Phone tag by the team and Josh Beckett results in the Boston press being unable to talk to the Sox' new starting pitcher; a conference call is expected today.

01:00 AM EST on Saturday, November 26, 2005

BY ART MARTONE
Journal Sports Editor

They waited four days for Josh Beckett to join their team. Now, Red Sox fans will have to wait another day to hear from him.

The Sox and Beckett played phone tag most of yesterday, and as a result the team was unable to hook up its newest starting pitcher with the Boston media. The Sox hope to arrange a conference call today.

But make no mistake: He's worth the wait.

"This transaction is very, very important for all of us on the Red Sox," Jeremy Kapstein, the Sox' senior baseball advisor, said last night. Beckett, he said, is "an outstanding starting pitcher who has dominating stuff. Remember, he was pitching on a club that has really scratched for runs. Now he'll be pitching for a team that scores plenty of runs.

"To go deep into October you need pitching, in particular three starters and a good bullpen. We had that in 2004 and we want to get back to it in 2006."

Beckett, Lowell and reliever Guillermo Mota became members of the Red Sox late Thursday night when the Sox-Marlins trade became official. Boston sent four minor-leaguers -- pitchers Anibal Sanchez, Jesus Delgado and Harvey Garcia and shortstop Hanley Ramirez -- to Florida in the exchange.

Lowell, who played behind Beckett for four years in Florida, is even more optimistic about Beckett's upside in Boston than Kapstein is.

"If he can log in the innings and he remains healthy, the sky's the limit," said the third baseman. "This guy is special. He has three-plus pitches, he can locate them, he's not intimidated, and I really think a market like this . . . I think he's going to be able to thrive in that. I really do."

Kapstein agrees. He points to Game Six of the 2003 World Series, when Beckett asked manager Jack McKeon to let him pitch on three days' rest in an effort to close out the Yankees . . . which he did.

"That's all you need to know," said Kapstein.

The Sox sent out their first feelers regarding Beckett last summer. But they weren't sure what their chances were of acquiring him.

"When you look at the pitchers you think are available [prior to the offseason]," said Craig Shipley, a special assistant to the general manager, "you would hope Josh is available. You never know if he will be. As soon as his name was brought up, it piqued our interest and obviously was something we were very excited about."

Florida immediately focused in on the Sox' farm system.

"It's an [indication] of the type of prospects we have that we were one of the clubs chosen to respond to their offer," said Bill Lajoie, another of the team's special assistants. "It comes down to need. Maybe another club has other types of prospects, but not the type needed in Florida. We had the shortstop they wanted."

So what the Sox were able to do was acquire three players who will figure to help the club in 2006 . . . in more ways than one.

"It not only immediately strengthens our club, but it sends a message to all the free agents out there," said Kapstein. "All players want to play on a team that has a chance to win a world championship.

"When you acquire three players of this caliber, what was already an attractive situation becomes even more attractive."