Beckett Opens Up About Youth, Off-Season Workouts
BOSTON (CBS) - In an interview for CBS Sports Network's ONE2ONE series airing Friday night at 8:30 p.m., Red Sox pitcher Josh Beckett opens up about how he came to choose baseball over other sports and a special relationship with Trinity University in Texas.
Beckett played all sports growing up, from Football to Basketball, but his parents had an easy choice when it came to Baseball.
"After my dad and mother sat down one night, they said 'we really need to focus on this baseball thing,'" Beckett told CBS Sports' James Bates. "It was in between my freshman and sophomore year of High school. I started showing signs of being a really good pitcher, throwing hard and having a real opportunity to make a career out of this. They made that decision and it ended up paying off pretty good."
Josh Beckett Talks About Picking Baseball
Beckett grew up watching Texas fireballers Nolan Ryan and Roger Clemens. After a few dominating years and two World Series championships, Beckett has made a name for himself but does not feel he has made it to Ryan and Clemens' status. Not yet at least.
"I have my little piece of the pie, but I don't think I'm in the same realm as those guys," he said.
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Since 2006, Beckett has trained at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. A small school with just over 2500 students, it offers Beckett a quiet spot to work on his mechanics during the off-season.
"I feel welcome here," Beckett said of Trinity. "I feel like I'm an alumni and I'm just coming here to hang out."
While Beckett instills some Major League knowledge to the small school, he says he could never repay them for what he gets out of his training. He donates money, with his last donation going towards new pitching mounds in the bullpen, but what he has gotten from his training is priceless.
"It's a good relationship and I'd do anything for these guys," Beckett said. "They've helped me out way more than I could probably ever help them out."
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Beckett has formed a special bond with Zach Fregosi, now in his third season as an assistant baseball coach. The relationship started back in 2006 when Fregosi began serving as Beckett personal catcher.
"I remember the first time I threw to him I was like, 'this kid's got really good hands,'" Beckett said of Fregosi, who started catching during his sophomore year at Trinity. "It was just like throwing to one of our guys."
Beckett Talks About His Relationship With Zach Fregosi
Since 2006, Fregosi has caught 50-60 side session of Beckett's.
"He knows the adjustments I need to make," Beckett continued. "At the end or even the middle he would say 'you need to get your front side up' and I know these things. But sometimes I don't catch them so fast."
Not only are they battery-mates on the field, but good friends off it.
"He's been awesome to me, I don't think I could ever repay him," Beckett said.
A proud Texan, Beckett takes great pride in his home state. He could not imagine spending his off-season anywhere else, and still participates in deer hunting contests.
Although Beckett said he would not want to play for anyone other than the Red Sox, his heart remains in Texas.
"As much as I love playing for the Red Sox, I don't think I want to play anywhere else but Boston, I also don't think I want to live anywhere but Texas."
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