McClure Upping Spring Innings Pitched By Starters

Last spring, Josh Beckett and Daisuke Matsuzaka led the pitchers with 25.1 innings pitched. Clay Buchholz and John Lackey threw 21 and Jon Lester totaled only 16. That is not nearly enough, according to pitching coach Bob McClure.

McClure believes the starters need 30-35 innings to be ready for April and so Beckett started against St. Louis yesterday on three days rest and pitched three innings. He threw 30 pitches (24 for strikes), working mainly on his breaking stuff. Beckett will pitch four innings on Monday, which is, again, on three days rest.

McClure:

With the way spring training is now, a lot of guys are getting only 20, 22 innings, and they come out the first part of the season and they're horrible.

Beckett is open to the new approach.

It's about the same, I think I'm just building up arm strength right now. A lot of the feel and stuff comes whenever your arm strength gets strong and you can plus and minus where you want to throw something a little harder or maybe take some off.

Andrew Bailey is scheduled to throw live batting practice today and may pitch an inning on Monday.

Jonathan Papelbon has yet to actually pitch in Philadelphia, but he already knows that Phillies fans are smarter than Red Sox fans.

The difference between Boston and Philadelphia, the Boston fans are a little bit more hysterical when it comes to the game of baseball. The Philly fans tend to know the game a little better, being in the National League, you know, the way the game is played.

Whatever, Jon. This ass-kissing, preventative strike will likely have no effect when you blow two saves in one homestand. ... Watch out for the D-cells.