11:45 PM Eastern
Sometimes you have to tip your cap to the opposing pitcher and say, hey, it wasn’t that we sucked, it was that he was great. With C.C. Sabathia on the mound, more often than not it’s a “tip your cap” game, but with the offensiveness that the Blue Jays are currently presenting, it’s impossible to know. Do you tip your cap to pretty much every pitcher in the American League? They can’t all be that good. I think right now, we should be tip free, and instead of tipping the cap to the opposition, go grab your dog and have him or her raise a leg to the Blue Jays’ hitters.
With runners in scoring position, the Blue Jays currently have a worse batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage than had the 2003 Detroit Tigers. That would be the 43-119 Detroit Tigers. The only reason the Jays are sticking around the .500 mark is because the pitching has been almost as ridiculous as the hitting has been, just in the other direction. If the Jays were just kind of OK with RISP, instead of overwhelmingly craptastic, they’d be about two games back in the East right now, if not better. It has been amazing to watch.
Tonight, Roy Halladay gave it everything he had, but he was probably left in a batter too long. Just one, and it was more than likely academic anyway. Halladay appeared to be getting close to running on fumes in the 6th inning, having thrown 101 pitches when that inning ended, which is remarkably inefficient for him and speaks to how hard he had to work to get those first 18 outs. A lot of that was because, as usual, the Jays’ bats left him with zero margin for error. Given how much he’s pitched lately, the warning signs were there, but heading out to face the bottom of the line-up in the 7th, you couldn’t have reasonably expected him to blow up. Halladay gave up a pair of little looping flare singles that dropped in in front of Alex Rios and Shannon Stewart, respectively. No big deal, but then the HUGE red flag.
Up came Asdrubal Cabrera, with specific instructions to get himself out, and Halladay wouldn’t let him do it. With Cabrera looking to bunt the runners over, Halladay couldn’t throw a strike, and walked him on four pitches. That should have been it. Now, bringing in a reliever with the bases loaded and nobody out in a one-run game and asking him to get you out of it still holding that lead is almost impossible to ask, but that was clearly it for Halladay. Chances are the Jays lose it there anyway, but Casey Blake took Doc off the wall to make it a moot point. That’s moot, by the way, not mute.
To those of you who say Vernon Wells doesn’t dive, so there - now he probably misses at least a few days. He made a spectacular charging/diving/rolling catch on Franklin Gutierrez’ shallow fly in the 6th, and as he rolled over on his left wrist I was sure he broke it and would be gone until about the all-star break. Instead, the Jays are saying the wrist is just jammed (still wouldn’t surprise me if there was a hairline they discover on a future x-ray, though), and his right hamstring also tightened up, forcing him the game and, I’m thinking, at least the rest of the series.
There were a lot of questions about Wells’ defense earlier in the season, and I even went so far to say that he may have lost a half-step, which is a pretty big deal for a 29 year-old, but the last couple of weeks, he’s been his old self out there, and he’d started to hit a bit, too - and to right and right-centre! I’d say it’s a big loss, but when you’re only scoring a run and a half a game, really, it may not even matter.
Rios took over in centre, and will be the guy there until Wells gets back, and we’ll see Brad Wilkerson in right every day, I’m assuming.
As I said this afternoon, I like the acquisitions of the Wilkersonian Institution and Kevin (A Gantze) Mench; Mench more because he’s more a legit lefty-crusher. But anytime you can get guys who have had success in the recent past for basically nothing, you do it. Neither may work out, but it didn’t cost you anything to try, and they certainly couldn’t possibly make the offense any worse while they’re here.
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As much as a stellar performance from Marcum can get me through the week, this has been a hard week for Jays fans.
I really think Frasor should be getting more of the highleaverage innings that Accardo has been getting. It’s kind of funny to hear even the announcers commenting on how ineffective and done Accardo is. I personally think Gibbons should get Marcum to teach Accardo his changeup, since Accardo’s meatball pitch doesn’t seem to be panning out.
I really hate seeing Vernon diving. Ichiro says time and again that diving makes no sense because it can cause an injury; and since we’d rather have Wells hitting and not healing i would have to agree.
Well, i can’t wait for Marcum to pitch another Gem and make me believe in the Jays again !
Thanks Mike, Jays talk has been great !
- DaveTip you cap?!? Don’t you me the Jays hitters should bend over? The Jays are the perfect remedy for a team that’s struggling. No matter how poor your starter is doing coming into the game, they’ll 1 maybe 2 runs and make them feel better.
MW: What, you just read the first sentence?
- gregMike, I am an active member on a couple of Blue Jays boards and the posters there act just like your callers. Anyways, I just wanted you to know that the best way to deal with these frustrating losses is to listen to you lay the smack down on all of those misinformed fans on Jays talk. Cracks me up.
MW: Thanks, I try.
- Matt SHey Mike. Thanks for pointing me towards The Fielding Bible. Now, the question is, do you put any stock in what these guys have done? Do you think it’s a legitimate evaluation of a player’s ability at any given position? I’m interested to know your thoughts.
Also, is there anything we as fans can do to help get a Jays Talk podcast onto the fan590.com’s site? I often miss them, and I’d like to hear them at my leisure. Give me an email to write to, and I’ll write to it. Let’s start a campaign. Failing that, I say we get you on air, 24/7. You’re already the hardest working man in sports, let’s get you working even harder.
MW: I’m not sure I could handle 24/7ness, it’s pretty close the way it is. I think the Fielding Bible’s work is as legit as any of the other new-generation stat-makers’, but what they’re trying to quantify is extremely difficult. Still, it’s WAY better than looking at fielding percentage or Gold Gloves.
- MattWhatever happened to Alex Gonzales by the way (I’m sure I spelled that name wrong). I am a strong believer of a good offence is a strong defence (of course you need a good balance, but…) and A-Gon was a shortstop that was much like Johnny Mac. Solid .260 average, but stellar defence. The amount of runs saved by these guys more than make up for the lack of runs they create. I have nothing against Eckstein, and if Johnny Mac wasn’t here, I’d be thrilled to have Eckstein here. But MacDonald IS here, and we’re wasting him. I know I’m just saying what a million other people have already said, but I’m frustrated with that situation, and felt the need to bring it up again. Sorry ’bout that.
So, yah, what happened to Gonzales?
MW: Gonzalez was traded to the Cubs, made a huge error in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS that no one talks about because of Steve Bartman, and as Mike Tyson would say, gradually faded into Bolivia.
- MattRios is in a bit of a funk and i’m wondering if Gibby will shake up the lineup to get him going again. With Vernon out for a few days, do you expect Alex to move a few spots down in the order?
MW: Anything to get him going, I’ve always felt he’s wasted in the lead-off spot, but right now he should be hitting 10th.
- Brett VZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzz
- Blue Jays OffenceMike : The game may have been a harbinger of the disaster that lies ahead.
Doc threw way too many pitches…full counts to too many. If they weren’t desperate and swinging at bad pitches, he would have set a new walk record (for him).
Why is Accardo still at this level? The result was predictable.
That referance to the ‘03 Tigers…do you think the Jays might get to 22-60 by All-Star break?
MW: Yeah, I think they might. When you think about it, it’s amazing how down everyone is about this team right now with them only being 3 games under .500 and 6-3 so far in May.
- JackHmmm, since arriving in Oakland Frank Thomas is hitting 267 (above the Jays average) and has OBP of 400 (higher then any Jay). Thank god JP got rid of him. Reed Johnson is hitting 257 so clearly we are better with Shannon Stewart at 229. And, as JP told me on Wed night “Stew is hot and has to play every day” as his excuse for demoting Lindh. Guess what JP, 229 is not hot. Oh yes, the day after you put two shortstops on the DL is the perfect time to aquire to outfeilders - very smart JP. Mike I respect your smarts, but am critical of your optimism, this season is over, the Jays will never get to 95 wins, just not gonna happen. Wells is hitting 279 thank god JP signed him to such a big deal Admit it Well has not lived up to expectations since he got the dough. Now my question, how long will it be until the pitchers start to look at the offense with a critical eye? That type of rift can cause clubhouse concern don’t you think?
MW: I don’t think so, it’s not like offense vs. defense in football. Wells has absolutely not lived up to his contract, and I hope this doesn’t become another season wasted because of injury, we’ll have to see.
- WayneWhen JP said Stewart was hot, he was something like 7 for his last 18, so he was. And to suggest that getting Mench and Wilkerson was a mistake because Eckstein and McDonald are out is, I’m sorry, just stupid - though you’re hardly the only one to have done so. Look at the bigger picture.
About 3000 times a season I ask myself why I even like baseball. Nothing ever makes sense in this game. There is no justice, no predictable cause and effect, and there is a huge luck component. But for some reason I’ve kept coming back for as long as I can remember. Like Mike says, I know the bats will come around because that’s what the law of regression to the mean says, but it’s just unbearable to watch this.
About Halladay, it was so painfully obvious what was coming in the 7th. He was already up to 100 pitches in the 6th and looked exhausted. He was getting into deep counts throughout the game. He was also striking a lotta guys out. I have no way of proving this, but whenever he’s striking out a lot of batters, I take it as a bad sign. I take it to mean that he’s not his usual self. Anyway, I wouldn’t have put him back in for the 7th even though he is Roy Halladay and I was right.
MW: You were, except he broke the bats of the first two hitters he faced and they got hits, which speaks to what you said about luck.
- ShawnHey Mike, with Vernon potentially missing some time, what do you think about bringing aboard Darrin Erstad to add a little grit to this team?
MW: That’s exactly what they need - not more good hitters, more grit!
- AlexWilner you talk about how great the offense was so great in 06, and they’re bound to start hitting, don’t be so sure. They had one of the best offenses in the first half of 06, but it was also one of the worst in the second half. The “amazing” offense of 06 is very much a myth. That means that going into this year, the offense was mired in a year and a half long slump, at what point do you just say it is what it is, and accept the fact that this combination of hitters just won’t work.
MW: I won’t accept that. Their performance with runners in scoring position this past month is a massive anomaly.
- TerryOff topic but the next time you talk to JP, can you ask him if Manuel Rodriguez fits anywhere in his plan because he is raking in A ball
MW: Sure, but you could ask him on Wednesday, I won’t talk to him before that.
- RaymondMike I don’t understand Why you defend J.P so much when even J.P says at the end of the day he should get the blame. In no professional sport can you just sit there and keep blaming a whole roster even if they are to blame or Keep telling yourself they’ll come around. Soon or later it is time to go in another direction, through a blockbuster trade or change of management. I feel that the jays should try moving some of the contracts to bring in some hitting prospects from other minor league clubs. This is the route that the Orioles,and Oakland, have taken. The moves that J.P has made such Hudson for Glaus then Glaus for Roland has not impacted this team. or for lack of terms put us over the hump.
It really bugs me when you talk about he injuries last year as though that was the be all and end all of the season. Zaun was doing nothing befor he went on the DL as was Overbay who went on the DL in June or July, I completly think you make more of vernons injury than he or the team does, you describe his shoulder as being ripped up. Seems to me that by the way vernon is swinging this year I doubted he could have rehabed the shoulder so fast and be swinging the bat the way he is this year if his shouder was ripped up. Mike Sirotka had a ripped up shoulder and he was done. You make Vernon’s Shoulder injury sound like Sirotka’s. Vernon seema to be a smart Guy I don’t think Vernon would play with a shoulder injury that could be dangerously impactful on his career. Meaning It wasn’t that bad. Our Major Injuries wer REED-BACK,ZAUN-HAND,OVERBAY-HAND
GLAUS-EVERYTHING. If you ride that injury excuse and feel that this was the main reason for last year’s failure, then why have they not Charged out of the gates this season as Boston did after their season of injuries and failure to make the playoffs.
MW: I don’t get the comparison to Boston. Must every good team that had injury issues before start the next season 20-10? Those same Red Sox went 13-16 from the end of May through the beginning of July - but that doesn’t count, right?
- RogerWells had, basically, the same injury as Sirotka - a torn labrum - but it was in his non-throwing shoulder. Vernon’s not a pitcher, but I’m glad to hear in your esteemed medical opinion that his injury wasn’t as bad.
I think the Jays should just save their pitchers and fans some grief and institute a first team to three runs wins rule. what is truly amazing to me is how there are 3 teams with few runs scored than the Jays. How can this be? Fact of the matter is, and i dont think this is getting enough pub, THE ENTIRE LEAGUE ISNT HITTING. The average runs per game is down nearly half a run per team. I attribute this to the incredible shrinking ball player as the Juicers are coming off their elixers. I dont know. Its getting hard to have a positive outlook on games when you know the pitcher basically has to be perfect to win.
what did u think about gibbys decision to bring in Accardo after JC got sizemore to pop up? Accardo was actually much better against lefties than righties last year..and this year he’s just not been very good at all. Right now I’d take JC against Joe Dimaggio over Accardo against Dewayne Wise.
MW: I think I would, too. I would have kept Carlson in there, and I think it’s time to give serious consideration to giving Accardo’s innings to Frasor until Jeremy gets his splitter working again.
- sammyMike,
How bad do you think the pitching will be when the Jays finally start to hit? Also it was nice to hear you using correct grammar when apologizing to the callers you didn’t get to, instead of ending it with a preposition.
In all seriousness (I ain’t care ’bout no gramma!) you ought to ask your tech people how to include links in your posts (usually provided as built-in functionality or using the syntax with less than/greater than signs and “/a href=” et cetera) including links is one of the few things that make blogging distinct from mere paper-based scribbling (and who wants to be associated with the likes of those BWAA people!?). Also, it provides a way for you to direct people to things on the web (perhaps a JaysTalk FAQ to answer that same inane question about Reed “little talent, big heart” Johnson). Also, could you look into twisting Rogers arm and better URL? http://www.JaysTalk.ca looks available. In addition to the blog, you could add a section to post the stats you (and your audience) have contributed. Really a more comprehensive site would be much better - I’m sure the IT guys down at the Rogers Campus can handle it. Think of the hits! The ad-revenue! Think of allowing more user contribution to have the add content for free! Heck http://www.billjamesonline.com charges folks $3/month and people (like myself) are dumb enough to pay it. If he’s worth three, you ought to be worth at least a buck!
Anyway, nothing insulting was intended above, just some suggestions that could work out if they were tried. This is easily the best blog on the Rogers site and could be made even better - this brings me to another point, I enjoy your show/blog (and the snark) more than the Jays at the moment. This team, isn’t that fun to watch. Positive reasons to watch the team, JMac defense, GLaus’ moonshots, Gibbon’s smacking his players into line, Burnett’s curve, Overbay’s sweet swing, Aaron Hill’s development - have been dwindling and now basically add up to starting pitching. Basically I’ve taken to watching the Jays take the field, the complete opposite of my habits during the last few years of the Ash Era (Oh where are you Tony Batista of 1999?)
At any rate, as much fun as it is to write a novel to you. My main question is this - how long does the Rod Barajas experiment last? I remember that you weren’t a fan of the signing when it happened and he’s currently hitting worse than he did last year, which people called a down year, but what was in reality his second best season of his career (by OPS+). Diaz is hurt and Thigpen couldn’t hit water if he fell out of a boat right now, but I’d rather watch either than Barajas right now. Gibby seems to have this problem with veteran catchers, I’ve really had enough of seeing Wilson, Huckaby, Philips, Fasano, and now Barajas… does he give these guys playing time because he’s got sympathy for them as he knows what it was like to be a not very good catcher? No other options? Perhaps I’m very out of step with the Jays management, but I actually enjoy watching younger players develop and break into the majors. I’d rather watch Lind play than Johnson last year or any of Stewart and the retreads this year. Ditto for Thigpen over Barajas. I’d find the team much less painful to watch if JP slotted in Lind/Thigpen and dumped SS and Barajas. Not going to happen, but this organization used to be pretty patient, Rios (in 2004/2005), Hill struggled to begin 2006. Janssen in 2006 got a ton of rope to hang himself as a starter with in 2006. This switch now smacks of desperation. If the kids don’t hit in 19AB punt ‘em. That’s ridiculous and it flies in the face of not only sabermetric wisdom, a knowledge of the statistics of small sample size, but in the very notion of giving someone an opportunity to prove themselves.
Sorrry for post of Dickensian proportions… but it seemed the only way to shake off that Kafkaesque feeling that the 2008 Jays induce. Hopefully you have a mere modicum of the fun in reading it, that I had writing it.
Love the show/blog and keep up the good work and as I mentioned, expand your empire by adding links, a new url and even reader generated content (go, go Web 2.0!)
MW: I like the suggestions for expanding my empire, as it were, and I appreciate the compliments. I don’t know how big I want this to get, though, my workload has already increased by about 30-50%!
- Christopher Taylorps. it looks like posting a link is dead-easy… please do add links to stats and such, it’ll really improve things for not much effort as it is easy to show how terrible this guy is… with links to game logs and retrosheet, your mission of correcting the misinformed should take one like (and everybody hates posts that are too long, right - especially ones with post-scripts!)
- Christopher TaylorMike, I was wondering if the next time you spoke to Denbo, could you ask him his evaluation of Thomas (as a hitter). Did he think he was done, unlucky or had lost some bat speed perhaps. Thanks in advance.
- brentMike, in your entire life, have you ever seen anything like this? I’m speechless.
MW: I really never have.
- PaulI really think John Gibbons has POOR judgement. He constantly leaves Halladay in too long (almost as if he is scared he will upset him if he yanks him)
He is bringing in one year wonder Accardo way too often in important situations.
John Gibbons is a poor manager and needs to go. Here is how my rotation would go.
1. Marcum
2. Halladay
3. McGowan
4. Burnett
5. Litsch
MW: The order of the rotation doesn’t matter after the first week of the season.
- tommypWilkerson’s bunt, was that on his own or you think Gibby actually called it? I liked it, but of course only cuz it worked. Unlike Hill’s the other day.
MW: I think he was trying to bunt for a hit, which I love.
- AriHow can this organization even pretend they are trying to win when instead of signing Barry Bonds to fill the DH/LF role, they get Brad Wilkerson and Kevin Mench instead?
It’s the unanswerable question of the 2008 Blue Jays season.
MW: Except they answered it, even though we didn’t like the answer.
- SteveHello Mike,
First off, thanks for pointing out the ‘moot’ vs ‘mute’ thing, that always bugs me when people talk about mute points. But I guess I should talk about baseball, huh?
Well, my dog’s just a pup yet, and his aim’s not too great, so we’ll keep him out of the picture, but yeah, I’m willing to express a sense of disgust. I missed the inning of truth, having stopped for a play break at McDs; went in at 1 - 0, came out at 6 - 1. Doesn’t help the dinner ride well.
So here’s my question. I’m not going to join the Gibbons and J P bashers, because I don’t want to sound hysterical, but I am curious as to what you think needs to be done. What do you do when an immensely talented team just doesn’t hit? I know you say hang tight, it’s bound to turn around sometime, but is there anything they can do to jump start it? Will having these key injuries be something that we might look back on as a point that changed our whole season by forcing the other guys to step up and fill some shoes, like the young pitchers last year? Or am I just desperately painting silver inside those black clouds?
I’m finding a need to repeat over and over “it’s just a game” these days! Thanks.
MW: Really, I don’t think there’s anything you can do to jumpstart it. These guys are all grown-ups and they’re well aware of just how much they’ve been failing. Would a players-only meeting turn things around? Would Gibbons walking into the clubhouse and turning the air blue for 10 minutes do anything? I doubt it. When you’re in a trough like this, you know it can’t last - it’s just lasted a lot longer than I even imagined it could.
- kitaMike,
Yip tip of the hat to Sabathia for sure and a pull your cap down over your face for the Jays offence last night. Tough one again. That was hillarious what you wrote about the dog lifting his leg to the Jays - sitting out back late yesterday afternoon with a couple of “the boys” enjoying a cold one and discussing sports - one of them who is a huge Red Sox fan said ” there - that’s for your Jays in 08″ (my dog “Jake” was doing just that - lifting his leg on a shrub) - so after reading your post I had a real chuckle. It makes it tough when a pal from NB is Red Sox and Bruins crazy - drives ya nutty.
Your right on Mike - How tough it must be for the Jays pitchers to go out there day in and day out knowing they can’t afford to give up more than a run or two - you could see big Doc last night doing everything he could possible do to avoid just that - he most certainly was looking a bit tired after just a few innings. Feel for those guys for sure.
Let’s hope the injury bug doesn’t come out now and add to the missing offence! Any time off for Wells now is a real damper as he has been the man at the plate of late.
New hitting coach and a damn good one to boot - still can’t get these guys hitting -what the heck is it - they have run into some top notch pitching at times but as you say and I agree - most certainly not all the time for sure.
A huge part of hittingand not hitting is mental! Poor hitting is contagious just as good hitting is - all we can do is stay positive and be patient - it has to turn around the lineup is just to potent for it not to.
Give Gibby a break guys I think he is doing an even better job this year over the past years and has used his BP very well.
As they say the good thing about MLB is they get to go back out there the next day and we don’t have to sit and stew for days waiting to see em again - hits more hits and runs are on the way. Has to happen or I am in for a long and expensive season with Mr Red Sox here.
Thanks for the opportunity to comment.
- BobMike,
I think Gibbons should start giving Fraser high leverage innings, replacing Accardo’s position. It was a sad game all around. You have to give management some credit for trying to help the offence. This year just does’nt look good.
- brunoLyle Overbay is on pace for six Homers this season. After his 2005 and 2006 season, I thought he is a 20 homer guy. I gave him a pass last year due to injury. His batting average is not bad this year but he just can’t clear the fence to save his life. Why such a dip Mike? Any changes in his batting appraoch this year?
MW: Just a slow start, sluggingly. He has four doubles in his last four games, though, so it’s starting to come around.
- BeburgMike,
A caller you had last night got me thinking, which is never a good thing cause it hurts. At what point does a slump become a norm? You mentioned guys last night that are too young to be dropping off because of age but you look at a guy like Hafner and you wonder…
Looking at the Jays, it has now been over a year since they were hitting. People were very quick to write last year off due to injuries but maybe we missed the signals. Last years offense wasn’t great and the best hitter from that team is gone.
So again I ask, at what point do we stopping talking about what people have done in the past …..at what point does a slump become a norm?
MW: Certainly not five weeks into a season.
- JWHi, Mike:
Many of us are focused in on LHP David Purcey, and how he is progressing in AAA. But don’t overlook another lefty down there, John Parrish. With a win last night, he moves his record to 5-0, with a 3.03 ERA, 36 K in 35.2 IP. His WHIP currently stands at 1.37.
He’s only 30 years old, and of course has some experience in the Majors.
Might he be a guy who could figure in as part of a deal later in the year?
MW: I don’t think so. He was signed as a minor-league FA in the off-season, and for his big-league career has averaged over six walks per nine innings. If he was to be traded, it’d likely be in the same kind of deal in which the Jays got Mench.
- NormIt’s like the tagline to Wayne’s World: You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll hurl. If I was Halladay I would demand a trade, or, at the very least, demand that Accardo go down to Syracuse to work on a second pitch. I know that he didn’t have much to work with in last night’s appearance, but I generally turn the game off when Accardo steps on the mound. Do you think he’ll be sent down to work on a second pitch, or do you think Gibbons will continue to run him out there like he’s the Accardo of last year?
MW: I hope Gibbons changes the way Accardo is being used.
- AndyIts funny how when Vernon dives, people say he shouldn’t dive, but when it looks like he doesn’t give it his all, those same people get all over him. Play hard no matter what, and deal with the consequences later. They weren’t going to go the whole year without an injury, its just unfortunate they lost three key guys in the same week. That being said, do you think Scutaro in and Eckstein out really hurts this team? Scutaro has been hot since taking over, but he just seems like a better overall player, maybe not defensively though.
MW: Scutaro isn’t a better overall player than Eckstein, though he looks very good in short bursts.
- BrettOur starting pitching is great, and is so fun to watch. Sadly Jeremy Acardo hasn’t been looking like his last year form, lets hope he can come around, if he does.
Once our hitting comes around we are easily favored to win any ball game. If you think about it,our team is full of players who can, and have hit in their career. It seems in most games, one or 2 guys will go 3-4 or something and the rest will go 0-4. With a struggling offense maybe we should just put the hitters with the best percentage 1 to 9, 1 being the best hitting %.
Pat Tabler said that usually the magic number for giving your chance a good chance to win every game in the A.L. is 5 runs. For some teams that number would need to be a bit higher but for us if we can get 5 runs every game, assuming the great pitching continues, we can win every series!
- CurtI like the acquisitions of Mench and Wilkerson as well, but I’m kind of confused why exactly we sacrificed infield depth for them, after John McDonald and David Eckstein were placed on the DL.
They sent down Joe Inglett, but shouldn’t the Jays have sent down a pitcher like Frasor, Tallet or Camp? considering we’re in need of depth in the infield, and not in the bullpen at all, I think it’d make more sense — they’re not even getting any work, save for the last two days. Don’t we need all the infield depth we can get?
Also, I was kind of skeptical why Gibby made the pitching change from Carlson to Accardo. Carlson handles lefties AND righties better than Accardo, and it’s kind of hard not to realize how great he’s been this year.
Thanks, Mike.
MW: Why do the Jays now need all the infield depth they can get?
- JasonHey Mike,
I’m wondering what moves you would be thinking about right now if you were gm of the jays. (other than signing Bonds)
It seems increasingly clear that this offense is not going to be good enough to get us into the post season. It’ll get better, but not good enough.
What prospects would you trade? Who would you want?
Just off the top of your head.
MW: I’d make a hard run at Adam Dunn, but I’m not sure I’d do much else.
- benKevin (A Gantze) Mench - hilarious, one can only hope he’ll be a whole player, but let’s be blunt here, Mike, this is just throwing a pile of crap against the left-field wall and seeing what sticks. What an embarrassment this team has become - Toronto Devil Jays.
MW: It really isn’t, though. It’s taking every opportunity to try to get better. I don’t understand why so many people seem to have a problem with that.
- andy f.Wow. Another superlative effort by the Jays.
What can I say, top flight all the way, starting with the outstanding clutch hitting, the superb relief pitching, and most of all, the genius level managing.
Gibbons must be the best manager of pitching staffs I have ever seen. Certainly, when your starter, who allowed leadoff hits in the 4th and 5th, and looked exhausted in the 6th, should NEVER have a visit from the pitching coach.
And when he walks a guy TRYING to get out, well, that is clearly no reason for alarm.
But that was not the best move by Gibbons, oh no. Carlson, recently pitching like the 2nd coming of Koufax, is instructed to walk the bases full, so Gibbons can bring in a guy who the league is hitting 120 points higher against. Gotta love that righty/righty matchup. (BTW, righties are hitting Accardo at .276, Carlson, .222)
As I said, Gibbons is a genius. I truly wish I had have the baseball acumen that he has. Which is to say I wish I had half the acumen of a grapefruit.
This team is doomed. I won’t be wasting any more of my money at the Skydome.
MW: OK. See you when they win five in a row.
- Paul BHey Mike, How’s it going? Continuing to be not unwell?
But anyways is there any word on how long Vernon is out for ? Also, what’s going on with Halladay this year!? He for sure doesn’t look the same as his last few years so far. I mean he still has some good stuff, but the wins aren’t piling up. At what point do you think we should trade him, if this keeps up?
Thanks, keep up the great work!
MW: Please tell me you’re not serious.
- AndrewMike,
In the last post you mentioned that bringing in these guys (mench, wilkerson) for free is worth a shot taking as it is a low risk, high reward type of move. What I don’t understand though is the overall plan that JP is mastering here.
Since he has come on as the Jays GM, I have seen numerous shortstops, Left/right fielders and third baseman come here to play. Heck it seems as though JP is always patching up his mistakes each year by trading this player or acquiring that player….all to replace players he brought in!
With Tomo Ohka and John Thompson, he brought those guys in thinking that he had nothing else in terms of starting pitching when two young guys were staring him right in the face the whole time, and they only got a shot by fluke chance.
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the Rolen trade, BUT Scott Rolen was Troy Glaus who had replaced Corey Koskie who had replaced Eric Hinske, who JP signed to a huge contract. This was over a span of 4 years.
Don’t even get me started with the outfield as it is even more confusing.
The only continuity I see with this GM is the number of aqcuisitions he makes in order to stockpile his roster full of B-Grade offensive talent.
The offense seems to click every three years (2003, 2006) so the Jays will probably click on all cylinders in 2009. Thankfully, JP won’t be at the helm at that point.
MW: I’ve already addressed the Ohka/Zambrano/Thomson thing many times. Again - low risk, high reward, bought a little extra time for McGowan and Marcum to develop. I have zero problem with that. McGowan didn’t get his shot by fluke chance, he went down to AAA and dominated there as he never had before, earning his call-up.
- MarkThe third base thing - yes, signing Hinske long-term was a mistake, but a universally praised one at the time, coming off a rookie of the year season. Who knew he would eat his way to two crappy years in a row? Ricciardi has acknowledged that Koskie was a mistake, and Rolen, I believe, is an improvement over Glaus.
What’s wrong with continually trying to be better than you are?
mike , ,,, im a huge fan of the jays, a fan of of gibby and i think j.p has done a very good job. the team that takes the field every day should be scoring 5-7 runs on most nights , which would give them a much much better record and then everyone would be saying what a great gm j.p is. the team he has in very good but like you said if they at least hit 10 points lower then their avg. they would still look great. the bats WILL come around no team is this bad. do they need to throw gibby under the bus to make a statement??? i hope not. should doc come out in the public and hold the hitters accountable ?? get some guys on edge…. do you need to put a.j and someone else to get a big contract???? i love a.j but if you say he opts out then what is there to loose???? im a pitchers guy mike and you would think having pitching like this they would be unstoppable. im starting to go crazy and loose sleep lol which is pretty darn sad…. the guy i work with at nights is from boston so he gives it to me every night about red sox celtics and the pats. lets go blue jays!!!!!!!!
from the gut who cant spell!!!
MW: Really, it’s sad that you’re proud of the fact that you can’t spell.
- mikeThe way Scutaro and Rios have been hitting recently (often and rarely respectively) I’m seriously thinking Scutaro should lead off against lefties.
MW: As I said above, right now Rios should be hitting 10th.
- TorgenHow long can the Jays go with this crappy offense? I think the time has come to make a move for an impact bat like Dunn ore Bay. Also, after starting the season so nicely, it appears that Hill and Rios are underachieving. I hope the renewed contracts have nothing to do with it as players have a tendency to relax when that happens.
MW: I don’t believe that you’ll find most players’ performance drops after they get a long-term contract, and I don’t think the Reds or Pirates are that willing to pull the trigger on a deal this early.
- aviMike I have been a Jays fan since 1992 and watch and listened to the Jays game since 1996. I hope they will turn it around doon and I hope they get Alpert Pujols and Ryan Howard sometime in the next few seasons to make the Jays even better. I do know that they will get better soon since it is a long season and they can be .145 RISB all season long. They still have a chance go get to the postseason this year.
MW: Yes, they do, but don’t hold your breath on Pujols and Howard. That’s not going to happen.
- Ryan BensonMike, at least the bunt by Wilekerson worked out.
MW: No, it didn’t. He was bunting for a hit!
- TomYo Mike,
I think I’ve finally figured out J.P.’s plan. He’s trying to put an offense on the field that is so drab and boring that the other team’s position players will fall asleep on the field and the Jays batters can run around the bases and score on infield grounders. Sure seems that way.
As a public service could you please start highlighting the spelling and grammatical errors of the people who post on here in red type. That would really make this blog a lot of fun. Hope this post was short enough.
MW: I couldn’t possibly do that, there’s just not enough time.
- Jim BranscomeHey Mike,
I know you’ve heard this a lot, but we need to make a big move to get this team. If it takes giving up one of our beloved starters, I’d do it, to get a dynamic offensive player. Getting rid of our general manager. But I know we have to go after some sort of catalyst.
Jose Reyes, anybody
MW: I thought you had a valid point until you came up with Jose Reyes. Seriously, that’s a catalyst? The guy with the career .330 obp? What they need isn’t a catalyst, even a real one, this team does all kinds of catalyzing. They need a finisher.
- William Prowse#15 is right that the “ENTIRE LEAGUE ISNT HITTING” (capitalization and spelling his). At least not hitting as well. Runs and home runs are down significantly. Personally, I don’t care if malor leaguers snort ‘roids off the thighs of hookers in the clubhouse. I just wish the jays could hit.(acceptable language on this site?)
MW: Yeah, what the heck.
- GHey Mike, I’m curious if you, Allen and Jerry keep your own scorecards for each game. I hear many of your ill-informed callers state ‘facts’ about the game that are incorrect. Maybe a scorecard would be a good sugestion for them. Thanks.
MW: We do all keep our own scoresheets.
- Sandy - Cambridge, ON