Speaking of Alan Embree…

August 27th, 2006 → 1:47 am @ // No Comments

Oops: got a little carried away there. (And really, that wouldn’t be fair to Embree — by the end of his tenure with the Sox, he wasn’t pitching in high leverage situations.) So let’s just say it: Mike Timlin is sucking ass. In the last nine days, Timlin’s gone 4.1 innings, coughed up 7 earned runs, blown 2 saves, and picked up 2 losses. (Take a deep breath before you read this next sentence. Ready? Here goes.) If Timlin had done nothing more than hold the line in the last week-plus, the Sox would only be 2.5 games behind the Yankees in the East. (It’s only because I’ve been over this ground before that I’ll resist going back to drink from that well.) (Oh, and remember: be nice. Or at least polite. Ish.)


Post Categories: Mike Timlin

11 Comments → “Speaking of Alan Embree…”


  1. sonnysiebert

    18 years ago

    I know it’s because Timlin’s worn down and missing his spots and well, just spitting the bit so to speak. But after his comments about not scoring enough runs, it’s easy to see it as some kind of righeous payback. And maybe he deserves that, he’s a veteran who had to know better. But that doesn’t explain why the rest of us have to eat it, too.

    I’m not going to sign onto any grassy knoll theories here but I do not understand Terry Francona’s decision to stay with Timlin after the HR to Beltre and the single to Ibanez given his meltdown or near meltdowns in his last several games, all of which have started out pretty much this same way. What exactly does he think or believe or see as he sits there and watches the game (and the season) slipping away? If’s as if he’s so afraid of making a mistake, he keeps going with the (old) numbers and what worked in the (increasingly distant) past. Or is it my lack of baseball know-how that I fail to grasp the intricate genius of his decisions here?

    It’s a puzzle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma.

    Reply

  2. soxfannyc

    18 years ago

    Why does FranCOMA continue to pitch Timlin in key situations? The lowly Mariners were hitting rockets off him but Terry let him keep pitching, I couldnt believe it. Why hasnt Francona given the ball to Foulke more? Foulke has looked very good since he came off the DL and when healthy has a rubber arm. That was a HUGE loss.

    Reply

  3. s1c

    18 years ago

    What I don’t understand is that Beltre and Ibanez (at least according to NESN) were both hitting over 300 against Timlin. Why, bring him in then to face those two at the beginning of the 8th? Jeez louise Tito!!!

    Reply

  4. Mannybeingmanny

    18 years ago

    First it must be stated that Mike Timlin IS one of the 25. He brought us a World Championship and I will forever be greatful for that. In 2003 and 2004 he was lights out in our bullpen in the playoffs.

    That said, this is 2006 and I’d rather see opposing hitters facing virtually anyone else in our bullpen right now. What is inexplicable in all of this is Francona’s repeat use of him and Timlin’s blind insistence that other teams are simply hitting good pitches. Francona was quoted in the papers last night as saying that “Mike will continue to go out there in tough situations.” And I say to you: Why???

    Keith Foulke anyone? Manny Delcarmen? A midget putting the ball on a tee? Any of these would be better! Mike Timplin is D-O-N-E. Put him out to pasture, send him to the glue factory, whatever…just stop giving him innings!

    Reply

  5. maineiac

    18 years ago

    Delcarmen?
    Foulke?
    Papelbon for 2 innings?
    Bueller, Bueller, anyone?

    I thought Tito being a stats man would have put anyone but Timlin into that situation. Beltre and Ibanez both had great recent numbers against Timlin. I think half of Red Sox nation was predicting the outcome, when Tito put Timlin in.

    Reply

  6. gmschmidty

    18 years ago

    Seth-

    It’s not Mike Timlin’s fault. He’s making his pitches, he’s just not getting lucky. He doesn’t want to point fingers here, but the offense really just needs to start supporting the bullpen a little more…UGH

    Ever thus to deadbeats, TIMLIN.

    Reply

  7. Bill Pratt

    18 years ago

    There should be no argument that Mike Timlin has been a big and bad part of some stomach punch type losses recently. These losses are a lot easier to remember compared to when he simply does the job he is contracted to perform. In an attempt to remove the rancor or the unjust lying of blame at only one guy’s feet, here is some information (from ESPN.com box scores) from the last 20 games for last one third of the game (RS and RA for Innings 7 through 9 only and the last column is the score after 6). Overall the Red Sox were 6-14. I planned to pull out some insightful analysis after compiling all this but the 6-14 record just killed any motivation.

    Please post some comments and correct any of my mistakes.

    Date W/L RS RA Timlin In? After 6 (B-Opp)
    8/27 L 0 0 No 3-6
    8/26 L 1 3 Yes 2-1
    8/25 L 0 1 No 0-5
    8/24 W 1 1 Yes 1-0
    8/23 W 0 0 Yes 5-4
    8/22 L 1 1 No 2-3
    8/21 L 1 1 No 0-1
    8/20 L 1 1 No 2-3
    8/19 L 0 3 No 5-10
    8/18 L 0 7 In a Big Way 10-7
    8/18 L 1 8 No 3-4
    8/16 W 1 0 No 5-4
    8/15 L 2 3 Yes 1-0
    8/14 L 1 2 No 3-5
    8/13 W 4 3 No 7-6
    8/12 W 0 1 Yes 7-5
    8/11 W 1 2 No 8-0
    8/10 L 3 3 Yes 1-2
    8/9 L 1 1 Yes 4-3
    8/8 L 1 1 No 3-5

    Reply

  8. Bill Pratt

    18 years ago

    My mistake, Timlin did pitch 8/20.

    Reply

  9. JustinShaype

    18 years ago

    It seems like Francona is the only person in North America that can’t see that Timlin is cooked. Or maybe it’s the classic “Francona sticking with a veteran too long” thing that is both a strength and a weakness.

    Either way, it’s not like Tito has a lot of options in the ‘pen; You can only piss with the **** your given, to paraphrase Irvine Welsh.

    Reply
  10. […] Timlin Filed under: Mike Timlin, Hideki Okajima by Seth Mnookin @ 9:55 am Digg Del.icio.us Subscribe to RSS Feed Hideki “Darkman” Okajima continued his otherworldly run yesterday, prompting thisvalentine from Jackie MacMullan. I agree with pretty much everything in there — how can one not have a man-crush on the biggest HO on the team? — except for this shout out to Mike Timlin: “In other years, a prolonged stint for [Timlin] on the disabled list would have been a daily cause for angst, or at least some serious hand-wringing.” It’s not that I don’t like Timlin (although I don’t, particularly) or appreciate what he’s done for the Sox…it’s just that I’ve always thought re-signing Timlin was a mistake. He’s one of the few heart-attack inducing guys in the pen. If his absolute suckitude during last year’s Boston Massacre didn’t give evidence that there’s precious little gas left in his tank, the sheer idiocy of blaming the team’s offense for the Sox’s ‘06 woes demonstrated he’s not, um, the team player he’s always been made out to be. The only Timlin related cause of angst that I’ll have is when he comes off the disabled list. You know I’m right: if last night in the top of the ninth you heard the shuffling strains of “Black Betty” coming through Fenway’s PA…well, you would have been worried. […]

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  11. […] been enormously valuable. But my memories of Timlin’s ‘06 season are dominated by the massive sucking he did during the Yankees-inflicted Boston Massacre and the moronic manner in which he somehow justified blaming the offense for the team’s […]

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