“I sent Josh a text message. I said, ‘Some might speculate this means the end of you in Boston. Don’t listen to them. You’re a huge part of what we’ve got going on here and we’d love it if it worked out that you were part of our future as well. And the most important thing is we have one heckuva pitching staff right now.’
“He texted back and said he was excited about the sign. He knows John a little bit, thinks he’s a good man and a great pitcher, and he’s ready to go for spring training. I don’t think it impacts Josh nearly to the degree people have been speculating.”
Boston Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein on Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett who is a free agent at the end of the 2010 season
