A number of reasons to appreciate Timlin

The ball, obtained from an umpire Tuesday night, will probably reside in Mike Timlin's office, along with all the other balls from all the other memorable games and all the other milestones.

This one, though, the one that smacked off the bat of Kevin Youkilis for the two-out, two-run double that beat the Devil Rays, signifies his biggest number yet: Nine hundred appearances, something replicated by only two other active players.

So what, exactly, does it mean?

''It means I've been around a long time," the 40-year-old Timlin said yesterday. ''Not a real big fanfare."

Likely had the 900th -- one that places him 15th on the all-time list, just six games behind Cy Young -- not come in a game in which, though he collected the win, he allowed yet another inherited runner to score (as well as his first run of the season), the ball might have seemed a bit more valuable.

And less a reminder of his age.

''I feel like I'm applying for AARP here," Timlin said. ''When you start this game, you believe you're going to play forever. That's the reason you play this game. It becomes a part of you. It's what you do. It's a gift from God."

So, after a number of years in which Timlin made more appearances than many players with significantly fewer years on their bodies (81 last year, 76 in 2004, 72 in 2003), the pitcher joked that it felt as if he reached his 800th last year. Though he didn't -- that came in September 2004 -- it has been an interesting road between the milestones.

With a 2.24 ERA last season, and a 1.35 ERA in seven appearances this season heading into last night, Timlin's numbers, on the surface, appear to be the stuff of a dominant setup man. And they are, to a degree. But Timlin also ranked second in the major leagues (56.3 percent), behind Paul Quantrill (62.5), in the percentage of inherited runners he allowed to score in 2005, as 18 of the 32 he inherited crossed the plate.

''I can't control the ball after the guy hits it," Timlin said. ''The whole thing [with the runner he allowed to score Tuesday] could have been a complete 180 if [Russell] Branyan swings a microsecond earlier. It's a foul ball and we're not having this discussion. I can only throw it over the plate and get guys to hit it. Sometimes I can get them to hit it where I want them to hit it, but it doesn't happen always.

''You want to make the right pitches at the right time. The biggest thing for a middle reliever right now is inherited runners. You don't want to pin anybody with a run. I'd much rather give up my own than somebody else's. That bothers me, but once it happens, I can't control it."

Rudy Seanez, who wasn't with the Red Sox last season, was surprised when he heard the statistics. He knows Timlin's ERA, and knows Timlin's mentality matches one that should be good in that situation. But, after a moment, Seanez thought he might have some insight. Timlin throws strikes. That might be the problem.

''What I've noticed is guys that throw a lot of strikes, that happens to a lot more because they're always in the zone," Seanez said. ''Hitters know that, so they're going to be swinging . . . Guys that have real good control tend to give up more hits."

Perhaps Seanez has the explanation. Perhaps it's much more complicated. No matter. Timlin, with his stellar ERA and durability, should pitch in a significant number of games for the remainder of the season, whether he's setting up Jonathan Papelbon or Keith Foulke, or closing himself.

Timlin said the next milestone, with a laugh, is retirement. He did admit, however, that his teammates are trying to convince him to go for No. 1,000, which, if he keeps up his current pace, should come next season.

But, for now, he's just trying to get through 2006.

And so, he'll take the milestones he can get.

''You never know," Timlin said. ''I might not get No. 901. It means a lot. You don't know what tomorrow holds."