BOSTON -- Injury can alter the best-laid plans, but the Red Sox have gone a long way toward cementing their starting rotation for the foreseeable future after signing Josh Beckett to a four-year contract extension worth $68 million."We couldn't be more thrilled to keep Josh around,'' Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein said at a Monday afternoon press conference in Fenway Park. "We were talking that he'll be with the Red Sox for nine years when this contract is up. He's earned it. Josh is an excellent contributor on and off the field, a big part of our team and pitching staff.'' The Red Sox now have three starting pitchers -- Beckett, John Lackey, and Jon Lester -- signed through 2014 (the club holds an option on Lester for 2014), and a fourth, Clay Buchholz, who is not eligible for free agency until after the '14 season. What's got everybody so down on Josh Beckett? Is it his poor showing last night? I hope not. I really fucking hope not. That was one game of 162. Last I checked he was still one of the best 10 pitchers in baseball so when you have the chance to extend his contract before he hits the open market, you take it. But I'm a big Beckett guy. Like people wanna say he's not "the guy" anymore in Boston and Lester is but I'm not so sure. Beckett totally passes the dude test. We could kick it over some beers, play some xbox, go out and throw burgers at passing cars, make fun of fat girls and never would I think to myself, "holy shit, that's Josh Beckett." So yeah, he's a keeper.
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