Mike Timlin Reflects on Baseball, Life, and the Spirit of the Game

Former Red Sox pitcher and four-time World Series champion Mike Timlin recently joined MyFM to discuss his family’s personal battle with ALS and to promote this Saturday’s Sharon Timlin Memorial Event at Hopkinton High School. After reflecting on his mother’s inspiring legacy, Timlin also opened up about the state of modern baseball. When asked about the pitch clock, Timlin didn’t hold back: “They’re wandering around, you know, fixing their gloves or their helmet or, you know, whatever, and they won’t get in the box until their walk-up. Songs finished, and it’s just like, dude, let’s go. I mean, because there’s 50,000 people sitting there watching you mill around and do absolutely nothing.” He emphasized how the game used to move faster because MLB players held each other accountable. Without this in today’s game, a pitch clock became more necessary, especially considering our attention span, how “everything is about the next moment, you know, with your phone, with your computer.” Timlin also looked back on two standout championship runs, 1992 with Toronto and 2004 with Boston. “You know, we won for Toronto. We won for a different country,” he said of the Blue Jays’ historic title. On 2004, Timlin added, “When we broke the curse… that was very special,” recalling fans telling him, “now my mom can rest, now my grandfather can rest.” Timlin’s perspective blended humor, passion, and deep respect for the game’s history. Fans can support the cause close to his heart by attending the 22nd Annual Sharon Timlin Memorial Event: A Race to Cure ALS this Saturday in Hopkinton.