Turnin 2 SS 2b
07-17-2002, 12:21 AM
NEW YORK -- The good news from Tuesday afternoon's game between the Marlins and Mets is that Josh Beckett feels healthy and the blistered-right hand that placed him on the disabled list twice appears to be healed.
The bad news is that Beckett and the Marlins lost their season-high, sixth-straight game, a 10-5 drubbing at the hands of the Mets at Shea Stadium before a crowd of 38,665. New York's two-game sweep of the Florida is the first since May 26 and 27, 1998 at Florida.
"I thought Josh came out throwing really super. He looked really good. Sharp. He had life on the ball," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. "It's the big leagues. They hit the ball when you don't make the pitch."
Beckett (2-4) was activated from the disabled list following Monday night's game. He pitched made two rehab apperances in the minors prior to Tuesday's start.
Despite having not started a Major League game since June 4, Beckett was noticiably upset about his performance against the Mets. He said that the blistered finger was not a problem and that he is healthy, but he refused to see the positive side.
Beckett was unable to avoid the problems that have plagued Marlins pitchers during the losing streak. In five innings, Beckett allowed seven runs, six earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out six. He surrendered two home runs: a two-run shot by Mo Vaughn in the first inning and a two-run shot by Edgardo Alfonzo in the third.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I thought Josh came out throwing really super. He looked really good. Sharp. He had life on the ball. It's the big leagues. They hit the ball when you don't make the pitch."
--Jeff Torborg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I just gave up seven runs in five innings," Beckett said. "What is that a 12.00 ERA? (12.60 ERA) That's not very good. I might as well have a blister and be on the DL. They can bring up an A-ball guy to do that."
Torborg said that he understands that Beckett is dejected, but his health is what is most important.
"He's a kid with a lot of fire in him and he's frustrated with giving up the runs, but you've got to be pleased. There's no hole in the finger and the arm is sound," Torborg said. Beckett struggled through the first three innings. In the first, he walked Timo Perez with one out and then surrendered Vaughn's 445-foot blast off the right field scoreboard with two outs.
The second inning did not get any easier for Beckett. After Derrek Lee had tied the game on a two-run homer off Al Leiter in the top of the inning, Jay Payton and Vance Wilson led off the bottom half with singles. With two outs, Roberto Alomar walked to load the bases, bringing up Perez. He chalked up three RBIs on his first triple, a shot off the base of the wall in right-center field that bounced back over Juan Encarnacion's head towards the infield.
A breaking ball is the pitch that is most effected when blisters develop on the pitching hand. Torborg said Beckett was selective as to when he threw a curve ball during the first half of the season. On Tuesday he showed no problems throwing one whenever he wanted even though the Mets capitalized on a couple that did not break.
Against Perez in the second, Beckett tried to throw an 0-2 curve ball in the dirt. The ball did not get down and Perez tagged it.
"I wanted to bury it and I didn't," Beckett said. "I wanted it to bounce it (in the dirt) and I didn't."
In the third, Vaughn reached base when a grounder rolled through the legs of second baseman Luis Castillo. Two pitches later, Alfonzo hit his seventh home run.
Beckett finished his 85-pitch outing strong, retiring the final nine batters he faced. Torborg bypassed using a pinch-hitter for him in the fifth and Beckett responded by striking out Jeromy Burnitz, Vaughn and Alfonzo in bottom of the inning.
Josh Beckett / P
"His arm was great," Torborg said. "They drove in five runs on two curveballs that he didn't get down quite where he wanted them, but his arm was great. He finished off punching the side out. He'll be fine."
Florida scored four runs against Leiter (9-7) in six innings, but the Marlins' bullpen faltered, allowing three runs in the final three innings. In Beckett's mind, scoring four runs against Leiter should have been more than enough support for him.
"I let my team down," Beckett said. "They scored four runs off a guy like Al Leiter. You should win that one."
The Marlins' staff has allowed 51 runs over the losing streak, an average of 8 1/2 runs per game allowed. The Marlins have only scored 20 runs in their last six games, an average of 3 1/3 runs per game.
The Marlins conclude their seven-game road trip with two games in Atlanta beginning Wednesday. Florida will get no relief from the Braves as Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are slated to start.
"Might as well go against the best. What the heck," Torborg said. "We scuffled against guys making their first starts (on the trip.)"
The bad news is that Beckett and the Marlins lost their season-high, sixth-straight game, a 10-5 drubbing at the hands of the Mets at Shea Stadium before a crowd of 38,665. New York's two-game sweep of the Florida is the first since May 26 and 27, 1998 at Florida.
"I thought Josh came out throwing really super. He looked really good. Sharp. He had life on the ball," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. "It's the big leagues. They hit the ball when you don't make the pitch."
Beckett (2-4) was activated from the disabled list following Monday night's game. He pitched made two rehab apperances in the minors prior to Tuesday's start.
Despite having not started a Major League game since June 4, Beckett was noticiably upset about his performance against the Mets. He said that the blistered finger was not a problem and that he is healthy, but he refused to see the positive side.
Beckett was unable to avoid the problems that have plagued Marlins pitchers during the losing streak. In five innings, Beckett allowed seven runs, six earned, on five hits and two walks while striking out six. He surrendered two home runs: a two-run shot by Mo Vaughn in the first inning and a two-run shot by Edgardo Alfonzo in the third.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I thought Josh came out throwing really super. He looked really good. Sharp. He had life on the ball. It's the big leagues. They hit the ball when you don't make the pitch."
--Jeff Torborg
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I just gave up seven runs in five innings," Beckett said. "What is that a 12.00 ERA? (12.60 ERA) That's not very good. I might as well have a blister and be on the DL. They can bring up an A-ball guy to do that."
Torborg said that he understands that Beckett is dejected, but his health is what is most important.
"He's a kid with a lot of fire in him and he's frustrated with giving up the runs, but you've got to be pleased. There's no hole in the finger and the arm is sound," Torborg said. Beckett struggled through the first three innings. In the first, he walked Timo Perez with one out and then surrendered Vaughn's 445-foot blast off the right field scoreboard with two outs.
The second inning did not get any easier for Beckett. After Derrek Lee had tied the game on a two-run homer off Al Leiter in the top of the inning, Jay Payton and Vance Wilson led off the bottom half with singles. With two outs, Roberto Alomar walked to load the bases, bringing up Perez. He chalked up three RBIs on his first triple, a shot off the base of the wall in right-center field that bounced back over Juan Encarnacion's head towards the infield.
A breaking ball is the pitch that is most effected when blisters develop on the pitching hand. Torborg said Beckett was selective as to when he threw a curve ball during the first half of the season. On Tuesday he showed no problems throwing one whenever he wanted even though the Mets capitalized on a couple that did not break.
Against Perez in the second, Beckett tried to throw an 0-2 curve ball in the dirt. The ball did not get down and Perez tagged it.
"I wanted to bury it and I didn't," Beckett said. "I wanted it to bounce it (in the dirt) and I didn't."
In the third, Vaughn reached base when a grounder rolled through the legs of second baseman Luis Castillo. Two pitches later, Alfonzo hit his seventh home run.
Beckett finished his 85-pitch outing strong, retiring the final nine batters he faced. Torborg bypassed using a pinch-hitter for him in the fifth and Beckett responded by striking out Jeromy Burnitz, Vaughn and Alfonzo in bottom of the inning.
Josh Beckett / P
"His arm was great," Torborg said. "They drove in five runs on two curveballs that he didn't get down quite where he wanted them, but his arm was great. He finished off punching the side out. He'll be fine."
Florida scored four runs against Leiter (9-7) in six innings, but the Marlins' bullpen faltered, allowing three runs in the final three innings. In Beckett's mind, scoring four runs against Leiter should have been more than enough support for him.
"I let my team down," Beckett said. "They scored four runs off a guy like Al Leiter. You should win that one."
The Marlins' staff has allowed 51 runs over the losing streak, an average of 8 1/2 runs per game allowed. The Marlins have only scored 20 runs in their last six games, an average of 3 1/3 runs per game.
The Marlins conclude their seven-game road trip with two games in Atlanta beginning Wednesday. Florida will get no relief from the Braves as Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine are slated to start.
"Might as well go against the best. What the heck," Torborg said. "We scuffled against guys making their first starts (on the trip.)"