From
Kevin Kernan:
Boston ace Josh Beckett, who always seems to be upset about something, is ticked off at Yankees hitting coach Kevin Long for mentioning that Beckett takes too long between pitches, which can throw off the rhythm of the hitter.
That was the word from new Red Sox manager Bobby Valentine in comments made Saturday at the Red Sox “Christmas at Fenway’’ event.
...
On an ESPN telecast in August, Valentine criticized Beckett for his slow pitching pace, saying, “That’s a half hour added to this game of him standing around and us sitting around watching him do nothing.’’
Valentine was correct. The Aug. 7 game between the Yankees and Red Sox lasted 4 hours, 15 minutes. Beckett started that game and pitched six innings in Boston’s 3-2, 10-inning victory. Valentine spoke to Beckett last week and said at the winter meetings that Beckett is still quite upset. Valentine and Beckett, though, worked out their differences, Valentine said in the interview Saturday and it is Long on the receiving end of Beckett’s ire.
Basically, the pitcher who takes too long between pitches is upset with Long for mentioning that fact.
“Kevin Long started complaining about him taking too long,’’ Valentine explained at the event. “And [Beckett] felt, ‘Why don’t I take long and if [the hitters] don’t like it, then that’s exactly what I want to do? Whatever they don’t like, and what makes them uncomfortable, makes them unsuccessful.’ So he said that and we at ESPN fell into his trap ... or we bought into Kevin Long’s strategy to reverse his success. I get it. Maybe I did and there was frenzy about what Kevin said and I was reiterating it.”
As you might expect, Kevin Long didn't care:
Long, reached by The Post yesterday, said he was merely stating the obvious to Valentine and the ESPN broadcast crew at the time and that it was Valentine who ran hard with his own comments about Beckett’s pace, backing up Long’s point of view.
Long is not losing any sleep over the fact that Beckett is upset with him, telling The Post, “I kind of think this is humorous.’’
Is this really the sort of thing that upsets these losers in Boston? Get over it, freakin' crybaby.
