Ted's Army: The Voice of Red Sox fans

Your Morning Dump...where Lester & Beckett apologize in their own special ways

Every morning we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump...

So much for the notion that Jon Lester [stats] always follows Josh Beckett [stats]’s lead.

That may have been the case once, when Beckett was the playoff-tested workhorse held up as a shining example for each fledgling Red Sox [team stats]pitcher. But Lester didn’t take any cues from Beckett yesterday, as both met the media to discuss their involvement in the beer-and-chicken flap that has come to symbolize the team’s epic collapse last season.

Lester gave thoughtful and expansive answers, expressing regrets that lingered long into the offseason and pledging to be a “better teammate” and a stronger leader. He claimed “complete responsibility,” both for his 8.24 ERA in his final four starts and for his behavior in the clubhouse during games.

Beckett? In a separate media session, he came off more defiant than contrite.

While Lester appeared to be speaking from the heart, Beckett blurted out mostly curt sound bites. The right-hander from deep in the heart of Texas admitted to making mistakes during the season but didn’t offer any specificity, saying only he had “lapses in judgment” and “got distracted.” Beckett denied suggestions that he fell out of shape, and if he felt bad about several members of the medical and training staffs losing their jobs, he didn’t reveal it.

For a Red Sox fan base expecting an explanation, if not an outright apology, Beckett provided neither. If anything, he appeared less bothered by what happened than the fact it became public.

Herald: Lester is regretful, Beckett is resentful

It only took an entire offseason but both Jon Lester and Josh Beckett apologized for their part of the September collapse. Lester came out and just fell on the sword for all that took place on and off the field and usedit  some key phrases like "being a better teammate" and taking "complete responsiblity". That's a start for Lester to get back in the good graces of the fans and the media that we're disgusted with the chicken and beet fiasco.

As for Beckett....Well at least he apologized. He seems a little ticked off that everything came out the way it did. The more important thing is that he took his responsibility in the more important part, which is lack of execution on the field. He sucked against the Orioles when the Sox needed him the most and he admitted that.

Beckett has always come across as an a-hole and everyone loved that about him when he was dominant.  It's not the apology everyone wanted, but it's as much as anyone is going to get from him about what took place in September. So let's just move on and forget about last season.

Globe:It's at least a start for Beckett | Valentine happy to be on job | Leadership now part of the game for Lester | Aviles returns to shortstop | Herald: Beckett comes up lame | Lester now Sox main act | Iglesias may hit short list | Bobby V puts team in sunshine state| CSNNE:Varitek will be missed | Beckett, Lester admit faults | Sox answer for 2011 collapse | WEEI: Actions, not words will define Beckett

Your Morning Dump...where the Boston media continues to hammer Josh Beckett

Every morning we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump...

Valentine has one thing going for him as he gathers his players together in their palatial new digs in Fort Henry, Fla. (hey, you’ve got to make some concessions to these teams or they just go elsewhere). He’s got a bunch of guys with something to prove. They were embarrassed at the end of last season, and they will be determined to put September in the rearview mirror. Many of them will show up in great shape. Some of them might hang their heads in shame and apologize for costing Terry Francona and his coaches their jobs.

Just don’t expect Beckett to be one of them. The stubborn Texan is heading into his seventh season with the Sox. He’ll be 32 in May. He has three years left on a contract that pays him $17 million this year. In other words, the Josey Wales act works. It got him this far, and it will get him through any lingering criticism from the September train wreck. A show of contrition is nothing but a sign of weakness. The odd little beard isn’t going anywhere and neither is the scowl, the edge or the attitude.

Beckett gets paid like an ace and treated like an ace, even though he has rarely pitched like an ace. He’s never won a Cy Young Award, never started an All-Star Game, never led the league in ERA or innings. At times, he has been a very good pitcher, but never a great one. With Beckett, somehow the performance never quite lives up to the personality. Pedro Martinez glared at hitters, too. Then he ripped their hearts out and ate them in front of their dying eyes.

Herald | To rebound, Red Sox need best of Josh Beckett

I disagree with almost every point Gerry Callahan makes in his column. 

Beckett's not an ace because he hasn't won a Cy Young? Come on. Look at this list. These are the only aces in baseball? Brandon Webb was an ace, but Josh Beckett never was? Get real.

Same goes for the criticisms about Beckett's "act" -- something Michael Felger has been railing against for months now. Why is it considered an act? Because he had two bad September starts? Beckett was a predominant reason the Marlins won the World Series in 2003 and the Red Sox won the World Series in 2007. If you lead your team to a title twice, you're pitching like an ace, and your "act" is probably something more that that.

There's a lot of revisionist history about September anyway. Yes, it was a disaster. But look at Beckett's stats again. He was on his way to a solid start in Toronto and got hurt. The injury has since been blamed on poor conditioning, which very well may be true, but at the time it was attributed to landing awkwardly on the bullpen mound. He missed his next start, which people hammered him for. Then he came back in the middle of September and had a solid outing in a win over Tampa Bay. Is that not clutch?

Yes, he ended the year on two losses, but we have enough evidence in his postseason performance that he can perform in big games. In 14 appearances, he has a 0.94 WHIP and 3.07 ERA, going 7-3. But yeah, he's not an ace, his swagger is all fiction, and he needs to be run out of town.

I also don't understand the media's fascination with apologies. What does it mean? I don't need Beckett to apologize to me, and I agree with his quote that Callahan uses as evidence for his poor attitude. If the Sox had pitched better in September, no one would have said a word about the chicken and beer. Of course, we would prefer them not to be acting so lethargically and be more involved with the team and all that. But a lot of that rah-rah stuff is fan fiction anyway -- these guys are out there being paid insane money to play a game. It's their job. There are more Keith Foulkes out there than Dustin Pedroias. If you get all worked up that these guys aren't on the top step yelling "Hey, batter batter," that's no one's problem but your own.

The only thing I agree with in this column is the headline, which Callahan of course had nothing to do with. The Sox certainly need Beckett this year. But they need his performance, not any kind of attitude adjustment. Last year, he threw 193 innings, going 13-7 with a 2.89 ERA, producing 6.2 WAR, gaining an All-Star appearance and finishing 9th in AL Cy Young voting. That belly and bad attitude didn't seem to hold him back too much. I'll take another year of it, please.

Herald | Starting 9: Issues to ponder as Red Sox head to Fort Myers | David Ortiz, club finally settle on historic deal | Globe | Ortiz can settle back in | Bard is ready to get started | At long last, compensation for the Red Sox? | ESPNBoston | David Ortiz, Red Sox agree to deal | Francona braces for a spring without baseball | Red Sox, Cubs submit arguments | CSNNE | Report: Epstein compensation coming soon 

Your Morning Dump... Where Beckett doesn't get it

Every morning we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump...

Josh Beckett has broken his silence.

Nearly two weeks before Red Sox pitchers and catchers must report to Fort Myers, Beckett made his first public comments about the team’s historic September collapse in an interview with MLB Network’s "Intentional Talk," hosted by former Sox first baseman Kevin Millar. While fellow starters Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz have addressed the pitchers’ habit of occasionally eating chicken and drinking beer in the clubhouse during games, Beckett explained he has been busy caring for his infant daughter, born at the end of the regular season.

"I think the biggest key is what Lester said to the end that, we stunk on the field and that was the bottom line," Beckett told the show. "If we would have pitched better, none of that stuff would have even been an issue. And it shouldn’t be an issue anyway because what goes on in the clubhouse should stay in the clubhouse. I don’t care who says that or whatever. I’m not saying we don’t make mistakes in the clubhouse. (Millar) will definitely respond to that because, hell, they were drinking Jack Daniels and they won the (2004) World Series. It’s just what goes on in the clubhouse, it’s supposed to stay in the clubhouse."

Herald - Josh Beckett: ‘What goes on in the clubhouse should stay in the clubhouse’

Beckett nailed it: If they had pitched better, no one would have ever known about the clubhouse antics. 

But.. but but but... you didn't pitch better.  In fact, you went from having a career year in the first half of the season to being pedestrian in August to pitching like a bum in September, when the Sox needed you most.  And while some members of the rotation were having the opposite of a career year (*cough*Lackey*cough*), the staff, and team, as a whole collapsed. 

And when that happens, especially on such a grand scale, to a team with such a rabid fan base, people are going to want to know why.  They will want answers to simple questions like: Why did you suddenly become terrible at throwing a baseball?  You're not a dumb man, Josh Beckett.  You know how this works.

And the Millar 2004 comparison?  Nice try, but not even close.  First off, that didn't stay in the clubhouse.  So your entire argument is invalid.  Secondarily, taking shots of Jack Daniels on the road to the World Series is a tad bit different than the chicken, video games and beer you enjoyed while the season was crumbling around your team.  And lastly, and most importantly, they won.  That's really all that matters.  Win the games and no one cares what you did behind the scenes.  In fact, if you win, we'll laugh about it.  Just like we do about the "The Idiots" and the 2004 season. 

You do yourself no favors by making statements like this.  Just let it go, man.  And try to pitch a little more consistently this season.  That's all.

On Page 2, if you didn't know already, Edwin isn't coming to town.

Your Morning Dump...Where Beckett and Valentine are getting along

Every morning we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump...

New Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine and starter Josh Beckett celebrated the New Year together -- with a 2.5-hour meeting at Beckett's ranch in Texas.

[...]

"I did backflips," Valentine said. "I knew that [intense] look from walking in the clubhouse or on gameday when he'd sit on the bench before the game. For 2.5 hrs, he came out, asking questions.... It was real long. We missed the whole football game."

Providence Journal: Valentine and Beckett have productive meeting in Texas

Isn't that just peachy? The Sox manager and Ace are having nice conversations on New Years Day and missing football games. I don't really care much, but that should have been their first conversation that was held last month. Instead, we had to listen to two weeks worth of Josh Beckett being unhappy with Valentine because of his criticism as an ESPN analyst.

Valentine also commented on other conversations he had with various players...

"Everybody I've met, and that's why I do it, I've had a different impression," Valentine said. "Ellsbury fooled the hell out of me, from what I heard and everything. Totally different. Clay was much different than I expected, in a good way. He's a good guy."

There was one notable exception.

"Except for Dustin. He's exactly how I knew him. That's who he is. But Pedroia, what a guy."

I don't want to constantly criticise Bobby all the time, but it is pretty obvious that he would get a different impression from different players. I would hope everyone would have a different personality and he would have a variety of conversations. Unless this team has become robots and just don't give a damn, this should be what he expected and it is a good sign that players are being themselves with him.

I may be reading too much into this and it may have been easily summed up with a, "Good job for making contact with your players, Bobby", but I still don't really like the guy...and it's Sunday morning.

On Page 2, 200 innings would be nice from any Sox starter.

Red Sox have top-10 rotation? Bahahaha!

Know how I know it's a slow news week around Fenway Park?  Joe McDonald of ESPN Boston is trying to drum up a conversation around whether the Red Sox rotation (which currently consists of 2 1/2 pitchers) should be considered top 10 in the majors.

If last season caused you to drink so much that the last five months have been wiped completely from your mind, McDonald gives you the current state of the Sox rotation.  It ain't pretty:

At this point only Jon Lester and Josh Beckett have defining roles. Clay Buchholz still has to prove that his lower back is healthy and he’s ready to pitch. Who knows what Daisuke Matsuzaka will add after the right-hander missed the majority of last season after having Tommy John surgery. He’s scheduled to start throwing off a mound in spring training but it’s unclear when he’ll be ready for the rotation. Right-hander John Lackey will miss the entire 2012 season after having the same procedure done.

Plus, Bard and Aceves, assuming they can get comfortable as starters.  McDonald also throws out the same names we've been hearing the past few weeks as potential free agent signings: Saunders, Oswalt, Kuroda and Edwin Jackson.  Plus the "potential" return of Wakefield (at this point they might as well sign him to a one year deal, get on their knees and make sacrificial offerings to Father Time). 

If I was controlling John Henry's bank account, I'd throw some money at Oswalt and Jackson and try to get them to agree to one-year deals.  Actually, if I was controlling Henry's bank account signing pitchers would probably be one of the last things I'd do, trailing things like purchasing private islands and exotic sports cars.  But once those were secured, I'd go get some arms.  Because right now, our plan is to cross our fingers and hope for the best. 

And if you didn't know, Jose Bautista feasts on crossed fingers.

Your Morning Dump...Where Bobby V can't keep his mouth shut

Every morning, well most mornings and sometimes in the afternoon, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

The most publicized private conversation in recent Red Sox history just got a little more public.

Wednesday, at the baseball winter meetings, new manager Bobby Valentine explained to a gathering of media that he had talked to Josh Beckett, but the pitcher had requested the conversation remain private.

[...]

Well, while speaking at the “Christmas at Fenway” event on WEEI Saturday afternoon, Valentine reiterated that the Beckett conversation was supposed to be private, but once again ended up with even less secrecy then before.

[...]

“He told me not to talk about the conversation so I’m not going to talk about the conversation,” Valentine said. “But I’ll talk about the length of the conversation. It was 20 minutes maybe a little more. But the first two sentences were, ‘Oh, by the way, I was really pissed off at what you said,’ and I said, ‘Let’s get that out of the way,’ and I said, ‘OK, that’s out of the way,’ and we talked about everything else. That was kind of the extent for his dislike of what I said.

“I’ll say this, because it’s apropos and he won’t mind, he felt at the time, and probably correctly so, he was dominating the Yankees. I mean he was totally dominating them when he pitched and one of the things that was mentioned from across the field was mentioned by Kevin Long, according to him. I didn’t remember this as an ESPN announcer, but Kevin Long started complaining about him talking too long. And he felt, why don’t I take long and if they don’t like it, then that’s exactly what I want to do. Whatever they don’t like, and what makes them uncomfortable, makes them unsuccessful. And we at ESPN fell into the Kevin Long strategy of trying to reverse his success. So I get it. Maybe I did. That’s where it was a frenzy and it led to watching the game and I had read or heard what Kevin had said and I was reiterating it.”

WEEI: Bobby Valentine elaborates on phone call with Josh Beckett

So we are two weeks into the Valentine era and he failed his first task, keeping a secret. This guy has no filter, and he can't keep his damn mouth shut. He is incapable of keeping quiet and staying out of the spotlight. He wants talk to revolve around Bobby Valentine and every headline in Boston to include his name in it.

His players, if they are not already, will get sick of him saying he has to keep matters private but follow with an ""But I will say this...".  Valentine will get himself in trouble, and has, with his over-use of conjunctions.

Maybe we can have Bill Belichick kidnap Bobby and smack some sense into him.

The rest of the links:

Globe: The purse strings get a bit tighter over at Fenway | For starters, Valentine keeps Bard's options open | Herald: Passion play hits Fenway | CSNNE: McAdam: Now, Sox may hope playoffs expand sooner

Your Morning Dump... Where we have a good idea why Beckett sucked

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

Amidst the avalanche of text messages and well-wishes Dave Page received after being dismissed as Red Sox [team stats] strength and conditioning coach, one stood out. It came from a Red Sox starting pitcher whom Page declined to identify. And it said, “I feel this is all my fault.”

Page reflected on his six-year Red Sox tenure and his relationship with much-maligned starter Josh Beckett [stats], whom Page is clearly fond of, yet nonetheless did not let off the hook. Page said Beckett knew he needed to lose weight, but also described him as a good teammate who perhaps let his superstitions get the best of him.

Page points to a stretch in May and June when Beckett strung together nine of the most dominant starts of his career, going 4-1 with a 1.40 ERA, culminating in a one-hit shutout at Tampa Bay.

During that stretch, Beckett limited his between-starts work. Because he’s a creature of habit, he stuck with the reduced workload on the mistaken assumption it had contributed to his success.

Herald - Josh Beckett's tale Page-turner

It's not often you see so much coverage given to the newly-departed strength and conditioning coach of any team in any sport, so all the attention Page is getting is a little odd.  Of course, this is Boston.  And the team just held a reverse "Biggest Loser" competition, so these circumstances are a bit different.

If you read the article, Tomase discusses something that's a bit upsetting.  At the end of the season, there were 4 strength and conditioning jobs open in baseball.  But, for some reason, the Sox waited a long time to fire Page and now only the Marlins have an opening.  I couldn't even imagine how frustrating that would be.  Perhaps it's time we start dropping calls into Miami to say some nice things about Page.

And on the field (well, still kind of off it) all the Beckett "new routine" talk makes a lot of sense.  Baseball players are crazily superstitious.  This isn't isolated to Beckett.  So the fact that he was limiting his between-starts workouts and pitching well certainly lends himself to pointing to the lesser workouts as the reason, and demanding to continue with that "routine".  Plus, if you can rationalize it, it's easier to explain why you've managed to jump 10 ranks in Call of Duty during a homestand against the Blue Jays. 

But you'd expect that, at some point, someone from the team (Curt Young or Page, probably) has to step in and say "Hey, Josh.  Lessening the workouts has given your arm a good rest and you're pitching well.  Now we need to make sure we maintain your strength to finish out the season."   Sounds like Page thought this was the case, but never did anything about it. 

(Photo by Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

The rest of the links:

CSNNE - Francona interview pushed to Monday | Offseason of Change: Possible Free Agents | Herald - Bud Selig clearing to-do list: Agreement for sale of Dodgers big step in plans | Globe - Carl Crawford, batting champ? | Baird withdraws from Orioles search | WEEI - Curt Schilling on Big Show: ‘Personal accountability … unbelievably lacking’ on Red Sox | History suggests Dale Sveum can clean up a mess

Your Morning Dump... Where we're still talking about beer

Every morning, we compile the links of the day and dump them here... highlighting the big storyline. Because there's nothing quite as satisfying as a good morning dump.

WHDH TV (Channel 7) in Boston said Josh Beckett, John Lackey and Jon Lester would leave the dugout for the clubhouse late in the game and return to the dugout with plastic cups filled with beer.

Said Lester: "The accusation that we were drinking in the dugout during games is completely false. Anonymous sources are continuing to provide exaggerated and, in this case, inaccurate information to the media."
  
"I cannot let this allegation go without response; enough is enough," added Beckett. "I admit that I made mistakes along the way this season, but this has gone too far. To say that we drank in the dugout during the game is not true."

Added Lackey: "There are things that went on this season that shouldn't have happened, but this latest rumor is not true, and I felt that it was important to try to stop this from going any further."

CSNNE - Players, Francona deny WHDH report

Watch that video clip above.  Those three words summarize my feelings about this.

Enough is enough.  We get it. Last year was a joke.  Players acted like children, took advantage of their manager, and behaved unprofessionally.  Players drank beer, there was infighting, fried chicken was involved.  Probably a few rounds of Call of Duty. 

There's probably some more gritty details that haven't been uncovered yet.  But let them stay uncovered.  The whole organization, except for a few individuals, looks like a bunch of buffoons.  The damage has been done.  Fans want the team sold.  They want player's heads.  Telling me that John Lackey gave Josh Reddick a swirly before the final game isn't going to change our opinion of him.  We hate John Lackey.  You're not going to get us to hate him any more.  So just let it go.

And it's about time we hear from Beckett and Lackey.  Although it's only to deny this latest rumor.  If this is what pulls them out of hiding, one must assume all other reports are accurate.  And guys, could you try something a little more sincere then, "Yes, I made mistakes.  But I didn't make this mistake."?

This offseason is already tedious and the freaking World Series hasn't even started yet.  Ugh.

On Page 2, we're not the only ones sick of all this Red Sox talk

Lester speaks, defends starters, and accepts blame for September

It's the story that will never die! After John Henry took it upon himself to storm 98.5 The Sports Hub on Friday, Jon Lester spoke to the Boston Globe's Peter Abraham and told his side of the story:

"There's a perception out there that we were up there getting hammered and that wasn't the case," Lester told The Globe via telephone from his home in Georgia. "Was it a bad habit? Yes. I should have been on the bench more than I was. But we just played bad baseball as a team in September. We stunk. To be honest, we were doing the same things all season when we had the best record in baseball."

Lester said the drinking was confined to starting pitchers who weren't in the game that day. "It was a ninth-inning rally beer," he said. "We probably ordered chicken from Popeye's like once a month. That happened. But that's not the reason we lost.

"Most of the times, it was one beer, a beer. It was like having a Coke in terms of how it affected you. I know how it looks to people and it probably looks bad. But we weren't up there just drinking and eating and nobody played video games. We watched the game."

This doesn't surprise me. Winning hides all of this crap. If it were the Red Sox heading to the World Series instead of the Texas Rangers, suddenly this team shows how loose they are. The chicken & beer festivities get compared to the 2004 squad taking shots of Jack Daniels before Game 6 of the ALCS and the World Series.

Lester also has a now not so shocking take with the Terry Francona situation:

Lester has not spoken to deposed manager Terry Francona, communicating with him only through text messages.

He said he was sorry to see Francona leave the team, but believes it might be for the best.

"I love Tito and he did a great job for us when he was here. On a personal level I was more than grateful for what he did for me and my family," Lester said. "But there comes a time when your authority is no longer there. You kind of run your course. People knew how Tito was and we pushed the envelope with it. We never had rules, we never that that iron-fist mentality. It you screwed up, he called you on it. That was how it worked.

"I never say guys purposely breaking rules or doing the wrong thing in front of him and rubbing it in his face. But this particular team probably needed more structure."

Francona is a "player's manager". He doesn't do this because he treats the players like men. That's why he let them drink beer. These are grown men who get paid millions. This team needs structure? More like this team needs to suck it up and be professionals. Francona wasn't managing a Little League squad.

John Henry ACTUALLY speaks!

Just when this week can't get any crazier....

After three days of articles going against the ownership, John Henry had enough and made an impromptu appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub's Felger and Mazz show. He did so in order to "set the record straight" and because Michael Felger made a point that if it's OK to bring Terry Francona's personal life into, why not bring everyone else's personal crap into it as well?! Henry was clearly distraught by this and not only tried to dispel the rumors but let out many other topics as well.

On the Bob Hohler Boston Globe article: 

“It’s reprehensible that was written about in the first place. If it’s someone within the team, and that’s what it says in the newspaper, I’m upset about it. And I’ve been upset about it.”

This is what we've been waiting for. Someone from ownership who would come out and be as disgusted and disturbed about the accusations. It only took three days and enough venom to kill the entire state of Rhode Island but it's still needed. It's a hell of a lot better than the snarky comment that Larry Lucchino made the other day. It felt genuine and he sounded as pissed as we were. (Is this the same John Henry? Has to be a doppelganger right?) 

He talks a little about about Theo Epstein's future. "As far as I know he's still involved." said Henry. “I would love to have Theo back. I would have loved to have Theo as our general manager for the next 20 years. That would have been my hope. But you don’t always get what you want." He continued to tip toe around the question because he didn't want to pull a Scott Boras and make any announcements during the playoffs (kinda like how the Sox stole the spotlight when they didn't pick up Francona's option). This is one of the weakest moments of the interview but he was at least willing to answer as much as felt and he gave his opinion on the matter. 

Speaking of opinions he dropped quite the bombshell about Carl Crawford that will be in all of the newspapers tomorrow.

"[Crawford was] definitely a baseball signing. In fact, anyone involved in the process, anyone in upper management with the Red Sox will tell you that I personally opposed that,” said Henry. “We had plenty of left-handed hitting. I don’t have to go into why. I’ll just tell you that at the time I opposed the deal, but I don’t meddle to the point of making decisions for our baseball team. … It wasn’t a PR move. Neither was the [Adrian] Gonzalez signing.”

All the focus will be made about how Henry didn't want Carl Crawford but it should be the fact that he doesn't meddle into player acquisitions and let's the GM do their job. Alex Speier tweeted that this wasn't the first case of this happening, most notably with the acquisition of Josh Beckett. People were complaining that the Sox were making PR moves but Henry made it clear that it was otherwise and that's perfectly fine.

He also defended Josh Beckett, one of three pitchers who loved to eat chicken, drink beer, and play video games during game day. "He's one of the most competitive guys I know." Henry said. "He came back from that [ankle] injury and made three starts." He went on to talk about the weight issues and claims that pitchers weren't exercising.

"They have three things to do, cardio, shoulder exercises, and they have to do their legs,” he said. “According to our people, they did it and they continued to do it.”

“Why is it we had players that gained weight over the year, don’t they usually lose weight,” Henry asked. “That’s one of the things we’re looking at. But I’m not going to air it all out in public.”

First off with Beckett, we know that he's a competitive guy. He's getting this called into question now because he's not sitting on the bench during off days? Felger has had a beef with Beckett calling him the "Texas tough guy" and is leading the charge trying to get him out of town. Is he a bit overrated? Yes. Is he an a**hole? Absolutely. But we've seen him step up in big games and show emotion and his passion many times. When he was hurt last year and having a suckfest every five days because of his crappy back, he was angry and it did affect him. That wasn't genuine? There's no way. He is many things but he isn't the baseball version of Pau Gasol. 

As for the pitchers doing the proper exercises, it would be stupid for the trainers to lie to the owners as they'd drop his ass immediately but something's not right. Someone's lying to Henry or the pitchers didn't put their all into it. It's a pain in the ass but Henry sounds determined to find out what the issue is, fix it in house and keep it quiet. As it should be.

The whole interview is here for you to gobble up. If you have even the slightest interest in this team, you listen to the whole thing. It tackles many other subjects including the future of Lucchino, his feelings of Jason Varitek and Carmine the computer. It's John Henry in a way that we haven't seen him before. It shows that he does care about this team and that he's willing to make this work. It wasn't the perfect interview but it was a hundred times better than having a press conference with him being surrounded by both Lucchino and Tom Werner, both of whom like to shield Henry from actually answering questions directed his way (perfect example would be their interview on WEEI).

I want to believe a majority of what Henry said because the whole interview was off the cuff and Henry was out of his element, especially with someone that put a Rajon Rondo-esque pressure on him like Michael Felger did. Again, it wasn't perfect but this was the best move that Henry could have made. This doesn't mean that all is forgiven with the ownership and how they've transformed Fenway Park from a raucous place that opposing teams feared into a family friendly place where it didn't matter if the Red Sox won or lost. 

This week has been the craziest week I've ever seen that didn't involve any action on the diamond, parquet floor, stadium, etc. Nothing but chaos and crap. This is the first step into fixing the clubhouse, start preparing for the 2012 season, and start moving on from all the crap that has occurred. 

And the first step came from John Friggin Henry.

(Photo Credit: Mark Bertrand)