings, the Bruins nearly doubled the Celtics playoff ratings and the celtics BARELY beat out meaningless Redsox regular season games in late April/early may), he and ownership seem content on just getting to the playoffs and losing in the 1st or 2nd round. By that they will get playoff revenue and the team will continue to be somewhat relevant, without being close to a championship caliber team. Getting to the first or 2nd round ever year means nothing. Stop delaying the inevitable, Danny, and rebuild. Stop being afraid of this team becoming the 4th team in this town for a few years, when it could pay off in the long-run, and standing pat with a 1st or 2nd round playoff team and being content with that.

  • Matt

    *Thunder*

  • mike

    Ainge is a stupid idiot and sucks as a GM. Pierce is the reason the Celtics are now not playing and Pierce has suck for 5 years.

  • Anonymous

    Ainge is not kidding me. Trade Rondo and PP. Let Doc go because He does not know how to coach a young team. Bring in Kevin McHale to coach, Celts need a face lift. With some wise choices alot can be done.

  • Anonymous

    Pierce will break the record for turnovers next season. Doc has become the most overrated coach in the history of organized sports. His team’s seasons have ended with blowouts AT HOME two years in a row. Thank Tom Thibodeau for the championship in 2008.

  • voice of reason

    My word Danny blow this thing up, I would rather watch a rebuilding than tired old players. let Pierce go.

  • http://www.facebook.com/enjoyrobby Robby Apelo

    when you say kg and pierce have a lot of basketball left, you mean that they can still play ball but the celtics won’t make it to the playoffs right? Cos my 60-year old uncle has a lot of basketball left in him but he ain’t in any league.

  • http://www.facebook.com/enjoyrobby Robby Apelo

    Ainge has to realize that the window is already closed. We’re not stupid. it’s not because of injuries, lack of practice, limiting the minutes of kg and pierce that we’re not winning. it’s because as players become older their production naturally decreases. bron durant are in their mid 20′s cmon! how can you expect kg and pierce to win on their mid 30s?? time to let go and get young! do you really want to retain kg and pierce till their 40s??

  • Peter Griffin

    Lady boy w/ a gun.

  • http://www.facebook.com/enjoyrobby Robby Apelo

    i know you like it

  • http://www.facebook.com/enjoyrobby Robby Apelo

    he’s stupid enuf to retain kg and pierce till their 40s. true story.

  • Peter Griffin

    “True story?”!? You mustn’t of graduated middle school.

  • Phil

    Mike thats stretch. However, I do believe that it’s time to move PP. I just don’t see the C’s keeping both KG and PP, but nothing would surprise me.

  • antonio

    Most of what you said is correct, however, to say that Doc has become the most overated coach in the history of organized sports, is a false statement. Look at all the NBA teams that have been trying to get Doc. Why is it that he is mentioned in freaking trades??? If you dont’ like him, we get it. But don’t post b.s.

  • Anonymous

    If Pierce and KG are back next year then it is time for a new GM.
    They need to be gently and respectfully nudged out the door.
    It is time to begin building the next championship team.
    I wonder if Ainge is up to the task.

  • Rhyso

    Thank you, someone who actually gets it. Sure he could have traded Ray for Mayo (FA in the next season), Pierce for Josh Smith, and KG for Bledsoe and Jordan, but does that team make you any more competitive? And what would stop those expiring contracts like Smith and Mayo from just walking away after the trade? Nothing. Then you get nothing for Pierce or KG, no game 7 against Miami in ECF, and a less competitive team to sell tickets to the fans.

  • http://www.facebook.com/shanique.mackey Shanique Mackey

    PP and KG can come back but they must be willing to come off the bench KG still can help the younger guys develop

  • John

    Stop living in the past and trade/draft for the future. The old stars are now in the mediocre phase of their career, if that.

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