Saturday, June 24, 2006

Beckett Pounds Strike Zone, Myers Pounds Wife?

The Red Sox continued their strong play against the NL East and the 'Natural Rival' Phillies, with a 10-2 win over the Phillies. Josh Beckett worked eight quality innings, including retiring the first sixteen Phillies. Beckett complemented his 95 mph fastball with the overhand yellowhammer to baffle the Phillies.

Meanwhile, Phils starter Brett Myers was alleged to have struck his wife in the head and pulled her hair in what must have been a wild scene not far from Fenway Park. "Myers declined to comment."

Charles Barkley said, "I am not a role model." Evidently Myers is taking another former Philadelphia star far too literally. ESPN lists Myers at 6.4" and 238 pounds, which although not exactly the 800 pound gorilla in the room, brings Myers into that vicinity. Of course, that would be unfair to gorillas.

If true, it's hard to imagine what kind of extenuating circumstances exist in the Philadelphia ace's case. If he were intoxicated, that would only mean another problem for him. If he had used steroids and had steroid rage, then that would be a second issue. Nothing we've heard suggests that either malady exists. Of course, he could solely be a self-absorbed, wealthy (salary listed at 3.3 million) boor, in which case he'll be referred for anger management, likely at his insurer's expense.

No doubt we'll hear about the stress of playing in the City of Brotherly Love, and his attorneys can look for correlations between mental illness and ballpark dimensions. Surely, we'll be feeling sorry for Myers, either a victim of bad reporting, a tough upbringing, or the ragings of the paparazzi. What a country!

1 comment:

Anthony said...

Brett isn't a likable guy, at least not to me. He's sullen, shows up his teammates on the field and sulks when calls don't go his way. What's to like?

Last year, after giving up a home run, he muttered on the mound, "F***ing joke of a park." It may be, Brett, but the last time I checked, the park doesn't pitch.

He's no Ace in my book.