Someday it might be OK for that to be the enduring snapshot of Beckett's career -- and, in all likelihood, it will be. But, at this moment, he's a pitcher with a 4.86 ERA whose team has lost the last three times he has pitched. And he's headed back to Yankee Stadium tonight, to be the focal point as the Red Sox and Yankees meet for the second of 19 times this season.
''I'm not too worried about where I'm pitching," said Beckett, who is six days shy of turning 26. ''I've got to go out and pitch my game, not worry about all of the other external things, the '03 Red Sox, '04. I wasn't even a part of that.
''It's fun. It's fun for you guys to write
about. It's fun for fans. That makes it exciting for us when we play at home. But on the road, I've got to go out and do my thing, pitch my game.
''I just want to get out there and compete. That's why I play this game. I don't play this game for any other reason. The competition. It's fun. Pitching against the Yankees is no different. Except they are maybe the best of the best."
The Yankees are tops in the majors in runs per game at 6.31, tops in on-base percentage (.388), and third in hitting (.290). Their leadoff hitter, Johnny Damon, is up to .300 with four homers and 19 RBIs, after homering just 10 times all of last season.
Except for 13 at-bats by Gary Sheffield (3 for 13, 1 HR), who has been nursing a sore wrist and isn't likely to play, Beckett has zero regular-season experience against any Yankee regulars. He did face several of the Yankees in Games 3 and 6 of the World Series. Derek Jeter was 3 for 4 in Game 3 and 0 for 4 in Game 6. Hideki Matsui was a combined 1 for 7. Jason Giambi was 0 for 4. Bernie Williams was 1 for 9. Jorge Posada was 1 for 6.
How much, though, can that really help? How much can be gleaned from one night? A night when, as former Marlin Mike Lowell put it, ''He threw every pitch where he wanted to and he had adrenaline going, so he was 96 [miles per hour consistently]."
Even Beckett acknowledges that his one night at Yankee Stadium isn't a great indicator of how he will fare tonight.
''I mean, I only had one start there," he said. ''I had unbelievable stuff that day.
