Get Well Soon

This is what happens when your number-one and -two starters (Lucas Giolito and Lance Lynn, respectively) are out—Vince Velasquez pitches. And, yesterday at least, that wasn’t a good thing. Velasquez handed the visiting Rays a victory in the first inning by walking in two runs and muffing a tailor-made 1-2-3 double play that would’ve ended the first inning at 1-0 instead of the 4-0 deficit it turned into. But, hey, props to Velasquez. “The fact that I limited the damage and kept them within four, I’m pleased with [today’s Tribune],” and the same goes for his manager. Tony LaRussa said his emergency starter “gutted it out” and “gave us a great chance” to win [again, today’s Trib]. Yeah, nothing like coming into the dugout for the bottom of the first and you’re in a 4-0 hole (before going on to lose 9-3). The real lesson here is the value of being a friend of Tony. If you are, he’ll always have your back, no matter how bad your performance. Oh, how I miss the likes of Earl Weaver.