Note: The Red Sox announced following Thursday's loss to the Yankees that Josh Beckett will be traveling to Birmingham, Ala. to visit with Dr. James Andrews.

NEW YORK -- Josh Beckett has been getting a lot of advice lately. Thanks to everybody from fans to physicians, the last week has delivered all sorts of potential remedies to cure what ails the tingling and numbness in the Red Sox pitcher's right hand.

But ...

"I've got my guy," said Beckett in between filling in crossword puzzle squares on a clubhouse couch before his team's game at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night.

Beckett's "guy" is hardly an unrecognizable entity. He is Dr. James Andrews, the fixer-upper most players and teams throughout baseball, along with the sporting world in general, turn to when it comes to arm, hand, and shoulder maladies.

He found Andrews as a frightened 19-year-old, who had just been told by a doctor affiliated with the Florida Marlins that labrum surgery was inevitable. Beckett's agent, Michael Moye, suggested a second opinion with the well-respected physician.

Nine years later Beckett's labrum in his pitching shoulder remains intact, and so does the line of communication with Andrews.

"Some people may say something to you and you may trust them, but you have some of those doubts and still stay reserved," Beckett said. "For me, if Dr. Andrews tells me something I can put it in my head and know, 'This is how it is.' It's easier for me to get closure on something because I have that trust."

Beckett stood in front of the media yesterday exuding the same sort of optimism passed along by the Red Sox decision-makers. All signs continued to point to the pitcher getting the start Friday, after missing his last two outings with what he was classifying as a nerve problem.

The Red Sox' doctors and trainers had done their due diligence, seemingly identifying the source of the problem without taking an MRI. Although for Beckett, the ultimate peace of mind had come with the phone calls to Andrews.

Beckett's first call to the Birmingham, Ala.-based doctor came last Friday 

after experiencing a setback following a throwing session. Since then the communication has continued via cell phone, stretching to the latest round of analysis Wednesday.

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"He's hesitant to tell me exactly what he thinks it is because he hasn't seen it," Beckett said. "Over the phone he gives me some reassurance, but he's like, 'It doesn't sound like this, but I can rule that out until I see it.'

"I've (referred) to him on everything I've ever had with my shoulder or elbow. I've had other doctors check me out for physicals and things like that, but when it comes to, 'I need this done,' or 'I need an MRI because I'm hurt or injured,' I'm going to see Dr. Andrews."

Just as important as Andrews' familiarity regarding what Beckett's symptoms is the comfort level the hurler has gained since first entering the doctor's offices in 2000.

The faith Beckett is putting in Andrews is understandable considering if it wasn't for the doctor than there's a good possibility the pitcher's career path takes a drastically different turn.

"I probably would have had surgery on my labrum, and that was back when they were still shrinking capsules so it wouldn't have been good," Beckett remembered. "But my agent said we should get a second opinion before we do anything. That's when I saw Dr. Andrews and he told me to rest it. He always took the cautious route first. 'Let's rehab this thing to see if we can get it stronger, and if it doesn't we're not losing anything.'

"He spoke my language too, and a lot of doctors don't. When I went to the rehab clinic (after seeing Andrews in 2000) and that's when I knew."

This time around the process has been aided by the presence of Red Sox assistant trainer, and former Andrews aide, Mike Reinold, who Beckett first met during that initial rehab stint in Birmingham. 

Beckett has been able to complement his phone calls to Andrews with Reinold's own communication with his former boss. The dynamic has not only led to increased security for the pitcher, but some tangible treatments, such as the suggestion that the pitcher switch the kind of anti-inflammatory he had been using throughout his setback.

"It's good," Beckett said, "because you just know he has seen this all before ... He's my guy."