Damon makes a strong pitch for Timlin
ARLINGTON, Texas -- Johnny Damon wasn't afraid to give his opinion on Curt Schilling being added to the bullpen before last night's 7-4 victory over the Rangers. And when Damon was told after the game that Terry Francona said Schilling, along with Mike Timlin, would share the closer's role, Damon didn't back down.
''You've got a lot of upset people in here," said Damon about the feelings of teammates on the decision to insert Schilling and bypass what other team members feel are more deserving candidates.
''I don't think he's ready to be our closer," Damon said of Schilling. ''I think Bronson [Arroyo] or Timlin are the choice as the closer. Mike Timlin deserves to be it. All his years in the big leagues -- the fact that he came into [Tuesday] night's game, threw six pitches, and we were done. That's pretty good. He's going to throw strikes, he's going to make the plays. I think Mike Timlin definitely deserves that spot. It would be perfect for Timlin. He's going into a free agent year, too. Teams know he can be a setup man, closer. I hope that's the case for us."
When told that the decision to have Schilling pitch out of the bullpen would likely mean he'd be appearing at the end of games, Damon didn't change his opinion.
''The whole team wants Timlin, and if not Timlin, Arroyo," said Damon. ''I don't know where it came up. It's just the kind of thing our team doesn't know yet. You guys [the media] know before us."
Damon offered reasons why Timlin or Arroyo would be a better choice than Schilling.
''He's never done it," Damon said of Schilling. ''He throws 60 pitches to get loose for a game. He needs to get loose. Two outs in the eighth, a home run is hit. Get ready, 10 pitches. He can't do it. Timlin could, Bronson could. I don't think it's a good move for us. We've always talked about all year he'd come back and be a starter, and be a good starter. He can't just walk in and be a good closer. He's not ready yet. He's not ready."
Damon indicated he felt Schilling could build up to the closer's role. ''If he sets up at first, long guy out [of the bullpen], maybe we'll see," said Damon. ''Right now we're expecting him to be our starting pitcher. I guess we'll just have more team meetings and see what's the best direction for our team."
Damon also was not a big fan of a closer by committee.
''We tried that in Kansas City. We tried that here. It didn't work," he said. ''In Kansas City we blew 30 games, saved 28. It doesn't work.
Asked why the Sox were considering such a move:
''They're panicking. We're [four] games up and it feels like we're 10 down. They're panicking," said Damon. ''They've been trying to get rid of [Kevin] Millar since the beginning of the season. Well, guess what? His numbers are the same as last year. Then he caught fire. Now he's definitely looking over his shoulder a little more because we've got a very good backup first baseman in [John] Olerud. [Mark] Bellhorn's helped us out winning. He has bad games here and there, but guess what? We're together, we're a team. What hid Bellhorn's mistakes earlier was I was coming up, picking him up. If I'm not doing it, it makes what he's doing look bad."
Damon said the Sox can win without Schilling but ''it would be better with him."
Damon also said that if Schilling is made the closer ''we'll be all right . . . but I don't think his body is going to be able to bounce back and accomplish that feat. Schilling's a little too old and it takes too long to get loose to be in that closer role."
Sore subject
Damon said he will get tonight off in Baltimore to rest his right shoulder. Damon said he has what amounts to whiplash as a result of the diving, rolling catch he made in the ninth inning of Tuesday night's game. ''There's a pain there, feels like a bruise," said Damon, who said the injury would not prevent him from playing in the All-Star Game Tuesday. Damon extended his career-high hitting streak to 22 games with a seventh-inning single. It's the longest streak in the majors this season. ''I feel awful right now at the plate," he said. ''I'm not really feeling good. I didn't play well tonight and luckily the guys in our lineup picked me up. Hopefully the day off will do me good." . . . The Sox purchased the contract of righthanded reliever Scott Cassidy, 29, from Pawtucket to replace Foulke on the roster. Cassidy, who will wear No. 57, was 6-3 with a 3.81 ERA in 25 appearances (three starts) for the PawSox. In 16 outings since May 16, he's 1-1 with a 1.55 ERA. ''I would think I'd be a middle guy here," Cassidy said. ''In the minors I've done everything. I've been mostly a starter and I've spot started a few times. I'll do whatever I need to do to stay here." . . . Are the Sox still trying to acquire a prominent reliever? If Seattle lefthander Eddie Guardado is a possibility, he has a limited no-trade clause and would have to sign off on any deal. Boston has also looked at Atlanta's Danny Kolb (1-5, 5.63 ERA) . . . Francona had yet to hear a decision on Matt Mantei, but he believes the reliever will opt for surgery to repair ligaments in his left ankle . . . Edgar Renteria said he's no longer hampered by a sore left wrist that bothered him for a couple of weeks, and he's not worried about not having a primary backup at shortstop. ''I'm used to playing every day," he said . . . Righthander Manny Delcarmen was promoted to Pawtucket. Delcarmen, of Hyde Park, was 4-4 with three saves and a 3.23 ERA in 31 games for Double A Portland. In his Triple A debut, Delcarmen pitched two innings of scoreless relief in the PawSox' 9-3 victory over Ottawa last night at McCoy Stadium.
