Big Start For Beckett today

How fitting on Labor Day that the team's workhorse takes the mound? Jon Lester's recent surge has moved him into the stratosphere of elite pitchers in the league. His teammate Josh Beckett is already there waiting for him.

We all know of Beckett's recent struggles. That will be a distant memory come postseason if Beckett returns to his June-July form. A one-two combination of a healthy Beckett and Lester would be devastating in a seven game playoff series.

This makes today's 2:05 PM start in Chicago significant. Where have things gone wrong? His four seam fastball is still in 93-95 mph range. His two seam still has that run away from lefties. His curve ball still has its 12 to 6 bite. The difference has been his location. I thought his last game he threw the ball well but made a number of mistakes that the opposition did not miss. Beckett needs to get his four seam in on righties for a strike. He has not executed this pitch well at all. The two seam is his money pitch to lefties. He has been elevating this pitch instead of running it down and away. The difference is a fly ball / line drive instead of a ground ball. Lastly, Beckett's tight curve ball needs to be thrown for a ball more often. He is starting that thing at the batter's letters and trying to drop it in for a strike. He should, especially up in the count, bounce it in the dirt.

Location, location. We will know early on today if Beckett has it going. It will not be whether hitters are swinging and missing but whether he is located all of his pitches.

BTW -- Josh Hamilton is out indefinitely for the Rangers. No Michael Young and Hamilton. This next home stand will be huge. Some distance before embarking on the last road trip will be nice.