In the Froglight -- Mike Timlin Interview
TC: Mike , Going back to when you were a young lad growing up in Texas , was baseball always your passion?
MT: I always enthralled by the game of baseball. I would sit in front of the TV for Hours on a Saturday afternoon. I played basketball and football but was not built physically for those sports. God blessed me with baseball talent.
TC: How did you finally end up in Baseball?
MT: I never realized my Blessing until I reached High School, I still dabbled in the 3 major sports, but it soon became evident baseball was a perfect fit. It became more evident when I drafted in the 5th round by Toronto in 1987. Then in 1991, I moved up the ranks to Toronto . If it weren’t for Baseball I would probably be an architect, I love to draw.
Mike's talent made it possible for him to make it to the ”BIG TOP” in 4 years; some guys only dream of that. Mike is not shy in giving God full credit for all his wonderful things, his wife and two beautiful children along with all that has happened to him. He is a devoted Christian and Family man.
TC: Mike , you really need not answer this, I am sure you know what I am about to ask… What was happening in the Bull Pen that final game between Boston and the Yankees that would have taken the Boston Red Sox on to the World Series?
MT: (nodding head though out question after TC finishes question , sits back in his chair, then leans forward ) Well, Tom ..WE were ready ! Allen Embry and I both, our palms were just itching with desire to get on that mound all we could do is sit in that Bull Pen. We watched as Grady conferred with Pedro , Allen and I knew who the next batter would be. We knew what the team needed to do. The call NEVER came. Grady walked back to the dugout he made his decision to stick with Pedro , our best chance to hold them and preserve our lead vanished right there. Yes! We were upset and YES we were mad. Everyone did such an outstanding job all year the bullpen was ready but Pedro was the ace of the staff and Grady had to trust his GUT. It really is quite simple. Bad calls are made at times, and he just went with his gut instinct, that is something we all do at times, good bad or indifferent. We all learned from that incident and we made ourselves stronger this year with some fantastic additions. Looking back, I don’t blame Grady, It was his call, he had a premonition, and though I may not have agreed, I have to respect it… and now, hindsight is 20/20.
TC: When you sat in front of that TV on a Saturday, who were your favorites?
MT: Oh, my favorites vary. Kent Tkuleve of Pittsburg , Dale Murphy of the Atlanta Braves. And Jr. Richard and (a little laugh escapes) no hit king Nolan Ryan .
TC: After you got off the couch, what are your memories of you early days “On the Field” MT: I remember my little league days the leagues were just like the majors there was the a b and c league. I played in the b division. One day the coach of another team invited me to pitch for his team, the team was an A division team. I was about 10 years old, after pitching 1 game I stayed there, till I was 12 – It was an AWSOME day ! It will always stay with me. Another time, I was an outfielder, 12 at the time, and the opposing coach instructed my friend to run to home plate on a fly ball, my friend kept saying” I don’t want to run: the coach asked him why, he responded Timlins’ in the outfield, he’ll throw me out” The coach made him run, the ball came flying in from the outfield, the ball was caught and – he was OUT!
Little leagues have a prominent place in many young lives. Mike still has many of his early year trophies. Baseball is one of Americas Favorite past times. For this Deaf man, interviewing Mike Timlin is always rewarding. I learned as far as premonitions go Mike Timlin is very astute, I had asked him whom he believed would win the Super Bowl, Mike predicated “ The New England Patriots”. Perhaps that day on the mound Mike Timiln should have made the call…. Funny, he never did ask me what I was doing with a tape recorder.
-- Tom
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