Josh Beckett was enjoying a very productive August (2-0 with an 0.86 ERA in his first three starts) – that is, until he pitched against Toronto on August 18.

In that start, Beckett surrendered seven earned runs in only 5.1 innings pitched, allowing three homers along the way. While the Red Sox managed to hang on and ultimately beat Toronto 10-9, the team wasn’t so lucky in Beckett’s next outing against the Yankees.

Pitching at Fenway against New York in his last start, Beckett allowed eight earned runs off nine hits, five of which were homeruns. The Yankees offense pounded the Sox in the series’ rubber match, and Boston lost its second series in a row to its reviled AL East rival.

Friday night, Beckett will look to rebound as he goes for win number 15 against Toronto. In 11 career starts against the Blue Jays, the Red Sox ace is 3-5 with a bloated 6.44 ERA. These un-Beckett-like numbers can likely attributed to the immense success Toronto centerfielder Vernon Wells enjoys against Beckett: Wells is a career .323 hitter against Beckett with five homers and three walks.

On the other side of the mound, Scott Richmond will be pitching for Toronto Friday night. In only his second season with the team, the 29-year-old righty has struggled going 6-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 19 games (16 of which were starts). Richmond’s only appearance against Boston this year came in late May when he pitched in relief of teammate Ricky Romero. For his career, Richmond is 0-1 with a 3.86 ERA in seven innings pitched against the Red Sox.

After taking three out of four from the White Sox, the Red Sox are six games behind the Yankees in the AL East standings, and 1.5 games up on Texas in the Wild Card.

BLUE JAYS VS. BECKETT

Lyle Overbay (36 career plate appearances against Beckett): .300 average/ .417 OBP/ .367 slugging, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts

Vernon Wells (35): .323/ .400/ .871, 5 homers, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts

Aaron Hill (28): .370/ .393/ .593, 2 strikeouts

Kevin Millar (20): .263/ .300/ .368, walk, strikeout

Rod Barajas (15): .385/ .467/ 1.000, 2 homers, walk, 2 strikeouts

Marco Scutaro (10): 3-for-10, 2 strikeouts

Adam Lind (8): 5-for-8, homer, strikeout

John McDonald (6): 2-for-4, 2 walks, strikeout

Raul Chavez (5): 0-for-4, walk, 2 strikeouts

Randy Ruiz (3): 1-for-2, homer, walk

Travis Snider (2): 2-for-2, homer

RED SOX VS. RICHMOND

Jacoby Ellsbury (4 career plate appearances against Richmond): 3-for-3, walk

Dustin Pedroia (4): 0-for-3

David Ortiz (3): 1-for-3, homer

Jason Varitek (3): 0-for-3, strikeout

Kevin Youkilis (3): 0-for-2, walk, 2 strikeouts

Jason Bay (2): 0-for-2

Casey Kotchman (2): 0-for-2

Victor Martinez (2): 1-for-2

J.D. Drew (1): 0-for-1

Nick Green (1): 0-for-1

Mike Lowell (1): 1-for-1

RED SOX VS. A.J. BURNETT

As fate would have it, tonight marks the third time this season that A.J. Burnett and Josh Beckett, who were once Marlins teammates, will face each other. It’s been advantage Sox on the two previous occasions, due in large part to a couple of stinkers turned in by Burnett.

In starts against Boston on April 25 and June 9, Burnett lasted only five innings and two and two-thirds innings, respectively. He’s given up a total of 13 runs to the Sox this season, 11 of which were earned. He looks to forget about those two and an ugly last start against the White Sox in which he gave up seven earned and wasn’t able to make it through the fifth. As it stands he’s 10-5 on the season with a 3.89 ERA.

Here’s how Sox hitters have done against the right-hander:

David Ortiz (28 career plate appearances vs. Burnett): .259 average / .286 on-base / .593 slugging, 2 homers, 5 RBI, BB, 10 SO
Dustin Pedroia (28): .273 / .429 / .545, 2 homers, 4 RBI, 6 BB, 2 SO
Kevin Youkilis (26): .261 / .346 / .261, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SO, HBP
J.D. Drew (25): .300 / .440 / .400, 3 RBI, 5 BB, 4 SO
Mike Lowell (23): .200 / .304 / .250, 3 BB, 4 SO
Jason Varitek (21): .278 / .381 / .556, homer, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 5 SO, HBP
Jason Bay (20): .333 / .400 / .556, homer, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 2 SO
Jacoby Ellsbury (18): .278 / .278 / .444, homer, RBI, 4 SO
Victor Martinez (17): .250 / .471 / .333, 4 BB, SO, HBP
Jed Lowrie (12): .167 / .167 / .250, 4 SO
Nick Green (10): .300 / .300 / .600, RBI, 2 SO
Casey Kotchman (10): .300 / .300 / .400, SO
John Smoltz (3): 0-for-3, 2 SO

YANKEES VS. JOSH BECKETT

Here comes the bad news for Sox fans. Lost in all of the talk of Burnett’s stinkers against the Sox is the fact that in that April 25 game in which Burnett gave up eight earned, his former teammate was even worse.

While both pitchers lasted just five and each allowed eight earned runs and two homers while striking out three, Beckett allowed more hits (10 to Burnett’s eight) and walks (four to Burnett’s three). Fortunately for the Boston ace, the Sox were able to win the game, 16-11.

In two starts against the Bombers since then, Beckett turned in six innings apeice and has given up three earned and zilch, respectively. The more impressive of the two came on June 9 (against Burnett) when he gave up just one hit and struck out eight.

Beckett has now had 16 straight starts, dating all the way back to May 5, in which he’s lasted at least six innings. Two of those have been complete-game shutouts and he’s had a 2.28 ERA over the span.

Lastly, who said it’s too early for Cy Young talk? According to the Neyer and James’ Cy Young predictor formula [which, as everyone knows, is ((5*IP/9)-ER) + (SO/12) + (SV*2.5) + Shutouts + ((W*6)-(L*2)) + Victory Bonus], Beckett would be a close second to Felix Hernandez if the season were to end today.

Lifetime, current Yankee hitters have hit .294 off Beckett. Here are the individual numbers:
Derek Jeter (47): .318 / .348 / .409, homer, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 3 SO
Johnny Damon (45): .293 / .341 / .561, 2 homers, 9 RBI, 3 BB, 9 SO
Robinson Cano (42): .342 / .405 / .605, 2 homers, 9 RBI, 4 BB, 3 SO
Alex Rodriguez (41): .306 / .390 / .472, homer, 7 RBI, 5 BB, 8 SO
Melky Cabrera (39): .343 / .385 / .429, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 8 SO, HBP
Jorge Posada (30): .321 / .367 / .357, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 8 SO
Hideki Matsui (21): .200 / .238 / .300, BB, 3 SO
Eric Hinske (20): .250 / .250 / .350, RBI, 5 SO
Nick Swisher (19): .313 / .421 / .500 homer, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 5 SO
Mark Teixeira (18): .154 / .389 / .154, 5 BB, 6 SO
Jose Molina (13): .154 / .154 / .154, 4 SO
Jerry Hairston (7): 2-for-7, 3 RBI, SO
Sergio Mitre (2): 1-for-2

Joe Maddon touched on a variety of points today in addressing the media about the All Star Game with  Charlie Manuel. Among the things discussed were pitchers, the omission of a catcher, and whether having some alternates could pay off.

Tim Wakefield has gotten a great deal of attention in the past few days, both for this being his first selection and for him getting the nod despite a 4.30 ERA. To Maddon, the biggest thing that surrounds Wakefield is the fact that there is no catcher on the roster prepared to catch a knuckleballer.

“It’s not going to be easy,” said Maddon of the challenge that either Joe Mauer or Victor Martinez could face in St. Louis. “If you have not caught a knuckleball pitcher before, it’s no fun, obviously.”

No fun is what Jason Varitek had in Game 5 of the 2004 ALCS in the top of the 13th inning. Like Mauer and Martinez, Varitek didn’t have experience caddying a knuckleballer and it was apparent three passed balls later.

Wakefield’s lack of batterymate could be a shame if his skills are wasted, as Maddon views him as someone who could be used in a longer relief role.

“He is the kind of guy that you know can pitch multiple innings very easily,” said Maddon. “Probably the more difficult side of that would be who’s going to catch him. We’ll discuss that with him when I get the chance to visit with him in person.”

Maddon said he elected to only go with just two catchers rather than bringing aboard Oakland’s Kurt Suzuki as Oakland’s representative. Closer Andrew Bailey was instead chosen despite blowing four of his 14 save opportunities. Maddon said he made the decision based on the rule that allows the starting catcher to re-enter the game in the event of an injury to the starter.

“Two catchers equals three catchers in the All Star Game,” said Maddon. “Whoever starts is really the third catcher once he comes out of the game.”

Coming off an impressive outing last night against Oakland, Josh Beckett is in line to make one more start on Sunday against Kansas City, which will give him only one day of rest for Tuesday’s game.  Fearing the worst in another 15-inning fiasco like last year’s game (a game in which, in case you forgot, JD Drew was going to pitch the 16th), Maddon talked about the possibility of MLB allowing pitching alternates who would serve more of a purpose than starters who would be risking their health.

“If you’re going to try to play this game to its conclusion and you’re trying to win the actual game, you definitely have to have enough pitching,” said Maddon. “You don’t want to hurt anybody during the course of this game. One of the major things you do on a daily basis as a Major League manager is monitor your arms, whether [they're] starters or relievers, and you really take care of these guys.

“We may have a couple of [pitchers who are starting Sunday] that I’ve already spoken to at least one of the managers [about],” added Maddon. “We really want to utilize those pitchers in the briefest of moments, but nevertheless I’ve been told that they can pitch.”

It is doubtful that anyone would want Beckett to go on just one day of rest, which is understandable, and the idea of having some alternates on hand is intriguing. While it’s obviously a change that won’t come this year, it seems like a win-win down the road: Beckett would still get the distinction and the AL doesn’t waste a roster spot.

“When it comes right down to it,” said Maddon, “it might be wise eventually to add some alternates just in case that scenario were to arise.”