CENTER FIELD :: Josh Beckett: Calm, Cool & Collected

« Sexiest. Lunchbox. Ever. | Main | Can Of Corn »

Josh Beckett: Calm, Cool & Collected

This is part 3 in our continuing series: "Josh Beckett Gets Pissed and Cusses A Bunch". Today's installment is brought to you courtesy of Josh's crappy 1st inning performance in Friday's day game against the White Sox. Since I was sitting 5 rows off the field behind the Red Sox batter's circle, I can definitely confirm it was crappy indeed- and Josh knew it. When you walk three batters, including walking in a run, it's bad. When you're playing the White Sox and do that in the very first inning out of the gate? It's awful.

But it seems Josh is trying out this new thing where he remains completely stone-faced on the field, not showing any emotion or reaction-- whether he does well (last Friday against the Angels) or horrific (this Friday against the Palehose). No pumping fists, no cussing out A.J. Pierzynski, no growling or hollering. But when he gets back to the dugout? That's when the Josh we all know and love returns.

To wit, when he got back to the dugout and threw down his cap in frustration, Josh screamed (to himself, and no one else in particular): "Goddamnit! Throw a fucking strike!"

Indeed, Josh.

Comments (11)

[ Ian ] says:
on August 26, 2007 3:01 PM

I was going to say didn't that happen in front of you.

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on August 26, 2007 3:35 PM

I was sitting so close, and there were so few people in the park, I'm actually kind of disappointed I wasn't able to hear the obscenities from my seat.

[ Ian ] says:
on August 26, 2007 5:02 PM

I am sure you didn't expect to go to a spring training game during the middle of summer either.

[ Huck8467 ] says:
on August 26, 2007 6:35 PM

I *heart* him!! He's the bestest. LOL

[ Clare ] says:
on August 26, 2007 7:04 PM

Josh Beckett looks like a man possessed in the dugout while he's screaming.

The power of Utley compels you! THE POWER OF UTLEY COMPELS YOU!!!

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on August 26, 2007 7:32 PM

So very true. He is a demon at times.

Also, I find it hilarious that during his tirade, no one even reacts. Pedroia, Cash, Manny & Coco all just keep on keepin' on- like, this must happen so often, nobody even notices anymore.

[ Kristin L. ] says:
on August 26, 2007 7:43 PM

When I saw this I was like, "There he is. My crazy baby's back!" I was actually watching the Gamecast on ESPN.com because I was at work. I kept getting more and more annoyed with each ball. I wanted to scream "Throw a strike!"

[ Ian ] says:
on August 26, 2007 9:31 PM

Nothing beats the live press conference though

[ beth ] says:
on August 26, 2007 10:13 PM

what i found truly the piece de resistance with the beckett thing was not the screamed curses (as noted above, seemingly par for the course at this point) but rather the moment *directly* afterwards when he was back to glassy-eyed spitting, gum-chewing and toweling himself off on the bench like nothing ever happened.

but seriously. that first inning--it's like he forgot how his arms and legs were supposed to work for a minute. i, of course, blame it on the rainout, because it threw him off his routine.

[ Texas Gal ] says:
on August 27, 2007 4:13 AM

Yes- let's blame it on the rainout, shall we?

And to be honest, I think Josh was kind of astonished at what happened in the first inning. It's like even he couldn't believe what he was seeing, and couldn't understand why his limbs weren't functioning the way they should do. Neither could any of the Red Sox fans in the stands. Or Coach Farrell. Or Tek. Or the dugout.

[ Meg ] says:
on March 6, 2008 11:40 PM

This is part 3 in our continuing series: "Josh Beckett Gets Pissed and Cusses A Bunch"
you're too funny

online