And really . . . the answer he gave (while perhaps not what the narcissist Beckett wants to hear) is frank, appropriate and virtually non-controversial . . . except that Craig chose to attack Bobby Valentine on it and not the guy who is clearly in the wrong any way you slice it . . . Beckett.

You’ll notice there hasn’t been any players (yet) publicly coming to Beckett’s defense (and I highly doubt there will be).

Depending on how one approaches his or her golf game, the body (specifically the shoulders, chest and torso) can generate an enormous amount of torque.

If you are already injured, or at an increased risk for additional injury and you just happen to be paid $16+ million per year to PITCH PROFESSIONALLY (not play Golf as an amateur) then you should probably avoid playing Golf – at least until the reason you are missing the Start (two days ahead) has resolved itself.

I didn’t like it when the Red Sox acquired him. I tolerated and even mildly defended his performance – when he produces. But its become apparent over the last 12 months that he is ground zero when it comes to the bad chemistry that pervades this clubhouse.

It would not surprise me in the least if his permanent removal from that team would have a similar net effect that the purging of Nomar’s sour puss had.

I don’t see the RS competing until they remove the obvious cancers in their clubhouse. I’m not sure who’s got to go, but Youklis, beckett, Bucholz pedroia and Ellsbury have proven they can’t all be teammates. (I intentionally left Lackey off the list because I don’t even know if he shows up to games anymore but he’s untradeable, so the RS are stuck with him anyway).

HOW ABOUT A CASE OF YELLOW BLOGGING?

You took Bobby Valentine’s statement out of the context of everything he said.

But again we have an NBC property citing a report from an NBC/Comcast property who’s actually just regurgitating what another news outlet actually reported so I guess is should be expected that the story we’re being fed is here is incomplete.

Valentine repeatedly framed his responses with the disclaimer that he did not have all the facts and that he wasn’t going to hammer Beckett without knowing exactly what the nature of the golf outing was – whether that be a charity appearance, putting or playing 18 holes. The response that Craig specifies here comes at the very end of the exchange as a response to “what if he had played 18 holes”.

In all fairness all of Bobby V’s answers were on the mark.

Also Craig conveniently forgot or was unaware that Beckett had not been truthful about a , which led Valentine to leave Beckett in.

To his credit, but only after being hammered about it, Beckett admitted he was wrong to have not been truthful with Valentine.

The announcement to skip the Saturday start was made on Wednesday. The next day Beckett was allegedly out playing golf.

Here is the link to where the story was actually initially reported:

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2012/05/09/gresh-zo-hardy-beckett-golfing-while-resting-sore-shoulder-lat-muscle/

And here is the link to the interview that Valentine gave:

http://www.weei.com/sports/boston/this-just-in/21197981/bobby-v-trying-sort-feelings-about-beckett-rumor

And Valentines comments in a fuller context:

“I don’t know that I’m aware of it. I’m aware of the story being out there,” Valentine said. “I haven’t gotten to Josh about that yet. I’m trying to sort out my feelings. Golf is as much a part of the pitching culture as the curveball, I know that for sure. You know, when we decided for Josh not to make his start, it wasn’t that he was injured. It was just a precautionary situation. His lat was a little tight. Again, I don’t know the specifics of this situation. I don’t know if he was out in a charity match and just putting or if he was wailing away or if he felt that might have loosened him up. I have no idea what the situation actually is so it’s hard for me to comment on it.”

“If that was the case, I would say that was less than the best thing to do on that day off,” Valentine said.

A pitcher with a history of back problems shouldn’t be playing golf during the season. Him couching it the way he did isn’t nor should it be considered controversial.

The real issue is that managers in this day and age are on the radio almost daily basis. Hell, Valentine is on the local Boston radios and has a segment with one of the NY stations too. Between, cable, team owned and otherwise, .. local radio coverage and the beat reporters there was no way his question wasn’t going to get asked. That is part of the game today and frankly why agree to the interviews if your response is “.. mouthing some managerly platitudes”? It’s funny because some manages and players like Jeter for instance takes a lot of guff for never saying anything or taking in Clichés and yet as some as someone shows the least bit of candor they are taken to task for saying something.

Like I’ve said before regarding Valentine; “He has the right to remain silent, .. but not the ability.”

Unless Josh Beckett has absolutely the worst swing in the world and stands straight up to hit it, I guess.