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Abraham On Toucher & Rich: Fair To Criticize Beckett For Trip To DL?

The Red Sox took two of three from the Cubs in Chicago and Peter Abraham was out there covering all the action. Abraham joined 98.5 The Sports Hub's Toucher & Rich to discuss the series with the Cubs, Daniel Bard, the injuries in the outfield Josh Beckett being placed on the DL and Jon Lester.

The guys started things off discussing how recent concerts at Wrigley Field left the grass in the outfield all torn up.

Read: Report: Red Sox Clubhouse 'Toxic,' Filled With Tension, Unhappiness

They moved on to talk about Daniel Bard's time down in Pawtucket. Back in early June Bard lasted just 1 2/3 innings while walking six batters and hitting two others with pitches, while also allowing a home run to Jose Bautista in Toronto. A few days later the team moved the starter down to Triple-A.

There is talk that Bard will never come back to Boston as a starter. Would teams be interested in a trade for Bard?

"I don't see the Red Sox giving up on Bard based on a couple of bad starts that sent him to the minor leagues."

So Abraham doesn't think the Sox would move the pitcher, but does he believe that Bard will be starting games once he returns?

"It doesn't seem to make a whole lot of sense to bring him back as a starter at this point, I don't know that they're absolutely, positively, 100 percent given up on the idea long term, but I don't think you're going to see him start again this year."

Pitching hasn't been the only thing giving the Red Sox problems this year, the outfield has proven a challenge as well. The team has had to deal with injuries to Carl Crawford and Jacoby Ellsbury and now Scott Podsednik and Ryan Sweeney have been added to the DL as well. Ryan Kalish is now out and center and will probably play until Ellsbury returns simply because there isn't anyone else.

"This is an unbelievable amount of injuries toward outfield and Podsednik apparently, it's not that bad we've heard that before when a guy ends up on the DL."

On Saturday the Sox announced that they were placing starter Josh Beckett on the Disabled List due to shoulder inflammation. Beckett catches a lot of heat now because of last season, the golf outing and just the way he carries himself when questioned. So when it was this stint on the DL was announced many started to criticize the starter.

Read: Red Sox To Place Josh Beckett On DL With Shoulder Inflammation

Is it really fair to criticize Beckett here?

"It's not like he's a guy who's activley looking for a reason not to pitch, I don't know. I think after the golf stuff and what happened last September, no matter what was going to happen people were going to blame it on him."

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