Beckett?

[BradC34]

Is it possible that he's injured? Just seems like he hasn't been pitching like his normal playoff-self.

[bob]

Or maybe he's just having a general slump that happens to be in the postseason. He hasnt had a great year and he cant play amazing every playoff every time.

[BradC34]

That's true. I actually expected it to just be a simple slump, but a friend was throwing around the idea of an injury. Something minor that is just taking him off his game.

[YankeeDJW]

Like Bob said, it is probably just a slump that any pitcher goes through happening at a bad time. I find it pretty humorous though when you have people on ESPN or TBS analyzing Beckett, saying "You know, there is a possibility Beckett isn't 100% healthy."
No kidding! Show me one athlete that plays a 162 game season every year that is in perfect condition. It's borderline absurd to assume any one of those players in the playoffs are at their best right now, in terms of physical condition.

[Berkman#17]

He is injured. Oblique problem. He reportedly had to get an injection not too long ago.

It's not a slump. If he was 100%, it would be same old Beckett, I.E. Forget-about-today-just-get-ready-for-tomorrow-I'm-shutting-you-down.

[YankeeDJW]

He is injured. Oblique problem. He reportedly had to get an injection not too long ago.

It's not a slump. If he was 100%, it would be same old Beckett, I.E. Forget-about-today-just-get-ready-for-tomorrow-I'm-shutting-you-down.

So Beckett is guarunteed to to win every postseason game he pitches in if he's not injured? Maybe he is injured (do you have a link?), maybe he isn't. Either way, it shouldn't be too much of a surpise when proven playoff performers have a few less than stellar post-season games. ESPN did a comparison a year or so ago showing that most players regular season and post-season numbers really aren't that different. Obviously there are exceptions and the small sample size can throw it off, but the point of it was to show that players have a level of ability they usually play at, playoffs or not. To think Beckett is some sort of superhuman pitcher in the playoffs when 2 of his 3 seasons in the AL have been mediocre is ridiculous. Yes, he's proven he can perform on the big stage, but nobody - not him, not Jeter, not Mariano, not Ortiz, not Pujols - is immune to a bad postseason.

[TonyK]

So Beckett is guarunteed to to win every postseason game he pitches in if he's not injured? Maybe he is injured (do you have a link?), maybe he isn't. Either way, it shouldn't be too much of a surpise when proven playoff performers have a few less than stellar post-season games. ESPN did a comparison a year or so ago showing that most players regular season and post-season numbers really aren't that different. Obviously there are exceptions and the small sample size can throw it off, but the point of it was to show that players have a level of ability they usually play at, playoffs or not. To think Beckett is some sort of superhuman pitcher in the playoffs when 2 of his 3 seasons in the AL have been mediocre is ridiculous. Yes, he's proven he can perform on the big stage, but nobody - not him, not Jeter, not Mariano, not Ortiz, not Pujols - is immune to a bad postseason.

Beckett is injured and missed some starts this season. If his 48-28 record with Boston includes two mediocre seasons then I hope he has two more just like them.

[YankeeDJW]

We just have a difference of opinion on how aces should perform, I guess.

[Imgran]

5 IP, 2 ER, with a CONFIRMED oblique injury that's at least a minor strain. (it's really been a question of how much, not whether, it would affect his performance)

Considering the way the guy's pitched recently and the CONFIRMED injury besides the suspected back (and shoulder?) problems I'll take it.

[Domenic]

Josh Beckett is always hurting in some way, shape, or form - that holds true of most pitchers, in fact... particularly power pitchers. I think that this current playoff, held in conjunction with the last two months of the regular season, point to Beckett being injured or, at the very least, having difficulty regaining his stuff after being hurt for a large chunk of the season.

This is something, though, that we cannot really judge until either the offseason, if he or the team reveals something more significant than a strain (which is the generic term for most injuries), or next season, seeing how he bounces back.

[Berkman#17]

So Beckett is guarunteed to to win every postseason game he pitches in if he's not injured? Maybe he is injured (do you have a link?), maybe he isn't. Either way, it shouldn't be too much of a surpise when proven playoff performers have a few less than stellar post-season games. ESPN did a comparison a year or so ago showing that most players regular season and post-season numbers really aren't that different. Obviously there are exceptions and the small sample size can throw it off, but the point of it was to show that players have a level of ability they usually play at, playoffs or not. To think Beckett is some sort of superhuman pitcher in the playoffs when 2 of his 3 seasons in the AL have been mediocre is ridiculous. Yes, he's proven he can perform on the big stage, but nobody - not him, not Jeter, not Mariano, not Ortiz, not Pujols - is immune to a bad postseason.

How's the Yankees kool-aid taste? Not letting you see the bigger picture?

Search around, it's been pretty well covered. Even mentioned a few times in the game, and on post-game shows. I'm surprised there was even a thread about whether or not he was/is injured.

Before this year, Beckett has had ONE bad postseason start, and that was the 2nd of his career. It is a "guarantee" that he will automatically win in the postseason with a clean bill of health? No nothing is "guaranteed", but it's about as close as you can get in baseball.

Postseason starts in order, before this year-
7IP, 1ER
6.1IP, 6ER
9IP, 0ER
7.1IP, 2ER
9IP, 0ER
9IP, 0ER
6IP, 0ER
8IP, 1ER
7IP, 1ER

4IP, 1ER*- relief appearance in 03'

Hmmmm, 3 complete game shutouts (4 shutouts alltogether), one on short rest to clinch the WS in Yankee Stadium at the age of 23, and sans ONE bad start, he pitched 66.1IP, gave up 8ER, had a 77-13 K/BB ratio, gave up 32 hits, and had a 1.09 ERA But yea, to say a healthy Beckett absolutely dominates in the postseason is ridiculous.

BTW, we're not talking about regular season numbers. His first year in Boston he was adjusting to a far smaller ballpark, much better lineups, and his mechanics were slightly out of whack. The next year? Mechanics in check, adjustment period over, and BAM....dominated the regular season. This year? I think he hasn't been 100% all year. None of this has anything to do with what he has done in the postseason anyway.

How about last night? Was that not a near superhuman performance given his health? I'll take 5IP and 2ER from a starter in the postseason, especially one that is hurting and fighting like hell to keep his team in the game.

I dare you to take another look at his postseason numbers going into this year and tell me he does not reach another level in the postseason and flat blows everyone away. I DARE you.