Waving The White Flag

Just one day after Doc Rivers waived the white flag in the Celtics Game Four loss to the Pistons in the fourth quarter, the Red Sox did the same thing on Tuesday night.

I understand that Terry Francona was ejected in the fifth, but you know for a fact that he was still calling the shots from the clubhouse. And what call did he make in the ninth inning signaling the surrender of the game?

That’s right, bringing Mike Timlin into a tied game in the ninth. There could be no clearer “I give up” move in baseball right now other than putting a position player on the mound.

I’ve written it before in this very column but now more than ever it’s abundantly clear; Grandpa Timlin needs to be released. He just doesn’t have it anymore and all the Just For Men in the World isn’t hiding the fact that he’s old and ineffective.

Here we see Mike and one of his nurses helping him to his room after yet another blown game

I know it seems like I’ve forgotten the good (um, 2004) but I really haven’t. Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli have taught us that sports is a business and despite the good that’s happened in the past (McGinest, Law, Colvin) if you’re not helping the team now, it’s sayonara.

So my plea to Theo is that he call Mike into his office, explain that the 6.89 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, and .333 opponents batting average against isn’t cutting it and the record he has really isn’t indicative of his overall suck factor this year. Take your $4 Million and go home to your kids and grandkids.