Josh Beckett just doesn’t get life.  He doesn’t understand how the world works.  Like a typical baseball player, he thinks the world revolves around him.

The Red Sox starting pitcher did nothing to help restore his reputation Thursday night, getting booed off the field in the third inning of Boston’s 8-3 loss to the Cleveland Indians.

It was Boston’s 11th loss in its past 12 home games and it happened to come a day after word surfaced that Beckett was playing golf last week a day after he was scratched from his scheduled start with a sore lat muscle in his back.

That angered Red Sox fans, who got in plenty of taunts before Beckett was pulled after 2 1/3 innings with Cleveland leading 7-1.

But it was what Beckett said after the game that had me in an uproar.  He was defiant about playing golf – he said he’s allowed to do what he wants to on his days off. I agree with that completely but not after he was essentially too injured to pitch the night before. He shouldn’t be out playing golf the next day.

It is common for players to golf during the season, but typically not when recovering from an injury.

You learned this trait as a kid.  If you stay home from school, you’re not allowed to go outside and play.  If nothing else, for just out of respect for your parents, teachers and elders.

Josh has a really poor attitude and many well paid players don’t think they owe anything to anyone. But perception is reality.  The perception is that Beckett doesn’t care.  Of course, he cares on some level.  But he’s an overpaid athlete that’s done nothing to deserve the 4-year, $68 million deal he signed last season. He’s now fat and happy and his fastball has lost some velocity.

Fans are getting tired of the Josh Beckett show. This is isn’t the first time Beckett’s off-the-field decisions and commitment to the team have come into question. After last season, it was revealed that he was among a group of pitchers who ate fried chicken and drank beer in the clubhouse during games on days they didn’t pitch.

Beckett’s postgame comments are magnified even more because the Red Sox are off to a 12-19 start and sit in last place in the AL East – 7 1/2 games out of 1st.  He’s also been awful this year with 2-4 with a 5.97 ERA in six starts.

The entire Red Sox clubhouse is in complete disarray.  There’s no way this would happen on the Yankees.  That team has leaders.  The Sox have none. Bobby Valentine has lost control.  How on earth could you let your star pitcher play golf a day after he was scratched from his start?  And the worst part of it all is that Valentine tried to defend him.  If I were the Sox skipper, I’d suspend him.

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Brian Sinkoff is a licensed Real Estate agent with Coldwell Banker Prime Properties. He’s been in media for nearly 20 years – most recently as host of “Sound-off with Sinkoff” which was on the ESPN Radio affiliate in Albany, NY. Sinkoff is also a frequent contributor for Time Warner Cable Sports television.