Since it was already Beckett’s last start of the year and the look on his face suggested something pretty serious, it appeared as if 2010 would conclude in much of the way it was defined. Beckett missed time in spring training with an illness, skipped a start early on with a bad back and then missed over two months on the disabled list when he aggravated it.
It seemed as if something was constantly derailing his progress, leading to the culmination of the worst season in Beckett’s career. The same thing happened Wednesday night, which saw some good and some bad, all after he was hurt.
The right-hander, who was very good early on, gave up a steady stream of base runners after the incident in the fifth en route to his sixth loss of the season, a 5-2 setback to the White Sox. He finishes 6-6 with a 5.78 ERA and seems as if he will be mindful of those numbers deep into the winter.
“Results matter because winning and losing matters. That’s what you base the results on,” Beckett said. “Can you get some tough-luck losses or tough-luck wins? Yeah, but the bottom line is, the results matter and that’s kind of what you’re stuck with.”
The tall Texan was charged with four runs on 11 hits and four walks against Chicago, the most base runners he has given up all season. Nine of the hits and three of the walks came in his final two-plus innings and his line could’ve been much worse if Hideki Okajima was not able to clean up Beckett’s bases-loaded, no-outs jam in the seventh.
It was an up-and-down effort rather symbolic of the season for Beckett. In part because of physical issues he rode a roller coaster to the end.
Beckett gave up eight earned runs over his first three starts of the season, only to surrender 15 in his next two. His three starts in May, prior to going on the DL, saw Beckett surrender two, nine and three runs, respectively. When the 30-year-old returned from his layoff he went 2-0 with a 2.18 ERA in his first three starts. His next three saw him go 0-2 with a 10.69 ERA.
Beckett’s final seven outings, which included five straight quality starts, had a trend in which he gave up nine of his 21 runs in the seventh inning, barreling into the wall at the same point nearly every time out.
Perhaps cognizant of that trend, Beckett’s skipper chose to focus on the early portion of his outing Wednesday rather than the rocky end.
“I thought it was a lot more good than not,” manager Terry Francona said. “He walked four, two intentional. We weren’t doing much offensively so any mistake is probably too much.”
It was 1-1 when White Sox outfielder Alejandro De Aza dropped down the bunt that led to Beckett rolling his ankle. He stayed in the game without needing a warm-up toss and later escaped a bases loaded jam.
Chicago got three on with just one out in the sixth before Beckett wiggled out of trouble once more. But five singles, an intentional walk and a throwing error by catcher Victor Martinez all came before Beckett could get a single out in the seventh and his night, and season, was through.
Beckett had no lingering effects of the ankle roll in the fifth. Even if he did there are no starts left to be had. He will have a season-ending physical and then head home with a bitter taste in his mouth and a desire to bounce back.
To do so with success, he will have to stay on course, something he never could do in 2010.
