I try not to use photos that I don't have permission to use but when I saw this photo of Jose Lima I thought it was the perfect way to remember him. Photo taken in Spring Training in 2005 by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images (and used without permission)
Well we, apparently, had nothing to fear from Roy Halladay yesterday but Tim Wakefield left the Phillies shaking. Wasn’t that nice?
The pitching matchups for the entire weekend gave most Red Sox fans pause when looking at them on paper. John Lackey, well let’s not talk about him right now. Both Daisuke Matsuzaka and Wake far exceeded most expectations. I’m sure the Phillies are still shaking their heads wondering what the hell happened. But it wasn’t all just pitching. On Sunday, Pedroia, Hermida and Wake were the only starters without a hit and Ellsbury and Scutaro were the only ones without multiple hits. The hitters attacked Halladay and Wake went after the Phils. It was a nice way to spend a Sunday that was topped off with the Mets winning THEIR series against the Yankees- on national television no less.
So right now the Red Sox are 2.5 games behind the Yankees (and a game and a half behind the Blue Jays…a Toronto win couple with a Yankees loss pushes the Yankees to third place). I bring up the Yankees because I believe in small steps. Get settled into second place and the worry about the rest. Right now, getting settled into second place doesn’t seem so impossible to do.
The one bit of sad news we got Sunday was that Jose Lima died from a “massive” heart attack at the age of 37. I know that people tend to speak well of the dead only once they’re gone but from the things I’ve read online from his past teammates and others who have worked with him, it seems like there were a lot of people who just genuinely liked Jose and I’m so sorry for them and for Lima’s family today. It is never a good time to lose someone you love but as someone who has passed that age, 37 seems mind-shatteringly young. So heartfelt thoughts and prayers to all of those mourning the loss of Lima Time. Ben Shpigel of the New York Times wrote, what I think, is a truly beautiful tribute to the man which briefly remembers Geremi Gonzalez as well.
No day off for the Sox…tonight they’re at the Trop where Clay Buchholz goes up against Wade Davis at 7:10. Let the winning streak continue!