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To: The Haley Family (fivehaleys@jetmail.ca)
From: Tom Haley (thaley120791@jetmail.ca)
June 5, 2017
Hi everybody,
I'm sorry if I seem down right now. It's been a very frustrating season so far.
I couldn't blame the other guys on the team if they went on strike until the Braves got a new pitching staff. Statistically, we're the worst in the National League. Meanwhile, we lead the league in on base percentage, slugging, and OPS. Put it together, and you have a fourth place team that's below .500, and we should be a lot better than that.
Today I joined in the fun. Kris Medlen had pitched beautifully--six shutout innings. We're ahead of the Phillies 6-1, and I come in because I hadn't pitched since the 31st. I walk the first batter, strike a guy out, give up a single and a double, and two guys score.
That's all for me. Heath Bell comes in and allows another hit, so my runner on second scores, too. What should have been a 6-1 game turns into a 6-5 squeaker.
Then Jonathan Papelbon tells a reporter that it might be time to think about "shaking up the bullpen a little bit." The guy pursues the story and asks him "Do you think you should be the closer?" Papelbon says "I've been an effective closer in this league for a lot of years."
Of course, the guy heads to talk to me next, and he asks me if I think it's time for some changes in the bullpen, since we have guys who have experience closing out games waiting in the wings. What do I say to that? I told him that I respect what our veteran pitchers have accomplished during their careers, and that I hope mine is as successful. But I'm a little hacked off about this, too, and I tell him that I have what it takes to be a big-league closer, and that I'm confident that I can do the job, too.
Next thing you know, Papelbon is saying that he wants to be traded. This isn't like him at all, so I'm chalking it up to the fact that he wants to win, too. But at the same time, it's distracting, and we don't need that now.
Again, I'm sorry I'm so down.
Love,
Tom
The Braves were 24-26 on June 4. Tom's ERA rose to 4.57 after his rough outing that day; his record is 0-3, with 10 saves in 12 opportunities.
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