Beckett doesn't mince words with Valentine

--RHP Josh Beckett has settled a grudge with new manager Bobby Valentine. Beckett was irritated by comments made by Valentine over the last two years as an ESPN analyst. In particular, Valentine was openly critical of the slow pace at which Beckett worked during an August start against the Yankees at Fenway Park. And so, when he received an introductory phone call from Valentine last week, Beckett took time to discuss the situation. "After he got through telling me how (ticked) off he was, we had a really good conversation," said Valentine, who didn't disclose any details out of respect for Beckett. Since the season ended, Beckett has been implicated as a member of the pitching staff who occasionally drank beer and ate fried chicken in the clubhouse during games. Beckett also has come under criticism for lapses in his conditioning that resulted in him gaining weight throughout the season. Beckett finished 13-7 with a 2.89 ERA in 30 starts, but he faltered in September, dropping two starts against the Baltimore Orioles in the season's final two weeks.

--C Kelly Shoppach was signed as a free agent, which likely means that C Jason Varitek's days with the Red Sox are over. Shoppach has hit below .200 the last two years but is considered an excellent defensive catcher.

--LF Carl Crawford endured a disappointing first season with the Red Sox, so new manager Bobby Valentine is making a priority of trying to contact him. After one week on the job, though, and Valentine hadn't been able to reach Crawford. One problem for the Red Sox last season was finding a place in the lineup for Crawford, who batted primarily in the sixth or seventh spots. Crawford was accustomed to batting near the top of the lineup during his nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays. "I can tell you that in the thousands of games that I've managed, I never made out a lineup card thinking about one guy," Valentine said. "It's always about the group and how you fit in kind of together for the whole lineup. There's going to be lots of moving parts. I'll talk to Carl about that. I remember when Mike Piazza came to the Mets and he said, 'I can't hit unless I'm batting third,' and he batted fourth and had some of the greatest years of his life playing for the Mets. Sometimes they get over it."

--RHP Daniel Bard will play a vital role for the Red Sox next season. For now, though, that role hasn't been defined. A dominant setup man over the last two seasons, Bard might replace departed Jonathan Papelbon as the Red Sox's closer, a natural progression for his career. But if the Red Sox are better positioned to acquire a closer than a starter, Bard might be moved to the rotation. Bard has told GM Ben Cherington and new manager Bobby Valentine that he would be comfortable in either role, and there has been talk that he might even prefer starting. The Texas Rangers have had success turning relievers into starters, making the switch with C.J. Wilson and Alexi Ogando over the last two seasons. In 2012, they plan to do the same with All-Star closer Neftali Feliz. "I really didn't give an actual preference," Bard said via text message. "I did make it very clear to them that I have no reservations about moving to the rotation. I told them I'd take any role they choose to give me and run with it, whether that's starting or closing. I guess by making it clear that I would be willing to start, I may have made it seem like a preference, but I just want to make it clear that I felt like I could thrive in either role."

--LHP Andrew Miller avoided arbitration by signing a one-year contract worth $1.04 million. A former first-round draft pick and top prospect, Miller has long been intriguing because of his array of pitches, but he has struggled with his command throughout his career with Detroit, Florida and now the Red Sox. Last season, Miller went 6-3 with a 5.54 ERA in 17 appearances (12 starts). He will attend spring training to compete for a spot in the starting rotation, with the fallback possibility of being a lefty out of the bullpen. "We've been enamored with his potential and worked hard to sign him last offseason," GM Ben Cherington said. "We always felt like this year was a development year for him, and he felt like he was someone who we can continue to work with and he's a lot closer to being an established major league pitcher than he was at this time last year."

--RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka's recovery from Tommy John elbow surgery is going well enough that agent Scott Boras expects he might be ready to pitch "sometime this summer." Moreover, Boras believes new manager Bobby Valentine's background as a skipper in Japan will be helpful to Matsuzaka. "Daisuke knows a great deal about Bobby Valentine, and obviously, he's very well-respected," Boras said. "Certainly Daisuke has a familiarity with him. I think the two of them will have a lot in common, and I'm sure Bobby will take Daisuke to his favorite sushi restaurant."

--LHP Jesse Carlson has signed a split contract with the Red Sox and will receive an invitation to spring training. Carlson, 30, has a career 3.63 ERA and 1.19 WHIP over 162 appearances, all for the Toronto Blue Jays. But he missed all of last season after undergoing rotator cuff (shoulder) surgery.

BY THE NUMBERS
3 -- Coaches who will be retained from former manager Terry Francona's staff. Hitting coach Dave Magadan, third-base coach Tim Bogar and bullpen coach Gary Tuck will return to work under Bobby Valentine.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"I'm not sure the timing of this offseason puts us in a position to be the most aggressive team. We'll certainly discuss it and figure out if a post makes sense, but we've got a lot of commitment to the starting rotation and feel pretty good about the front end of our rotation." -- GM Ben Cherington on whether the Red Sox will enter the bidding for Japanese sensation Yu Darvish

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