Saturday, September 02, 2006

Lionel Osborne

On the field, I've gone from numb to psyched for the final month of baseball. We're in this race. Great job by Snyder tonight.

Off the field, it's just one thing after another. Terry looked like he'd been crying when I saw him at the press conference. Papelbon is now hurt. He says he may just need a few days. Hopefully nothing serious. Schilling will now be missing a start, after stiffening up after his last one--so tomorrow we start Kevin Jarvis, pitching for his tenth team.

But the worst news is Jon Lester. As Royal Tenenbaum said, he's "got a pretty bad case of cancer." They try to make it seem like good news that it's "treatable." But the truth is there's no cure for what he's got. Such a young guy. So sad. He will have to undergo chemo most likely, and even if it goes away, it could come back at any time in his life.

Did I ever tell you I thought Lester looks like Sid Vicious? I mean, if you put Sid in a baseball uniform and cleaned him up a little, of course. Sid's real name was Jon, too, actually. Here's hoping our Jon's got a little Sid in him to fight off this disease. You know, sneer and spit at the thing.

Papi should be back Monday, though. I'll be there. What a moment that'll be, when he's announced. And Tek and Trot and Gonzo won't be far behind. We've got head-to-head action with all three teams we're chasing, so we've got a shot. Just don't think about Jarvis, Gabbo, and [unknown] being our starters. It's better for your mental health, trust me.

Scarlet Fever tells us what really happened on that ball that the dude knocked over the wall. (Scroll down for video. No, past the nickname thing. No, keep going, past the Arabian Knights cartoon from 1968. There ya go.)

A note about perspective. Even if it was true that serious off-field issues "put things in perspective," how about we just don't use it because it's really, really cliched? But if you do use it, think about it: Did you really forget that people get diseases because you hadn't heard of someone close to you getting one lately? Do you normally watch baseball and think, "Wow, everything's right with the world"? I'm not saying I go around reminding people not to have too much fun because they might die and that there's too much suffering in the world to think about baseball or YouTube videos or cotton candy. But when I hear the dreaded "this really puts it all in perspective" line, it makes me think the person doesn't care about bad things as long as they don't directly affect them. Of course bad things happening to you or your loved ones hurt more than if it were a stranger. But perspective? Don't we have that already? Why do we gain perspective only to lose it again so quickly that we are forced to gain it every single time somebody has a health problem? How about this--if you're only just now getting perspective, hang on to it! Realize that bad things are happening constantly all over the world. When they happen to you, do your best to make lemonade, or better yet, squeeze that lemon til the juice runs down life's leg. And live, dammit, as a wise person once shouted. When someone else is suffering, make them laugh. And when someone dies, celebrate who they were and make someone else laugh using a joke the dead person once told you.

I think Bob COSE-tass said this better than me once. But I tried. (That link isn't to Costas taling about this. It's just a funny skit featuring Costas that me, Chan, and apparently JS have always liked.)

Comments:
Great point, Jere. We should always have perspective and enjoy people when they are around, but never losing sight that bad things happen in this world. I've always felt that way and I share your same thoughts on celebrating death by sharing a good memory about the person. The 'perspective' angle is a bit overused, but I think they (ball players) use it to mean that we (fans and players alike) get so consumed with the games that people forget they aren't absolved of these terrible tragedies. I guess that's there way of saying, 'we are just like everyone else'.

Very sad news on Lester. I saw the press conference and I felt bad for Tito. Here's to your recovery, Jon Lester.

However, I hate to make this political too, but I would like to know how Schilling would feel if throughout Lester's recovery process they find out that they would be able to develop a cure using stem cell research. Schilling being a devout Christian, a huge Bush supporter and most likely against stem cell research, then I'd like know what his reaction would be? Science intersecting that fine line of politics, religious beliefs and the whole supporting my teammate thing. Would be interesting, but I bet we'd gain some 'perspective' there.
 
Jere, I am an everyday reader of Julie's Scarlet Fever. In fact, I urged her to start her own blog after reading her comments elsewhere. And ya know what? She's doing a great job. I happy you linked to her. Take care on this mind-numbing weekend of incredible news.
 
Jere, thanks for linking to me! :)
And as for Jon Lester, I'm in shock. Absolute shock. That a guy that young with such a bright future before him has cancer is unfathomable. It's soo sad, and I can't imagine what Jon and his family are going through right now. My prayers are with them.
And I'm going on Monday too! I'm not sure where my seats are yet, but I can't wait!
Julie
 
- Doc, is he going to be OK?

- I just have one question for you. Is he a fighter?

- Uh, yea...

- Well then that's the best chance we got.
 
No comprendo, BS. And yes, if we lived long enough, cancer would claim many. I don't like to think like that. But then, I'm here for the now.
 
Actually, Sid Vicious' real first name was JOHN, not Jon.

You can guess why I'm pointing this out....

God Bless Jon Lester and his family.
 
Seth Mnookin only got 3 comments on his Jon Lester post. And he probably pays people to comment.
 
Haha! Nice.

Q--something to do with your own name, maybe? I don't think anyone's gonna confuse you with Vicious anyway, haha.

Peter & the Boz: So, we're all saying "live," so...what's the argument?

Peter: BSM's quote is relevant to post. But you have to know the movie to get it.
 
And I didn't, but it's always nice to hear from him. Take care Jere
 
I will state this about Saturday's Game @ Fenway Park:

The park has a great East Village flavor to it;

Red Sox Fans, from VA, PA, NNJ & a Soxer from Queens, all rose on our feet, when RF #60, David Murphy, got his 1st MLB hit, in his 1st AB;

The Concourses are spacious & clean;

It's NOT that oversized "Toilet" in The Bronx, where people are more-interested in sucking down 7 beers by the bottom of the 1st inning & watching sluggers in the stands, as well as watching that 'roided PO#2, GiamBALCO(He grows & shrinks, with every dosage), & is difficult to leave from on the ramps, which are dangerously-overcrowded, as well as their very-narrow concourses;

Win or lose, Red Sox Fans are passionate about the game, as polite as my Nuns, Brothers & Priests were when I was growing up, in Brooklyn, have a great sense of humor & are NOT braggarts, who go up in peoples' faces, unlike some jackass(Who needs "Hooked On Phonics" to teach him how to spell 'Suck", correctly) in a deli on Woodhaven Blvd,who roots for "The Team In The Toilet", whose personality could be used as a form of Birth Control;

To the 4 Lasses I talked to, after the game, it made my day;

Kevin Jarvis pitched in the spot(A Tight One)in the Place of a Cancer-Stricken Jon Lester, who our hearts are reaching out to;

& Jon Lester;

Get well & stronger than you were;

-Michael
 

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