Beckett: We made mistakes in the clubhouse

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FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Two weeks ago, Josh Beckett, making his first public comments about the disastrous end to the Red Sox 2011 season, was strident and seemed more angry about the fact that information was leaked than anything else.

Sunday morning, facing questions from reporters, Beckett took a slightly more contrite stance while addressing last September.

On the way things ended: "Nobody was more disappointed than the players were. I didn't pitch well. That was the bottom line. The last two starts against Baltimore, they weren't good.''

On the clubhouse behavior and misdeeds: "I'm not saying that we didn't make mistakes because we did make mistakes in the clubhouse. But the biggest mistakes I made were not pitching well against Baltimore. I was prepared to pitch every time I went out there. I just didn't execute pitches when I needed to.

"We made mistakes in the clubhouse and that's about as far as I'll go talking about the clubhouse . . . I'm upset with myself for the lapses in judgement. But there's also some ill-feelings toward some people.''

On whether as the acknowledged leader of the staff, he should take more responsibility for the clubhouse scandal: "I can only speak for myself here. I had lapses in judgement; I can't speak for anybody else. I want to try to keep it at. I can't speak (for other starters); I want this to be about me.

"I had things going and I got distracted and I think that was the biggest thing for me, going forward, that I would change, just not to be distracted.''

Asked to elaborate on being distracted, Beckett was asked if he was referencing becoming a parent, he repeated: "I was distracted.''

On his conditioning and apparent weight gain by the end of the season: "I never missed a workout . . . I was ready to pitch every time I pitched and I didn't execute pitches in my last two starts.

"I put on a little bit of weight. I don't have a reason for it, but it happened. I'm looking forward to going forward from here.''

On whether he understands the fans' anger: "Absolutely. I've been a fan of (teams), too. It stinks whenever things don't go the way they're supposed to go. We were a really good team and we were the best team in baseball for about five months. It sucks the way things ended and yeah, we're just as let down as they are.

"That doesn't make it right, but we were very let down as well.''

On needing to win back the fans: "I think we need to earn that trust back. I think they're the best fans in baseball. There's some good and some bad, but I think they're the best fans in baseball and I definitely think we need to earn that trust back and the way we have to do that is just go about the business the way we have in previous years and win ballgames. That's probably going to be the best way.''

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