I like the nickname “Rudy” given the rapid ascent from batboy to big league pitcher, although I think given the red hair, you might be looking at “Rusty” for a nickname. Interesting “connection” between the two: “Rudy” was the story of a kid whose dream was to play football at Notre Dame. Rusty Lisch (alas no “t” in the surname) was a QB who played 5 nondescript seasons in the NFL, but played his College Football at Notre Dame. He started the first 3 games of 1977 in his 3rd year there before some kid named Joe Montana came along and sent him to the bench. He finally got to be the starter in 1979 as a 5th year senior after Mr. Montana graduated and went on to bigger and better things in the NFL. “Rusty” is such a cliche nickname for a redhead though. Let’s go with “Rudy”. Cheers,

Also, the Rays don’t seem to want to fade here (4 runs in the 8th to take the late lead in Chicago); if they hold on 5 1/2 games is not an insignificant amount, especially with how well that team pitches (maybe better than the Jays)

MW: Never would I have thought that the Rays would ever want to fade, but the longer they keep this up, the more impressive they are becoming, obviously. As for the playoff thing, it’s always been that only those on the 25-man roster on August 31st are eligible for the playoffs, but players on the disabled list can be replaced by anyone who is on the 40-man roster (I think, it might even be anyone in the organization) on August 31st. If the Blue Jays make the playoffs, they’ll do so with at least Janssen and McGowan on the disabled list.

MW: I don’t think Tony Fernandez is a Hall of Famer. Wonderful player, very good hitter, but not Hall of Fame quality at the plate (lifetime OPS+ of 101) and not the defender that Ozzie was.

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfx/index.php?s_type=2&sp_type=1&batterX=0&inning1=y&inning2=y&inning3=y&inning4=y&inning5=y&inning6=y&inning7=y&inning8=y&inning9=y&month=06&day=11&game=gid_2008_06_11_seamlb_tormlb_1%2F&year=2008&pitchSel=451788.xml&prevGame=gid_2008_06_11_seamlb_tormlb_1%2F

Assuming this link works correctly, this is Marcum’s 9 strikeout performance against the Seattle Mariners from back in June.

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfx/index.php?s_type=2&sp_type=1&batterX=0&inning1=y&inning2=y&inning3=y&inning4=y&inning5=y&inning6=y&inning7=y&inning8=y&inning9=y&month=08&day=06&game=gid_2008_08_06_oakmlb_tormlb_1%2F&year=2008&pitchSel=451788.xml&prevGame=gid_2008_08_06_oakmlb_tormlb_1%2F

This is his decent game against Oakland a couple weeks ago

http://www.brooksbaseball.net/pfx/index.php?s_type=2&sp_type=1&batterX=0&inning1=y&inning2=y&inning3=y&inning4=y&inning5=y&inning6=y&inning7=y&inning8=y&inning9=y&month=08&day=22&game=gid_2008_08_22_bosmlb_tormlb_1%2F&year=2008&pitchSel=451788.xml&prevGame=gid_2008_08_22_bosmlb_tormlb_1%2F

And this is last night’s start.

According to the pitchf/x data, his pitches are straightening out and he’s leaving stuff up a lot more.

This is obviously something that you don’t need a bunch of fancy charts to know, but it helps to see it like this for myself at least.

One of the dumber moves in the history of the franchise.

MW: Indeed.

And nice to see another Big Win against the Sox! We’re going good right now. I hope it lasts.

MW: I actually announced the Marcum news at about 12:25 pm on the pre-pre-game show, the official word came down about half an hour later.

Regarding your answer on post 17:

“MW: Barry Bonds never threatened to kill a woman and his own child. Bonds is just a jerk, Dukes is in a whole other neighbourhood.”

You couldn’t be more right. Dukes has a lengthy record of CRIMINAL ACTS including barging into an elementary school and threatening his girlfriend. Once escorted out he texted her a picture of his gun with the words “you dead dawg.”. People need to understand the difference of an ornery star like Bonds, who may not be nice to the media, and a legitimate thug like Dukes. One may be bad for the clubhouse, while the other is legitimately bad for the city in which he plays. I would be greatly troubled if JP brought in a player like Dukes as his troubled history would be setting a terrible example of the kind of human beings we want with the Jays.

MW: Well said.

MW: I don’t think that’s it at all.

Sunday BOS Burnett
Tuesday at TB Halladay
Wednesday at TB Purcey
Thursday at TB Litsch
Friday at NY Burnett
Saturady at NY Parrish (lefty in Yankee Stadium; could this be the reason they wanted Parrish up ?)
Sunday at NY Halladay

Still scratching my head over sending down Marcum; wonder if they’ll bring him back in time to be post-season eligible (likely not).

MW: You’re not the only one scratching your head. I can’t confirm that rotation at all, don’t know whether it’ll be Purcey or Parrish in Tampa Bay on Wednesday, and vice-versa for Saturday. Marcum will still be eligible for the post-season if the Jays make the playoffs, even though he can’t be called back up before September 1st unless somebody gets hurt. But since Dustin McGowan and Casey Janssen are both playoff-eligible and on the disabled list, the Jays will have wiggle room with their roster if the miracle happens.

Do you think we can get some momentum behind that nickname ?

MW: You can sure try.