Don’t expect a lot more from Beckett on this. He’s in the final year of a three-year ($30 million) extension, signed early in his first season with the Sox (2006) and his agent no doubt has reminded him there’s no upside to talking contract with the media. So he’ll do his work and pitch and we’re not going to know what’s happening until there’s a sudden announcement of another extension . . . or, more likely, the season ends and Beckett tests the market.
Beckett turns 30 in May. He’s healthy. He’s an ace. He’s won two World Series, almost all by himself. In 2007 he went 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA in four postseason starts and the Sox cruised to a second straight Series sweep. He’s seen the ridiculous dough paid to CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett after the 2008 season. He saw the Red Sox spend more than $100 million to bring Daisuke Matsuzaka to America. He saw the Sox sign John Lackey to a five-year, $82.5 million pact last winter. He knows there is only so much money one team can commit to starting pitching.
General manager Theo Epstein and manager Terry Francona are standing on their heads to remind everyone how much they love Beckett. While fans and media are quick to anoint Jon Lester the new ace of the Sox staff (Lester got the ball for Game 1 against the Angels in last season’s ALDS), and Lackey was the ace of the Angels, Francona keeps talking about Beckett as the “leader’’ of Boston’s staff.
“Leader’’ won’t cut it when it’s contract time. Beckett is going to have to be highest-paid, or he is gone.
It would be nice to think of a Sox team with Beckett, Lester, and Lackey at the top of the rotation for several years, but I’m not seeing it.
