Red Sox Superstar Josh Beckett's $68 M Deal

Red Sox Superstar Josh Beckett could have easily waited until after the season, become a free agent and perhaps scored more years and more dollars than the four-year, $68 million extension he formally signed with the Red Sox on last Moday April 5, 2010.

Josh Beckett and other Red Sox starting pitchers John Lackey and Jon Lester who signed through 2014. However, the fourth Red Sox pitcher Clay Bucholz who is not eligible for free agency until after the 2014 baseball season. Josh Beckett is a sensible and loyal man who just wants to be treated fairly. And that's why he, without hesitation, gave up free agency to re-sign with the Red Sox for a second time. Back in August, 2006, Beckett signed a three-year, $30 million deal plus a fourth-year option for $12 million.

"This is a very special place and I think that everyone who has had a chance to play here knows that, the people who haven't had a chance probably know that through other people that have. I think this organization, they just do everything they can to make our jobs as easy as possible and from people I've talked to, there's not a whole lot of organizations out there that really do that. Whether it be in between starts or roundtable meetings, there's just a lot of things that go on here that make it a very ideal situation for a baseball player." Said the Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett.

Josh Beckett's contract was finalized the day after he struggled against the Yankees on Opening Night, giving up 8 hits and five runs over 4 2/3 innings. The Red Sox went on to win the game, 9-7. He will take the ball next on Sunday in Kansas City. 

 

Josh Beckett who will turn 30 on May 15, is 65-34 with a 4.07 ERA in 123 starts for the Red Sox. He is 106-68 with a 3.81 ERA in his career, which began with the Florida Marlins in 2001. He had an October for the ages in 2007, going 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA to lift the Red Sox to a World Series championship. Beckett was similarly heroic in leading the Marlins to a World Series title in '03, firing a shutout against the Yankees on three days' rest in the Series-clinching Game 6. 

 

Josh Beckett was acquired by the Red Sox in November 2005 in a blockbuster trade that also brought Mike Lowell to Boston. Hanley Ramirez, now one of the best all-around players in the game, went to Florida in that deal. 

 

"I think that's what we're all striving for every year, It's a very difficult thing to attain. I would say that with this organization, I think we have a chance to win a ring every year. I've only been on one team here [2006] that didn't make the playoffs. I haven't been on one team here where I didn't think we could win the World Series at the beginning of the season. That's pretty remarkable to think ... this is my fifth season here now, and at the beginning of each year, I really had a strong feeling that we could win the World Series.” Josh Beckett added now with 2 World Series rings already tucked away, Beckett would love to add some more to his collection.