Beckett doubtful for Tokyo

BEIJING, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Boston Red Sox starter Josh Beckett has a back injury and is unlikely to travel with the World Series champions to Tokyo for Opening Day game against the Oakland Athletics.

Red Sox Manager Terry Francona told ESPN.com on Tuesday it was unlikely Beckett's back would be healed in time for him to pitch in the season-opener.

"I don't think we know yet," Francona said. "But we're certainly not going to rush him back to pitch a game on March 25 if he's not ready. And I think if you look at it with common sense, he's not going to pitch over there."

Beckett experienced back spasms during warm-ups before a scheduled start last Saturday against the Florida Marlins and has not thrown since.

The Red Sox are planning to leave Florida for Tokyo in eight days on a 17-hour flight.

Beckett has only pitched two innings against a college team on February 28 and three innings of a "B" game against the Minnesota Twins four days l

ater.

Boston is now targeting early April for Beckett's 2008 major league season debut.

"We'll just let him get better at his own pace," Francona said of the big right-hander. "He's going to try real hard. But we don't want to push him because he'll push himself."

Beckett's injury has been officially described by the club as "discomfort" in his lower back.

Boston may also be making the trip without Japanese starter Daisuke Matsuzaka, whose wife is expecting to give birth on March 19, the day the Red Sox are set to leave for Japan.

The Red Sox are already without veteran right-hander Curt Schilling, who is sidelined with a rotator cuff injury to his pitching shoulder.

Candidates to step in for the opening two-game series in Tokyo include young left-hander Jon Lester, a cancer survivor who won the deciding game in last year's World Series over the Colorado Rockies, and knuckleball pitcher Tim Wakefield.

Beckett was the only 20-game winner in the major leagues last season at 20-7 with a 3.27 earned run average.

"We just want him to be healthy for the long haul," Francona said at the Red Sox training camp in Fort Myers. "We'll use good judgment. It's not always easy to use good judgment, but it's the right thing to do."

(Source: Shanghai Daily)