There’s an article in today’s Worcester Telegram & Gazette with the following headline:
If Julio Lugo’s name is in the Red Sox Opening Day lineup at shortstop, it will be the first time since 2002 and 2003 the same player will have occupied that position in consecutive seasons when Nomar Garciaparra did. In all likelihood, Lugo will be the Sox season-opening shortstop and, with three more years on his contract, could hold the spot for the foreseeable future.
What then for Jed Lowrie?
That bastard Julio Lugo. How dare he keep a job when there’s a 23 year-old in the minor leagues who wants it?
I follow the minor leagues. I know what kind of player Lowrie is. And I’m fairly certain he didn’t pull Maureen Mullen aside and say “Listen. Can you write a story about how I’m stuck in the minors because Julio Lugo is on the team? Maybe this will rile up the fans and they’ll give him crap when his name is announced on Opening Day?”
Reading the article (which is actually a good one about Jed) it’s clear Mullen didn’t write her headline. Lugo’s only mentioned in the opening I quoted and, you’ll notice, there is no mention of him being a selfish asshole blocking the development of another player. Once again, the papers write the headlines to grab your attention. I get this. But how about “It’s Not Yet Lowrie’s Turn to Shine” or “Red Sox Like Lowrie” (since there’s plenty about how much Luis Alicea sees in the kid)?
Nah, let’s make it controversial. Coco v Jacoby (or as I like to call them, Cocoby) and now Lowrie/Lugo. Yeah! That’s it. The “old” guys versus the young ones. Those old bastards thinking they should be able to play ball when there’s young ones waiting their turn. What’s up with THAT?
Speaking of “old’ guys, I keep Mike Timlin on Google alert to see what folks are saying about him. I was happily surprised by a piece in the Concord Monitor that sings Mike’s praises. Oddly enough, the headline didn’t read “Red Sox still carrying Broken Down Pitcher”. But, you know, Mike’s 42nd birthday is coming up so there’s still time for some idiot to use that one.
Nope, this one was much nicer (and more accurate):
Accurate because, in the article, Mike says that God led him to Boston and then how much he’s done for the team is covered. It worked out nicely for Mike and, I’d say (as would Dave D’Onofrio), it worked out nicely for the Red Sox as well.
Two things stand out in this story for me. The first being that Timlin is, apparently, a very big influence on Jonathan Papelbon. It’s easy to trace the love Manny Delcarmen has for my man Mike. And Kyle Snyder and Javier Lopez can both be seen hanging around him during batting practice, but Papelbon surprised me a little.
The image that sticks in my mind of the two of them is from my trip to Baltimore last September where Kelly O and I witnessed an obvious disagreement between them during a batting practice meeting of the pitchers. Big Papi was in the middle of the ‘discussion’ obviously trying to calm things down and he put his arm around Mike’s neck (See photo above). After a few minutes, Mike had enough talking and removed Papi’s arm and walked away from the group. You could see the pitchers talking with each other and watching Mike AND Papelbon.
It was an interesting display and Kelly concluded that Mike was trying to give Papelbon advice that he wasn’t willing to hear at the time. By the time the game began you could see the two of them talking in the bullpen and order was restored. I guess Kelly was right!
The other item that sticks out for me is this statistic:
In every season with the Sox he’s posted an earned run average lower than the league-wide average – three times beating it by more than a full run – and in four of those years he’s hurled in 68 games or more.
Eat that, naysayers! That’s pretty impressive, no? Guy’s pitched in 68 (or more) games a year since he’s been here and has ALWAYS been under the league’s average. Now, I know there are more stats to look at than just ERA, but for reliever in Mike’s position, ERA is huge. (And, yes, I know that doesn’t take into consideration inherited runs for him or for who he leaves behind, but those numbers were crunched by people better than me and it was determined that it was never as bad as people perceived. Translations: Timlin didn’t get Alan Embree DFA’d.)
I’m happy keeping some of the “old” guys around. And the Jed Lowries of the league will get their day if they earn it. That’s not on the older guys, it’s on the younger ones to continue to prove themselves and put their time in.
(Photo by Kelly O’Connor/Sitting Still)
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