March 25, 200422 yr Although this has been somewhat known for a while, here's the official press release on the subject... enjoy MARLINS NAME JOSH BECKETT OPENING DAY STARTER Jupiter, FL ? Florida Marlins Manager Jack McKeon today announced 23-year-old right-hander Josh Beckett will be the team?s Opening Day starter on Tuesday, April 6th (1:05 p.m. vs. Montreal) as the club opens defense of its 2003 World Series championship at Pro Player Stadium. Last season, Beckett set single-season career bests with nine wins, 24 games pitched and 23 game starts, as he posted a 9-8 record and a 3.04 ERA in 142.0 innings. Beckett made six postseason appearances (five starts) during Florida?s championship run, going 2-2 with a 2.11 ERA and two complete games. He went 1-1 with a 1.10 ERA in two World Series starts and was named the World Series MVP s he pitched the 19th complete game shutout (five-hitter in a 2-0 FLA win) in a deciding game, October 25 at Yankee Stadium. Beckett became the first pitcher since Jack Morris in 1991 to pitch a complete game shutout in a deciding World Series game and was the youngest pitcher to win a World Series deciding game since Kansas City?s Bret Saberhagen in 1985. Beckett will become the fifth Marlins starter to make multiple Opening Day starts, joining Charlie Hough (1993-94), Kevin Brown (1996-97), Alex Fernandez (1999-2000) and Ryan Dempster (2001-02). Beckett made his first career Opening Day start last year, March 31st vs. Philadelphia, and took the loss (7 R, 2 ER, 5 H, 4 BB, 1 SO, 2.2 IP). He became the ninth-youngest Opening Day starter since 1980 at 22 years, 320 days old and the second-youngest Opening Day starter in 2003, as Cleveland?s C.C. Sabathia (22.253) surpassed him by 67 days. The right-hander from Spring, Texas has a career record of 17-17 with a 3.32 ERA in 51 games (48 starts). Beckett has fanned 289 batters in his 273.1 career innings pitched. Following Beckett in Florida?s rotation are RHP Brad Penny, LHP Dontrelle Willis, RHP Carl Pavano and LHP Darren Oliver.
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