Good times are comin', I hear it everywhere I go
Good times are comin', I hear it everywhere I go
Good times are comin', but they sure are comin' slow.-- Neil Young, "Vampire Blues"
We could all use a little patience.
In the aftermath of the first back-to-back starts at first for Jeff Bagwell this spring, Bags is like the rest of us: he's aware that underhanding the ball to Zeke Astacio isn't the test we all want to see his shoulder pass.
"That doesn't count," Baggy said, talking about the fourth inning play in Saturday's game, and he's right. But is it my imagination, or is the man getting a little coy with it? From the same article:
To be honest with you guys, I'm not really looking to throw. I guess everyone else is.
Off the official site after Friday's vIctory over Atlanta:
If this was 2004 or 2003, obviously you guys wouldn't be standing here talking to me and I would be right on schedule, so I don't know if that's encouraging or what.
And of course, what will certainly be the Bagwell detractor's favorite go-to quote:
The only reason I want to make a throw is to get everybody off my back, to be honest
Italics all mine, and doesn't it seem if there is some subtext Baggy is trying to communicate?
With the subliminal griping from Jeff, I gotta say that Phil Garner is saying all the right things:
Each time, each one little step is a good step, but it's a process. Today is not going to determine whether he's good or bad. So I want to temper everything a little bit, even though I am encouraged by him being able to play and go four innings."
Buster Olney was the latest to remark that McLane just wants Bagwell to retire, but if Garner-as-mouthpiece holds any water, maybe there has been a change in the club's attitude. I think Bagwell is getting more than a fair shot. I think the team is bending over backwards.
Although Scrap Iron can play the subtext game himself:
He hasn't made a quick, hard throw and we want to see that . . . It will happen when it happens. Obviously, we'd like to see it before Opening Day.