With the Red Sox shaping up as long shots in the AL East, the team is reportedly fielding inquiries on Josh Beckett, despite his no-trade protection. Beckett, though, told WEEI.com he wants to stay in Boston, assuming that he’s still wanted.
Asked if he still wanted to be in Boston, Beckett replied:
Absolutely. But if people don’t want you, you don’t want to be there. Obviously I have some things where it would be very difficult for them to trade me if I didn’t want to be traded. But you have to think realistically. If you’re not wanted somewhere, why stay there? Know what I mean? It kind of makes it a little more difficult. But [GM Ben Cherington] assured me during spring training that he wants me here, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s just made-up fodder.
Beckett is signed through 2014 and will make $15.75 million each of the next two years. It seems like a fair price for what he brings to the table, even if he has been something of a disappointment with his 4.57 ERA this season.
Beckett said that if the Red Sox did present him with a trade scenario, he would consider it:
Obviously I would use my 10/5 right to make sure it’s the right situation. But like I said, if somebody says they’re going to trade you, that usually means they don’t want you. I think that’s where you’d have to think about your situation and their situation. Nobody wants to be somewhere where they’re not wanted.
