Josh Beckett’s Dodgers debut didn’t go exactly as planned on Monday night as the Colorado Rockies rolled over his new team with a final score of 10-0.
Acquired in a nine-player megadeal with the Boston Red Sox over the weekend Beckett started his Dodgers career with a leadoff homer to Tyler Colvin on a 91-mph fastball.
Beckett would go on to allow three runs in 5 2/3 innings as the Dodgers slipped 2 1/2 games back in the NL West against division leader San Francisco.
After the game Beckett said of his time on the mound:
”I’ve only been here a couple of days. I’m still feeling things out. As I move forward, I’ll get more comfortable.”
Beckett has struggled through the first part of the MLB season with a 5-11 record and a 5.23 ERA. The Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping that the change of scenery can lead him back into his true form which helped the Boston Red Sox win their 2007 World Series title.
Colorado’s Jeff Francis (5-4) on the other hand managed to hold his team together, allowing three hits in five innings and striking out his season-high six batters. The Rockies were helped along by Josh Roenicke, Rex Brotehrs and Matt Belise.
The Colorado Rockies in the meantime had a seven-run eighth inning thanks to a two-run triple by Colvin and a two-run homer by Wilin Rosario.
Dodgers Manager Don Mattingly said of Beckett’s first performance with Los Angeles:
”(Beckett) did what we ask our guys to do. We just couldn’t do anything for him.”
In the meantime the mega-deal that brought Josh Beckett to the Dodgers also brought Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Nick Punto which has left the L.A. based team with $275 million in new contracts. With that type of money on the table the Dodgers either need to start winning games or look awfully foolish trying.
