BRADENTON, Fla. – Jason Bay’s description of Josh Beckett last season was almost-epitaph-worthy.

“He is a d!@k when he needs to be,” said the former Red Sox outfielder. (Like I said, almost epitaph-worthy.)

Wednesday, Beckett felt like he needed to be.

The Red Sox Opening Day starter (OK, he hasn’t been named yet, but huge neon signs are pointing in that direction) dominated the Pirates in the Sox’ 6-4 win at McKechnie Field. He threw 85 pitches, and then 10 more after his five-inning stint, walking to the team van having struck out nine while allowing a run on three hits.

On the surface it would seem to be nothing more than an opportunity for Beckett to put one foot in front of the other in preparing for his 10th major league season. But it was more than that, as a few of his teammates alluded to after the performance.

“They hit him around a little bit the last time, so I think he wanted to prove something,” said Mike Lowell. “That’s what’s great about him. He’s a big competitor.”

“He's a competitor. That shows you want kind of pitcher he is,” said Beckett’s catcher, Victor Martinez. “Even in spring training games, every time he crosses the line he is there to win and pitch his [tail] off.”

What was not said, at least for quotes-sake, was that among the purposes Beckett went out on the mound with Wednesday, one was to offer the Pirates hitters a reminder that payback is a … checking Webster’s … female dog.

For the back-story, you have to venture back to the previous week, when Beckett found himself pitching on the McKechnie mound in the midst of what he described as the kind of illness he hadn’t experienced in five years. The sickness had forced the pitcher to lose six pounds while leading to one day in which he literally couldn’t rise up from his couch.

The Pittsburgh hitters took advantage, taking good enough cuts to light Beckett up for four runs on six hits over 3 1/3 innings. Spring training or not, it was a display that was altogether unacceptable in the eyes of the Red Sox pitcher.

“I needed a better showing,” Beckett said. “I wasn’t mad at [the Pirates]. They did exactly what they were supposed to do.”

True. The faces and the names weren’t the problem. But those same black-and-gold uniforms represented a problem that needed to be rectified. 

“Today was a step in the right direction,” Beckett said. “I think the most important thing today was that I felt good, I had finish to my pitches and I felt like I could throw any pitch in any count. That's the feel you want to get at the end of spring training.”

And it was this type of performance that offered yet another example as to why Beckett is such an important part of the Red Sox’ infrastructure. You knew, Grapefruit League schedule or not, what kind of pitcher was going to walk across the lines Wednesday.

Sure, it was a healthier and stronger pitcher than had previously appeared before the Pirates. But it was also one who sent a late-March message, with the delivery coming in the form of nine strikeouts and helpless hitters.

Talent is one thing. Daisuke Matsuzaka has talent. But knowing that the right tone is going to be on display on virtually every occasion – regardless of the results – is something that isn’t yet embedded in every member of the Sox’ staff. Fortunately for Terry Francona’s crew, Wednesday offered another reminder that when Beckett is around this kind of reliability won’t be hard to find.