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12:50 PM Eastern
See, if the Blue Jays had been more careful about where they left their stuff, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s just that careless, lazy attitude big-leaguers have, thinking someone will always be around to pick up after them, so they just left a bunch of brooms lying all around the ballpark after sweeping the Red Sox on the weekend. The A’s came in, found them, and put them to good use.
This was a bad series, and this game should remind everyone of last year, when the Jays wasted good pitching performance after good pitching performance. This time, it was a spectacular effort by Shaun Marcum, followed by equally strong outings by Jason Frasor and Brian Tallet. On a night when the bullpen was spent, and none of Jeremy Accardo, Scott Downs and Brian Wolfe were available, the three of them got the game to the 11th inning and allowed only one run. You’d think that’s a win, but not tonight.
Brandon League looked sharp in the 11th, but came way undone in the 12th, and the biggest problem - same as Accardo last night - was the hit batsman. For League, it came on the first pitch to Kurt Suzuki after intentionally walking Jack Hannahan to both avoid the lefty and set up the double play. He still had a chance of emerging unscathed, but after a nice play by John McDonald to cut down a runner at the plate, Travis Buck took him to left-centre for a two-run double. Buck almost single-handedly killed the Jays over the sweep, going 7-for-17 with six doubles, three runs scored and four RBIs. Not bad for a guy who came in to town 0-for-21.
Still, this one was all about missed opportunities, especially against a guy like Dana Eveland. The Jays should be destroying lefties all year long, especially ones who barely break 90, given the line-up they’ve got, but this was the second straight night they got stymied. Eveland had them tied up in knots, taking a three-hit shutout into the 7th inning.
The biggest missed opportunity was just having a relatively soft throwing lefty on the mound, but the actual chances to win came in extras, with the Jays having shots to put it away in both the 10th and 11th.
In the 10th, they were unlucky, because Vernon Wells’ little bloop job was hit in the exact right place so that Alex Rios was meatcake trying to get to second once it dropped. Frank Thomas had the chance, but needed a hit, and struck out on three pitches - his fourth K of the game.
In the 11th, the magic of Johnny Mac came to the fore. He singled, thought about stretching but didn’t, then stole second anyway and went to third on a gift single by Gregg Zaun where pitcher Joey Devine just plain forgot to cover first base. Those are the kinds of breaks in close games that lead to wins more often than not, but Marco Scutaro was absolutely robbed by Jack Hannahan on his hot shot headed to left, and that was that.
I expected to hear some of the Chicken Littles on the post-game show, but I didn’t get that many - there was actually some thoughtful discussion. But I liked how one of the first callers brought up the example of Scutaro bunting on his own in the third and it failing to show the bunt-happy folks out there that bunting doesn’t always work, and to stop already. Then about half a dozen people called in to say Shannon Stewart should have bunted in the 6th (first and second, none out, down one), which would have been nuts. Even though the outcome of that at-bat should have been a triple play, a bunt still wasn’t the right move (unless you know that ahead of time - which if you did, I would like to set up a business venture with you).
People who can actually hit shouldn’t bunt, unless it’s a do-or-die situation in the bottom of the ninth or later. Other than that, bunting should be reserved for pitchers and for hitters with an obp under .300 who are actually good at bunting.
I did think one caller was going to threaten me, Ross the Yeller, but I was glad to hear that all he wanted in the future was an apology if I ever call him insane again. But here’s the thing - saying the Jays aren’t going to go anywhere this year if they can’t beat mediocre teams on a consistent basis is fine. Saying the Jays aren’t going to go anywhere this year if they don’t WIN THIS SERIES is nuts.
The good from tonight:
-The pitchers, as mentioned above, and how about Jesse Carlson? He gets called up from Syracuse late last night and makes his major league debut being brought in with the bases loaded and two out in the 12th inning, and strikes out Daric Barton on three pitches.
-John McDonald. What more can I say? He’s such a pleasure to watch. McDonald should be starting every time the Jays face a left-handed pitcher.
-Alex Rios. He had a rough time early, and carried a 1-for-11 into his 8th inning plate appearance, but he walked, then singled and doubled in his next two trips.
-Shannon Stewart, who made a very, very nice diving/sliding catch on a sinking liner by Mike Sweeney to end the 8th inning. He actually can catch the ball, for those of you who use the rote “Stewart can’t play defense at all” argument.
The bad:
-Yesterday was the first time this season that the losses of Scott Rolen and B.J. Ryan reared their ugly heads, and tonight was the first time the Jays’ decision to go with David Eckstein over John McDonald at short really bit them. There were two plays in the top of the 12th inning that I believe McDonald makes relatively easily, and Eckstein couldn’t make either one. The first was the leadoff bouncer up the middle by Chris Denorfia - I was stunned that it actually got through. That’s a routine out for Mac. The second was the Buck double. I believe there’s a very good chance that McDonald catches the line drive. In the long-term, it’s better to have the bat of Eckstein in there, but with him going 1-for-6 tonight (driving the average down to .222 with just 3 walk/hpb’s) and again failing to hit a ball out of the infield, it stands out. McDonald shouldn’t be a fixture on the bench, he’s got to get some games in at shortstop.
-Bobby Crosby denied us the chance to see a triple play in the 6th. With runners on first and second and none out, Stewart hit a little soft looper that Crosby caught at about knee level. If he had taken a step back and let it drop, there was a very good chance that the A’s would have been able to turn three, and at least two.
-It should go without saying that 2-for-16 with runners in scoring position goes in the bad column, but I’ll throw it in here just in case someone wants to argue about it.
The Jays are off to Texas, where at least they don’t have to worry about any soft-tossing lefty starters. It’ll be Jesse Litsch against Vicente Padilla Friday night, with the network starting up at 7:30 Eastern for an 8:05 first pitch. Those of you who can listen to the FAN590 get a special pre-pre-game show starting at 7:00, our first of the year.
Keep those comments coming, it’s our way of continuing the JaysTalk all day long!
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Mike, fantastic job on the radio tonight. You may not want to say it, but I’ll do it for you, most Jays fans are just stupid, period. On to my points…
Marcum was pulled at 105 pitches. I wrote about this yesterday about McGowan in a comment also, but today Marcum was borderline dominant against a very annoyingly patient As team. He still managed to strike out 8 and walk only 1. So why pull him at 105 pitches? It’s just really annoying when managers (not just Gibbons) use that kind of dated logic. Yes Frasor and Tallet were awesome, but I’m not basing it on one game. I just don’t like that logic on principle.
-Rios had a good game but in that first AB he looked really bad. He was clearly trying to hit his first HR and was swinging and missing just like the last two games. He realized his mistake after the strikeout, adjusted, then played well the rest of the way. I like to see that.
-I really think Stewart should be leading off followed by Hill. I just don’t like a slap hitter like Eckstein, who can barely get out of the infield anymore, batting leadoff.
-Did you notice the As played no doubles against Zaun with 2 out and a runner on 1st in the bottom 9th? If the Jays did that the two previous nights, maybe those runs don’t come home from first.
-What do you mean by “it’s too much to ask of Carlson” to come in and face Buck after League got into a jam. Is he not a major leaguer, and so what if its his debut? That sounds exactly like the conventional “wisdom” old timers use, like the 100 pitch count, that simply can’t be proven, yet it has stuck for years and years.
MW: I think you’re a little too stuck on the 100 pitch thing. You have to remember that this is just the second time through the rotation this season, and you’re asking quite a bit of a pitcher not named Halladay to throw 120 pitches. Marcum was terrific and might have been able to go one more, but that pitch count would have been really high. McGowan, the night before, was done after five. And I think it is too much to ask of Carlson. To say “he’s a major-leaguer” and he shouldn’t be there if he can’t be used in any situation kind of glosses over the fact that he’d never actually pitched in the major leagues before. There are plenty of major-league pitchers, some who have been there for years, who I wouldn’t put in with the bases loaded in a tie game in the 12th inning.
- ShawnMike, i was just wondering about something watching Brandon League pitch:
Do you know why he’s a side armer now ???
Back in 06 he had an over the shoulder delivery which allowed him good velocity, movement on his fastballs, and allowed him more range of pitches.
Now it’s like he’s a poor mans Javier Lopez, albeit right handed. He’s always down in the zone, will walk people, and when he tries to elevate the ball in order to get a strike then hitters just golf it. Since it’s safe to say that League wont strike people out the way he used to, now he’s got to walk batters in order to setup the double play.
He stills throughs extremely hard but he doesn’t have the same movement, fails to have the same control he once had and he definetly wont be striking out people the way he used to.
Im not knocking the guy, im sure he’ll still be a good relief pitcher, but do you know why his delivery/style is so drastically changed ? Especially when he had huge success with his old style ?
Though if you tell me that he’s become disabled in some way and his new delivery is the only way he can still pursue his dream of being a big league pitcher, then i’ll feel pretty bad for asking you about this.
MW: No, you should feel pretty bad for asking me this because he’s always been a slinger. I’ve never seen him throw over the top.
- JacksonWell, this series really sucked. But I was glad to see Jason Frasor pitch well. The guy has nice mechanics and can pitch, but it was sort of tragic to see him lose his confidence in the closer role, and end up languishing in the pen last season. So good on the pocket-sized reliever.
Anyone else for Thomas arguing balls and strikes and changing his batting helmet every week? The mojo might have worn off.
- JoannaThe intentional walk was a major mistake by John Gibbons tonight.
MW: Wow - a major mistake? No. The major mistake was Brandon League hitting the next guy.
- SteveEven on a Marcum day the Jays couldn’t stop the slide. Oh well, take the good with the bad.
Good like Marcum was awesome and he pitched into the seventh like i unreasonably expect him to and he struck out a boatload. What a great pitcher.
And Johnny Mac ! Oh man. He even got a hit ! I think he’s got Denboitis. This is the end of Eckstein thats for sure. Not that Eckstein is bad in anyway, it’s just Johnny Mac is Johnny Mac ! He’s got grit, fortitude and pizaz. All the postive generic stereotypes for a Ballplayer rolled into one guy.
I thought Dana Eveland pitched a lot like Chacin. He’s a pretty good pitcher, alot better then Smith. Pretty good #5 considering he was the throw in guy on the Haren deal, that is, compared to the other guys (Gonzalez and Anderson).
MW: It’s not the end of Eckstein, as I’m sure you know, and I’d hold off the coronation of Eveland considering his track record. Maybe he’s ready for his breakthrough, though. And credit where it’s due - you continue to be bang on with your unreasonable expectations of Marcum.
- DaveMike,
Is within your realm to investigate what is going on with the FAN 590 radio feed?
Living in Alberta the only way for me to listen to your post game comments is via the internet. I have the MLB.TV premium package which includes radio, but they cut that off soon after the game ends. (the last couple of nights after about the 3rd or 4th caller)
Once I switch over to the 590 feed from the website it has been McCown’s show on tape for the past two nights.
I have been a Jays fan since the very beginning, but lately I find myself almost hoping the team loses so Ricchiardi gets fired. I hated hated the Eckstein signing, and it really angers me that he is starting against lefties over McDonald.
I realize he is a below average hitter, but his defense (at least last year) more than makes up for his inadequacies at the plate. All of the Eckstein “grittiness” crap is just plain dumb and an insult to any baseball fan with half of a clue.
Overall if the team can stay close to 0.500 until Ryan/Rolen return they should be in the race late into the summer. Marcum was spectacular tonight, and if he is for real the Jays have the best 1-4 in all of baseball.
MW: Even if he’s not for real, the Jays have the best 1-4. I’ll look into the web feed thing, but there’s nothing I can do about it personally. I’ll just try to find the person who can do something. And have fun digging out, we feel your pain.
- GregJPWhat do you think about the weak crowds in this series? 16,000 is pathetic. I could hear League and Frasor talking to each other in the bullpen from my seats behind the A’s dugout.
Vernon should pull a Chris Bosh and call out the fans for not showing up and making noise. I agree with you that blame should go to the Leafs.
MW: I’m used to the pathetic crowds, it especially stands out during weekday night games in April, when the Stanley Cup playoffs are going on. At least in the first round when everyone seems still to be really into it. It sucks.
- Brett VMike, fantastic work as always. This series was a very disappointing one and like you say - reminds everyone of last year’s woes. Hopefully, the offense will start to pick up again in Texas even though the Jays have struggled there before. How soon do you think Hill will be moved up to the 2 spot if the offense continues to struggle?
MW: Problem is, Hill has struggled in the top of the line-up. It’s a tiny sample size, and means absolutely nothing, but it has made an impression on people. The offense has only been struggling for two games.
- RenegadeWondering your opinion In the 6th inning when it was 1-0 oakland and scuduro walk and ekstein singled You have men at 1st and 2nd with nobody out. Why wouldnt you bunt to get and guy over to 3rd so a fly ball could at least tie it up then?
MW: Because you have your 2-3-4 hitters up, and they’re all good hitters. Why would you take the bat out of one of their hands?
- Rick BarzoHey Mike,
I’m still in shock that our predominately right handed line-up didn’t light up those 2 lefty’s.. we should destroy left handed pitching - oh well… don’t get me started on how we only have ONE regular (maybe 2/3 if you include Zaun and Stairs) who bats left.
My question is this.. last night was the first night I actually got to watch some of a game, and I noticed that Zaun looks like he’s lost A LOT of weight.. is it just my imagination? I hate to mention the whole steroids thing but.. man he looks skinnier….
Thanks,
MW: The Jays have three regulars who bat left (against a righty) - why wouldn’t you mention Zaun and Stairs? A couple of others have mentioned to me how they think Zaun looks a lot thinner. I have to say, I don’t see it. He looks pretty much the same to me as he did last year. Now, last year, he came to camp a lot bigger. The steroid thing, at least as far as the cheque goes, was in 2001 (I think), and he was way bigger in 2007 than he was in 2005. I don’t think that’s it.
- TCLet me preface this by saying I’m hardly a member of the adamant “Fire Gibby” crowd, who want to patronize his every move and throw him under the bus every time the Jays fail. In fact, I could be probably criticized for following the Jays upper management decisions with too much of a blind faith, but I digress.
I thought calling for the intentional walk with Brandon League on the mound was an absolutely brutal decision. Why? League’s biggest knock is his control… In early season Gibbons obviously doesn’t consider him a “go to” guy in pressure situations – so why are we putting extra pressure on him by forcing him to throw strikes by taking away that open base? Matchups aside, I would have loved to have seen League go after Hanahan. If they are that worried League can’t get lefties out, try to pitch around him/make him go after a bad pitch and make a weak out.
My point is, once they intentionally walked Hanahan, it forced Brandon League to have to throw strikes, which is probably his biggest issue as a pitcher. I’m not being results oriented here (if the first pitch is grounded into a DP I still think it’s a long-term bad decision). As it stands, League plunks the next batter, but that’s moot .. What if the count proceeds and League falls behind 2-0, 3-1, etc etc.. What happens then? He goes away from trying to make his pitch and focuses on trying to make any strike, because the Jays don’t want to load the bases with one out. If he falls behind and simply tries to throw a strike, it’s much more likely Suzuki tags one and gets a hit.
As it stands I just think League walks the bases loaded far more often there then he gets the double play ball we desire, so I hated this play. Or if not a walk, I think it’s too often he falls behind in the count and severely tilts the odds in favor of the hitter. Thoughts?
Second, I love Eckstein and he’s always been one of my favorite players in the MLB but I’m beginning to question him as a leadoff man. What do you think of him moving down to 9th and Rios slotting into the leadoff spot? I know it’s still early, but Rios hasn’t exhibited the same power he did last season thus far (maybe more people know him, getting worse pitches, etc.) but he has shown a greatly improved knowledge of the strike zone and patience. He’s getting on about as well as anybody on the club and it would probably only amount to a few at-bats extra per season, but with the game on the line and that one extra at-bat available, I’d much rather it be Rios who gets that chance.
Perhaps this will only be an option when Rolen returns so he can slot into the 5th spot in the lineup, but with Rios at leadoff now perhaps both Wells and Thomas could just move up. What do you think?
MW: I agree with you that having League walk Hannahan exposes a potential control issue for League, but he had the wiggle room to walk (or hit) another guy without it being a disaster, and the 8-9 guys were coming up. You might disagree with the move, but it certainly wasn’t “absolutely brutal.”
Rios leading off, huh? Well, if he keeps walking like this, I have zero issue with that. Hill or Rolen could hit two, Wells and Thomas move up (Gibbons really wants Wells hitting third), Stairs five and Hill or Rolen six. But I can’t believe you’re only now just beginning to question Eckstein as a leadoff man.
- ColeSorry I couldn’t spell Hill’s name yesterday Mike, I was alittle angry because you were being a jerk. Hill doesn’t suck at baseball but he’s just an avg. MLB player which there is no shame in but the’s nothing more then that.
MW: There is no shame indeed about being an average MLB player, but Aaron Hill is not one.
- Dan M.Mike it seems to me that you think the Jays offence is alot better then it actually is. They should do well against left handed pitching but thats even questionable. there is just so much that can go wrong with the jays offence. I’m not saying this because of last night but im still saying no Bonds no playoffs for the Jays.
MW: OK
- Dan M.Mike you never told me why you think Hill is “better suited” for the 2 hole.
Can I assume its because he’s short?
MW: Yep, because he’s short and white.
- Dan M.Mike have you watched the replay of the Scutaro play good throw and I think Scutaro has him. and even if its on a 50/50 shot its the top of nine in a tie game I think you take your shot at home there unless you can turn the double play. Which I don’t think they could have.
Did you talk to anyone else about this issue? did they all agree with you?
MW: Four comments in a row? There was not a chance that Scutaro makes the play at the plate. I spoke to several people about it, and not a single one thought it was a good decision. Gregg Zaun himself even said that he wasn’t expecting a throw - at all.
- Dan M.That Buck double would have taken a gem from Mac, but I think the single up the middle wouldn’t have even looked impressive enough to make the highlight reel if Mac had been out there.
I always wonder why infielders never let weak liners like that drop for a chance at two. When was the last time you saw it in the majors? (I think Delgado did it years ago). Is there some sort of unwritten rule going on here that you don’t mess with the loopholes in the infield fly rule because it’s bush league?! Doesn’t seem to be much risk in that situation- worst case the ball bounces off your glove and rolls away and you’re still going to get the guy at third.
MW: I think they just think that there’s too much risk of the ball bouncing away and them looking like an idiot, which is too bad. I’d have loved to have seen Crosby back off that ball. I can’t really remember ever seeing it.
- JonathanMike, I have enjoyed listening to you during this last homestand. I like the interaction between all three of you. Please let Jerry know to don’t forget all of the XM Radio listeners when he thanks the people for listening on the Fan 590 or the internet. We don’t want to be forgotten.
The only beef that I have with XM is that I don’t get to hear the road broadcasts. I get only the home team feed.
However, that wasn’t all bad. I enjoyed listening to Vin Scully when you played at Dodger Stadium last year.
Please, Mike heat up the bats when runners are in scoring position. These last three games just killed me.
Best wishes from a South Carolina Jays fan.
- 96 JaysFan (Keith Banks)Hi Mike, Jeff Blair notes in his blog that coaches and teamates are concerned about Accardo not using his splitter. I recall that he wasn’t using it much at the end of last year. What are you hearing about this? He’s looking quite hittable without it.
MW: It seems as though Accardo isn’t terribly comfortable with his splitter right now, which means it’s probably not working the way he wants it to. Not having it does take away a very big weapon of his, or at least not using it.
- SteveSorry, but I just have to keep keep banging the drum about Gibbons. It’s true what you say about lack of clutch hitting last night, but in all three games, key decisions late in the game cost us opportunities to win. Example from last night: he doesn’t pinch-hit for Scutoro batting a buck and a quarter, presumably because he doesn’t want to take him off of third base (although I’m comfortable with MacDonald at third), but then he pinch runs for Overbay and is forced to change the defence anyway. What was he thinking? His way keeps the crappier bat up in a crucial situation, loses his preferred defensive alignment and Overbay’s bat.
MW: He didn’t pinch-hit for Scutaro in the 9th last night (I’m assuming that when you have the issue) because all he had left on the bench at the time was Buck Coats. Pinch-running for Overbay happened before that, with McDonald, and I don’t think you would have wanted McDonald pinch-hitting.
- GrampsHey Mike
I was a supporter of keeping Reed, and I’ve let that go, but I think that Stew catch is hardly a good example to convince the doubters. Maybe Reed doesn’t need to dive on a play like that?
“McDonald should be starting every time the Jays face a left-handed pitcher” - I say you should remove ‘left-handed’ from that sentence. I’ll give Eckstein a few more weeks to prove his scrappiness and grit are worth top-of-the-order placement. If not, I’d be happy to have a ninth hitter like Mac who can save the game on defense.
Oh and I think you meant “hbp” not “hpb” in your entry about Eckstein’s 1-for-6.
MW: Nah, Reed still needs to dive, but he makes it look easier. And I meant “hpb”, but good eye. Hit by a Pitched Ball.
- Dan HMike, Do you also disagree with an intentional walk. An intentional walk like the bunt is a sacrificial strategy that can also come back to hurt a team on the offensive side of the ball. Simularly it does not always work. Both the bunt and intentional walk are situational and descretionary and should be utilized by the right person at the right time. Scuduro did not look comfortable laying down that bunt, leading me to believe that he has not had previous sucess in a bunt situation.
Situational coaching is what I think propels a team to sucess. If a coach utilizes these plays at the opportune time and with the right person. Opportunities for the bunt is based on the way the lineup is configured.
MW: Opportunities for the bunt are, indeed, based on the way the line-up is configured. In that if you have configured yor line-up to include a crappy hitter, you may ask him to bunt in an important situation. But asking a good hitter to bunt, almost regardless of when, is a bad idea.
- Neil DayeI don’t mind an intentional walk at the right time, by the way. Very different from a bunt.
mike, why did the jays keep stewart instead of johnson, stewarts arm is worse than it was 10 years ago, and his average is down, and reed johnson for the cubs has already helped keep the cubs in the game with his defense and his average is 389, what give here , it looks like a bad move by the jays but it must come down to the all mighty dollar. i do believe the jays saved just shy of 2 million dollars by keeping stewart because johnsons new contract was 3.2million this coming year.so what are the jays going to do with that money, buy a rent a player come july, i hope not because they could sure use johnson back now!
can you respond!
MW: I’ve addressed the Johnson/Stewart issue dozens of times, and my opinion hasn’t changed because Reed has had 18 good at-bats.
- conrad merkirHi Mike,
Please tell me that Alex Rios ran through a stop sign at 3rd in the bottom of the 11th because if he was waved home we need to find a new 3rd base coach IMMEDIATELY. Sending the runner home in that situation is completely unacceptable in my tier 3 men’s softball league let alone at the major league level. On the camera angle from behind home plate it was clear that Rios was DOA if the cut off man makes the throw. I think he was in a complete state of shock to see that Rios was actually headed for home and hesitated just long enough to save the Jays from being the laughing stock of major league baseball.
This isn’t the first major hiccup from the 3rd base coach either. In the Boston series there was a runner on 2nd (I believe it was Overbay) and somebody hit a single into the gap between left and centre. Manny cut it off running almost full speed to his left. With all his momentum carrying him towards centre field he probably wouldn’t even have attempted a throw home let alone thrown him out (there was probably a better chance of him making some side-arm throw 50 feet in the air). Yet there’s Peavy throwing up the stop sign that ends up costing the Jays a run.
Yesterday I pointed out Gibbons’ blunders in his misuse of Downs/Wolfe and today another HUGE gaffe from the coaches. Just because these things didn’t impact the outcome of the game doesn’t mean we shouldn’t continue to point out the glaring weakness on this team.
Let me ask you this Mike. If you made a $100 million annual investment in your business would you go out and hire a top level experienced manager to run that business even if it costs you $4 million a year or would you hire your roommate from college because he was a “good guy” and you thought he deserved a chance?
MW: It’s not like J.P. Ricciardi pulled John Gibbons off the street and made him the manager. He had been a very good manager in the minors, working his way up.
You’re right about Marty Pevey. I mentioned that Rios play in the post-game and also the hiccups against Boston. But you don’t pull the rug out from under a guy 10 games into a season.
- MattI have to apologize for yesterday, you were right. Good teams lose to weaker teams ALL the time. Take the Jays for example, they lose to weaker teams ALL the time.
Your Chicken Little comments are tired, it’s no different than being stuffed with blind faith and being paid to defend a team no matter what they do.
There is no defense for this team and what they do with weaker teams. Again, I don’t enjoy 3rd place, but it sounds like some of “us” do.
The only stat that matters, where you finish. And where has this team finnished for the last decade?
MW: Well, they finished second once. And last once. But that’s a really short-sighted way to look at things.
- Ian JMorning, Mike:
I didn’t hear JaysTalk (is that the way you’re spelling it?) last night, so I don’t know if this subject came up, but I’d like your opinion on the Jays’ pitching patterns.
Specifically, I noticed that Marcum got at least three or four of his strikeouts “high in the zone” (swinging, too).
I also noted that many of the A’s hits — not just last night, but all series –were on low balls. This was especially noteworthy on Buck’s winning double, which he picked almost off the ground.
Hence my question — even though the Jays have their best success when they “pound the lower half of the zone”, wouldn’t it make sense to mix in a bit more “high heat”?
I realize League hit Kuzuki with a high pitch, so maybe they were trying to work him up, but what about Buck? I didn’t see one high pitch to him all night, and he’s raked the low pitches all series.
I’m thinking the A’s “out-thought” the Jays (except for Marcum), and were sitting on the low fast balls.
MW: Could be. But a lot of the success for a lot of these guys is based on throwing strikes low in the zone and having hitters pound them into the ground. Missing low often yields less spectacularly bad results than missing high, and the A’s deserves credit for being able to hit line drives on the low-zone pitches.
- NormPlease tell me the Jays won’t hit this poorly with RISP all season. Last night’s collective effort at the plate was a disgrace. They’ll never be a playoff contender until they actuallly take advantage of very weak and inexperienced starting pitching. I know it’s early, but Eckstein looks like a bust at the dish, and perhaps in the field as well.
MW: No one is a bust at anything ten games in. I certainly hope the Jays won’t hit this poorly with RISP all season. If they do, they’re done.
- BirnsyIts often said(true or not) that teams take on the personality of their manager. In the Jays case, it appears to be true because Gibbons seems to have a very laid back attitude. Thus, the Jays play that way when playing teams other than the Yankees and Red Sox.Their laid back approach killed them last year and in the early going of this year. Maybe the Jays need to bring in a manager that will push them harder because the talent is there but not the results.
MW: Hold on a second. Gibbons’ laid-back attitude only affects the team when they’re not playing the Red Sox or Yankees?
- aviMike–
While McDonald did better against lefties in ‘07, McDonald is a career .645 OPS hitter against LHP. Eckstein is a career .731 OPS hitter against LHP.
Whether facing a lefty or no, starting McDonald in a game where the Jays are not pitching one of their three groundballers doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. Marcum’s flyball rate diminishes the defensive advantage McDonald gives you.
This is a team that needs to squeeze every single run they can out of what looks like a mediocre lineup.
MW: It has looked like a mediocre line-up for two whole games. Before that, it was fine. The difference between Mac’s and Eck’s numbers against lefties isn’t enough to warrant the drop-off in defense, especially with McDonald catching up lately.
- MichaelMike,
You gotta turn JaysTalk into a podcast. Not all of us can listen right after the game (some of us have girlfriends who have been patient for the three hours in which we watched the game but might want some much-deserved attention), but you might find more of an audience who can listen the next day on their commutes to work, or whatever else. Anyway, keep up the good work.
MW: Tell your girlfriend to wait an extra half-hour or so, come on! I’m working on the podcast thing, but it’s out of my control.
- MoAnother tough game Mike.
Is it true that the jays have now lost 8 in row at home to the a’s going back to last year.Another thing on this bunting,when the game ends and the deficit is one run it is easy to say we should have bunted unfortunately the manager does not know it is going to be a one run game in the 1st inning.
Go Jays!!!
MW: And the bunt doesn’t always work. The losing streak at home to Oakland is now at seven.
- marioBy the way an intentional walk and a bunt are the same in that your a taking a chance that my come back to hurt a team. however, one is a defensive strategy the other offensive.
MW: In that case, a stolen base attempt is the same as a bunt and an intentional walk.
- NeilWhat I love most about you blog Mike is how you take the time to comment on the comments. Shows you are reading, and engaging us the reader. (Could you say hi to my Dad for me next time? He’s a big fan too!)
What was the biggest difference between the sweeping of the Red Sox and the being swept by the A’s? Is there a fundamental game plan that was/is different from those teams, or in the Jays approach to those two teams?
Tight game. Fun to watch, if being frustrated on the edge of my seat is called fun…
MW: The biggest difference is that they pitched well and hit well in all three games against the Red Sox, and didn’t have one game in which they did both those things against Oakland. Hi, Useless Man’s Dad!
- USELESS MANWell, it’s starting to look like a couple of experiments made by this team over the winter are coming back to bite them, specifically Eckstein and Stewart.
Reed Johnson batting .389 with an OBP of .500 for the Cubbies is starting to look real good by comparision to either Stewart or Stairs.
Eckstein’s limitation’s on defense will cost us over and over again. So far his bat is not even close to being what is needed, particulary in the lead off position.
It’s time to put Johnny Mac in, bat him 9th, and try someone else at leadoff-maybe Hill or Rios.
It’s also time we call up Adam Lind from AAA. He’s now 2nd in the league in batting average at .448, tied for the lead in rbi’s, 4th in the league in hr’s. Send down Coates; and play Lind.
Just writting in Eckstein at lead off and Stewart in the 2 hole isn’t working. Let’s try something else.
I also think it’s time to consider calling up Robinson Diaz who’s hitting .353 for Syracuse. He could make a good 2nd hole guy, with Rios leading off. I’ve just never been sold on Barajas-and I don’t think the pitchers are either.
MW: We’re nine games in.
- GerryHey Mike, I just have two quick points.
The “peak & valley” offense is going to drive us nuts all season long! This team is real good WHEN it hits.
& just wondering. did the staff at the Rogers Cen catch all the crickets that totally disrupted the extra innings last night?
Just a side note. Do you think the Jays have an issue with the advanced scouting?
No name guys love putting a beat down on the Jays.
MW: The thing is, nobody advances these guys when they’re in AAA, but that’s no excuse for not hitting the new kids. And silence at Rogers Centre surprises you?
- Justin EdwardsMike,
I want desperately to have faith in Eckstein and I know he has been taking a lot of flack on the Blog, but man, I’m losing hope for him. His ineffectiveness to hit the ball out of the infield is depressing. His two strike approach is about as weak as a ten year old little leaguer’s and his ‘canon’ of an arm is equally as juvenile. Yes we have played only nine games Mike and sure he has started just eight but you must agree that his performance, notwithstanding a 3 rbi performance against the Sox, has to this point, been pathetic.
MW: His two-strike approach I like, actually. He fouls off a ton of two-strike pitches, or at least he has so far this year. His defensive deficiencies stood out last night, but that was the only time. But yes, it’s nine game in. The guy has hit his whole career.
- KeithHi Mike,
I know a lot of people are tired of the steroid thing, however I just wanted to comment on something. I just read an article where Pat Borders said that he was taking Andro and Greenies while with the Jays.
I’m glad to see that he just came out and admitted to it when asked. I think if more players of the past did that (and pointed out that it wasn’t banned at the time) it would be less of an issue. Just admit what they’ve done and move on.
MW: It was Ed Sprague, but I agree with you. And even though they weren’t banned at the time, amphetamines were still illegal.
- Glenn WaddenMike, there’s alot of comments you make about baseball I disagree with. Evan good teams lose to bad teams. Of course they do, but the good teams like Boston and New York do it a hell of lot less then the The Jays and that’s the difference.
MW: Look at how the Yankees have done against Tampa Bay the last few years.
- brunoMike, In this series I’ve seen some of the tendencies I saw last year which cost them games and eventually a season, for example
Failing to drive in runners, base running blunder, failing to win at least two out of three from a inexperienced team under five hundred. I listen to your radio show. At times I feel that you are to hard on people that are frustrated about seeing the same thing over and over for fifteen years or hearing excuses from Jp. One year Payroll another year division another year injuries. Last time I checked blue jays were always in a division with yankees and boston. Yankees and boston were always big markets and in sports there are always injuries.
You mention that fans, should be rational however when it comes to being a die hard fan, Rational after a fifteen year drought is not that easy.
We are just a bunch of angry customers that subscribe to an organization owned by the fourth richest canadians. In customer service they would tell you(the recipient to of irate customers) to empathize.
By the way Im not a fan of public ownership when it comes to sports teams. Acountability gets lost, All that matters is bottom line, and if it’s met you can have lousy GM’s
and presidents like Isiah and in my opionion Paul Godfrey serving long tenures undeservingly. Let’s get some real fans of the game/businessmen running our sports teams.
MW: I don’t know which is better, look at the job Peter Angelos is doing in Baltimore. All corporate ownership doesn’t have to be like the Teachers’ Pension Fund, but it’s definitely better for the fans to see one face in charge instead of a board of directors.
- alexanderWith John Macdonald pitch running for Overbay in the 10th (I beileve), could the Jays have moved Eckstein over to first? Leaving Macdonald at short and Marco Scutaro at third given that their the stronger defenders. If David Ortiz can(sort of) play first surly Eckstein could do a good job in that situation.
Keep up the great work Mike.
MW: There’s nothing surly about Eckstein. I’d much rather have Scutaro at first base than him, though.
- Will LuybenHey Mike…does Gerry still have the Punkey Doodles Corner sign up in the broadcast booth?
From a hometown boy
MW: No, sorry, the sign is gone.
- MarlinThis is in response to the first comment complaining about pitch counts.
It should be noted that: “Throwing is not dangerous to a pitcher’s arm. Throwing while tired is dangerous to a pitcher’s arm.” Pulling a pitcher at 105 pitches as was the case with Marcum is a preventive measure. I don’t know about anyone else, but I’d rather have a healthy Marcum than a Marcum who blows his arm out midseason because he was pitching when his arm was too tired.
An example could be AJ Burnett last year. Between May 27 and June 12. In the first three starts of that stretch he pitched 125/8,117/7.1,130/7 respectfully. In his start on June 12 Burnett went 4.2 throwing 82, and then landing right on the DL. He came back 2 weeks later, and landed right back on the DL until August. Now you could say that was just AJ Burnett. But Marcum showed fatigue near the end of last season. With the lack of depth in the starting pitching at the moment, I wouldn’t want to take a risk at overworking any of my starters at the moment.
Not much for Mike to comment on, but I felt compelled to put it out there.
- BrendanRegarding the attendance … Listening to whining about small crowds always rubs me the wrong way. It’s simplistic to blame hockey for it, especially when the Leafs are already out golfing.
Toronto’s a different city than it was during the World Series years, and those crowds of 50,000 every night. There are more immigrants, many from countries who don’t play baseball; traffic is worse, discouraging out-of-towners, especially on week nights; gun crimes have given some people the mistaken impression that crime is rampant downtown; the high dollar discourages American visitors; there are professional basketball and soccer teams that weren’t around in the early 1990s to compete for dollars.
But I think the biggest reason is that they aren’t winning. When the 1992 season began, they’d had nine straight winning seasons, including three first place finishes. Since then, they’ve had three winning seasons in a row only once, and all three years they finished third. Winning creates a buzz that attracts people who are casual fans, or not fans at all.
I suppose the team and the players would rather have 50,000 casual fans than 20,000 die-hards. Me, though I’d like the Jays to have the financial resources to compete with Boston and New York, I don’t miss the crowds from the early 1990s. Too many people showing up in the 2nd inning, leaving in the 7th. Too hard to get tickets that weren’t in the nosebleeds. And the big crowds weren’t all that loud anyway.
Even though good seats are easy to get now, I plead guilty to non-attendance. Before the strike, I used to go to 15-20 games a year. Now, I go to a couple, almost always before the all-star break, because I don’t expect the Jays to be playing meaningful games in August and September. I can enjoy a game or two a year, win or lose, for the pleasure of sitting in the seats with a beer, preferably outside, and relaxing for three hours. To enjoy 15 or 20, I’m going to want to see a team that wins more often than it loses.
MW: I think it’s the combination of the strike, the buzz wearing off SkyDome and the losing, but mostly the losing. That said, if they do start to win again, I don’t think they get back to selling out every night.
- JasonRegardless of where you put him, is Rolen really such a good hitter that his presence in the line-up will be huge?
MW: He’s a whole lot better than Scutaro, so he’ll likely make a big difference.
- simonMike,
Just to assure you, the rocket surgeon was deliberate. Although, the writers of Mystery Alaska and Mike Myers deserve the credit. That is where I first discovered the term, but I have heard several times since. So, I feel it is common enough to use without citation.
I do have a question for you. I was at the second Boston game and have noticed in several other games that the Jays seem to be having trouble throwing first pitch strikes. Do you have any numbers to compare this year (so far) to last year? Based on only observation, it seems that is where Litsch, Burnett, Accardo, and League have been getting into trouble. I could be mistaken. Would like to hear your thoughts.
MW: I do keep track of first-pitch strikes (for home games, anyway), but seeing as I’m just trying to get through these comments and the games actually going, I can’t go through them all now. Remind me later! And I much appreciate the rocket surgeon thing, hadn’t heard it before.
- OxyMike!
Just a reflection from last night’s post game call-in.
1. re:Bunts; For the most part, I think bunts in the AL are wasted outs. So, hold on to your thoughts Mike, somebody in the b-sphere agrees with you.
- Mike M. (Ottawa)For the past 4-5 seasons, it seems that the Jays fold when confronted with a young Lefty they have never seen before. Other teems seem to recognise this also. Why is this the case Mike? Finally, can the Jays win a championship with Gibbons as Manager? I asked that last year and again this year. Think about it.
MW: Yes, they can. Will they? Whole other story. I never would have thought the White Sox would win a championship with Ozzie managing, or the Diamondbacks with Bob Brenly.
- Mike M. (Ottawa)Mike how come no one has mentioned flipping Hill and Little Eck? I’m guessing its because Little Eck is only here for one year, but if the Jay’s did flip the two do you think they would be better defensively?
MW: I don’t think so, especially once Rolen gets back. Being surrounded by Hill and Rolen means Eck will need to do less.
- Dan M.Isn’t it funny how Scott Spezio pleads guilty to what ever he did and gets a contract with Atlanta practially the next day. but Barry Bonds the best hitter I’ve ever seen in my life hasn’t had a offer from any MLB team.
- Dan M.Will tonights game be on Rogers digital cable???????????????????????
MW: Channel 399 in Toronto, at least.
- Dan M.In fairness, the Jays are hitting 258 with RISP, and that’s above the AL average. They were hitting nearly 290 a couple of games ago, and this awful 3 game showing makes them look a lot worse than there RISP #’s indicate.
I agree 100% on Mac playing against all lefties. His 3 year split was like .009 OPS lower than Eckstein. Considering his defense, it shouldn’t even be a question who plays vs lefties. I know they Jays don’t want to platoon SS, but if Eckstein is the “team player” I’ve heard so much about, he’ll have no problem letting Mac play against all lefties. The added bonus is with him out of the lineup against LHP, it’s an excuse to get Hill more at bats in the 2 spot. They’ll probably lead off with Stew against lefties though :(.
You might find this amusing, but would the Jays consider leading off with Rios when Rolen comes back? They’re giving the most at bats to their worst hitter (Eckstein, and even if he improves he’s maybe a 700-730 OPS guy), which isn’t a good thing. If Rios leads off, especially with his newfound patience (8 BB, 33 AB), it kind of gives the team a different feel. I know Rios looks good in the 3 spot right now, but to me, he’s the catalyst and the driving force of the team. The lineup revolves around him, and it seems like he’s starting always starting the rallies. And while it’s way too early to bust out the situational stats due to sample size, he’s hitting better with nobody on (962 OPS, mainly OBP driven), than with runners on (879 OPS) or RISP (718 OPS).
If the Jays were to do this when Rolen came back, it’d be somewhat acceptable given that Wells could be having a 03/06 type season, and could be a good option for the 3 spot. A top 7 going Rios, Hill, Wells, Thomas, Overbay, Rolen, Stairs (the last 4 could be flipped) seems a bit more intimidating than Eck, Stairs/Stew, Rios, Wells, Thomas, Overbay. What are your thoughts on this?
I’d like to think the Jays will take advantage of the Rangers, but they’ve historically sucked against Padilla from what I remember.
MW: They’ve historically sucked against the Rangers in general. I don’t think the idea of leading off Rios is funny at all, see an earlier comment.
- MarkHey Mike,
Clearly a horrendous series that looked pretty promising going in. What can you do? Hopefully we have more luck in Texas than we’ve had in the recent past, but after this series, who knows?
My question, however, is about some of our prospects: David Purcey, Adam Lind and Travis Snider.
Purcey had a really great fall league and has followed that with a couple of great starts in Syracuse. Having not seen him in spring training, do you think he’s starting to figure things out and what do you think the odds are of us seeing him relatively soon with the big club? Also, how’s his stuff? I think he throws low-ninties, but what does he package that with?
Why don’t they want Lind to play first? Is Overbay really so great as to block Lind from playing there?
As for Snider, I realize he’s still a crazy young kid, but I’m a little confused by their decision to send him down to A ball after his stellar fall league and solid showing in spring. I thought for sure they’d give him a crack at New Hampsire. Although I don’t see the point in overly rushing him, pretty much all of the fal league guys are double A or higher and Snider pretty much raked. Can he field the ball or will he likely be Thomas’ eventual replacement.
Finally, I realize Aaron Hill is a great second baseman, but given their difficulty finding a shortstop over the years….Can’t Russ Adams play second? (Crazily they’re trying him in the outfield where he’ll probably never hit enough to be worthwhile?) I think they pretty much blew that one from the start, as every scouting report in the world said that Adams couldn’t play big league shortstop and should be moved to second. Hill, I think, probably can play short.
Any thoughts?
MW: Hill’s a great second baseman, and a solid shortstop. I think they should leave him there. I have never seen Snider play defense, but I’m glad they didn’t start him in New Hampshire. Like you said, no need to rush - he’ll be there soon. Overbay is here three more years and is a very good first baseman. Russ Adams should never play the infield again.
- peteSorry about the grammar of my previous message. I was rushing to get somewhere.
MW: I’m taking it easy, because I’m in a rush.
- peteSo the sky is falling eh? Must be fun living in Toronto sometimes. Anyway I think I brought up this point last week but I could swear that sometimes it looks like Wells Rios and Stew/Stairs are either way out of position, caught off guard by where the ball is going or just aren’t fast enough to get to it. I can’t really recall exact plays but that’s how I’m seeing it. Am I just being paranoid/frustrated or am I seeing something that really is there. If so is it the defensive scheme or the players?
MW: You’re just being paranoid/frustrated.
- NickHi Mike,
First of all, love your show.
The Jays were consistent in the beginning - carefully selecting pitches, which in turn wore down pitchers early in the game. They were baserunning to shift guys around to scoring position.
A series later, they forgot everything. They can’t bring guys in, and they are swinging at first pitches.
Your comments.
MW: When the first pitch looks tasty, it’s OK to swing at it. That’s what I think happened against the A’s - they thought they were getting their pitch, but the weren’t. Sneaky lefties.
- David BrennanAs a former usher at the Rogers centre, I am not surprised by the recent stints of violence in the stands.
Often reports are ignored by supervisors because it is too late in the game, etc.
Fans are a very important aspect of any kind of professional/amateur sports. Besides fans acting appropriately, how do you think the Jays can make the Rogers Centre a more fan friendly environment?
MW: Only by cutting off beer sales and not allowing the hooligany types into the stadium. It’s not the booze that’s making people act like idiots, it’s the fact that those people are idiots.
- David Brennan“MW: No, you should feel pretty bad for asking me this because he’s always been a slinger. I’ve never seen him throw over the top.”
Should i feel bad for making a mistake? like 2+2=4
or for lying ? as in intentionally trying to mislead in order to injure ? I think this is the example you used on a reader when they tried to point out a mistake that you made in regards to Accardo.
Because i can understand feeling bad for lieing, but for making a mistake and being chastised for trusting you enough to broach a question for which i admited ignorance to seems a little ignorant on your part — But i do notice how you like to utilize the moralizing parental voice when addressing your readers.
Sorry i asked Mike, it was ‘wrong’ of me.
MW: No, that’s not it. You said something about feeling bad in your post, so that’s why I put it in my answer. Everybody always thinks I’m being mean all the time.
- JacksonHey Mike,
Off topic of this stinker series I wanted to ask your opinion on a few things.
1. Do the Jays use any past players as special instructors or have they considered any as coaches as from Ernie?
I was always a big Pat Hentgen fan and wonder now if he would have any success as a pitching coach?
2. Who is the clubhouse leader as it stands? From the outside looking in it seems like Vernon and Roy would be the big two. Am I off on that?
Thanks!
MW: The Jays use all kinds of guest coaches and special instructors in the springtime. Dave Stieb, Hentgen and Cito Gaston were all there this year. I think Hentgen will do well if he decides to coach. He knows the game, and he knows how to get along with people.
And I have no idea who the clubhouse leader is. The players let us see what they want us to see.
- MJHi Mike,
Can you tell the fans of Toronto, who in The Jays line up puts the fear in the apposing pitcher like Alex Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz as examples.
MW: Nobody. The Jays don’t have any hitters who are as good as those guys.
- brunoCouple Questions Mike.
You turn on sportsnet tomorrow morning and the headline is Jays call up Adam lind and send down coats.
Are you:
1) Surprised?
2) Think it’s the right move.
The guy’s tearing it up right now in AAA
MW: I’d be surprised, because Coats is here to be on the bench, and if Lind were to be called up, he’d have to play.
- ChrisJust so you are aware of why i was asking my question, it because of an article from the Jays website from 2007:
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070323&content_id=1856323&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor
In it there is a picture of what League’s old arm slot looked like, and even cites the lowered arm slot as part of Leagues problem.
So yes, League has always been a slinger, but he has not always been a sidearmer.
I just wondered about why this perceived problem is no longer a problem, but seeing as you were unaware of this issue your opinion on the topic is of no value.
I just wanted you to know the facts before you cut up my last post in an effort to justify your comments and your-self.
MW: Wow, you’re so angry right now! You said in your post that you had seen League throw over the top with great success - he hasn’t ever done that. I was trying to be cute in my answer, but I won’t do that anymore.
- JacksonOh by the way, the way you describe your style of baseball is so boring, just like the Jays so far.
MW: And yet, you’re still here.
- brunoA caller called in to Prime Time Sports and wondered wether john Gibbons is the right man to lead the jays and Bob McCown response was that he like Gibbons, but he wonders why he took a slight pay raise to sign that one year contract extention, where he thought john Gibbons should have asked for more. Then he said he thinks John Gibbons is controlled by JP Ricciardi and john Gibbons is JP yes man. He also think JP is a control freak and wants to control everything thus he found a willing partner in john gibbons unlike a tony La Russa or Joe Torre. What do you think about Bob McCown responce?
MW: I think that’s what Bob thinks.
- andrewHi Mike,
OK, what’s the deal with Greg Zaun’s inability to hold onto his bat when he swings and misses? Is his hand still not right from last year?
MW: No, he’s always done that. I don’t get it, either. Reminds me of Cliff Johnson.
- ShawnYou said the Blue Jays need a leadoff man right. I think the perfect leadoff man is Jose Reyes. What do you think about Jose Reyes as a leadoff man beause he can get on base and steal bases?
MW: Jose Reyes really doesn’t get on base that well, but man, can he fly once he does. But I’ve always been a “you can’t steal first” type. Last year, Reyes had his career high in obp against righties, and it was just .347. That’s terrible for a leadoff man.
- julianDo you like how Ed Sprague admited to using steroids and using a corked bat? I thought it was refreshing that a person like Ed Sprague admited to it because almost everybody was using some sort of performance enhansing substance.
MW: I agree, I wish everyone would.
- gregDoes it upset you that Mark McGwire is not in the hall of fame because it upsets me because everybody was using steroids in the 1900’s and who knows, someone already in the hall of fame could have took steroids?
MW: Yes, I think it’s pretty hypocritical of the voters to leave him out, especially the ones who revise history in their attempts to show that they’re not voting him in on merit, as opposed to because of the andro and the hearings.
- garyWow… That highlight of the Orioles and Luke Scott.
The announcer i think it was joe angel… Does he ever use any emotion when he speaks?
BORING
- ChrisMaybe I was being harsh when I said the Jays’ offense was “mediocre”… but if you think their hitting is better than average than you’re almost forced to admit (given their pitching and defense) that they’re pretty much the best squad in the AL. I guess that leads me to this question: if everyone is reasonably healthy, is this the best team in the AL?
I guess you can squint and hope they’re the 2002 Angels or maybe 2005 White Sox… I still worry that aside from Rios the guys they’re hoping to produce in ‘08 are aging (Thomas, Rolen, Overbay), inconsistent (Wells), or unproven (Hill).
MW: Overbay is aging? He’s 31. I don’t think this is the best team in the AL, but if everyone is reasonably healthy, they’re as good as anyone.
- MichaelWill we have JaysTalk after the game?
MW: There’s always JaysTalk!
- andrewHi Mike
Always a listener..great show.
Just a question….I understand how and when pitchers are not charged for earned runs following an error…..but…..what if the error is their own ??
Great reading in this blog!!
MW: If the error is their own, it’s still not an earned run, but I can understand why some think it should be. I’m kind of on the fence on that one.
- Chris Vbeing in winnipeg we do get most radio broadcasts on ckmw but your post game show is rarely on the 590 audio stream. i realize the game can’t be broadcast online … why does this rule also apply to the postgame show?
MW: I don’t know if it does or not. I’ve been trying to find out. It might just be a matter of flipping a switch after the game ends, but it might not.
- neil