The Boston Red Sox have a young player on their roster named Tanner Houck and he’s pretty good. As a pitcher, that is. As a teammate, in my book he’s a flop.

You see, Tanner Houck has refused to get vaccinated for COVID19. As far as I know, he hasn’t publicly said why, but I really don’t care what his reasons are.  Without proof of vaccination, he would not have been allowed to enter Canada, so the team went to Toronto to play four games against the Blue Jays without him.  

Boston lost three out of four games and their pitching got slapped around with winning runs scoring in moments of high drama. The Sox could have used a very good relief pitcher.

Of course I have no idea if Tanner Houck would have made a difference had he been there, but that’s not really the point. He wasn’t there.

When the bases are loaded and a batter gets hit by a pitched ball, he is awarded first base and the runner on third base scores. The expression often heard is that the batter “took one for the team.”

What were Houck’s reasons for refusing to be vaccinated?  I don’t know, because no one is talking . . . not Tanner Houck and not the team. Isn’t that something! His teammates are protecting him and he wouldn’t get vaccinated for them.

Yes, I know . . . I could be wrong and perhaps I’m being unfair. But I’m a Red Sox fan. That’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it!