. Josh Beckett will take the mound for Boston as it plays the first of 81 games at Fenway Park this season.
It is the fifth time has pitched at the Fenway opener in his seven seasons with the Red Sox. The right-hander helped contribute to wins at Fenway openers in 2006, 2007, and 2009.
He is working to rebuild the trust of the fans after being pegged for clubhouse misconduct last season and starting out the 2012 season with shaky performance.
“I can’t control that,’’ Beckett said. “I’m really not trying to control that. I just have to go out there and make pitches. We have to deal with whatever is thrown our way. I’m going to pitch well for my teammates. If the fans don’t want me pitching, I’ve got to pitch well for my teammates.”
The Red Sox have opened this season with five losses in the first six games. Beckett gave up seven runs on seven hits in last Saturday’s loss against the Detroit Tigers, five of which were home runs.
“Any time you pitch [poorly], you look forward to your next one,” Beckett said. “I think it’s easier to sit back and relax a little more in between starts after a good one. For me, the extra day gets thrown in there this time with all the off-days. Yeah, I’m looking forward to getting out there. I’m just looking forward to getting to Boston, period.”
Boston manager Bobby Valentine said Beckett looked strong in the bullpen on Tuesday. “I look forward to him pitching again,” he said.
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