To: Trish O'Farrell (tofarrell@emory.edu)
From: Tom Haley (thaley120791@jetmail.ca)
May 22, 2016
Dear Trish,
I'm really frustrated right now. The team can't get it together for any length of time, and neither can I.
Statistically, we are the worst pitching staff in the National League right now, and I'm not helping. I'll start to feel good about the way I'm throwing, and then I go out there and get shelled like I did tonight. It's happening about every two weeks, and it's getting really, really old.
Jason Heyward has been in and out of the lineup, and that's hurting, too. We depend on him to give our batting order stability, and when he doesn't play, everybody seems to press.
Chipper called a players' only meeting last night. He reminded us that the season is still very new, and that lots can happen between now and October. We're in third place, but we're only 2 1/2 games out of first--better than we were this time last year. When Chipper Jones talks, we listen, because there's nothing he hasn't seen in baseball. He's 44 now, and all he's done for the last four years or so is pinch-hit, but he's a great guy to have in the clubhouse.
I'm sorry I'm so down. I'm sure I'll feel better when we get home tomorrow and I can see your smiling face again.
Love,
Tom
Three horrible outings--3 earned runs in 2/3 inning against the Phillies on April 18, 5 ER in one inning against the Mets on May 6, and 5 ER in one inning against the Cardinals on May 22--have Tom's 2016 statistics looking lousy.
He's 2-1 with a 5.97 ERA, with 31 hits allowed in 29 IP. He has struck out 31 batters, however.
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