Friday links: Rivera responds to West

After Joe West opened his big mouth about the pace of Yankees and Red Sox games, Mariano Rivera had some amusing comments in return.

“If he has places to go, let him do something else. What does he want us (the players) to do, swing at balls? ... We don't want to play four-hour games, but that's what it takes. We respect and love the fans and do what we have to do, and that's play our game.”

Rivera is the man.

Here are a few more links from today:

• Javier Vazquez will make his 2010 debut tonight against the Rays (more on that later). Make sure you check out this nice feature on him by Tyler Kepner of the NY Times.
• A writer at At Home Plate thinks the Yankee dynasty may be over soon. Please, somebody tear him up in the comments before I do.
• The Angels are remembering the late Nick Adenhart tonight when they will give Jered Weaver the inaugural Nick Adenhart Award.
• Kepner also wrote about how the Red Sox lineup has less power, but more patience. If you want to learn your rival, this is what you read.

And two hilarious videos heading into the weekend.

Via The ‘Ropolitans.

And the No. 1 play on ESPN’s Not Top 10, found here.

Umpire lashes out at Yankees and Red Sox

Major League Baseball isn’t the only one upset with the slow pace of Yankees and Red Sox games. Umpire Joe West called the teams “pathetic and embarrassing” before they played last night’s game (an extra-inning game that was shorter than the two prior).

“They're the two clubs that don't try to pick up the pace. They're two of the best teams in baseball. Why are they playing the slowest? It's pathetic and embarrassing. They take too long to play. The commissioner of baseball says he wants the pace picked up. We try. And [Tuesday night's game] still almost went four hours . . . This is embarrassing, a disgrace to baseball.” – Hardball Talk

In Tuesday night’s game, umpire Angel Hernandez wouldn’t grant time to Marcus Thames or Jorge Posada in separate incidents, according to this report.

“Ask Angel. I have no idea what that was all about,” Posada said.

Woah! Has this gone too far? Unfortunately this reporter didn’t or couldn’t ask Hernandez about this, but I find this very interesting. 

Everyone knows the games are dragging on too long, but until MLB puts some rules in place I don’t see games slowing down considerably.

West, the one who went way out of line with those comments, couldn’t even offer a solution.

“I don't know what to tell you. I don't know what to do,” he said. “I don't know how to make them pick up the pace.

“It's sad when school kids can't watch the end of the game because it ends too late.”

Smart, West. Really smart.

Something to keep in mind: Nick Johnson certainly won’t be helping this pace of play matter. It looks like he’s ready to lead the league in walks this year.