Beckett throws without pain but won’t make trip to Japan
Right-hander Josh Beckett will stay behind when the Boston Red Sox fly to Tokyo on Wednesday, even though he threw a ball 75 feet without back pain on Sunday.
Boston Manager Terry Francona made official what had been obvious for several days: his ace won’t travel to Japan, where he probably would have started the Red Sox regular- season opener against the Oakland Athletics.
Baseball’s winningest pitcher last season threw Sunday for the first time in eight days since hurting his back. But Beckett might not even join the team in Los Angeles for three exhibition games against the Dodgers on March 28-30.
Pitching coach John Farrell said Beckett felt no discomfort or restrictions in his arm action and his follow through. But Farrell was pessimistic that he would pitch in Boston’s third or fourth regular-season games, in Oakland on April 1 and 2.
On Sunday, Beckett threw 25 pitches from 60 feet and 10 more from 75 feet on flat ground to Farrell. He also threw 11 warmups
Beckett is scheduled to throw from 90 feet today and play long toss on Tuesday, both on flat ground.
If Hideo Nomo, 39, succeeds in his comeback attempt with the Kansas City Royals, it will be as a reliever, not a starter.
Nomo was informed of the decision by Manager Trey Hillman, one day after giving up five runs and seven hits, including a three-run homer, in three innings against Milwaukee.
Nomo has struck out 11 in 11 innings, yielding 17 hits. He has a 5.73 earned-run average.
Ian Snell and the Pittsburgh Pirates agreed to a three-year contract worth at least $8 million, a deal reached five days after the team had renewed the right-hander for 2008. . . . The Atlanta Braves’ Jeff Francoeur did not lose consciousness but had lacerations inside his lower lip after being beaned by the St. Louis Cardinals’ Todd Wellemeyer in an exhibition game. . . . President Bush is scheduled to throw out the first pitch for the Washington Nationals’ first game March 30 at their new ballpark, team owner Mark Lerner.