The Deep Inner Life of Joshua Patrick Beckett

When I was a kid, my mother bought me a pink diary from Lillian Vernon. It was pretty sweet—my name was engraved on a gold heart on the front, and it had an index of astrological signs that even included information about my playground friends who were on the cusps. In it, I pondered if I’d ever get to meet Joey McIntyre and why my little brother was always breaking my stuff.

I bring this up because Red Sox ace and gossip columnist hater Josh Beckett has taken up my fourth-grade habit and has been writing in a diary journal.

Beckett’s diary journal is reportedly less Joey Mac-centric than my efforts circa 1990.

“I look back in my book and what I try to remember are the positive things,” said Beckett … “I write a really long entry the night before I pitch. It’s more of a building up to my start. The night before my start I write a bunch of stuff about myself that I like, such as things I did the previous four days that I like, the positive things such as attack the hitters, no walks, what I liked about my side session and what I need to work on before my side session. Stuff like that.”

It seems like the trend of self-reflection is catching on. The Herald reports that Mike Lowell is also keeping a diary journal to document his thoughts about the game. If anybody keeps his thoughts in a handsome leather-bound book, it’s the dignified Lowell.

Now we have another vigil to keep aside from waiting for James “Whitey” Bulger’s appearance on German America’s Most Wanted to surface on YouTube. We must get a glimpse of even one page of either man’s diary journal. Where’s Matt Walsh when you need him?