11:50 AM Eastern
Sorry this took so long to get up, fun night with the family last night – took the girls to the drive-in!
I’m as confident as I’ve been since this whole thing started that Roy Halladay isn’t going to get traded – though he might finally want to now after seeing Ryan Rowland-Smith no-hit the Blue Jays over six innings yesterday. In Halladay’s three starts since the all-star break, he has allowed five earned runs over 25 innings and has one win to show for it, because the Jays have scored all of seven runs in three games for him.
Congrats to the Jays, by the way, on their 11th one-run loss of the month! They’re 8-15 so far in July despite having OUTSCORED their opposition 103-96 this month. There’s some sort of sick joke being played on Toronto by the baseball gods.
Here’s yesterday’s edition of The JaysTalk, for your listening pleasure:
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The Jays get back to it tomorrow night in Oakland, with Scott Richmond coming off the D.L. to start against Dallas Braden. We’re on the air at 9:30 PM Eastern for a 10:07 first pitch. By then, the non-waiver trading deadline will have passed, and there’s talk of Marco Scutaro going to the Twins before then (Johnny Mac, starting shortstop again? Cool – as long as he’s not leading off). After August 1st, trades may still be made, but not involving Halladay.
Rational, reasonable comments are always welcome!
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I was looking at the Las Vegas team website and I saw some players that I have never heard of before but were having very good seasons at positions that either have been a problem for the Jays or will be vacant next year.
How much consideration are the Jays giving into guys like SS Angel Sanchez who is still only 25 years old and has hit .301 in 99 games? Or 1B Brian Dopirak who also is only 25 years old and between AA and AAA is hitting .312 in 100 games.
Do these two have any future with the big league team or are they just guys to fill out the roster with, because it seems like these guys are still young and could help out up here for next season if Scutaro and Overbay are no longer with the team.
MW: Dopirak may well have a future, Sanchez not so much.
- RichardI noticed that yesterday about the Jays in July. I think that’s 9 one run losses, and 5 two run losses this month. When they win it’s by 4+ runs and when they lose it’s by 1, or occasionally 2. I’ve grown numb to it all.
They’re now 11-20 in games decided by a run. This after being 24-32 last year.
- Flaming MoeHi Mike,
Three quick questions…
Do the Jays have any promising, near-ready minor leaguers who can step in if the they trade Scoot and Rolen?
Also, what’s the likelihood the Jays would try and sign Scutaro again this off-season? I seem to recall reading something to that effect.
And third, any chance the Jays might pick up a guy like Teahan via trade?
Thanks!
MW: 1 – No. If those two get traded, either McDonald and Bautista take over for the rest of the season or whoever they get back in the trade (though I doubt they get back major-league ready players). 2 – It depends on what Scutaro’s contract demands are. 3 – Sure, but don’t hold your breath.
- Rob_NSHi Mike,
So Dirk Hayhurst who has the lowest ERA on the team gets sent down while other pitchers and position players who have underperformed all year are still with the team.Is this how the Jays reward good performance?I don’t get it!
MW: Hayhurst didn’t deserve to be sent down based on his performance, it’s true, but I wouldn’t have sent down any of Downs, Carlson, Tallet, Frasor, League or Camp instead.
- PaulHello Mike Wilner
If you were the GM of the Brewers, wouldn’t you be after Scott Rolen? This man is not given as much respect he deserves for playing Hall of Fame Calibre 3rd base. Plus he is hitting well over 300. There are a few teams that could use him, starting or even backup.
I was just thinking, how about trading Marco Scutero, Frasor, and Rolen to Cincinatti for Brandon Phillips, and Edward Encarnacion? What are your thoughts on this trade. Thank-you and have a nice day.
Your good friend The Swirsk.
MW: I’m pretty sure this isn’t really Chuck Swirsky, especially because I’m confident that Swirsk can spell Cincinnati. I don’t like Encarnacion at all. Poor hitter, can’t defend. Phillips is a good bat against left-handed pitching, but only OK against righties. Phillips is kind of expensive going forward, too. I think the Jays lose way too much here.
- Chuck SwirskyMW – Sanchez didn’t pitch a perfect game – someone reached base. It doesn’t matter how it happened, no one can reach base for a game to be perfectly pitched.
A perfect game is a team achievement. It requires all balls in play to be converted into outs and a run to be scored by the offense at some point. How about Mark Buehrle retiring 45 consecutive batters. Wow.
____________________________
“a lineup built around Hill, Lind, Wells, Snider, and Rios, seems to me competetive with any other team out there.”
Well it’s fun to dream. Wells, Rios, & Snider have all been terrible this season and might well be again. This also leaves us with no shortstop, 1B, C, or 3B. Now if Rolen, Scutaro, & Overbay all come back and the Jays can acquire a solid catcher…then it’s a solid offense, but certainly not competitive with any team. The Red Sox, Rays, Yankees, and Rangers all have much better line-ups that this.
- kitHi Mike
it is incredible how Toronto has taken Doc for granted. I hear commentators saying that Doc was ‘struggling’, ‘didn’t pitch well’.
If any other pitchers (say Cliff Lee or Sabathia) give up 3 runs in seven innings, would there be the same comment? But then, Lee’s or sabathia’s team would provide their pitchers more than 4 run support per game…..
Francis
MW: Not necessarily. You do realize the Indians have the second-worst record in the league, right? Halladay gave up 11 hits in seven innings. For him, that’s definitely struggling.
- francisMike,
Love the blog, check it daily however to further elaborate my comments maybe couple of days back regarding Wells & Rios. I wrote Wells & Rios are like Ramirez & Ortiz.
I was referring that they are paid like Ramirez & Ortiz, especially Wells.
How do you guys say it when an athlete says one thing but really they mean other? Wait….I know, “It was taking out of context”.
Anyways, now that there are allegations that both Ramirez & Ortiz took roids during the 03′ year. It looks like that world series win the year after is tainted.
Perhaps baseball may need to put an asterisks beside that 04′ win? The never ending saga of the steroids era will probably will not go away now for a long time. Too bad
Thanks Mike and keep blogging!
MW: Everything over the last 20 years or so is tainted.
- J. LeeMike,
I listen to baseball today in the afternoons after the fact. The lastest posted is from July 28th, 2 days ago. Was there a baseball today yesterday and today?
Oh, and as for 3rd and SS should the current jays be traded, who is the system could start next season? Or is it Jonny Mac and Jose for 2010 too?
MW: There’s Baseball Today everyday! I wonder why it wasn’t posted. There’s really no one in the system who could start at short and third next season, unless Brad Emaus or Scott Campbell make pretty big jumps this year.
- JWIt’s hard to believe Jays can’t trade a top 5 pitcher like Halladay .
Don’t you think many fans were looking forward to getting 3-4 top prospects in a trade?
MW: No, I don’t. They could very easily have traded him if they’d wanted to, but no team was willing to pony up a strong enough offer.
- ChasMW: Hayhurst didn’t deserve to be sent down based on his performance, it’s true, but I wouldn’t have sent down any of Downs, Carlson, Tallet, Frasor, League or Camp instead.
Hayhurst had 9 K, 8 BB, and a WHIP of 1.60 in his 16 IP. Of the 24 base runners he allowed 23 did not score, a strand rate of 95.8% when the major league norm is 70%. He was not really pitching very well, and his ERA was a complete mirage.
____________________________
MW: Everything over the last 20 years or so is tainted.
Surely, not Jeter or the Doc.
MW: Hayhurst was doing fine for his low-leverage role. And surely you can’t believe that Jeter and Halladay are above suspicion, while no one else is.
- stat ladyMike: Nice to chat with you the other night after my long hiatus.
It occurred to me that in my brief vacation down to Pittsburgh in June that I neglected to visit the ruins of old Forbes Field (which evidently are a part of the walls of Univ. Pittsburgh Law school now).
Do you envision a day when your children are older, that you will take them for the stereotypical “ballpark road trip” to different parks (old or new) to share the history and the timeless love of baseball with them?
I recall you visited and went into Hiram Bithorn recently…
MW: I’d love to do that some time, but I fear it’d bore them. Also, I don’t really plan on having any time off during the baseball season for a few decades.
- Adrian, co-alumnusmichael,
it seems to me that the majority of the time when v. wells defence is being assessed/scrutinized this season, the general consensus is a significant drop off in efficiency from yrs. previous.
i gotta tell you, i don’t miss too many games & from what i’ve witnessed first hand…. i just don’t see it that way.
there’s no over abundance of errors as far as i can see, he still makes all the routine plays look just that routine, still see him make plays at the wall on a very consistent basis. the arm doesn’t look all that different to me as far as i can tell. the only thing i’d say to this theory, is that he might let rios go get a few more than he used to when they’re carrying out to c/rf. not the end of the world there i don’t think. probably smart actually with the way rios gallops out there.
anyway, i know there seems to be these stats out now that compute this fielding evaluation of wells but man i’m sorry…tbis apparent huge drop off…just not seeing it as point blank as everyone else.
your explanation/observation with his hamstring causing him some problems makes sense no doubt & has to be causing some difference i’m sure.
but tell me what is it i should be looking for when everyone’s offering up this viewpoint? curious on that?
MW: What I’m seeing, and what a lot of others are seeing, is that there are a lot of balls dropping that he used to catch. Whether they’re over his head, in the gaps or in front of him. There have been at least five balls this year on which he’s gotten a glove, but failed to catch. Just watching Rios play centre those three games against the Red Sox after the all-star break, I really noticed the difference.
- darrell bishophello Mike
I see you are working this afternoon. You took your girls to the drive in?? I didn’t even know those things still exist!
A question – I noticed that the Jays have shifted their rotation around and Cecil is skipped and he will not be pitching until Sunday at the earliest. How would the Jays control the innings of the rookies Mike? Do they just skip their starts once in a while?
It seems ashame to skip Cecil for Richmond since I think Cecil is a much better pitcher than Richmond. No wonder people are excited about Cecil
Thanks
Francis
MW: Cecil’s innings have to be monitored, and so do Rzepczynski’s. The Jays are likely to go with a six-man rotation once Shaun Marcum comes back, with Halladay throwing every fifth day and everyone else slotting in around him.
- francisMike,
There are reports that David Ortiz was on the storid users list with Manny and others… I wonder if Magglio Ordonez and Vernon Wells are on that list too. Look at Vernon’s power numbers after hitting 30+ hrs… By the way, I love the way Howard from the FAN 590 described Vernon’s approach to the plate during Tuesday’s night game: “Is as if he can’t wait for the at bat to be over.”… I heard fans in the west coast booing Vernon… Mike, how can they help this guy? I have seen Morgan’s swing analysis on ESPN Sunday night baseball… I’m sure Vernon can review his swings from the 2008 and 2006 seasons… However, the more I see Vernon the more I’m convienced he was on juice…
MW: He may have been, but if he was, why would he have stopped after last season? And how do steroids help you hit with runners in scoring position?
- AxlHi Mike.
Love the drive-in too. We even take the dog.
Anyhow, if Overbay is traded what are your thoughts about Lind at 1st? Could he be a decent defender? I thought his defence in left was actually pretty good. Why not Snider there instead?
MW: Snider is a much better defensive outfielder than Lind, hence the talk of moving Lind to first. I’m sure he can be decent there.
- andrewSince the beginning of the 2008 season.
Halladay
394 IP, 2.74 ERA
Cliff Lee
375 IP, 2.78 ERA
It’s easy to see why the Indians went for Lee when you consider the difference in the asking prices.
MW: It is, even though ERA hardly tells even close to a complete picture of what a pitcher does. The price for Lee was far, far lower than the price for Halladay. The discrepancy between the prices was greater than the disparity between the pitchers.
- stat ladyI rarely listen to you on the radio, as our viewpoints are very different. That being said I watched the game yesterday (Halladay) and smiled when it ended. A quote of yours was in the back of my mind and it was so true. “Gaston is the best manager from the end of a game until the beginning of the next game.” I am not going to suggest that he is the worst manager in history, but he certainly is in Grady Little’s class. It is no wonder that he was never hired by any other organization. He really, really needs an astute bench coach to help him make intelligent baseball moves. Once the game begins he seems unable to function and make sound baseball moves. Regarding Halladay, I agree that it is unlikely that he will be traded. Cleveland took much less for Lee who is also very good and much cheaper. I can’t see the Red Sox giving up Buchholz, Bard, Kelly and Westmoreland for Halladay. He is very, very good, but that is way too much. It will be interesting to see what happens. I will be shocked if Rogers spends the necessary dollars to compete next year. If they do, one would think that their payroll would have to hit $110-120 million. Can’t see it taking place. Can you?Halladay’s trade value will decrease after 4:01 p.m. Friday. If they trade him in the offseason, I am certain that they will get far less. J.P. is in a no-win situation, criticism mo matter what he does.
MW: J.P. is always in that situation. I have to ask, why does the fact that our viewpoints are very different make you not listen to the radio show very often? Why would you only want to hear from people with whom you agree?
- BrianMike…
a) Under the heading of “real cool”: A colleague of mine went to Boston and got me a retro Red Sox T-shirt with #9 and Williams on the back. Her apartment when she lived in Beantown looked down on the famous CITGO sign beyond the Green Monster.
b) A scenario Mike I need your expertise on: A batter has 2 strikes on him and the situation is open for him to run to first on a 3rd strike drop by the catcher. The pitcher uncorks one of those super wild pitches that clear the catcher and the batter swings his bat with ZERO intention of making contact, just to get to first. Is there a rule that there has to be a genuine attempt to make contact?….I remember back in ’92 when Jack Morris was going for win #20 in N.Y. and the Jays were smoking the Yanks. It started to rain in the top of the 5th and Alfredo Griffin started swinging at everything just to get the game in, but he wasn’t trying to get a freebie to first.
MW: There is definitely no rule that a batter has to have a genuine attempt to make contact when he swings. With some guys, how would you know?
- chris m.Do you have any clue as to why Jays are losing so many close games? It’s understandable if you lose few, but like every time out, even when they are playing well, they seem to lose close games.
Is it because of Cito’s managing style?
In my opinion, I think bulejays don’t have enough situational hitters. Guys who know how to move the runners less than two outs wihtout bunting or someone who cuts their swings with two strikes.
Pitchig will be still good even without Halladay. But there needs to major overhaul with the position players.
Thanks Mike.
Jay
MW: I’d rather have hitters who don’t get out, and the Jays don’t have enough of those.
- JayHey Mike
I realize that JP needs to put up a front and tell teams he must be overwhelmed to deal Doc. But if JP is looking for equal value in return, he won’t get a deal done, which will hurt the club long term. In a year and a half, when Doc leaves, the Jays will get a couple of late first round picks and JP can’t allow this to happen. If Boston is offering something similar to Buchholz, Bowden and Westmoreland, that should get it done. Sure, make the Sox think they still have to add, because they just might, but don’t pass up that offer. It may not look fantastic for Doc, but it is much, much better than getting a few late 1st rounders.
MW: That offer was never presented.
- rickMike.
I agree with you on the fact that we don’t need divisions in baseball. Major League Baseball didn’t have them from 1900 to 1968. The top 4 teams in league qualifying for post-season is a good idea. It would be good for those older than I who remember the only post-season series was the World Series. I hope MLB goes back to the balanced schedule but to do that they must rid themselves and us, the fans, of inter-league. It’s meaningless, it has no relevance to anything, and I’m just bored of it. Having said that, the Jays and Rays playing each other 19 times can be tedious as well. I would love to see the LA Angels. Detroit, Cleveland, Texas, Oakland and the other teams from the other 2 divisions more often. At the end of the season the 4 best teams get in the post-season, the first round is still a best-of-5, you then go to the LCS, then the World Series, which would end no later than Oct.31, which won’t this year, Nov. 5 is the latest date I think. Do you think the balanced sked and losing inter-league will ever happen Mike?
Peter, St.Catharines
MW: Nope.
- PeterI think it’s safe to say the length of these blog posts reflects the general interest in the Jays’ dwindling season. I wouldbe very interested to look at the word count of Mike’s blogs over the past few years and see where interest dwindles….do we think it is always at the same time of the year?
Go Phillies!
MW: Check it out – you’re likely to be surprised.
- JonathanHello Mike…
Just took a stroll though the ol’ archives (yea I know, I’m obsessed) and noticed an observation of mine..
Me (aka Gump) made a prediction about Halladay and you asked me if I’d make a wager..
Hate to say it, looks like I should have taken you up on that bet..
comment 50.
September 26th, 2008 at 8:41 pm..Read it and weep dude!
MW: You weren’t sure enough about it to take the bet back then, so don’t take credit now.
- ray bEnlighten me, Mike. What is without merit about my question as to why no one denied a 5 year plan until year 6.
I have listened to you berate callers who have referred to the 5 year plan. You yourself have said that the plan was a creation of the media. While you can’t be held responsible for everything the media says, neither can your listeners be held responsible for believing the media. That you have covered the same ground in the past is no answer. People don’t hear all your shows.
Did JP tell an interviewer in year 3 when asked how the 5 year plan is going that there is no 5 year plan?
I think you need to lighten up a bit. After all, I didn’t take you to task (until now) for offering up luck as one of the factors for explaining how the 5th to 8th best team in baseball has consistently underperformed. Luck evens out over time. Your offering of luck as a factor is neither a reasonable nor a rational comment.
I would like to move beyond the personal as I have a high regard for your opinion although I often disagree with it, albeit marginally.
You recently commented on the Jays RISP average as only being explainable as a statistical anomaly. In a previous blog entitled “Things I Don’t Get”, I commented that what I didn’t get was how the Jays could finish where they did with the 4th best run differential. You answered that teams wait them out and beat them in late innings as the offence falters. I checked and indeed the Jays OPS in late innings was close to the bottom of the league and well below their average. I know Bill James denies there is such a thing as a clutch hitter. Could he be wrong? Could there be such a thing as a non-clutch team?
MW: If J.P. was asked in year 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 about the five-year plan, the answer would have been that there was no five-year plan. That’s why that question had no merit. The notion that luck evens out over time is a little misguided. The fact that one has been unlucky for a while has no bearing on whether or not that luck will change at all, though we’d all like to think it would. There can’t be such a thing as a non-clutch team, but there certainly can be teams that have non-clutch years, just like players can have clutch years and non-clutch years.
- tim grafMichael,
After Travis Snider, how far is the drop off in hitting prospects in the Jay’s system?
Thanks.
MW: Pretty severe, but Snider is pretty special.
- Uncle BenMike,
This Casey Kelly kid in the Red Sox’s farm system is supposed to be a great pitcher and hitter. The team is still deciding on making him a bat OR an arm.
It got me thinking. I know back in the day, Babe Ruth was an amazing pitcher.
What do you think of the idea on developing a pitcher who is capable of playing everyday (someone way better than Carlos Zambrano or Mike Hampton, who will hit the occasional HR every month)?
A team is able to effectively save a roster spot, and are able to save payroll (in some situations). Do you think there will be a coach or team who will develop a player to become multi-tooled to be able to pitch and hit in the near future?
Thanks
MW: I hope so, I’d love to see it. It’s been attempted a couple of times, most recently with Brooks Kieschnick.
- James from MississaugaI think I remember Pat Gillick telling Bob McCown that you would generally get a better return trading a player now than you would in the off-season.
The way I see this situation is that a Halladay trade right now would net a certain number of high calibre prospects. This point in time represents the high point (if we believe Gillick) as from here on in there is less and less time for a team to benefit from Halladay pitching for them. So dealing him in the off-season may bring good talent…but maybe not quite as good or as much as you could get now.
Now I remain unconvinced that next year will be much better than this one – and that means that at this time next year Halladay will have two months to go before his contract is up and he’s not going to give as great a return in a deal at that time.
To top this off we have a G.M. who seems to be making decisions based on what other teams do. The Phillies offer a certain group of players that are not acceptable to the Blue Jays. Oh well, I guess we’ll keep him. The Phillies get Cliff Lee and that seals it.
So, is Ricciardi confident this team can win next year or is he just going to deal with the cards that are left for him because the Phillies walked away and left him with Halladay? His self-imposed deadline has passed and the plan for the Blue Jays to “go for it” in 2010 seems to have been made totally by Ruben Amaro, in an office somewhere in Philadelphia. If he gave up the players Ricciardi wanted than Halladay would be gone…and rebuilding would be the word of the day.
It may be sad to admit but the time has come for a deal. It would sting if the team was three games above .500 a year from now and trading Halladay for small potatoes compared to what he might have brought this year.
And it also strikes me as being a bit arrogant to act like the Blue Jays are totally in the driver’s seat here. Sure, you can reject deals because they aren’t giving everything you want. But by doing so you leave yourself with a player that you likely know won’t stay with you past 2010 unless you have a winner. And there is sure no guarantee that there will be a winner here in 2010. So J.P. will have his pride at the end of 2010 – “they didn’t offer the players we wanted so we walked away” – but the true value of an 11-3 (or whatever) Halladay may never be realized.
MW: I’m not sure I understand the heart of your argument here. The Phillies didn’t offer up a package that met with the Jays’ approval and therefore Ruben Amaro is dictating the direction of the franchise? I don’t get that – you’d have preferred for the Blue Jays to settle for less than what they wanted, when they believe that they can still get less than what they wanted at a later time if need be.
- Rob MTrades rumors are just that.. rumors. But JP made a terrible non-move if he balked at a package from TEX featuring Smoak, Feliz, Borbon and one more prospect. Holland’s great start (which probably made JP think he HAD to be a in trade) or the fact that TEX needed the Jays to pick up Roy’s tab for this year should NOT have deterred him from making that trade. Again, this is all conjecture but just my opinion.
MW: It’s all conjecture. I’m told Halladay wouldn’t have accepted a trade to Texas regardless.
- RenegadeI cannot believe the jays may hold onto Halladay? What a waste – the guy is walking after next year and the Jays will be nowhere near ready to compete in 2010…every year it’s about injuries – and at some point you have to look at JP and say “he hasn’t gotten it done” – he may have had some unlucky breaks, but most team have them. To keep this guy for one more year only to see him leave for nothing would be irresponsible. He’ll never say it but my hunch is RH is counting the days till he can play for a contender. He’s a class act for sure, and a team guy, but he’s wasting away playing for the Jays. I know you disagree with much of what I’m saying – but chances are the Jays are facing Halladay in 2011 in the AL East – they should get something and stop trying to fleece everyone’s minor league system.
MW: It’s utterly irrational to believe that the Jays’ lack of desire to trade Halladay for a less-than-desirable package means that now he’ll walk away for nothing (two first-round picks) at the end of next year. This isn’t fantasy baseball.
- Gary20 years? Dang, that includes our two series.
At last check, I have the Jays down as having signed only two of their draft picks from this season. Should I be concerned or read anything into that? This is the first year that I have tried to follow the MLB draft and I believe the deadline for signing them is coming up.
MW: 20 years? The deadline is still two weeks away. Don’t be concerned.
- JoeMike, if my records are correct, this is the first time all year the Jays have not had ONE opportunity with RISP.
The previous low was when they went 0/1 on June 27, against J.A. Happ (loss 10-0).
Obviously, the streak of “doubles” is over — did they get to 30?
MW: The Jays got at least one double in 31 straight games.
- NormI have for some time been suspicious that JP Ricciardi’s has limited autonomy. The latest Halladay trade fiasco confirms my suspicions.
My guess is that JP, who tried to trade both Wells and Rios, was forced to sign them long term by Paul Godfrey, which explains why Godfrey’s gone and JP isn’t. Now JP, who realizes that the current talent cannot be a 95 game winner, tries to move Halladay and turbocharge the organization, and it seems that people inside and outside the organization are doing everything to prevent that, perhaps only because they all hate JP and want him gone before anything positive to the organization happens. I too dislike JP, but keeping Hallady, Rolen, Scutaro and Barajas too long may be a BIG missed opportunity.
MW: Well, at least they didn’t keep Rolen. I don’t believe that Ricciardi’s autonomy is any more limited than any other GM in the game.
- beatrice bill#
“was just thinking, how about trading Marco Scutero, Frasor, and Rolen to Cincinatti for Brandon Phillips, and Edward Encarnacion? What are your thoughts on this trade. Thank-you and have a nice day.
Your good friend The Swirsk.
MW: I’m pretty sure this isn’t really Chuck Swirsky, especially because I’m confident that Swirsk can spell Cincinnati. I don’t like Encarnacion at all. Poor hitter, can’t defend. Phillips is a good bat against left-handed pitching, but only OK against righties. Phillips is kind of expensive going forward, too. I think the Jays lose way too much here.”
- Chuck Swirsky
I don’t think the Reds would ever consider that trade – the only player involved that has much of a future at this point is Phillips.
- KenMike,
May be a little too difficult to figure out, but for Wells to be hitting .250 RISP (team average), how many hits would that be? What website could I check out to find this out? That would be 9 hits for every 100 opportunities. That is a huge difference in 1 run games.
A stat like this is what makes everyone think 2010 is a good shot to contend, no way does Wells do this again next year. If he does, he is done as anything other than a 9 hitter in any MLB lineup.
MW: Go to baseball-reference.com to check it out. They’re awesome.
- Aaron KerHi Mike,
Just one question for you. I understand that Randy Ruiz in Las Vegas is 30 yrs old, but he is hitting 322, with 23 HR, 93 RBI’s, a 592 SLG%, and a 397 OBP.
Given the jays woes with offence, why did they not give him a shot?
Thanks
Ian
MW: For some reason, they don’t believe he can hit in the big leagues.
- IanMike,
Perhaps its time to court Doc as having a future in Jays managment or even an ownership share. Winning is important but perhaps its time to consider having someone with such a great work ethic as a future team executive, manager, GM type?
MW: I don’t think that Halladay, at this point, is interested in a share of ownership, and I’m sure that Rogers isn’t interested in making him a limited partner.
- marcThere has to be more to a series of one run losses than just dumb luck. Something can be said for making the right play at the right time in the clutch – otherwise we wouldn’t call guys clutch players, just lucky. When Roberto Alomar hit the home run off Eckersley in 1992 and the Blue Jays then won the game in extra innings, it wasn’t luck, was it? Statistically, a team’s one run record tends to even out over the years but in a particular season it isn’t necessarily a random outcome.
MW: There was a lot of luck involved in that Alomar homer. Granted, it was a Hall of Famer against a Hall of Famer, but Eck only gave up three home runs in 36 career post-season innings, and only allowed five homers in 80 regular-season innings that season. Alomar was definitely known as a clutch player, but he hit .300/.371/.443 for his career and .313/.381/.448 in the post-season, along with .279/.402/.414 lifetime with runners in scoring position and two outs. No real difference. He was just plain great, which most of the guys known as “clutch” hitters were.
- JayHey Mike,
Since i technically work in your office, can you have me replace you next time you cant work the Baseball Today, or just shorten it to just your prerecorded segments.
MW: Sorry about that.
- paoloIf Jays intend to tweak their roster for a 2010 run, they have other issues not often talked about. Not only did they not get much production from the outfielders, they didnt get the expected power numbers from the corners of the infield. I love Rolen & his batting average & defense, but 3rd is a power position & he hasn’t delivered. Overbay’s similar.
Even more important : the guys who are having decent years at the plate are still part of the gang that shows miserable RISP stats. They ALL have responsibility for all the runners stranded this year.
bc
MW: Well, Rolen’s gone, at least.
- Barry CTake a look at this link showing how the Jays rank in comparison to all other teams regarding their run differential.
http://espn.go.com/mlb/standings
The Jays are the only team that has a positive run differential but sits below 500 in the W/L column. Amazing.
Their run differential is better than Detroit, Minnesota, Atlanta, Cubs, St. Louis, Giants and comparable to Texas and Colorado.
Seems to me that the 2009 edition of the Toronto Blue Jays are a tad unlucky. Yes, I said it, they have been unlucky.
Karim Sunderji
MW: You’re right.
- Karim SunderjiI really hope your speculation on Scutaro being traded is wrong. I really enjoy watching him play and I do not think he will decline in performance next year. he would be a solid part of a serious 2010 run and I want to see him at the top of the order.
Meanwhile 3 hours to go and we can hang on to Doc. Phew.
MW: Scutaro isn’t under contract for next year.
- RezVery disapointed that J.P. has not made a move yet, with only a couple hours left my guess says he will do nothing. This is precisely the reason it is time for him to go as GM and some new blood needs to enter. J.P. is way too tied to his players. He continually believes this team is only a few small pieces away from competing with the big boys and that certainly isn’t the truth.
After watching him do nothing last year with A.J. Burnett I’d figure he would’ve tried to make something happen. He may of in fact played his hand on the Doc situation. What are the chances that he gets as good or better of a deal then he has been offered already? Are you telling me there was no interest in Rolen, Scuttaro, Downs or possibly Overbay? Does he not see how this team needs to be sellers?
How much longer does the city have to put up with this inept GM?
MW: He’s inept because he wouldn’t take a lesser offer for Halladay?
- BobbyMike….Back in the mid-70′s, then commissioner Bowie Kuhn intervened when Oakland owner Charles Finley was breaking up the A’s and giving players away for a song. Why are the Pirates allowed to do that in 2009?
MW: Finley gave up three star players for cash.
- chris m.Another one: if our FieldTurf is so bad and tough on people, why don’t we hear the same stories coming from Minneapolis or Tampa Bay? Am I reading the wrong American newspapers?
MW: You must be.
- JoeHi Mike
I just read that the Jays have traded Rolen to Cinci. I don’t get this one. I know they may want to shed some salaries but Rolen is a player who has hit consistently all year. I don’t see anyone in the horizon replacing Rolen with that kind of consistency never mind his great glove
Francis
MW: By now you have read my take on it.
- francissince we dont have a ready to the big leagues 3rd basemen, trading rolen is clearly a financial reason, so what does that mean if anything about them contending in 2010 or even taking a run? signing a fa 3rd basemen. wow now two week corner infielders. if this team needs 2 moves why dont they make them i think that this corp is not looking into winning?? its baffling…
MW: Not clearly a financial reason, as it turns out.
- nickI personly dont understand this why would you traded scott rolen a guy hitting 320 for a guy hitting 209 and a prospect who just got promoted to AA and isnt hitting all that well, espicaly when you have a firstbamen prospect in triple aaa in brian dorpick who has been hitting well.
MW: It turned out the Jays didn’t get Yonder Alonso in the Rolen deal, but if they had – how could you be disappointed in that?
- JackMike,
I have seen websites that claim to have the 104 PED users. Vernon Wells is named on some of these sites. Should it be true I hope the Blue Jays void is contract immediately. Any player that received a contract based on PED assisted stats should not be rewarded with millions of dollars. I hope he didn’t take PED but it would certainly help explain Vernons recent performance.
Thanks,
Rob
MW: Only if Wells quit taking ‘roids this past winter.
- Rob RalphNo sick joke by the baseball gods. Just your common or garden unreliable offense. Which, now that all the players are staying, management might want to attempt to remedy during the winter.
Now that the circus has left town, allow me to be one of the first to say how glad I am it has gone. And I hope its ringmaster will be on his way shortly to rejoin all his pals somewhere else along the road.
MW: It’s not the unreliable offense. Lots of teams have had unreliable offenses.
- isabella reyesHey Mike. Well thats it! I am officially with everyone else who wants JP fired! I’ve never been one to complane about getting rid of management because thats not my style, but this Rolen trade has me with everybody else! Now the Jays have a huge hole at 3rd base! Thats all I’m going to say on the matter but I’m interested to hear your honest opinion on the deal.
MW: You just missed the post I put up about it.
- Matt from BCLets hope this bungling of this Halladay non trade marks the end for riccardi in Toronto. What a disaster. Goodbye to maximum trade value and leverage for Halladay.
MW: I fail to see how this was bungled. Isn’t this what everyone wanted? Just like I said – Ricciardi can’t win no matter what he does.
- dave_12Just read this from mlb page “Toronto may shift its focus to keeping Halladay in the fold and trying to make a run at the playoffs in 2010,”
Now that’s some funny reading. They think they’ll contend with this team?
MW: They don’t.
- dave_12‘MW: He’s inept because he wouldn’t take a lesser offer for Halladay?’
Just so I am clear, how do you know exactly what was offered for Doc? I know you’re tight with J.P. but what makes you think he would tell you the truth, in case you haven’t noticed his track record isn’t that good. The question is going to be whether the Jays will get more Doc next year then they would’ve this year. My point is that J.P. is too close to his current squad and believes they are close enough to win it. That kind of thinking has made him the mediocre G.M. that he his.
MW: That we know of, Ricciardi has lied publically once in eight years as the Jays’ G.M., so his track record would appear to be pretty good. The question isn’t whether the Jays will get more for Halladay next year. Of course they won’t get more for Halladay next year.
- BobbyOne other question Wilner, whose leadership is worse Mayor Miller or JP?
MW: There’s only one obvious answer there.
- BobbyRe: my Post #28 above:
MW: I’m not sure I understand the heart of your argument here. The Phillies didn’t offer up a package that met with the Jays’ approval and therefore Ruben Amaro is dictating the direction of the franchise? I don’t get that – you’d have preferred for the Blue Jays to settle for less than what they wanted, when they believe that they can still get less than what they wanted at a later time if need be.
All I am saying Mike is that what the return for Halladay is this off season (if he’s traded then) or next year at this time will not be as “good” as what it would be this week. And this is the case even if none of those most-desirable prospects were included in a deal this week.
In other words, it reminds me of waiting for a streetcar with an empty seat in rush hour. You let one, two, three, even ten go by before you just give up and get home three hours late.
If a trade had been made with the Phillies we would be talking about the great young players that we would be seeing develop here (or in Vegas) next year and winning would be postponed for another year. Now Halladay stays (mainly because the Phillies refused to part with their best prospects) and so we guess that 2010 will have to be the year to “go for it” because Roy’s still here.
MW: No, we wouldn’t. If the Jays had made the Lee trade with the Phillies we would have been saying – “Hey, Ricciardi said he wouldn’t deal Halladay unless he was blown away, and this sure isn’t that kind of deal.”
- Rob MMW: I fail to see how this was bungled. Isn’t this what everyone wanted? Just like I said – Ricciardi can’t win no matter what he does.
I’ll tell you how it was bungled. It was bungled because Ricciardi could not walk away from a mic or a telephone. Whether or not Halladay should have been traded–and if they didn’t get what they wanted then he shouldn’t have been traded–the whole thing turned into one big distracting scrum that rolled all over town. If the GM wants to trade a player, then that’s between the GM and the player. Trading Halladay could not have been kept quiet, but a policy of ‘no comment’ could have kept the whole process from becoming the disastrous exercise in PR that it turned into. And it would have avoided annoying and alienating the franchise’s most important player. Did you think Doc looked comfortable and happy dealing with all that crap? Nor did I.
MW: There’s not a chance that Halladay wouldn’t have to deal with all the crap that he did, regardless of how much J.P. talked.
- isabella reyesMike,
I’m very puzzled as to why the Reds wanted Rolen; surely he’s a perfect fit for a contending team, but the Reds appear to be going nowhere yet again… I remember when EE came up there was quite a bit of excitement about his hitting possibilities (not his defence). It seems he hasn’t met expectations, and maybe there were undelying reasons why the Reds wanted to deal him – but, not knowing his contract status (but being aware of Rolen’s age and injury problems), it seems like a good trade at first glance, even without the two pitchers…
MW: I don’t think it’s a particularly good trade without the two pitchers.
- Ken