Felger & Mazz: Beckett "Blister-Gate" Conspiracy, "Red Sox Covering It Up"
Felger and Massarotti continued discussing Red Sox starting pitcher Josh Beckett. The tandem started thinking that perhaps there is a deeper conspiracy theory at play here. Given the rather long 13-day flu layoff between starts, Mazz indicated that there may be something else going on with Beckett.
Despite Beckett's hot start to the season, his sub-par performance last night "did not surprise" Massarotti given the long break. Felger looked at Beckett, saying that he "looked like Bad Beckett" that the Red Sox have come to expect at some point every season given his track record with the team.
Mazz returned to the conspiracy theory to build up to his rationalization for why Beckett took 13 days off for a "flu." Mazz pointed out that while Beckett normally throws about 23% of his pitches as curveballs, in his last two starts, including a 1-hit shutout against Tampa, Beckett has thrown just 12 of 180 pitches as curves, a mere 7%. What does this all mean, Mazz questioned: Blister Problems! Mazz reminded Felger that Beckett has been "sensitive" and "pissed off" by the media discussing his blister issues so the Red Sox are using the "flu" excuse as a smokescreen. The two went back in the hot tub time machine and remembered how ex-Red Sox great Derek Lowe had similar issues with blisters that never were fully resolved.
Felger deemed Beckett's start against Tampa all the more impressive given that Beckett didn't have his #2 pitch at his disposal. However, he did say that he's "not buying Beckett's first half" continuing into the second half of the season, seeing that Beckett, over his career, has only put together a complete season a few times. Felger and Mazz ended the segment by speculating whether this theory will come to light or if it will continue to be pushed under the rug.
