Josh Beckett tossed 40 pitches in a simulated game that lasted three innings at City of Palms Park on Friday. Beckett said that he "felt good" following the session, which came just four days after he was hit in the head by a batted ball and diagnosed with a mild concussion.
"I felt good," he said. "It's a [simulated] game. There's just not a lot of adrenaline and stuff that goes into that. But I like it when the guys go up there and swing. [It] gives you a little bit of feedback one way or the other. It's hard to get a lot of feedback if the guys don't swing, just not a lot of things that correlate to a game unless you have a little bit of something going on." (via ESPN Boston)
Beckett missed his scheduled start on Thursday and is expected to make his next start on Tuesday when the Red Sox face both the Houston Astros (in Fort Myers, FL) and the St. Louis Cardinals (in Jupiter, FL).
In 2010, Beckett posted lackluster numbers, going 6-6 with a 5.78 ERA, 116 strikeouts and 45 walks. During his ten year career, Beckett has a lifetime 3.96 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP with 1,446 strikeouts.