1:15 AM Eastern
David Eckstein at the bottom of the line-up? John McDonald as a defensive replacement in the ninth inning? Was I managing the game tonight? Wait a minute, let me check……………no, Rios was leading off, not Overbay, so it wasn’t me.
I was very pleased to see that John Gibbons came to the right decision and moved Eckstein down to the 9-hole, where I have been suggesting that his bat belongs ever since the Blue Jays acquired him in December of last year. He simply doesn’t get on base enough to warrant being used in one of the top two spots in the order, recent slump or otherwise. Now that he’s hitting ninth, though, we can open the debate as to whether or not the Jays would be better suited starting McDonald and batting him ninth, but I continue to believe that this team needs as much offense as it can get, so I’m happy to have Eckstein in there for the first seven innings. I’m also thrilled by the fact that it appears Gibbons will now use McDonald on a regular basis for defense late in games which the Blue Jays lead.
It took them almost six weeks to come around, but they did. For those of you who feel this move reaffirms the fact that the Jays “have no plan”, the truth is that it’s OK to adjust what you’re doing in an effort to be better, and this move makes the team better.
Does moving Adam Lind to the bench and Shannon Stewart into left field every day make the Jays better, though? The jury is still out on this one. It seems that the Jays pulled the chute on Lind very early here, ending his run as the left fielder just six games in after a 1-for-19 start. The move has a dual purpose, though, I think. It was as much about Stewart as it was about Lind.
Shannon had been scuffling along this season, hitting just .227/.316/.273 going into the game, though he has been wiping the floor with left-handed pitchers. Gibbons said before the game that he felt that in order to get Stewart going, he had to starting using him more, and hitting him at the top of the line-up. The move paid immediate dividends, with Shannon going 3-for-4 with a pair of singles and a triple, and lo and behold he’s now hitting .257/.338/.329 for an OPS of .667 (which happens to be ten whole points lower than Reed Johnson’s – horrible decision they made).
If Stewart gets back to being Stewart, the .300/.360/.430 guy he’s always been, then it’s a good move. Remember, Lind was supposed to spend this entire year at Syracuse anyway, and come back next year to be the every day left fielder. This can still happen, though you have to wonder how much holding him down in Syracuse for a week after Frank Thomas was released had an effect on stalling his progress. He was red hot before the stiff neck/extra week potentially to save money in 2010. Lind won’t stick around here to sit on the bench. He’ll be sent back to Syracuse within the week, and the Jays will call up someone like Joe Inglett or Buck Coats, or maybe pick up a guy like Jason Botts or deal for a lefty-masher to platoon with Stairs at DH. They are facing three lefties in four days in Cleveland next weekend.
Dustin McGowan? Unbelieveable. A great outing as the rotation continues to play “Can You Top This?” He was in trouble only once, in the third, when Juan Uribe led off with an infield chop single and Toby Hall followed with a ground-ball double right down the left-field line. Hall calls the Jays’ Shawn Camp “cupcakes”, by the way. Just thought you should know that. They were teammates in Tampa Bay.
With the top of the line-up up and runners at second and third and none out in a 0-0 game, McGowan got Orlando Cabrera to ground to short (with the Jays playing the infield back, Uribe should have scored. He thought about it, then turned back. Oops.) and Carlos Quentin to pop to shallow right, and then struck out Jim Thome. There wasn’t another real threat until the nervous ninth.
Poor Thome, by the way. He’s one of my all-time favourites, both as a person and as a player, and he went 2-for-15 in the series with two singles, a walk and eight strikeouts.
B.J. Ryan, released from the shackles of “no back-to-back appearances” came in to work the ninth and was scary as all get out. Scaring the Jays and their fans, that is. After a lead-off groundout, he walked Paul Konerko, Jermaine Dye and Nick Swisher to load the bases. Brad Arnsberg came out to settle him down, or ease the tension, or tell a dirty joke, whatever, it worked. He probably said something like, “Beej (they’re on familiar enough terms that Arnie doesn’t have to call him THE Beej), it’d probably be a good idea to get this guy to hit a one-bounce comebacker to the mound. After all, he’s only Pablo Freakin’ Ozuna.” Ryan did just that, and as easy as a 1-2-3 double play, the shutout was preserved, the game was over, and the Jays had a four-game sweep and a five-game win streak.
Did I mention that Matt Stairs homered? He’s a really good hitter, by the way.
Some notes of concern – over the five-game win streak, the Jays have scored just 15 runs and are 8-for-42 (.190) with runners in scoring position. Baby steps, though. It’s better than .079.
In his shaky inning of work, Ryan threw 28 pitches and only 12 of them were strikes.
Vernon Wells and Aaron Hill could only muster a double each – they’re killing this team.
John McDonald didn’t make a single play on defense in the ninth.
We end on a good note – the starting pitching ridiculosity. With McGowan’s outing today, here is what the Jays’ starters have done over the last nine games:
6-2, 1.09 ERA, 0.72 WHIP.
66 1/3 innings pitched (an average of 7.37 IP/start), 35 hits allowed, 13 walks, 41 strikeouts – EIGHT earned runs.
That’s “Holy Crap” level performance, and through almost two full turns in the rotation! A.J. Burnett gets to finish off the second turn when the Rays come to town.
Comments are encouraged, though none of April’s Chicken Littles have been around for a while. Let’s keep The JaysTalk going 24/7!
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Hey,
Why is everyone hating on Overbay? I think it may be the notion that first basemen should be power…but if a player is getting on base like that who cares what position he plays.
I’m also amazed at Matt Stairs. Why is he such a good hitter? He truthfully looks like one of my friends dad…its incredible he doesn’t pick up a bat all winter. Baseball never ceases to amaze me
MW: Yes! Finally the voice of reason! And as for Stairs – the dude can just, plain hit. Great eye, fantastic bat speed, he’s fun to watch.
- TSMichael of the Ballyard:
How long do you spend replying to comments, on average?
Did you partake in the Toronto Freedom Festival this past weekend? http://www.thestar.com/article/421228
MW: I’d say 2-3 hours a day on average, which is why I doubt I can continue at this pace. And no, I didn’t go to anything but ballgames this weekend. I’d say, on average, I have about a half-hour of spare time a day, if that, during the baseball season.
- JCLhey Mike,
Just wondering about Roger Clemens. Since he is accused of have a sexual relationship with a 15 year old girl, can he now be prosecuted for having sex with a minor. Thanks for the blog.
MW: As far as I know, there is no statue of limitations on murder or on statutory rape, so the answer may be yes if they can prove they had sex before she reached the age of constent. Of course, in Texas, the age of consent may well be 14.
- AndrewTouchez on Rehab Beej by the way. I’ll admit when I’m wrong. On another subject, I remain steadfast. I don’t expect you to repeat yourself but I thought I’d post an Overbay Watch. After tonight’s game: .252 avg, .361 obp, .320 slug.. You cannot find one person employed in a baseball capacity that will tell you a .681 OPS is good for anyone, let alone a first baseman. Overbay is also under .400 obp against righties too. I’m not saying he will always be inadequate but your persistence in this matter is utterly baffling. Love the blog though. G.
MW: Yeah, it’s under .400 against righties now. All the way down to .398. Look, like a commenter above echoed, I don’t care what position a guy plays if he’s on base all the bloody time. And a .398 obp means you’re on base all the bloody time. How’s this, though – by season’s end, the Blue Jays HR production from 1B-2B combined will be more than Boston’s and probably the same as the Yankees’. Does that make you feel better?
- GSammy Sosa would be the PERFECT platoon partner, he destroyed LHP last year (.328/.410/.613). I think he’d be a great bat for the bench and far more valuable than sitting the 6th and 7th relievers for 10 days.
MW: He certainly was crush-o-matic, and he’s available, but if you’d have to sell your soul to sign Barry Bonds, you certainly can’t go anywhere near Sammy Sosa.
- AriIf they are in fact listening, I’ve had a pipe dream to replace my Bonds ambition. How ’bout trading some pitching and Lind or Diaz for Micah Owings. He could DH, play left or first when he’s not starting. He hits lefties well enough and destroys righties. Mainly I just think it would be cool. I’m not sure I’d really want to give up Marcum or McGowan (Marcowan?) which they would likely want, but I would try to make it happen. Like I said, I know it is a pipe dream.
On the shortstop front it looks like there will be sanity. Gibbiardi has evidently decided to use Macstein appropriately.
Zaurajas is adequate behind the plate. If the Jays can create Owingsbay, lookout. G.
MW: It is a pipe dream, but it’s a great one. I would LOVE to see the Jays deal for Micah Owings in order to pitch him every 5th day and use him as a DH against lefties when he’s not pitching, maybe spot him at first at bit. I don’t think the D-Backs have any interest whatsoever in moving him, though. And Marcowan, huh? Keep on that and The Bobcat might find himself with a couple of favourite Blue Jays.
- GHoly Crap is right!
The Jays are the second best team in the majors in terms of runs allowed and third in team ERA. While I’d normally say its too early in the season to make any conclusions about how they’ll finish, there’s no reason to think they can’t keep this up (on aggregate, not the past 9) and finish in the top 5 in terms of pitching. I think most Jays fans recognized that the pitching and infield defense would be good this season, but I can’t help but think we may be watching something special in terms of this starting 5.
As for the offense, thats another story… You mentioned a lefty masher to platoon with Stairs, who would be out there in terms of players, especially this early in the season? Any chance Pitt would be open to a deal for Bay before the start of June, and would the Jays be willing to give up (especially, with AJ potentially bolting) or have the minor league pitching, presumably necessary to get the deal done?
Great job on the radio as always, and I particularly enjoyed your bit on the DJF podcast.
MW: Thanks for the kind words. Bay is available, and wants out of Pittsburgh, but he’s more than just a lefty-masher, and would cost more as well.
- jlowensteinThe Jays have an opportunity to trade one of the surplus relievers. I’d think Tallet is the most expendable and would have the most trade value but if Frasor could fetch something I guess he would fit too. Tallet though is a lefty and one too many. Carlson is also a sell-high candidate. Point is, GMs are always overpaying for relievers so if JP could steal a nice young SS for the near future or a “speedy OF” like you said on the show, well that would be just be scrumtrulescentagious now wouldnt it?
(Pardon my thievery of your schtick.)
MW: It would be thievery of my schtick if I could figure out what the hell word you were making there. I don’t think that a guy like Tallet or Frasor has enough value to bring back a nice young shortstop. Maybe the speedy OF, though.
- ShawnMike, I’m an American Jays fan and the only way to listen to your show is to catch the first 8 minutes or so through mlb.tv because you guys never have the live feed on due to the blackout restrictions from the game carrying over. Is there anyway to turn that feed on once your show starts? Or maybe you could start podcasting it? Thanks.
MW: I’m trying with the podcast, but ever since I’ve been made aware of the blackout thing, I’m trying to remember every night to tell our in-studio engineer to take the block off as soon as play-by-play ends. You should be able to hear the whole of The JaysTalk on fan590.com live.
- Matt SMW..this pitching is getting ridiculous. i have no words for it. jessie litsch gives up two earned runs and he’s the bum of the group. i knew vasquez was gonna be tough as he ALWAYS is against the jays (and most teams for that matter) and i figured Dustin would basically have to be perfect to get the W..and he nearly was.
heres a question for you, and i ask this truly without my own opinion yet formed. you have often related that bringing Mac in with a lead in the late innings to replace Eckstein is optimal use of the two guys….and i have strongly agreed..but then i got to thinking about it logically. (u see where im going with this)
logically, a run saved in the first several innings is just as valuable as a run saved in the 9th inning. if mac would have made a play that would have saved a few runs that Eck couldnt make (and this has happened to the tune of multiple runs at LEAST twice this year already) this might result in the last two innings not being so tight in the first place….wouldnt the same rationale that we use to justify bringing mac in the late innings to PRESERVE a lead also dictate using him EARLIER to OBTAIN the lead in the first place? again..im not sure where i stand on this yet but would appreciate your insight…thanks.
MW: It’s a delicate balance, and I have been thinking about the same thing. So far, I have come to the conclusion that I want the bat in there early to help get the lead.
- sammyMike : It was a very shakey ninth,but we got through it. There’s some of that “luck” you have mentioned in the past. All they needed was a blooper into left or right center and the game would be over, since we know how tough it is for them to score runs. I won’t go into a rant (you have had a slew already) but L.O. and behold…we faced a rightie today(did I say ‘we’?)same result.
That balk call seems to have screwed BJ’s delivery up…do you think that he can get past it? We can’t load the bases every time and hope for a DP…can we?
MW: You’re right, I’m convinced. Lyle Overbay went 0-for-3 without a walk last night, cut him. Alex Rios went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, cut him too.
- JackJoe Blanton is the one and only Cupcakes.
MW: David Wells and Rick Rueschel would like to have a word with you.
- TorgenHey Mike i think the jays definitely wont go on to set a record win wise but i do expect to see consistent runs like the current one we’re on normally especially with the power of the rotation.
MW: Just remember, last week they were going to lose 120 games.
- jonathanMike, what do you think of Scott Kazmir and the type of pitcher you think he could be. Will he develop into a top level starter in this league?
MW: He needs to cut down on his walks a little, improve his pitch efficiency to be able to get deeper into most games and, most importantly, stay healthy. He’s still only 24, though – younger than all the Jays’ starters save for Litsch.
- andrewHello Mike, I don’t know if you prefer it, but it’s nice to be able to ask little trivia questions instead of having to bemoan the performance of the team. However, it’s probably not as much fun as Chicken Little-ing. Toronto has a long history of masochistic fans, ala the Leafs.
I have two questions, sorry if anyone else asked them before me. One, do you think a lot of the reason that B J Ryan had trouble was the whole Ozzie Guillen loudly directing the umpires to watch for the balk and the ump gatteing upset about it, etc? If so do you see that as a good strategic move on Guillen’s part or rather cheap? I think the latter, but his team is really struggling, so maybe he wants to give them any opening he can.
Also, whay does Gregg Zaun toss bats so often? In climbing you are constantly warned against over gripping, as it wastes strength and hinders flexibility, so I am wondering if Zaun follows that train of thought, but when he swings hard and misses hasn’t got quite enough of a grip with his bottom hand. Does that make any sense to you?
Oops, that was more than two questions after all, sorry! Thanks.
MW: I find it hard to imagine that Ozzie’s whining about the balk was getting to Ryan. I think it was more than he couldn’t control his slider. His motion never changed. And I have no idea why Gregg Zaun throws bats so often. It hadn’t happened in a while before yesterday, though.
- kitaI thought I was seeing things when I saw Eckstein’s name at the bottom of the lineup. Fantastic! I actually like Rios at the top, I think since this team does not have a fantastic leadoff hitter (Overbay’s recent OBP notwithstanding) I see no real harm in putting Rios at the top. It limits his RBI opportunities, but Wells, Stairs and Rolen can pick those up. I’d bat Overbay second, but other than that I think this is the best lineup we’ve seen thus far. I am disappointed that they are probably going to send Lind out this soon, I think he’s going to be a good player and I think they could afford to give him a bit more time to snap out of his slump.
MW: I think that Lind deserved more time to work his way out of it, but when you’ve only scored 15 runs over the course of a 5-game winning streak, it’s hard to argue that they could afford to give him more time.
- Mike MHey Mike,
Love your show, keep up the great work. I was just wondering if Lind does get another chance and becomes the everyday left fielder then who would you want hitting DH between Stewart and Stairs.
And just for a joke do you know how many times Gregg Zaun has had his bat come flying out of his hands.
MW: Lind will get another chance, either when someone gets hurt or next year, and I would want Stairs and Stewart platooning at DH when that happens (though Stewart is only on a one-year deal). I would say Zaun has let go of the bat approximately 348 times this season.
- ZacharyMike, I note there was another good game down in Syracuse last night — ‘cuse wins 3-2, with a run in the bottom of the 9th (driven in by Curtis Thigpen — with two out, no less!)
Starter Bill Murphy went 7 innings — 5 hits, 4 BB, 9 K’s, ERA for the year now 2.80 over 35.1 IP (WHIP 1.30). He has 32 K’s in those 35.1 innings.
Looks like another good LHP acquisition for Ricciardi.
- NormAnother Syracuse note — Russ Adams after 29 games is hitting .247/.371/.412, (OPS .783) with 4 doubles and 4 HR’s, 18 BB & 20 K’s. He is also 3/4 in SB attempts. He has made 2 errors.
The .247 is not great, but the other two averages suggest it may YET be possible for him to resurrect his career somewhere at the ML level.
- NormHey Mike,
Just wondering if the Jays would be interested in Dmitri Young. I think he is currently on the DL but would maybe provide that left handed bat you were talking about and he has the ability to play first. I also believe it probably wouldn’t take much to get him……
MW: I’d rather go after Nick Johnson.
- JonSorry for the “multiple posts” Mike, but I just had to add one more.
Quote from John Gibbons, re the use of Johnny Mac defensively — “McDonald may be the best defensive shortstop in the game. He can take away runs. It’s the right thing to do. When you’ve got a player like John McDonald, you try and maximize everything you’ve got”.
Has he been reading your blogs?
MW: Probably. He used my “the light at the end of the tunnel might be an oncoming train” line on the pre-game show the day after I wrote it here.
- NormI think sitting Lind is a huge mistake and a blow to his confidence. At the least they should platoon him with Shannon. Very short-sighted.
MW: I think that they shouldn’t have given him the opportunity at all if they were willing to pull the plug 6 games in.
- Chris JonesOK. So like you I am now okay with Eckstein being in the line up. And like you I think it’s GREAT that they are bringing it MacDonald as a defensive replacement. But who now is the lead off hitter? Overbay? And do the changes signal JP losening in strings on Gibbons just a little bit? I hope they are still a little cautious with BJ…
MW: I don’t think the strings are being loosened. I think Gibbons fought using McDonald as a defensive replacement and had to be convinced. I’m not sure the batting order was the same, though.
- Michael KrimmerYou want a Chicken Little?
OK, how about this: They have won 5 in a row with as you have pointed out with surreal pitching. They have also scored a monstrous 15 runs in 5 games during this stretch (also pointed out by you).
What you failed to point out is the fact that they have gained a whole 1 game on Boston during their “hot” streak. Catching Boston this year is out of the question. They are a better team throughout the lineup, though the Jays’ starting staff is clearly the cream of the league.
So let’s focus on the Wild Card. Assuming that Boston wins the division (yeah, I can hear you now: Jays will win the division), the Jays are now competing with New York, and either Detroit or Cleveland for the wild card position.
You have stated many times that hitting is more important than defense. Based om that, there is no way this anemic bunch of hitters can compete with Detroit and New York. Maybe Cleveland, but that team was excellent last year, and has had no major changes in personnel this year.
MW: Sorry, I still can’t stop laughing about “catching Boston this year is out of the question.” It’s true, there are only 129 games left. There’s no way to make up 4 1/2 games over that minuscule amount of time.
- Paul BHey Mike,
I agree, it’s really good to see that Gibbon’s is listening. That’s almost as good as seeing Johnny Mac back on the field in the late innings. It’s about time.
Stewart for Johnson…I don’t care if Stewart can EQUAL Johnson’s offense, he is a defensive downgrade to the extent where if he can’t well exceed Johnson’s ability to get on base I don’t see it as an improvement overall. We will see how the season plays out. The thing that keeps coming back to me is Riccardi saying once, how much he likes players like Johnson who are real “dirt bags”. In my mind Stewart has not and will never fit into the category of “dirt bag”. He just doesn’t play the game that way.
In regards to Jim Thome’s offense, yeah, I hate to see big Jim having a bad time at the plate too. Thome has always been a favorite of mine both on and off the field, a real class act. I had always hoped to see him in a Jays uniform but it hasn’t happened, and that’s too bad. IMO.
Sure nice to see a string of wins! Here is to winning number 6!
By the way…
I still say, Ernie Whitt for manager! :o)
MW: Kevin, that last sentence means I can’t take anything you say above seriously.
- Kevin from AvonleaMike,
Does anyone ever think about using pitching order strategically? Maybe righty-lefty-righty or a power thrower followed by a finesse guy followed by a sinker baller? Would there ever be an advantage to showing the opposition very different pitchers on consecutive nights? Conversely, is there any disadvantage to showing similar pitchers on consecutive nights?
MW: It’s been thought of, tried, talked about ad infinitum. Do you break up a pair of lefties with a righty? Do you throw a knuckleballer in between two hard throwers? Do you ever follow a finesse pitcher with a finesse pitcher? I’ve never seen any research done, but it would be cool to see if any of it actually makes a real difference.
- bgI was surprised to hear BJ got the go ahead to pitch in back to back games if needed. He hasn’t looked that sharp this year despite the results and I thought the Jays were going to be cautios with him.
Why do the Jays feel its necessary to have Ryan, Accardo and Downs pitch every third or fourth day needed or not and they don’t mind sitting Frasor and Talent for so long? Won’t they be extremely rusty the next time they are needed? I understand the starters have been on fire lately and there aren’t that many innings left for relievers when the starters are done but don’t they need to see game action too? What happens the next time a game goes into extras and these guys are forced into action in a close game how comfortable will the rest of the team be knowing that haven’t pitched in a game in three weeks?
MW: Who cares how comfortable the rest of the team is? Honestly, I’m not being a jerk here at all, but why would that even factor into the equation?
- jamieAnd while I’m onto non-Jays stuff…I remember from my youth that there were signs on the infield fences reading “No Pepper”. I always found them odd. But somewhere they disappeared. one explanation I had, is that somewhere in the 1960s, some fan was killed when an errant throw beaned them, prompting MLB lawyers to force the sign. Any explanation?
MW: I didn’t think the signs were all gone.
- bgMike, two questions:
1) Where is Murray Eldon doing these days? It’s funny that when the Jays went ‘another direction’ for their PA announcer (I forget his name but he’s from The Fan – correct?), they replaced Murray with a virtual ‘sound-alike’ voice. I’ll always look back on “Willie Up…..Shaw” and “Candy Mal…..DON-ado!” with a smile.
2) Just out of curiosity – where were you, and what are your memories of October 24, 1992 and October 23, 1993?
MW: Where is Murray Eldon doing what? Tim Langton is the (relatively) new PA guy, and he has done some work at the Fan, but worked with game ops at Rogers Centre long before that. I agree with you, though, why replace a guy who’s been doing it forever and still wants to do it with someone who sounds the same?
The first World Series I was at SkyDome, watching it on the JumboTron with about 50,000 of my closest friends. When the game ended, we spilled out onto the streets and wound up just walking up Yonge Street in a massive crowd. I got separated from my buddies around Yonge and Dundas (and was nearly trampled to death), so I wound up walking by myself (with the crowd) all the way up to Yonge and Davisville, where it finally thinned out. Within two minutes up there I got flashed by a girl in a car (lovely) and then a friend of mine, who I hadn’t seen in a long time, drove by and wound up giving me a ride home at 3 AM.
The second World Series I was actually working that night at the Pickle Barrel at Yonge and Dundas. I got cut around the 3rd inning, and remembering the insane near-crushage I had suffered at that very spot the year before, I hightailed it home so I could watch the end of the game, and I was on my living-room couch when Carter hit the home run.
- ScottMike,
Two quick questions about BJ
1) Are you concerned at all about BJ Ryan’s performance since he’s been back? On paper, yes, it looks dominating with a 0.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 5 saves in 5 chances. But most of his appearances have come with a bit of unnecessary drama, whereby the tying run gets on base or comes to the plate. Is he just working his way back to the dominate force he was in 05?
2) I noticed last night Guillen told the umps last night to watch BJ and his apparent “balking”. It seemed like that threw BJ off as he was making an effort to show he came to a complete stop. Is this something other managers are going to constantly call out to try and throw him off? If so, how much of an adjustment do you think it will be for BJ?
MW: I’m not really concerned about Ryan. Last night was the first time that the nervousness was well-earned, the other times I thought he was terrific. He gave up a hit here and there, but you can’t expect him to be perfect, ever. And again, hard for me to imagine that the squawking got to B.J.
- ShachinI listen to the JaysTalk and hear you get angry with the Overbay callers who say: “A first baseman needs to hit for more power”. I think you might be missing their point though. First basemen are (besides DH) the easiest position to fill, as almost any other position player can move over there. Overbay is a great defender, but even great defenders are not all that valuable at that position, so there is a premium on power. I think what people are saying is that Overbay could be easily replaced by some Mike Piazza/Jack Cust-type that hits for a lot more power. And this team does need power, you must agree. I am not advocating getting rid of Lyle, but I think that by just focussing on his OBP and ignoring the ease of filling the position he plays, you are over-simplifying the argument.
MW: I realize that’s why a lot of people are saying what they’re saying about Overbay. But watch how many balls he scoops out of the dirt, especially from Eckstein, and then take a look at what the 1b on the World Series champs did last year.
- WojtekMike,
Your column speaks volumes and is a mirror image of what I also have been saying as to J-Mac being inserted late in close ball games as to the best defense in all of baseball at ss. Long overdue!
Couple of questions/comments -you make mention (and rightly so) as to the Jays pitchers all feeding off each other as to quality starts and relief -no one wants to go out there and ruin the streak that’s for sure – I think also adding to this and a big part of the lack of hitting is the “feeding off” of the pitching is exactly what the opposition pitchers are doing to the Jays. The Jays have come up against some tough pitching over the last couple of weeks and I for one think the opposition pitchers also feed off the pitching the Jays have been getting!
“Holy Crap” level of performance as you say most definatley – however I do believe it also brings out the best in their opposition peers as well – hence the slumping bats of the Jays well at least a contributor to the slumping bats).
For example where the CWS slumping at the plate or were they up against great pitching – in other words it is reasonable to think the Jays issues at the plate are in part a product of their own success at pitching and challenging the opposition ptichers to match em!
In certain postions as to sports – pitchers & goaltenders for example your oppositons play dictates a lot as to your own play – a lot of times perfection at those positions or close to it is contagious.
As to the starters – what’s your opinion on them all going deep into the game – is there a possiblity this may hurt them later into the season as to tired arms? Is it my imagination or does this seem to be happening more and more around the Major League – more pitchers going deeper into games – maybe we are going to see this trend from years gone by – perhaps better conditioning or smarter pitching as to choices on what and when to throw certain pitches!
Overbay at lead off makes perfect sense – good call! The potential with Rios and his bat is for sure wasted up there. The move for Stewart in there everyday – so far the right move. Lind – that’s a tough one right now – far too early in my opinion to see him riding the pines – I would like to see him sit next to Matt Stairs and pick his brain on hitting.
Been listening to more Jays talk this year as in the past and I have to admit I may have jumped the gun a bit on previous comments based on last season – truly enjoying it more this time around – your knowledge of the game is impressive – keep up the good work. Hey maybe Gibby has been listening – hence some of the moves – he ha!
- BobDo you think that Managers will be trying to get into The Beej’s head more, after the phantom balk call? It seemed as though the White Sox we’re trying to make BJ think too much out there. Is there anyway for the Blue Jays to “counter” that?
MW: The only way to counter it is to ignore it.
- ChrisAmazing drama in the ninth inning. I was watching the ninth inning last night and saw a discussion between the home plate umpire and the manager for the White Sox. Rance also mentioned something about BJ being rattled by the WS dugout. Can you lend some insight and does this have anything to do with BJ’s “invisible” balk?
Thanks and have a great Tuesday!
KK
MW: Evidently, Ozzie Guillen was complaining that Ryan was balking, which he kind of is, but the umps weren’t calling it. I didn’t see Ryan change his delivery at all, so it’s hard to imagine it got to him. The guy has been called for two balks in his entire career.
- karim kanjiWell that series wasn’t pretty from an offensive standpoint but with the pitching being this ridiculously good, it didn’t matter. Four wins, back in the thick of things. I think the bats are slowly coming out of the funk they’re in…really slowly. My point is that with the pitching being this good and the team winning a few games, guys might stop pressing and start gripping the bats a little looser, swinging more freely and hopefully get in a groove.
I agree that Eckstein should be batting ninth. I just wish we had somebody better suited to bat leadoff than Rios or your suggestion of Lyle Overbay. Not that Rios can’t bat leadoff but he needs to be in a spot in the order where he can drive in some runs.
- DerekWhat is Overbay’s OBP? If he’s getting on more than .400, he should be at the top of the lineup! Hope the bats warm up as the Rays come to town. What do you think of this lineup:
Overbay
Stewart
Rios
Rolen
Wells
Stairs
Hill
Zaun or Barajas
Eckstein or McDonald
MW: Flip Stairs and Wells, or even bump Stairs up to 4th, and you’ve got something.
- Aaron KerMike, i am glad to see that Stewart is hitting at the top of the line up but I would rather see him lead off and move Rios down to the 2 hole. Yes Stew can hit but I would still rather have Reed. Stew’s poor throwing arm will result in more runs against the Jays. People routinely tag from 2nd to third on the guy and any tag up situation to the plate is a done deal. Runner will score 100% of the time with Stew in left. Mute point since Reed is gone but overall Reed is a better player. I wouldn’t have mentioned but your brought it up.
MW: Moot point, by the way. And have you been watching how many runners have actually NOT taken extra bases on Stewart this season? Way more than I expected. He also has thrown out a runner at the plate already, by the way.
- KenMike,
Forgot to mention BJ Ryan and the closing of last nights game! A bit gut wrenching for sure – however adds to the excitment of the game.
The CWS bench – especially Guin got into Ryans head (thanks to that idiotic balk call the other night) as to making sure he (Ryan) came to a complete stop before delivery. It was obvious that micro second change in his delivery effected him – B.J. will be fine we know that. However now since that so called “balk” call the other night all teams will be on the umps to keep a closer eye on B.J.
- BobMike
A few years back I read that wholesale changes were being considered for the Sky… er, Rogers Centre. It included opening up sections near the hotel to let natural light in, etc. Have those plans been shelved?
MW: I hadn’t heard about opening anything up.
- DanYour point about the Stewart move being as much about him as it is about Lind is a good point. I am a Lind fan but with the platoon concept, Stewart wasn’t hitting like we think he can. Let him go every day and see what happens – least for a while. I believe that when you ask an athlete to do something they are not accustomed to, it’s a crapshoot-some adapt quickly, some don’t. Normally this is asking a person to do “too much”, but in Stewart’s case it was actually asking him to do less (playing time), and he wasn’t responding -just not the same guy we’ve seen all those years. Given the everyday slot, he should be in a familiar role and think he will now become a productive hitter.
- Paul Ryan“If Stewart gets back to being Stewart, the .300/.360/.430 guy he’s always been”
When was the last time he did this?? The last three years his SA has always been under .400 and he’s been under .350 OBA.
I guess if you go back 4 or 5 years hit like that. But he’s 34 now and hasn’t been league average as a LF in a long time. Add in poor defense and I’d much rather them wait out a Lind slump than hope Stewart somehow turns 27 again.
And waiting till after he goes 3 for 4 and then saying he’s almost hitting as good as Johnson is like that guy that said Lewis is better in LF than Bonds by taking a 30 at bat sample. If they hit close to the say Johnson is a much better play because of his speed and ability to play good defense in any of the three outfield spots. Stewart can play bad defense in LF and that’s it.
MW: Wouldn’t it be cool if Stewart actually did turn 27 again, though? Anyway, I realize the folly of pointing out the difference in their numbers the night Stewart goes 3-for-4, but really, is it that different than people pointing out two weeks into the season that Johnson’s OPS was about 400 points higher than Stew’s? The reason I pointed it out is because the conventional wisdom is that Johnson is having a much better offensive season, and that’s simply no longer true.
- Tom DakersI would have to agree that i think they gave up early on lind. However i do agree if shannon is here (and he is) then he needs to play and get
at bats. As far as bench players go i don’t think shannon for reed is a good trade (reed is used to coming off the bench and not getting everyday at bats). If shannon is playing everyday then it is a good trade (assuming he can do what has done over his career). I know it’s not an actual trade. Exchange would be a better word but i am not retyping. Two questions:
1) what does shannon’s speed look like? Who is he comparable to speed wise at this point in his career?
2)What do you think or hear of buck coats’ potential?
MW: I thought I saw an extra gear out of Shannon last night when he was legging out the triple. I would say he has average speed right now, which is more than I had thought. I like Buck Coats as a guy who can do some running, play some defense, maybe hit a bit.
- jeremyO.K. The pitching has been retarded good. Retarded. I can’t even match a streak like that on Playstation. (I would have hit about 50 home runs over that period, so I’d still take my virtual Jays over the real Jays. Is there any way we can make that happen? That would be sick.)
Glad to see they’re dropping Eckstein and doing the defensive replacement thing. I’d personally switch Rios and Stewart in the batting order. (Sorry, no Overbay. I at least like the other team believing in the possibility of the steal because it puts more pressure on the pitcher to speed up their delivery and on the defense to make plays quickly. Even if Stewart doesn’t steal like he used to, he can be effective in this way by taking big leads and running only occasionally.) I think Rios really thrived in the 2 spot a couple of years ago and he hasn’t spent a lot of time there since. Although Stewart’s never gotten on base enough to be your ‘ideal’ lead off man, he’s certainly filled that role in the past for some good offensive teams.
That said, I’d still rather be watching Adam Lind working out his big-league swing. In the long run (by mid-season even), it could hurt them that they aren’t letting him develop here. He doesn’t have a whole lot more to prove in the minors.
As a quasi-chicken little from last month, I said that I’ve always liked JP, but that he should go if they didn’t turn it around by the end of the month. It looks like they’re doing that. (Although they’re still not hitting. That said, a lot of teams don’t hit Vazquez when he’s going, so….)
Finally, it’s awesome that you’re doing this. You must do amazing on your Rogers Media performance evaluations. They should give you a serious raise.
MW: They should.
- peteProps to Gibbons for sticking with Ryan, I thought for sure after the 3rd straight walk that he would yank him…but he stuck with him and we were fortunate for the double play.
The pitchings been unbelievable…a real treat to watch.
Gibbons was on 590 this morning and mentioned liking Rios in the lead-off spot so it doesn’t appear like he will be making any moves anytime soon.
There was a time early on in the season that we were leading in stolen bases or at least showing an aggressive running game, and I suppose that hasn’t continued due to the lack of base runners right?
Lets keep this winning streak going…
MW: Yeah, when nobody gets on base, it’s hard to steal.
- RandyMike.. Love the show and bloggage u got going on. Just curious as to your thoughts on A. Hill. I believe he can be a career .300 hitter, but he seems to lack confidence..
example.. When he fals into a slump, it seems his confidence just falls out from under him, and he cant seem to snap out of it. I see big things in his future, but do you think im wrong? can he be a .300/20HR/100RBI guy? What do you think? GO JAYS!
MW: I’m wondering why you think that he loses confidence when he goes into a slump. What about him indicates that this is the case, other than he just starts to get out a little more?
- peteMike,
You stole my thunder about Gibby listening to you and making some of the moves you suggested. I think if Lyle ends up in the leadoff spot anytime in the near future, we can safely assume that Gibby has to be a Jays Talk listener!!
- BernardRemember when Jays fans would complain that this team wasn’t able to string together a long winning streak? I think we can all agree that, with a 5-deep rotation, this team is more than capable of putting a 5 or 10 game streak together of the offense can be even league-average.
The Chicken Littles are scrambling for cover! But if I’ve learned anything, it’s that they will be back at the first sign of despair.
MW: And we’ll be hearing from all of them if A.J. loses tonight.
- ErikHow do you think opposing teams feel coming into Toronto for a series, and potentially having to face Halladay, McGowan and Burnett in a 3 game series? It’s incredible how well all 5 guys are throwing right now — big time fun to watch.
Do you feel this is the best 5 man rotation ever assembled by the Jays? The ’92 staff was something else as well, but this one is fantastic.
MW: Five weeks into a season is WAY too early to start making those kinds of assessments.
- CamHi Mike, I was at last night’s game and witnessed yet another base running mistake by Rolen, perhaps killing an opportunity for a big inning by the Blue Jays. This is yet another mistake in how many times we have seen it this young season already. Is this because of lack of focus? or lack of direction by the 1st and 3rd base coach? Rolen is a veteran who shouldn’t have made this mistake.
MW: I think it was an error of aggression and maybe assumption. Rolen was digging for a double right out of the box, and expected Quentin’s throw to go to third. It didn’t, and Rolen had rounded way too far. I don’t mind mistakes like that – it was a mistake made by being too aggressive as opposed to not paying attention.
- JeremyMike, what’s your take on Accardo?
Gibby seems to still prefer him over Frasor against righties late in the game even though he’s just a 1 and a half pitch pitcher. I don’t know about you but I thought he really got away with a fat fastball to Dye on Sunday upon seeing the replay. Why not send him down to find his devastating splitter again?
MW: Maybe that’s what they do when Wolfe comes back, but I doubt it. He really has only had, what, two maybe three bad outings?
- simonHi Mike,
I find it funny because last week on ‘Wednesdays with JP’ JP really seemed to shoot down your idea of MacDonald coming in late in the games…. Almost saying that he didn’t feel he was ‘that great a player’.
Does this mean that JP will now make a move on Bonds?
Maybe you should keep suggesting ideas Mike !!
- JohnnyMike,
This upcomiong stretch against Tampa and Cleveland worries me a bit, especially since the Jays can’t really seem to hit.
It’s one thing so shut down the White Sox, but it is another to try and shut down potent offences in Tampa and Cleveland.
I’m not saying that the Jays pitching staff can’t do it, but both these teams are aggressive at the plate and on the bases. I would like to see this team (The Jays) score more than 6 runs in some of these games.
MW: I would, too. But let’s remember, the White Sox were in first place when they came to town, and weren’t they leading the league in home runs? And what sort of thing is it to shut down the Red Sox?
- MarkHill is killing this team???
Try Lyle Overbay… had three dead red pitches that hit the dot down the middle on fastball counts last night, and could only muster a week flyball to left & a groundout.
Don’t know if it’s the hand or what… but that guy has become a terrible hitter…don’t care how “pretty” his swing looks. Hill at least jumped on one pitch & ripped it. oh, and also he’s a pretty good 2nd baseman.
I would like to see this year’s stats and where Overbay ranks amount MLB 1st baseman… I would guess bottom 3-4 in the league
my 2 cents.
MW: Sarcasm, son. Sometimes I guess I assume too much from some of you readers.
- KyleOn another note, Jacque Jones is now available as he was released by the Tigers.
It seems that the Jays set a little trend since they released Frank Thomas with some familiar names getting the axe over the past couple of weeks.
MW: Jacque Jones is not a good hitter.
- MarkHey Mike,
So how come it takes a guy making 6 figures to understand something that regular guys like you have been saying for a month? Eckstein at the bottom and Mcdonald as a late defensive upgrade…Genius!!!
Starting pitching is sick right now, just wish the offence would get it going. Don’t like Rios leading off. Now that Stewart is everyday, would it make sense to have him hit lead-off? I would do the following:
Stewart
Hill
Rios
Rolen
Wells
Stairs
Overbay
Zaun
Eckstein
I’m back on the bandwagon (for now!)
Rob H.
MW: What’s so bad about Matt Stairs that everyone wants him batting 6th????????
- Rob H.Mike, did Jerry and Alan explain why the 2nd base umpire looked to first before calling Gregg Zaun out at second on that double play in the fourth?
I made the terrible mistake of watching the game on TV instead of listening, and Cosentino in his usual level of quality explained that it was because he wanted to check whether the runner was out at first, and thus whether the tag was required. Ignoring, obviously, the fact that the runner’s status is irrelevant if the tag was made, which he then ruled it had. There’s no way he could’ve looked to first and gotten anything that implied to him that he should call Zaun safe instead.
Anyway, not a mistake I’ll be making again, but wondering if the radio side cleared it up.
MW: I’m not sure we even mentioned that, to be honest, but as I said before, I can’t think of any other reason why the second-base ump would have looked to first even though, as you say, whether the runner was safe or out had no bearing once the runner sliding into second was tagged.
- TylerHi Mike. Long-time listener of Jays Talk/reader of your blog, first time poster I guess you could say.
First off, I’d like to say that I enjoyed the podcast you did with DJF. Great stuff.
As for my question/comments: Is it alarming to you at just how many uneducated baseball fans there are in this country? Don’t get me wrong, there are several knowledgeable people who really know a lot about the game. You wouldn’t know it sometimes, but these people DO actually exist. It just drives me absolutely nuts, though, to hear people phone in and complain about players walking too much, or to read how someone’s terrible OPS should be ignored because they have “grit,” “hustle” and they play great D. I think it’s time to implement some kind of baseball IQ test that one must pass before they can go on the air make the rest of us Jays fans sound like a group full of morons.
MW: Different people see things different ways. The fact that some people think walks don’t matter or that the sac bunt is the most important play in the game doesn’t mean they’re uneducated about baseball, it just means they see things differently. They think that they’re right as much as I think I’m right, and they have every right to hold that opinion. I just don’t happen to agree with it.
- Shaun SI dont think the jays improvement in RISP is baby steps. I think this is pretty much the way its going to be all year. The Jays may have a good offensive game here and there, but the offense will be inconsistent. Even during this winning streak, look at how many runs they scored. If the pitchers are not near perfect the jays will not win games. Im really starting to think that this team is just not good enough offensively to make the playoffs. Just look at how many great starting pitching efforts were wasted due to the incompetence of the offense.
MW: So, you think they’ll continue to hit about .130-.150 with runners in scoring position all year?
- aviMike I find it weird how you nitpick with Thomas saying if you take away his four best games he’s awful to make him look bad. Then you nitpick with Overbay pointing out how he’s been good against righties. Why don’t you just look at the whole body of work so you don’t sound bias towards certain players.
Great Game last night. I hope the Jays pick someone up for left feild if they don’t think Lind is ready because I think we can do better then Shannon Stewart as our full time Left Fielder.
MW: Because I don’t expect Overbay to be a useful hitter against left-handed pitching, and I think that there’s a massive difference in the production of most players depending on whether they’re facing a righty or a lefty. Vernon Wells, for example, should be hitting 3rd against lefties but 6th against righties. Matt Stairs should be hitting 4th against righties but out of the line-up against lefties. And so on. Looking at what they do against the side that they’re best-suited to see is very valid, I believe. Especially when Overbay’s good production comes against the side they’ve seen 80% of the time.
- Dan MAs for Thomas, yeah, I threw out his best four games, but they were all in a row, and he was just SO bad (.114/.298/.114) outside those games that it had to be pointed out.
Jays are a team that no one will want to face in the postseason with the rotation they have. The key will be to get there. Hope Burnett can keep things rolling and we keep this May up!!
- Aaron KerChicken Little this:
The O will come up, it has to!
The pitching has been out of this world and has to come back :(
Where does the balance put us? Which one is going to chance the most? and what is going to be the leading cause of that change?
My guess is that the bullpen will led to the decline in pitching and Litch, as much as I love the grit, will not be the Jays most winning pitcher.
On O, Stewart hitting will be the big change. And if the O is really going to get going Overbay will be doubling and someone is going to start hitting some balls over the fence (Rolen, Rios or Wells)
On balance, the runs per game increase by from 3.98 per game to 4.5, just below where they were last year. The pitching gives up and extra .5 runs per game and close at an AL best 3.89.
MW: If you say so. By the way, way to go out on a limb there with the Litsch prediction.
- JWMike can you think of anyone the jays could get that can mash lefty’s?
MW: We’ve already discussed a few of them.
- Dan MDon’t forget to ask about League today Mike.
Also i wanted to know if they are streching out Bret Cecil because on Monday i think he started a game and ended up going for 4.2 IP.
- MikeP.S., DJF fans love you even more now.
With some shame, I admit I have begun booing Eckstein every time he take the plate. I realize this is not right; I am not proud of it. But the longer he continues to keep Johnny Mac out of the lineup whilst putting up the worst batting average on the team, while continually making me mutter “Johnny Mac would’ve made that play” every time he makes an egregious error or misses a diving play, the longer I will be booing him each time he steps into the batter’s box.
I sincerely appreciate the reasons the Jays picked him up, and I’m not going to hold fast to this ploy forever. Bring in Johnny Mac late last night was a good move, for one (albeit an inning too late). And I realize Eckstein *should* be hitting better.
Fact is, he’s not. I’d like to see a better split on playing time until one of them starts to prove himself in the batter’s box.
MW: You shouldn’t be booing Eckstein. It’s not his fault that he’s not as good a shortstop as McDonald. Nobody is. Also, Eckstein doesn’t have the worst batting average on the team, Lind does, followed by McDonald, Barajas and Scutaro.
- adamsApparently I seriously need to start proofreading the things I write. Forgive *my* egregious errors.
- adamsA win tonight would give the team a six game win streak. The longest streak last year was five games. This kind of a hot streak has been a long time coming.
Since I live in Ohio, I’m surrounded by Indian fans and most know nothing about baseball. They have used a lot of energy to tell me the Indians have the best starting and relief pitching in the American League. They have no clue about the Jays. There is no comparison as the Blue Jays are far superior. Here’s hoping the pitchers stay red hot for one more week. I’d like to rub their noses in the Blue Jays success until it’s caked in their nostrils.
MW: Yikes
- Jim BranscomeIf Eckstein is gonna bat 9th anyway, what’s the point of him starting at all? Why not just start The Greatest Defensive Shortstop Ever and hope for the best with his bat? They both have infield broken-bat power and while Eckstein does have way better numbers in other areas, John McDonald is…The Greatest Defensive Shortstop Ever. Do you think Gibby should platoon them if Eckstein keeps sucking?
At the very least, we can agree that J-Mac should be starting for every Roy Halladay start and some Burnett starts.
MW: It’s a big leap to say let’s take a way better bat out just because he’s gong to be hitting 9th anyway. The 9th-place hitter still counts. But yes, I think McDonald should be starting every time Halladay does, at least.
- ShawnJust a minor correction – Reed Johnson is now down to a .670ops, so it’s only a 3 point difference now.
What’s more, Stewart’s OPS+ is ten points higher than Reed’s so far.
I’ve always agreed with your stance on Eckstein in the 9-hole (and no, we CANNOT have johnny mac starting for us)…..but Overbay in the 1-hole is never going to happen, nor should it. Especially since Overbay seems to only be getting worse.
The solution to your Rios problem will, in fact, end up being moving Stewart up to leadoff, where he has hit his whole career with good success, and moving Rios down to the 2-hole.
MW: That’s probably how it winds up, sooner than later.
- MarkMuch has been written and said about the incredible run the pitchers are on, the solid defence and woefull hitting with RISP.
What I have not heard discussed (and I seldom miss Jaystalk) is the fact the Jays are are an awesome 32-1 this year in GBI (games-that-they-have-been-in). It’s something the pessimists are overlooking. Other than a playoff berth or World Series championship, what else can we as fans ask for but that our team is “in” each game and has a fair shot at winning.
The Jays have not been blown out of any games this year. Of the 9 losses this year (I’m excludng 1-run losses) I’d say only the 8-4 Detroit game was not a GBI.
I’m not counting the 8-4 Eckstein loss in KC, that fell apart in the 8th.
I realize I’m only looking at scores for this “stat” but I trust you’d agree they actually have been in almost all the games – even if the result has been a below 500 record at the moment. It bodes well for the long season.
What do you think Mike – is this a worthy measure ?
MW: It’s nothing to have a parade about, but the Jays have definitely been in every game. I’d say it’s 33-0, because if you’re willing to look past the K.C. game, then you have to look past the Detroit game, too. The Jays had the lead in the 7th inning of that one.
- Ian CI think that fact, too, has added an incredible amount to the frustration of Jays’ fans, but it’s an AMAZING thing to have not been out of a single game all season.
Mike,
When will the Wolfe man howl again?
MW: End of May at the earliest.
- Justinany interest in Jacque Jones? I see he was released by the tigers. would he be a better option than coats? I have not seen him play much.
MW: No interest whatsoever. But that doesn’t mean the Jays won’t have interest. Left-handed bat, can hit for power, good outfielder, cheap. Still, I’d rather grab Jason Botts and platoon him at DH with Stairs.
- jeremyHey Mike,
I’m not sure if there is an award for tossing lumber, but if there is, it looks like Zaun is running away with it!!! I can’t remember ever seeing one player lose the handle on his bat in one season (and it’s only May) so often. I’m not sure about the numbers, but I believe he has more “lumber tosses” than extra base hits this year.
MW: I’m pretty sure that’d be right.
- Tommy ScholczMike, do you think the Jays might keep Lind around and give him, say, 2 starts per week against maybe a couple of “easier” righties? Moreover, do you think that would be a good idea? It seems to me that he’d get more out of this in terms of his development than he would from going back to hitting AAA pitching again.
MW: I don’t think they’ll do that, and I don’t think it’s a good idea. I don’t think that you ever get more in terms of development by sitting and watching a vast majority of the time, unless you’re a young back-up quarterback.
- darrenMike,
Concerning the mock order and Stairs hitting 6th. I think it is a case of having some pop hitting behind Wells. The 2 big years for Wells were when there was a big bat behind him. I see it as a way of maximizing talent. Time for the offence to feel a little embarassed and start putting some runs up on the board!!!
MW: There’s no cause-and-effect relationship between the embarrassment of the hitters and an increase in run production, sadly. I see where you’re going with the batting order, but having your most productive guy hitting 6th isn’t a good way to maximize talent.
- Aaron KerWhat was Hill been doing lately? Not much, it seems. I honestly thought he would make the all-star team this year, but it does not look like it right now. I always heard that a hitter like Hill could never be in a long slump , but he is now. Two years ago, he was hitting for a high average, but little power. Now, he tries to hit for more power, but is less consistent and strikes out more. Is this a guy we should be worried about? After all, his OBP right now is very poor.
MW: Actually, two years ago and last year, Hill hit for exactly the same average, .291, although he had 28 doubles and six homers one year and 47 doubles and 17 homers the next. Last year, he struck out 102 times. This year, through about 20% of the season, he has struck out 17 times, on pace for 85 or so. Basically, I don’t know what you think you’re seeing, other than Hill has had a bad two weeks. He’s working his way out of a little slump right now, and his OBP is only 17 points below his career number.
- aviWho is your favourite baseball writer in Toronto and around major league baseball? Also can you tell which one is more eviler then the other Barry bonds or Roger Clemens?
MW: I don’t know either of Bonds or Clemens personally, so I don’t know who is more evil. I know I like Clemens a lot less, though. Bonds is at least up front about what a jerk he is. And my favourite baseball writer? I love ‘em all!
- AndrewI noticed that Rios has stopped walking lately after starting the year so nicely. I do not understand why guys like Wells and Rios who don’t like to walk and would much rather swing at first pitches and get out. I mean, don’t these guys understand that the objective is to get on base anyway possibly. A guy like Grady Sizemore who has similiar talents walks and gets on base. Besides, these guys have great speed and can easily steal 20-30 bases. Even Lyle freaking Overbay walks and he has half their talent.
MW: You actually think they’d rather swing at first pitches and get out than walk? I’m dumbfounded.
- aviHey Mike, Jays fan from Rhode Island, USA. I love your show. Finally Gibby listened to you regarding Eck in the 9th spot. Hopefully the bats can wake up. I still believe the Jays can battle Boston for the division this season.
- tom stewartGO JAYS GO
Hats off to White Sox pitching coach Don Cooper who was barking that BJ was balking. He was the subject of a warning from the Umpire and obviously was aware of the balk against Boston.
BJ was rattled by this and I was wondering if you think more teams will call the balk on BJ and if this will be a problem in the future?
MW: I really don’t think that B.J. was rattled by this, I just think he didn’t have control of his slider.
- Brett VMike,
You used to work at the Pickle Barrel at Yonge and Dundas? I eat there all the time. Speaking of Yonge and Dundas, I was at the Matt Stairs autograph signing at the Jays Shop today and you should’ve seen the lineup. I think it was much-deserved…Matt looked overwhelmed by the crowd of people…I bet he has a new appreciation for playing in a Canadian city!!!
- BernardEureka! The Angels have a glut of OF/DH types but could use some pitching. Juan Rivera might be the perfect fit to share time w/ Stairs and Stew. His career splits are pretty much identical against rhp and lhp. He hits for decent avg, .289, and has good power, .468 slg. He can play a bit of first as well. I think Rivera might actually be a good fit. The angels aren’t in the division and since Rivera has been under the radar for a couple of years he might come relatively cheap. I’m not sure of his contract status at the moment so that may be a factor. But I would try to get Rivera before most of the names being bandied about. It is much more realistic that Owings anyway. G.
MW: I still love the Owings idea.
- GHi Mike,
Thoroughly enjoy your work and applaud your diligence in responding to each and every post (or at least those which merit a response!)
My question has to do with batting coaches. Obviously, the Jays’ RIPS woes have carried over from last year, despite the fact that the team now employs a new batting coach. As a fan, I must admit that I thought a new coach (who, presumably, has a different philosophy than his predecessor) would have a larger impact on the players’ approach at the plate. Yet it doesn’t seem to have (though I acknowledge that 33 games is a pretty small data sample from which to make any concrete inferences).
I’m beginning to think that I’ve grossly overestimated a batting coach’s importance to a team?
Won’t Vernon Wells always have fundamentally the same swing and approach that he has always had, regardless of who is the batting coach? I’m curious to hear your thoughts.
MW: I’ve given my thoughts on this issue many times. I have always thought the way you now seem to be coming around to. These guys have been hitting, and for the most part very successfully, for anywhere from 15-30 years. It’s hard to imagine a coach is going to have much of an effect on that.
- BenIf the brass does read this, I hope they can see loud and clear:
SIGN BARRY BONDS. HE WILL HELP MAKE THE ENTIRE LINEUP BETTER. IT WILL ALSO HELP VERNON AND OTHERS GET BETTER PITCHES.
Thank you.
- Jim BHi Mike,
I’d like to see the Jays use McDonald as the starting SS and have Eckstein as a DH – you could then platoon Stewart and Stairs in LF while keeping both McDonald and Eckstein in the lineup. Mind you, I would also like to see Stairs in the lineup every day too while he’s swinging the hot bat.
What are your thoughts on that?
MW: I’ll repeat what I said a few days ago. If Eckstein is ever the DH, I’ll shoot myself in the face.
- DarcyI know you don’t like the idea of bringing back former Blue Jays and don’t understand why Toronto fans love former players…but think about how much this trade would help the Mets and how much it could help the blue jays.
You trade Lyle Overbay for Carlos Delgado and David Purcey.
MW: Ummmmmmm, the Jays already have David Purcey.
- DanAfter reading other options in the jays blogosphere I am more convinced than ever that Juan Rivera is our man. I really don’t think it would cost much to trade for him and his salary is only 2 mil. The Angels only have one lefty in the pen. It would still be cheaper than Reed I think. It would be a low risk move. The jays can probably spare Tallet or someone if it will get them another bat.
MW: The Angels seem to love life with one or no lefties in the ‘pen. I don’t think you can get Rivera for Tallet.
- GThose White Sox are one angry bunch. Ozzie Guillen’s never been afraid of showing off his mastery of the English language and there must have been 3 yells of “FU[N]!” per game after a bad AB, including one issued by Quentin directly at Doc. They’re going to need to make the program PG-13 soon.
- XiaoThe word “scrumtrulescent” was made up by Will Ferrell in the classic Actor’s Studio skit on SNL with Alec Baldwin playing Charles Nelson Reilly. You can check it out below.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&VideoID=23497317
- ShawnIsnt sending Lind down to Triple A a little panicky after only 19 ABs
MW: He hasn’t been sent down to AAA. Why is everything about panic?
- aviMike, Is that really the best retort you could come up with? If you can’t do better than that you should just move on to the next guy instead. :o)
Now.
What exactly would be wrong with letting Ernie Whitt manage? He couldn’t be any worse than Gibbons! He’d be a sight better than some previous managers too, IMO. Johnson and Martinez come to mind right off the top.
It’s not like managing a ball club is rocket science. Heck Mike, you could do it better than Gibbons has so far.
Say, it occurs to me now. Isn’t a Gibbon actually some sort of monkey?
Gibbon: any small, slender, long-armed arboreal anthropoid ape of the genus Hylobates, of the East Indies and southern Asia.
That sounds like our beloved manager to me!
MW: Boy, I hope there’s nothing in your last name about which fun can be made. It’s not just you with the Whitt thing, though. So many people seem to throw his name out there to say that he should be the next manager. What has he ever done to show that he’d be a good major-league manager? Run Team Canada in a few one or two week tournaments? This is a guy who was demoted from bench coach to first-base coach last season.
- Kevin from AvonleaI know that you hate Gord Ash Mike, but he done some nice things with the jays such as the drafting of Roy Halladay, Vernon Wells, Dustin Mcgowan, Chris Carpenter, O-Dog, Alex Rios, Billy koch, etc. At least give him some credit for drafting these guys. Also why couldn’t try to keep Chris Carpenter?
MW: Have I not given Ash credit for drafting all those guys whenever it came up? Chris Carpenter was asking for too much money given his health situation. There was good reason to believe that he’d never be the same again after the torn labrum, and the Jays, with their payroll situation at the time, would have been foolish to guarantee about 6% of their entire payroll to a guy who wasn’t going to pitch for them for about a year and a half, and might never pitch again.
- andrewDo you think people would have been less critcal if Roger Clemens if he had done the Mark Mcgwire thing and stayed quiet instead of being such a bully and trying to clear his name which there is almost no chance. Would you still vote Roger Clemens into the Hall of Fame?
MW: Yes and yes.
- andrewI’m with you on Micah Owings, I have had a serious man crush on him since last year. When I was a kid, I dreamed of being a starting pitcher who could hit (dream big, right?) so at least I can live vicariously through Owings now.
The funny part about it is that he’d now be better off with an American League team where he could DH on his non-pitching days, but he might never have gotten the chance to show his bat if he’d come up with an AL team.
I know he’s a bit of a freak, but there have been a few guys over the years who have been serious 2-way players in college and are then pushed one way or another when they go pro. If Owings really does become a regular 2-way guy, do you think teams will be more open to this in the future? It’s so cool to see…
MW: It really is cool, and I hope teams are amenable to trying. I still have my doubts that Owings will ever be a regular two-way guy, sadly.
- darrenMike, can you explain how Eric Hiniske turned around his entire career around with the Tampa Bay Rays?
MW: It’s May 6th.
- andrewDo you think I can get a $100 million contract if I stay healthy?
MW: Without question.
- AJ burnettMike,
I laugh at the posts above in which people think that BJ has been nerve wracking. Anone remember Mitch Williams? No reliever brings as much excitement as he did!
MW: You don’t remember Don Stanhouse, do you? Earl Weaver nicknamed the one-time Orioles closer “Full Pack” because that’s how many smokes Weaver would go through when he was in a game.
- GlennMike,
Lind was supposed to spend ANOTHER year in AAA? (Wasn’t that 2006–wait, I mean 2007?)
Lind’s now got 400 PA over three seasons at Syracuse, and has mashed well over .900 OPS there. He’s now blocked by guys who are hitting under .700 OPS. The Jays are treating him like Quadruple-A fodder… why don’t they just trade him to the A’s and get it over with?
MW: You never know.
- MichaelI don’t think the anti-Overbay fans realize how much of a steal he really was — Gabe Gross is with the Rays, Bush and Jackson (the other two trading chips) are pitching in AAA for Milwaukee. He has such a good OBP and you can tell he’s getting his power stroke back just by the way the balls are coming off his bat. I just had to get that off of my chest.
Anyway, John McDonald’s face told the tale — he’s going to lose some time, and I’m thinking he’s going to be placed on the DL. Finally when Gibby said he’ll use him more, he got injured. Do you think he’ll be shelved for this, and who do you think will replace him on the roster if he is?
MW: I think McDonald is definitely headed for the DL, and I would think that one of Joe Inglett or Jorge Velandia would be coming up to replace him.
- LarryIronically Mike, the Jays have not been an exciting offensive team since Hinske
was the rookie of the year…
never could count that young
“offense” out of a game.
Now the country club atmosphere, a bunch of highly paid individuals who cannot motivate themselves as a team……….surely they can’t expect your buddy Gibby to do it either.
I attend 20 games plus a year
and have my kids hooked to…
even my youngest asks about the TEAM passion…or lack there of
gq
MW: Only because you’ve told him they’re not playing with any. Hinske was rookie of the year in 2003, the offense was spectacular in 2006.
- Greg QuintonI never said Rios and Wells want to swing at the first pitch and get out. I said they should know better after playing baseball for so many years.The objective as an offensive player is to get on base any way you can. I guess thats what separates great hitters like Sizemore with high OBP and good hitters like Rios who are too impatient.
MW: This is what you said exactly: “I do not understand why guys like Wells and Rios who don’t like to walk and would much rather swing at first pitches and get out.” To me, that means you think they want to swing at first pitches and get out. I don’t think it’s that they don’t like to walk, I think that they think that they can attack pitches that are outside the zone and do damage. Like you, I would prefer it a lot if they were more patient and walked more, but there’s a reason that the league average obp tends toward .335 and not .390.
- aviBTW, you said Lind would be sent down to triple A and not me.
MW: You were the one who said it was a panic move, though.
- aviWhy is it that the jays have never had a long winning streak under Gibbons. Overall, Gibbons record as a manager is .500 over 4 years. That is why the Jays always hover around .500 and never go on along winning streak. Of course, its more on the players. In your opinion, what are Gibbons flaws as a manager.
MW: His biggest one is that he can’t hit with runners in scoring position.
- aviHey Mike,
On Jays Talk tonight a caller tried to get your help to diagnose the feud between Scott Rolen and Tony La Russa (as well as Larry Bowa) you said (and I apologize, I know I’m probably paraphrasing)
“Maybe it’s because Tony La Russa thinks he invented baseball” (was that somewhat accurate?)
What did you mean by that comment?
MW: It’s reasonably accurate. LaRussa has the reputation, though I have never seen it happen personally, of always needing to be the smartest guy in the room.
- RyanDo you mean “You never know _______.”
a) “what can happen in a small sample size”
b) “what a young hitter will do”
c) “when a middling 30-something player is really toast”
c) “how long it’ll take for a guy to re-adjust after a slump”
d) “why some guys can hit minor league pitching but not against big leaguers”.
e) “what J.P. is thinking”.
Thanks in advance for clarifying.
MW: Clarifying what? I’m not sure what you’re referencing. Again, folks, 100 comments a day – you have to tell me what you’re talking about.
- MichaelGee Mike, I just HATE to correct you, but Tuesday night on “Jays Talk” you said the 1992 Blue Jyas never lost a series the whole season. That is not true. The unique accomplishment of the 1992 Blue Jays was the fact they went through the entire season without ever having been swept in a series. The 1992 Jays lost plenty of series.On three occasions they lost the first two games of a three game series but won the finale to avoid the sweep. On one occasion, (April 30 through May 3) they lost the first three games of a four game series to the Brewers in Milwaukee, but rallied to win the fourth game 4-1 behind Dave Stieb. The clubs longest losing streak that year was 5 games (May 15 through May 19). After winning the first game of a four games seris against Seattle, the Jays went on to lose the next three then the first two games of a three game series in Minnesota before beating the Twins in the finale and avoiding the sweep. Hope this helps. I know what you’re thinking. “How could a team lose five straight early in the season and still make the playoffs, let alone win the World Series?” God only knows.
MW: I actually said “I think” the 1992 team was the only one ever to not lose a series for a whole season. Thanks for the correction!
- Jim BranscomeWhat is the deal with people booing Hinske lustily every time he’s at Rogers Centre??? He was a guy with a lot of class, who never once complained about the changes in position or playing time, and who (so I read at the time) at one point personally called up JP and asked that he not be traded. Sure, he had some struggles in Toronto, but he also had a great team-first attitude and was unceremoniously dumped by the Jays, essentially for a bag of BP balls. I, for one, think it’s fantastic that he’s regained some of his old form in Tampa Bay, and I hope he keeps it up. As far as I’m concerned, he’s definitely one former Jay who should not be booed when he comes to town. Hinske, King Carlos, O-Dawg…those guys bring back some great memories of exciting baseball, and I wish them well.
MW: Shannon Stewart got booed here, too, but I think Hinske touches a nerve with a lot of people with how he came to camp so out of shape the year after winning Rookie of the Year.
- Rob_NS“MW: Boy, I hope there’s nothing in your last name about which fun can be made.”
Heh, I’ve probably heard them all, but you won’t find my surname in a dictionary. There are no primates in my family. ;o)
“It’s not just you with the Whitt thing, though. So many people seem to throw his name out there to say that he should be the next manager. What has he ever done to show that he’d be a good major-league manager?”
Well, unlike Gibbons he appears to have had a major league, as opposed to a minor league career!
“Was Run Team Canada in a few one or two week tournaments?”
And they faired pretty well under his leadership.
“This is a guy who was demoted from bench coach to first-base coach last season.”
Well. Nobody, least of all me, has ever said that was a smart move. Smart move. That’s a bit of an oxymoron given the teams’ current management. :oD
This is the same team who replaced Mickey Brantley…to what end?
The smart move that did come out of that blunder was getting Butterfield away from third base!
I don’t know Mike. I’ve read both guys professional bio’s on the Jays site. I really don’t feel that Gibbons career outshines Whitt’s accomplishments all that much. Apparently you have a different take on it to each his own. :o)
MW: I don’t think that success in a big-league career necessarily translates to success as a manager. Actually, I don’t think one has anything to do with the other. If you want Ernie Whitt as the manager, why not call for Joe Carter?
- Kevin from AvonleaSorry, Mike. My “You never know” questionnaire (#104) was was referring to your comments to my comments about the Jays not playing Lind (#97).
- Michael