Josh Beckett
Encyclopedia
Joshua Patrick Beckett (born May 15, 1980) is an American
professional baseball
pitcher
with the Boston Red Sox
of Major League Baseball
. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award
with the Florida Marlins
, and received the 2007 ALCS
MVP award with the Red Sox.
, Beckett was discovered by Florida Marlins
scout Bob Laurie. Beckett had signed a letter of intent to play with the Texas A&M Aggies
but went pro. Beckett spent most of his early years with the Marlins as a member of the team's young staff, but injuries (most frequently blister problems) limited him to only 99 starts (102 appearances) from 2002 to 2005.
Beckett's major league debut was on September 4, 2001, against the Chicago Cubs
, in which he gave up one hit over six shutout innings. He finished 2001 with four games started, a 2-2 record, and an ERA of 1.50.
Beckett won the 2003 World Series MVP Award
with two strong performances on three days' rest. Teamed up with catcher
Iván Rodríguez
, he helped the Marlins win the World Series
, defeating the New York Yankees
. During Game 6 at Yankee Stadium, he shut out the Yankees in a complete game, striking out 9 batters and clinching the series by making the tag for the final out.
, 2005, Beckett was traded to the Red Sox along with third baseman
Mike Lowell
and relief pitcher
Guillermo Mota
for minor league
prospects shortstop
Hanley Ramírez
and pitchers Aníbal Sánchez
, Jesús Delgado
and Harvey García
. Beckett and Lowell were among a prominent list of veterans the Marlins traded in what was organizationally termed a market correction.
Josh Beckett was the first Red Sox pitcher to hit a home run in 35 years — since the advent of the designated hitter
rule — when he took Phillies' pitcher Brett Myers
deep during an interleague game on May 20, 2006. Beckett repeated the feat on June 14, 2009 when he homered against Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ. Having gone deep once while with the Marlins, Beckett has thus hit more home runs playing for an American League team than a National League team. On July 18, 2006, Beckett signed a three-year, $30 million contract extension with a $10 million club option for 2010. Beckett completed his first season with the Boston Red Sox with a record of 16–11 and a 5.01 ERA. In 204.2 IP, he gave up 191 hits and struck out 158 batters while walking 74. Beckett allowed 36 home runs, tied for second most in the majors.
At the start of the 2007 season, Beckett adjusted to throwing more breaking pitches and fewer fastballs. At the same time, he learned to locate his pitches rather than simply get strikes by power. He reduced his walks and home runs allowed by nearly half, contributing to his success in 2007. Beckett became one of six Boston Red Sox
pitchers in history to win their first 7 starts. George Winter
and Mickey Harris
both won their first 7 starts in a particular season, and Babe Ruth
, Dave Ferriss
and Roger Moret
all won their first 8 starts in a particular season. After a strong first half, posting a 12–2 record with a 3.44 ERA, he was selected to the American League team in the 2007 MLB All-Star Game. Beckett earned the victory in the game after pitching two innings, giving up only one hit, and striking out two. Beckett became the first pitcher to win 20 games in a season since 2005, finishing the season with a record of 20–7, a 3.27 ERA, 194 strikeouts, a 1.14 WHIP, and only 40 walks and 17 home runs allowed. Beckett's 2–0 record and 1.93 ERA against the Cleveland Indians
in the ALCS earned him the 2007 ALCS
MVP Award, and he started and won the first game of the 2007 World Series
against the Colorado Rockies
, pitching 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits, and striking out 9 batters. Boston would go on to sweep the Rockies in the series.
On May 8, 2008, Beckett recorded his 1,000th career strikeout, when Brandon Inge
of the Detroit Tigers
struck out swinging in the seventh inning. Through 2008, Beckett had a 48-28 record and a 4.11 ERA in his three seasons with the Red Sox.
In 2009, during his first Opening Day start with the Red Sox, Beckett struck out 10 through 7 innings allowing only 1 run and two hits in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays
. On April 14, 2009, MLB fined and suspended Beckett 6 games for intentionally throwing over the head of Los Angeles Angels outfielder Bobby Abreu
. Beckett later appealed the suspension and got it reduced to 5 games. The Red Sox exercised their club option on him for the 2010 season.
On June 20, 2009, Beckett recorded his first complete game shutout in three years against the Atlanta Braves in a duel against former Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe
. The shutout was his first in a Red Sox uniform. On July 5, 2009, he was selected to represent Boston in the 2009 All Star Game.
Beckett recorded his 100th career win on July 12, 2009, pitching a complete game
shutout
against the Kansas City Royals
at Fenway Park.
On August 7, 2009, Beckett was a part of a memorable game against the New York Yankees
. He and former Marlins teammate A. J. Burnett
endured a pitching duel that actually sparked the game to turn into a fifteen inning, five hour and thirty-three minute game. Josh threw seven shutout innings, Burnett threw seven and two thirds. The Red Sox eventually lost the game in the bottom of the 15th, when Alex Rodriguez
hit a walk-off two run home run.
On April 5, 2010, the Red Sox and Beckett agreed to a four-year, $68 million contract extension, through 2014. He was placed on the disabled list on May 19 with a lower back strain and returned from the injury on July 23.
On September 16th, Beckett recorded his 1000th strikeout as a member of the Red Sox. He struck out Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist
in the sixth inning.
In the end of the 2011 season, Beckett and two more starting pitchers was in a center of a controversy that told that the three (and sometimes more) drank alcohol during games. Many people hypothesized that this was part of the reason why the Red Sox went 7-20 on September and was eliminated on the last day of the season. Josh Beckett was noted as the leader of this.
, and has been linked to such celebrities as model/sportcaster Leeann Tweeden
and country singer Danielle Peck
. On October 18, 2007, Peck was invited by the Cleveland Indians
to sing the National Anthem prior to Game 5 of the American League Championship Series between the Red Sox and Indians. Beckett was the starting pitcher in that game, and some Red Sox fans theorized that her invitation was an attempt by the Indians organization to distract Beckett. The Indians denied this claim. It did not seem to affect Beckett, as he beat the Indians with eight innings pitched, five hits, one walk, one earned run, and eleven strikeouts. In a postgame interview with Beckett, when asked if he was affected by Peck's presence, Beckett replied "I don't get paid to make those fuckin' decisions. She's a friend of mine. It doesn't bother me at all. Thanks for flyin' one of my friends to the game so she could watch it for free." Beckett was also linked at one time to actress Alyssa Milano
but she has stated in her baseball blog that she and Beckett never dated. In April 2010 the Inside Track gossip column in the Boston Herald
reported that he was engaged to Holly Fisher, an aeronautics engineer and former high school classmate. They got married on January 22, 2011.
Beckett has a house in San Antonio and is a fan of the San Antonio Spurs
. He is also a fan of the Texas A&M Aggies
as he committed to the University under then-Aggie head coach Mark Johnson before being drafted; he is still often seen at Texas A&M
football games.
Beckett is an avid deer
hunter and has been since childhood. He was the 2002 winner of the Muy Grande Deer Contest for bringing down the largest buck during the Texas deer hunting season. After the Marlins' World Series win he appeared in advertisements for the National Rifle Association
. He owns Herradura Ranch, a 7000 acres (28.3 km²) deer-hunting ranch outside of Cotulla, Texas
.
He was featured in a Kevin Fowler
music video alongside his teammates John Lackey
, Tim Wakefield
and Clay Buchholz
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
with the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
. During his career in the playoffs, he won the 2003 World Series MVP Award
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
with the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
, and received the 2007 ALCS
2007 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Friday, October 12, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, the Cleveland Indians took the lead when Travis Hafner hit a home run to deep right field in the first inning against Josh Beckett. Beckett retired the next ten batters in a row, finishing by striking out seven while...
MVP award with the Red Sox.
Florida Marlins (2001–2005)
A resident of Spring, TexasSpring, Texas
Spring, Texas is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Downtown Houston. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census...
, Beckett was discovered by Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
scout Bob Laurie. Beckett had signed a letter of intent to play with the Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" is common at land-grant or "Ag" schools in many states. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
but went pro. Beckett spent most of his early years with the Marlins as a member of the team's young staff, but injuries (most frequently blister problems) limited him to only 99 starts (102 appearances) from 2002 to 2005.
Beckett's major league debut was on September 4, 2001, against the Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, in which he gave up one hit over six shutout innings. He finished 2001 with four games started, a 2-2 record, and an ERA of 1.50.
Beckett won the 2003 World Series MVP Award
World Series MVP Award
The World Series Most Valuable Player Award is given to the player deemed to have the most impact on his team's performance in the World Series, which is the final round of the Major League Baseball postseason...
with two strong performances on three days' rest. Teamed up with catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez
Iván Rodríguez Torres , nicknamed "Pudge" and "I-Rod", is a Major League Baseball catcher...
, he helped the Marlins win the World Series
2003 World Series
The 2003 World Series marked the 99th baseball World Series event. The Florida Marlins defeated the New York Yankees in six games, 4–2.-Background:...
, defeating the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. During Game 6 at Yankee Stadium, he shut out the Yankees in a complete game, striking out 9 batters and clinching the series by making the tag for the final out.
Boston Red Sox (2006–present)
In a deal that was made official on Thanksgiving DayThanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
, 2005, Beckett was traded to the Red Sox along with third baseman
Third baseman
A third baseman, abbreviated 3B, is the player in baseball whose responsibility is to defend the area nearest to third base — the third of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run...
Mike Lowell
Mike Lowell
Michael Averett Lowell is a Puerto Rican former professional baseball third baseman. During a 13-year career, Lowell played for the New York Yankees , Florida Marlins , and the Boston Red Sox...
and relief pitcher
Relief pitcher
A relief pitcher or reliever is a baseball or softball pitcher who enters the game after the starting pitcher is removed due to injury, ineffectiveness, fatigue, ejection, or for other strategic reasons, such as being substituted by a pinch hitter...
Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Mota
Guillermo Reynoso Mota is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher. He stands tall and weighs . He throws and bats right-handed. Mota has played for the Montreal Expos, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Florida Marlins, the Cleveland Indians, the New York Mets, the Milwaukee Brewers and the San...
for minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
prospects shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
Hanley Ramírez
Hanley Ramirez
Hanley Ramirez is a shortstop in Major League Baseball for the Miami Marlins. Ramírez was named 2006 NL Rookie of the Year by the Baseball Writers Association of America. In 2009, Ramírez won the NL batting title and is a three-time All-Star starter...
and pitchers Aníbal Sánchez
Aníbal Sánchez
Aníbal Alejandro Sánchez, Jr. [a-NEE-bal] is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher with the Miami Marlins. He is listed as 6 feet tall and 180 pounds...
, Jesús Delgado
Jesús Delgado
Jesús Andres Delgado Corrales is a Major League Baseball pitcher who iplays for the Rojos del Águila de Veracruz of the Mexican League. He made his debut September 17, , for the Florida Marlins against the Houston Astros.He graduated from U.E...
and Harvey García
Harvey García
Harvey Anderson García Ibarras is a Major League Baseball pitcher with the Washington Nationals.Garcia was signed as an amateur free agent by the Florida Marlins in 2000 and after pitching for their Dominican League team he was released in 2002 and signed with the Boston Red Sox...
. Beckett and Lowell were among a prominent list of veterans the Marlins traded in what was organizationally termed a market correction.
Josh Beckett was the first Red Sox pitcher to hit a home run in 35 years — since the advent of the designated hitter
Designated hitter
In baseball, the designated hitter rule is the common name for Major League Baseball Rule 6.10, an official position adopted by the American League in 1973 that allows teams to designate a player, known as the designated hitter , to bat in place of the pitcher each time he would otherwise come to...
rule — when he took Phillies' pitcher Brett Myers
Brett Myers
Brett Allen Myers is a right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who is currently playing for the Houston Astros.-High school career:...
deep during an interleague game on May 20, 2006. Beckett repeated the feat on June 14, 2009 when he homered against Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ. Having gone deep once while with the Marlins, Beckett has thus hit more home runs playing for an American League team than a National League team. On July 18, 2006, Beckett signed a three-year, $30 million contract extension with a $10 million club option for 2010. Beckett completed his first season with the Boston Red Sox with a record of 16–11 and a 5.01 ERA. In 204.2 IP, he gave up 191 hits and struck out 158 batters while walking 74. Beckett allowed 36 home runs, tied for second most in the majors.
At the start of the 2007 season, Beckett adjusted to throwing more breaking pitches and fewer fastballs. At the same time, he learned to locate his pitches rather than simply get strikes by power. He reduced his walks and home runs allowed by nearly half, contributing to his success in 2007. Beckett became one of six Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
pitchers in history to win their first 7 starts. George Winter
George Winter (baseball)
George Lovington Winter [Sassafrass] was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played from 1901 through 1908 for the Boston Americans /Red Sox and the Detroit Tigers . Listed at 5' 8", 155 lb., Winter batted and threw right-handed...
and Mickey Harris
Mickey Harris
Maurice Charles "Mickey" Harris was a pitcher in Major League Baseball who played for the Boston Red Sox , Washington Senators and Cleveland Indians . Harris was born in New York, NY...
both won their first 7 starts in a particular season, and Babe Ruth
Babe Ruth
George Herman Ruth, Jr. , best known as "Babe" Ruth and nicknamed "the Bambino" and "the Sultan of Swat", was an American Major League baseball player from 1914–1935...
, Dave Ferriss
Dave Ferriss
Dave Meadow Ferriss is a former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. He was born in Shaw, Mississippi, a small town in the Mississippi Delta...
and Roger Moret
Roger Moret
Rogelio "Roger" Moret is a former Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Boston Red Sox , Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers . In 168 games , he posted a career won-lost record of 47-27 and an earned run average of 3.66...
all won their first 8 starts in a particular season. After a strong first half, posting a 12–2 record with a 3.44 ERA, he was selected to the American League team in the 2007 MLB All-Star Game. Beckett earned the victory in the game after pitching two innings, giving up only one hit, and striking out two. Beckett became the first pitcher to win 20 games in a season since 2005, finishing the season with a record of 20–7, a 3.27 ERA, 194 strikeouts, a 1.14 WHIP, and only 40 walks and 17 home runs allowed. Beckett's 2–0 record and 1.93 ERA against the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
in the ALCS earned him the 2007 ALCS
2007 American League Championship Series
-Game 1:Friday, October 12, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsIn Game 1, the Cleveland Indians took the lead when Travis Hafner hit a home run to deep right field in the first inning against Josh Beckett. Beckett retired the next ten batters in a row, finishing by striking out seven while...
MVP Award, and he started and won the first game of the 2007 World Series
2007 World Series
-Game 1:Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at Fenway Park in Boston, MassachusettsThe Red Sox cruised to a blowout win in Game 1 behind ALCS MVP Josh Beckett, who struck out nine batters, including the first four he faced, en route to his fourth win of the 2007 postseason...
against the Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...
, pitching 7 innings, allowing 1 run on 6 hits, and striking out 9 batters. Boston would go on to sweep the Rockies in the series.
On May 8, 2008, Beckett recorded his 1,000th career strikeout, when Brandon Inge
Brandon Inge
Charles Brandon Inge is an American professional baseball infielder for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He bats and throws right-handed....
of the Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
struck out swinging in the seventh inning. Through 2008, Beckett had a 48-28 record and a 4.11 ERA in his three seasons with the Red Sox.
In 2009, during his first Opening Day start with the Red Sox, Beckett struck out 10 through 7 innings allowing only 1 run and two hits in a 5-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays
Tampa Bay Rays
The Tampa Bay Rays are a Major League Baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in , the club has played at Tropicana Field...
. On April 14, 2009, MLB fined and suspended Beckett 6 games for intentionally throwing over the head of Los Angeles Angels outfielder Bobby Abreu
Bobby Abreu
Bob Kelly "Bobby" Abreu , nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Luche", is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim....
. Beckett later appealed the suspension and got it reduced to 5 games. The Red Sox exercised their club option on him for the 2010 season.
On June 20, 2009, Beckett recorded his first complete game shutout in three years against the Atlanta Braves in a duel against former Red Sox pitcher Derek Lowe
Derek Lowe
Derek Christopher Lowe is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Cleveland Indians. He throws and bats right-handed. He is 6'6" and 230 pounds.-Early years:...
. The shutout was his first in a Red Sox uniform. On July 5, 2009, he was selected to represent Boston in the 2009 All Star Game.
Beckett recorded his 100th career win on July 12, 2009, pitching a complete game
Complete game
In baseball, a complete game is the act of a pitcher pitching an entire game without the benefit of a relief pitcher.As demonstrated by the charts below, in the early 20th century, it was common for most good Major League Baseball pitchers to pitch a complete game almost every start. Pitchers were...
shutout
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
against the Kansas City Royals
Kansas City Royals
The Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...
at Fenway Park.
On August 7, 2009, Beckett was a part of a memorable game against the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
. He and former Marlins teammate A. J. Burnett
A. J. Burnett
Allan James "A. J." Burnett is a right-handed Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the New York Yankees. Previously, he played for the Florida Marlins and the Toronto Blue Jays...
endured a pitching duel that actually sparked the game to turn into a fifteen inning, five hour and thirty-three minute game. Josh threw seven shutout innings, Burnett threw seven and two thirds. The Red Sox eventually lost the game in the bottom of the 15th, when Alex Rodriguez
Alex Rodriguez
Alexander Emmanuel "Alex" Rodriguez is an American professional baseball third baseman with the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball. Known popularly by his nickname A-Rod, he previously played shortstop for the Seattle Mariners and the Texas Rangers.Rodriguez is considered one of the best...
hit a walk-off two run home run.
On April 5, 2010, the Red Sox and Beckett agreed to a four-year, $68 million contract extension, through 2014. He was placed on the disabled list on May 19 with a lower back strain and returned from the injury on July 23.
On September 16th, Beckett recorded his 1000th strikeout as a member of the Red Sox. He struck out Tampa Bay's Ben Zobrist
Ben Zobrist
Benjamin Thomas "Ben" Zobrist is an American baseball player currently with Major League Baseball's Tampa Bay Rays. A switch-hitter who throws right-handed, he has exhibited a versatility to play most positions with the exception of pitcher and catcher. He has been the Rays' starting second...
in the sixth inning.
In the end of the 2011 season, Beckett and two more starting pitchers was in a center of a controversy that told that the three (and sometimes more) drank alcohol during games. Many people hypothesized that this was part of the reason why the Red Sox went 7-20 on September and was eliminated on the last day of the season. Josh Beckett was noted as the leader of this.
Personal life
Beckett was born in Spring, TexasSpring, Texas
Spring, Texas is a census-designated place within the extraterritorial jurisdiction of Houston in Harris County, Texas, United States, north of Downtown Houston. The population was 54,298 at the 2010 census...
, and has been linked to such celebrities as model/sportcaster Leeann Tweeden
Leeann Tweeden
Leeann Velez Tweeden is an American model.Tweeden was born in Manassas, Virginia. She graduated from Osbourn Park High School in 1991. Tweeden skipped college altogether and instead pursued a career in modeling...
and country singer Danielle Peck
Danielle Peck
Danielle Marie Peck is an American country music artist. Signed to the independent Big Machine Records label in 2005, Peck released her self-titled debut album, which produced the Top 30 country hits "I Don't", "Findin' a Good Man", and "Isn't That Everything"...
. On October 18, 2007, Peck was invited by the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
to sing the National Anthem prior to Game 5 of the American League Championship Series between the Red Sox and Indians. Beckett was the starting pitcher in that game, and some Red Sox fans theorized that her invitation was an attempt by the Indians organization to distract Beckett. The Indians denied this claim. It did not seem to affect Beckett, as he beat the Indians with eight innings pitched, five hits, one walk, one earned run, and eleven strikeouts. In a postgame interview with Beckett, when asked if he was affected by Peck's presence, Beckett replied "I don't get paid to make those fuckin' decisions. She's a friend of mine. It doesn't bother me at all. Thanks for flyin' one of my friends to the game so she could watch it for free." Beckett was also linked at one time to actress Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Jayne Milano is an American actress and former singer, known for her childhood role as Samantha Micelli in the sitcom Who's the Boss? and an eight-year stint as Phoebe Halliwell on the series Charmed. She was also a series regular on the original Melrose Place portraying the role of...
but she has stated in her baseball blog that she and Beckett never dated. In April 2010 the Inside Track gossip column in the Boston Herald
Boston Herald
The Boston Herald is a daily newspaper that serves Boston, Massachusetts, United States, and its surrounding area. It was started in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States...
reported that he was engaged to Holly Fisher, an aeronautics engineer and former high school classmate. They got married on January 22, 2011.
Beckett has a house in San Antonio and is a fan of the San Antonio Spurs
San Antonio Spurs
The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio, Texas. They are part of the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association ....
. He is also a fan of the Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies
Texas A&M Aggies refers to the students, graduates, and sports teams of Texas A&M University. The nickname "Aggie" is common at land-grant or "Ag" schools in many states. The teams compete in Division I of NCAA sports...
as he committed to the University under then-Aggie head coach Mark Johnson before being drafted; he is still often seen at Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
football games.
Beckett is an avid deer
Deer
Deer are the ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. Species in the Cervidae family include white-tailed deer, elk, moose, red deer, reindeer, fallow deer, roe deer and chital. Male deer of all species and female reindeer grow and shed new antlers each year...
hunter and has been since childhood. He was the 2002 winner of the Muy Grande Deer Contest for bringing down the largest buck during the Texas deer hunting season. After the Marlins' World Series win he appeared in advertisements for the National Rifle Association
National Rifle Association
The National Rifle Association of America is an American non-profit 501 civil rights organization which advocates for the protection of the Second Amendment of the United States Bill of Rights and the promotion of firearm ownership rights as well as marksmanship, firearm safety, and the protection...
. He owns Herradura Ranch, a 7000 acres (28.3 km²) deer-hunting ranch outside of Cotulla, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
.
He was featured in a Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler
Kevin Fowler is an American Texas Country artist. He has released five studio albums, and has charted three singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the top 40 hit "Pound Sign "...
music video alongside his teammates John Lackey
John Lackey
John Derran Lackey is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. Lackey was drafted by the Anaheim Angels in 1999 and helped the franchise win its first World Series title in 2002, which was his first season in the major leagues...
, Tim Wakefield
Tim Wakefield
Timothy Stephen Wakefield is an American professional baseball pitcher. Wakefield began pitching with the Red Sox in 1995, making him the longest-serving player currently on the team. Wakefield is also the oldest current active player in the majors, and one of two active knuckleballers, the other...
and Clay Buchholz
Clay Buchholz
Clay Daniel Buchholz pitches for the Boston Red Sox of major league baseball. On September 1, 2007, in just his second major league start, he recorded a no-hitter against the Baltimore Orioles, becoming the third MLB pitcher since 1900 to throw a no-hitter in his first or second start...
.
See also
- Florida Marlins all-time roster
- Boston Red Sox all-time rosterBoston Red Sox all-time rosterThe following is a list of players, past and present, who have appeared in at least one competitive game for the Boston Red Sox American League franchise , also known previously as the Boston Americans ....
- List of Major League Baseball wins champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career wins