The Red Sox Really Will Try Anything to Fix Bard & Aceves
The Red Sox have resorted to having none other than The Spaceman, Bill Lee work with both Daniel Bard and Alfredo Aceves. The Red Sox have long had former soft-tosser and sports psychologist Bob Tewksbury on the payroll to work with players who may have mental or emotional issues, but hearing that the eccentric Lee is working with players in an official capacity is a bit surprising. Lee himself said of his work with Bard:
My first thought was that perhaps having a former Major League pitcher who admitted to using marijuana may be what Bard needs. Bard is an intelligent and introspective guy, and the major leagues isn't always the best place to be burdened with self-awareness. That helps explain how Roger Clemens was so great for so long.I'm like a horse whisperer. I can break bad habits," said Lee, 66, who still pitches and threw a complete game during an independent professional league game in August. "I'm good at breaking bad habits, because I've had enough of my own. So, I've seen them all. "[Bard] wasn't picking up home plate. He didn't want to let go of the ball. He was having an anal-retentive moment, which goes back to Otto Rank and [Sigmund] Freud. When you start going back to your glove, you're going home to momma. You want to break that habit. It's a breathing habit, basically. You correct his breathing, then you correct his pitching. You have to work from that principal first.
Kidding aside two things even the biggest Bill Lee detractor can't deny are his passion for the game to still play regularly at 66 years of age, and his competitive spirit. Lee never backed down from anybody on the diamond. More than anything Bard might be better served to take a little of that competitive spirit as opposed to getting frustrated with himself on the mound.
Bill Lee can't make anything worse with either pitcher than it already is. There's no harm in seeing if he can help Bard or Aceves pitch the way they have in the past.
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