This Situation Is Overblown

Like the grunge scene in the 90's, or Ebola threat of the 90's, or the Internet predator scare of the 90's, or the Y2K scare of the 90's, or the killer bee scare... At any rate, Dan Shaughnessy, the writer with hardest last name in the business, has decided to freak out Boston-style over one mediocre year and a few injuries. Then he'll attempt to correlate that to a completely different player, in a different era, playing at a different point in his career. It should be a blast:

This situation at critical mass

You mean the thing with all the naked bikers?

It’s impossible and unfair to measure another man’s pain. Some professional ballplayers play hurt, while others wait until they are 100 percent before they step on the field. Jacoby Ellsbury broke five ribs back in April and he’s the only person who knows the extent of his pain at this hour.

Just background info, nothing funny here folks, move along.

But the situation with the Red Sox and Ellsbury has become absurd. The Sox are falling fast against mediocre competition and Ellsbury is still on the disabled list even though he’s played five games of minor league ball, and Sunday went 2 for 5, almost jumping out of McCoy Stadium in pursuit of a Durham Bull home run.
It was hard to watch the Sox’ 6-5 loss to the moribund Indians last night.

I bet, the Indians are not...well good. There's not good. At baseball. But maybe baseball isn't their thing.

They started Eric Patterson in center and Ryan Kalish in left. Mike Cameron, who has played all season with an abdominal muscle tear, was mercifully placed on the disabled list, and Daniel Nava was recalled from Pawtucket. Kevin Youkilis went to the bench after hurting his thumb in the second inning. Victor Martinez replaced Youkilis at first base and Kevin Cash came in to catch.
Meanwhile, Ellsbury sat with his teammates in the dugout, still unable to play. It was not unlike that July night in 2004 when Nomar Garciaparra sat and stewed while Derek Jeter dived into the stands and the Yankees beat the Red Sox in extra innings.

Except that is was 2004. It was against the Yankees. It was two different players. Also the Red Sox were on the road in New York. But yeah, it was "not unlike" it in that they were playing baseball on both nights. So you got me there.

That was the night it was clear the Sox had to trade Nomar...

BEEP BEEP BEEP!!!! I will bet you a hundred zillion dollars he does NOTHING to back this "fact" up.

...and that’s the way it feels with Ellsbury now.

You owe me a hundred zillion dollars.

Too bad. Ellsbury’s an amazing talent, a 26-year-old center fielder who stole 70 bases last year and has a lifetime batting average of .297.

And his amazing OPS+ last year? 97. He is an outstanding fielder. UZR: a 23 the year before. Maybe Dan could have pointed that out.

This standoff of 2010 is at critical mass.

More naked bikers!

The Red Sox aren’t going to call him out publicly, but the organization and Ellsbury’s teammates simply have to be fed up.

Because he's hurt and trying not to ruin his career at the ripe age of 26? BTW he's making less than $500,000 this year. So it's not like he's a payroll strain.

Martinez, Jason Varitek, and Dustin Pedroia stayed with their teammates after they broke bones. Ellsbury went to Athletes’ Performance Institute in Arizona. Martinez vaulted right into the lineup when his broken thumb improved. Varitek and Pedroia plan to do the same thing.

So they haven't yet? You've decided to randomly give them credit before they even make their return, as opposed to Ellsbury who you are burying in spite of the FIRST LINE OF THE ARTICLE: It’s impossible and unfair to measure another man’s pain. Well at least Dan is calling himself out on it.

The rest of the article is mildly annoying, but nothing egregious.

Case Closed.