I decide to read the Boston Herald online this morning, only to be greeted with these three Sox-related headlines:
“Schilling feels like 3rd wheel”
And, really, is there one in that bunch that I want to click on and read?
Do I want to read Rob Bradford (who I make no bones about adoring his writing) discuss Schill bitching because he feels left out?
Do I want to read Michael Silverman write about Bartolo Colon? Maybe. But the pun about being ‘hungry’ has turned me off already. I’m no fan of bringing Colon on board, but he’s here. Yes, we know he’s overweight. Wow, imagine that. A baseball player who is overweight! We’ve never seen one of THEM before, have we? Let’s refer to this in every inane way we know how until we’ve run out of ways to insult the man.
And there is NO way I want to read Silverman telling us that Jon Lester was happy with his performance yesterday because at least he’s healthy and the reason he sucked yesterday wasn’t because of illness or recovering from illness it was just because he sucked.
This is no way for a chick to wake up on a Sunday.
I feel for Schilling. But he’s a pro and he’s been down this road before. Kindly suck it up, shut up, and get on with your rehab or whatever it is you’re doing down there.
So I write the above line and decide, before I make that judgment, that I should read the article. And what do I read? That Schilling hasn’t really wanted to talk about the shoulder, but yesterday he decides to tell folks that two of the owners told him they might be okay with his getting surgery.
Oh yeah, he also drops the ‘but it’ll be too late to play the season if I get the surgery now’ line. We get it, Curt. You wanted surgery, the team didn’t and you’re pissed about it. You’ve had a good career, hell some might say a GREAT career Mr. “I have three World Series rings how many do you have Big Unit with your perfect game and one measly ring?”.
And I will always be thankful for what you did in 2004 (and 2007 in the post season) and what you helped the team accomplish. But I grow weary of this game.This subtly dropping lines and making is sound like there is a story here just to get yourself in the papers again. I’m guessing tomorrow you’ll come out and say it was misinterpreted and you OF COURSE weren’t trying to say that the Red Sox sandbagged you.
Maybe, Curt, these are signs. Signs from the God you’re so happy to tell us you believe in, that it’s time to let it go. I kind of hope not. I mean, you were fabulous for us in the post-season, so if we can get some late season heroics out of you again I say woo-hoo! But I’d prefer we got them with less gab.
So in fairness, I now read the Colon piece. It’s a blurb, really, and quite complimentary about how hard he’s working and what a good effort he’s making. It actually makes me HAPPY and less annoyed about the whole acquisition. Yet, I’m still annoyed at the headline. This guy is, seemingly, making the effort to do what he needs to in order to get a spot on this team. Can we NOT beat him to death about how ‘rotund’ he is?
And the Jon Lester piece. I have no words except, if you don’t want to be known as the player who had cancer, you can’t fall back on the “it’s different this year because I don’t have all those cancer issues” excuse for much longer. Jon’s comeback was amazing and good for him. He toughed it out, got through cancer and the treatments (with an awful lot of support) and ended up pitching in the World Series.
Problem is, yesterday he did exactly what he did in 2006 and 2007: put a bunch of guys on base. Once again, his teammates bailed him out, eventually winning the game after he gave up 5 runs (4 earned) in less than two innings. Sure, this is a Spring Training game and you can’t make THAT much of it. If he gave up a bunch of extra base hits or a homerun or three, I wouldn’t be as bugged. But he reverted to form yesterday. And I don’t see the cancer having much to do with that.
What the Silverman piece says is that Jon is happy that he FEELS good and can blame a bad outing just on his being lousy that day. I’m happy for that. No player should have to have the health issue Jon did in the back of their minds forever. If he is over that, good for him. But that leash gets cut damn short once the regular season starts, Jon.
LAST year I was happy that you were healthy and anything you did on the mound was gravy. THIS year – you don’t get that luxury, bub.
I’m going to have to start my morning with the funnies next time, huh?
🙂
With a win over the Twins today, the Sox take the Mayors Cup. Tim Wakefield pitches the 1:05pm game today, which you can watch on NESN or MLB.tv.
Real baseball, people! Have at it!
(Photo of my man Mike Timlin taken on Photo Day by Brita Meng Outzen/mlb.com)
5 comments for “Sunday Blahs”