BOSTON (CBS) — Outside the confines of Fenway Park, the 2012 Boston Red Sox appear to be a complete mess. On the inside though, Josh Beckett is adamantly defending himself and his teammates, saying the team remains together despite a .500 record through the first 66 games of the season.

Beckett is at the center of so much of the perceived controversy. The right-hander was the one who golfed while missing time due to injury and was a key figure in the September collapse and all of the clubhouse drama that came with it last year. He’s now currently on the disabled list, but he spoke with the media on Tuesday and refuted an ESPN report that said the clubhouse right now is “toxic.”

“Completely fabricated,” Beckett said.

Regarding his decision to not speak to the media after his previous two starts, Beckett didn’t elaborate on his reasoning.

“Just my choice,” he said.

When pressed further on the reported clubhouse issues, Beckett said the players are all on the same page.

“Absolutely. I don’t know where people get that from,” he said. “I think people want that to be the case, and I just don’t think it is. I think this is probably one of the tightest-knit groups that I’ve ever been a part of. …. We do a lot of stuff together.

Beckett On His Injury Status:

“We don’t pay too much attention to it. The only time that we have to deal with it is when we have to answer questions. This is a really good group of guys, and it’s one of the tighter groups I’ve ever been a part of, and I’ve been a part of some pretty tight groups.”

Manager Bobby Valentine wouldn’t address the report, which was written by his former ESPN colleague, Buster Olney.

“Why would I comment on someone who I don’t think knows anything?” Valentine said.