Valentine 'Totally' Expects Beckett To Make Scheduled Start
BOSTON (CBS) - Red Sox starter Josh Beckett will have his right thumb checked out in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, but manager Bobby Valentine "totally" expects him to make his scheduled start in Detroit Saturday afternoon.
"He threw 100 pitches yesterday and felt great, hit location," Valentine told a gathering of the media Monday morning, according to Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe. "He's had a little situation that he's getting taken care of today just for peace of mind."
Alfredo Aceves created a bit of a stir Monday morning after he told reporters he was alerted by Valentine to be ready to start against the Tigers on Saturday.
"[Valentine] said Josh Beckett has an injury in his thumb. That's what he said and if he doesn't start the second game, I will start the second game and the first game at home," said Aceves, who did not get one of the final two spots in the Red Sox rotation this spring. "And then he said, 'For now you're going to be in the bullpen.' "
A team source told WBZ-TV's Dan Roche that Beckett pitched with the soreness throughout the spring, and he is expected to make his scheduled start on Saturday. After getting the thumb checked, Beckett is expected to head to Detroit where he will meet up with the team.
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When asked how confident Beckett was when he left for San Antonio, Valentine said "real good."
"From all the reports that we got after yesterday and he said he felt really good," echoed Valentine.
Beckett was 2-0 with a 0.95 ERA over five starts this spring, allowing two runs in 19 innings pitched with 10 strikeouts.
