Red Sox News & Notes – 4/6

Josh Beckett(notes) #19 of the Boston Red Sox pitches during the fourth inning during the second inning of the game against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on April 5, 2011 in Cleveland, Ohio.

0-4? Seriously 0-4!!! This is definitely not the way any of us, including the Boston Red Sox themselves, figured they would start the season.

If history dictates anything, the Red Sox will be watching the postseason from their offseason homes, the golf course or even their vacations. But as we know with the Red Sox, the previous history means absolutely nothing to them.

Remember back to 2004 when you thought you’ll probably never see the Red Sox win a World Series in your lifetime., They went out broke an 86-year old “curse” that year. And just maybe when you thought you might never see it happen again, three years later the Red Sox were on top of the world with their second World Series title of the decade.

And doesn’t 04+07=11?

Terry Francona needs to something to light a collective fire under all of their asses. They faced Cleveland’s fourth starter in Josh Tomlin last night and managed just four hits against the Indians pitching staff. Four hits!!!! With this lineup, four hits should come in an inning not over an entire game.

I honestly didn’t think Josh Beckett pitched all that badly. He wasn’t great but he certainly didn’t suck it up. At least he didn’t join his other fellow starters in giving up a chicks dig the long ball. Beckett’s changeup was butt nasty last night but his fastball velocity wasn’t what we’re used to. But still there was enough difference in MPH in his changeup to make it almost impossible to get some wood on.

Beckett’s problem last night was his pitch count. He threw 106 pitches in only five innings of work. That’s definitely not efficiency at its finest. He allowed all three runs on five hits and four walks but did record four strikeouts, mostly on his changeup.

If you want a positive from the game, it was the bullpen.

Matt Albers, Bobby Jenks and Daniel Bard combined to pitch three hitless and scoreless innings. Albers and Jenks each walked one batter and struck out three. Bard didn’t walk anyone and had four strikeouts.

We’ll be back later with the tonight’s lineups, batter/pitcher matchups and links from the day but for now, enjoy the overnight links by clicking on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

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Beckett fails to halt skid [Boston Globe]

Optimism abounds [Boston Globe]

Sox take another hit [Boston Globe]

Wakefield never knuckled under [Boston Globe]

Red Sox still stuck in slump [Boston Herald]

Carl Crawford out of order [Boston Herald]

Terry Francona to spring Daisuke Matsuzaka on Cleveland [Boston Herald]

Josh Beckett fails to come through [Boston Herald]

Sunny Sox days ahead [Boston Herald]

Red Sox lose again to Indians, 3-1 [CSNNE.com]

As players press, offense stalls [CSNNE.com]