It Rains Nine Months a Year in Seattle

 

Photo from Yahoo! Sports 

Man that sucked.  Lester did exactly what I feared he would (putting all those men on base and then, finally, not being able to pitch himself out of it).  Timlin did what I feared he would (getting himself out of one inning just to come in for a second and implode.  Thank you, Tito, for mismanaging the bullpen yet again.) and the bats did what I feard they would (LOB anyone?).  So they lost and the Yanks won and gained a game.  Time to move on to today, I guess.

One thing  stuck out for me in Gordon Edes’s column today.  See, I used to really respect Edes as a writer.  He wrote about the team and what they were doing and kept all the petty shit and rumors out of it.  He was the Anti-CHB.  Now, he’s turning into a CHB wannabe.  He totally trashed Manny pretty much all of spring training.  He gets his jabs in against Tito in pretty much each of his mailbags or live chats, and now it’s Mike Timlin’s turn.  From today’s article:

 

Timlin calmly answered questions at his locker, but as he was leaving the clubhouse with his son, he had a brief but sharp exchange with catcher Jason Varitek, the pitcher saying to Varitek, "Not a word."

 

Varitek, who had not yet dressed, and Timlin then walked out of the clubhouse and out of earshot.

 

So what’s the insinuation?  That Timlin and Varitek had a fight?  That Timlin was being an ass to Tek?  That Tek was being a jerk to Timlin?  What is the point of putting this in when it goes nowhere and tells you nothing?  It’s the last mention of either Timlin or Varitek in the piece, so he purposely leaves you hanging.  When I read this, my first reaction was that Tek was coming over to give him a pep talk.  Tell him not to let the game get to him and Timlin didn’t want to hear it, and Tek took him away from the asses of the media and acted like a captain.  It can’t be easy for Timlin.  On the DL twice this year, many poor outings and everyone and their brother writing that he’s old and done.  Then he goes on a 16 inning tear, and his shoulder starts up again and everyone goes from praising him to tearing him down again.  I’d like to see how someone like Edes holds up under that pressure. 

And, for the record, Timlin held up fine to the press, and that’s allthat should matter.  What goes on between teammates, as long as it isn’t happening on the field, in the dugout or in the bullpen in front of the world, is  none of our or Edes’ business.  Timlin took responsibility for his poor play and he left.  It should have ended there.  Edes loves to tease people (about Tito when folks ask if he’s chewing again, he never outright answers even though he obviously knows.  His favorite response is a coy "you see what you see") and then act like he’s only doing his job.  If you want to work for the tabloids, Gordon, I’m sure they’d be happy to have you.

(Interesting to note that I’ve read just about every piece of coverage of last night’s game and Edes was the only one who referenced this exchange.  Edes has a history of, at least one time that I know of, misrepresenting how something was said, so I have a hard time with this being in his article.) 

And here’s a quote from Timlin that Edes didn’t bother to print: 

`It’s my job to be ready/ I don’t see (the layoff) as an excuse. I felt like I was fairly prepared – I just didn’t get the job done.’’

 

Sound like a guy who maybe could use you getting off his back, maybe Gordon?

Jon Lester pitched piss-poorly as well.  No two ways about it.  Yet the stories about him in both the Herald and Globe focussed on his homecoming to Seattle.  Which is great.  No one appreciates what this kid has gone through more than me and I couldn’t be happier that he’s healthy and out there pitching.  Honestly.  But when does the "Jon Lester is back from cancer" lovefest end and people start admitting that he’s probably still not ready to be up here?  The last thing I want to see is his arm wrecked because they brought him up so he could pitch in Seattle in Boston for the feelgood story of the year.  

And, make no mistake, it is.  It’s an amazing story of recovery and I’m proud of him for that.  But the blame for last nights loss is with not only Timlin, not only Manny, not only every bat  who couldn’t knock in a run, (for crying out loud the Herald has a piece entitled "Sox try to help Lester".  I mean what the HELL?  Was Rob Bradford watching the same game I was?) but Jon Lester as well.

Oh well.  9 losses in a row in Seattle.  Must be something in the water.  Another 10:05pm start, which will at least give me the opportunity to have a life for a while today, and Daisuke will right the ship.  

No worries, folks!  Have a great day!