11:05 PM Eastern
It was the exact opposite of kicking off a homestand on a high note. The Blue Jays played a terrific, entertaining game against the Red Sox on Tuesday night but fell short, and then meekly stepped aside the next two nights, allowing Boston to sweep the series and leave town in sole possession of the A.L. wild card spot.
The coolest thing about this game was the fierce storm going on outside. The thunderclaps were tremendous for the first inning or so, and for the first time, I actually could hear rain pelting the roof. The second-coolest thing was the fact that the game started with the roof closed, but once the storm passed, the roof opened in the 4th inning. Then, with more bad weather on the way, the roof closed again in the 8th inning.
Also, tonight I get to see something I’d never seen before! If you’re a Red Sox fan, you probably think I mean J.D. Drew going 4-for-4 with two homers, but I’m actually talking about Brett Cecil’s fourth-inning brain cramp. After walking Jason Bay, Cecil fell behind David Ortiz 2-0, and Rod Barajas’ return throw to the mound after ball two got away from him. The ball only bounced a few feet off the mound, but Cecil pounced on it, made sure that Bay was staying at first, and then – knowing the ball was scuffed having gone through the dirt on the mound and would have to be replaced – threw the ball into the Jays’ dugout and waited for the home plate umpire to throw him a new one.
The problem is, Cecil never called time.
So the result is the same as what would happen if a fielder wildly throws a ball into the seats trying to convert an out on a ground ball – two bases. Guaranteed, it’s a mistake that Cecil will never make again.
As far as the rest of the game, it gets a resounding “meh”. To say the Jays went meekly (I know, I already did) is probably doing a disservice to the meek. They loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the first, and then got one hit THE REST OF THE GAME. That hit was nothing special, either – a 17-bouncer up the middle by Aaron Hill who, at least, has earned the right to several cheap hits this season.
Hey, at least the Red Sox only went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position.
Here’s tonight’s edition of The JaysTalk, for your listening pleasure:
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Make sure you both tune in and phone in to Friday’s edition of Baseball Today at noon Eastern on The Fan590 and right here on this very website. Ricky Romero will be our special guest, live and in-studio, and will take your phone calls! Tomorrow night, the Angels come to town, and I’ll do my very best to sit Chone Figgins down for an interview.
Rational, reasonable comments are always welcome!
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Mike, just a number that you can throw at people every time they call in to complain about Encarnacion: as a Jay, his LD% is 26% entering today. That would put him 2nd in the majors over a full season. His current average is a lot of bad luck.
Also, I think you were looking for updated defensive metrics for EE too? His most recently updated UZR numbers have him as -4.2/150 since coming to the Jays, which is essentially league average and more than good enough to carry his bat. That is, of course, assuming this is legitimate improvement and not just due to a small sample (which is entirely possible).
MW: I want updated plus/minus numbers, which I haven’t been able to find, but thanks for this.
- PeteHi Mike; I was at that game. I was sad. What happened that John McDonald came into the game? I missed something there.He unfortunately did not help our defensive cause. Thanks Julie
MW: Edwin Encarnacion hurt his knee and/or hamstring, and had to leave.
- JulieHey Mike,
Great blog!!! Aside from all the crap that’s been going on with the team on the field, I think we all know the hope lies in the future (2011-2014)
What do you think about the Jays going on the ‘Tank Nation’ path as their Toronto hockey counterparts sucked so much at????? This would be a great time to control Cecil’s innings, give the Doc more rest between starts and play more rookies. Even try to find another CF if for some god forsaken reason, the Jays are able to get out of the ****** of a contract that belongs to our current CF.
I’d also love to get a top 5 such as a Tate or a Longoria-esque player
MW: Cecil is going to be shut down before Labour Day, and Halladay doesn’t want extra rest. I know that there’s a mindset that if you’re not going to make the playoffs, you might as well finish dead last, but I don’t think it applies as much in baseball.
- Karman in SFI was driving home right after work listening to the game on XM just as Cecil had his brain cramp. I let out a huge sigh, and it just went downhill from there. By the time I got home I couldn’t bring myself to turn on the TV.
Have we hit rock bottom yet?
MW: I had thought they had a couple of times already this season.
- Sean in Lethbridgebarajas hitting cleanup??? is that even better than millar hitting cleanup? i can’t decide…
at least i know now why cito was out of baseball for 11 years…
it’s not like he’s been dealt a hand of aces, but my god, what is he doing??
i’m thankful that he doesn’t want to come back…
JP, if this is your last year, i’m sorry for how you left…years from now, people will look back and revel at the state in which you left this club…i don’t know that you’ll ever get the credit you deserve for what you’ve done here, but it wasn’t lost on me…i had to get that off my chest, with the hopes that you’ll stumble across this…
- Jay Bwells
barajas
millar
perhaps the worst 3, 4, 5, combination in the modern era.
it would be easy to lay into cito and blame him. yet there sure werent a boatload of alternatives.
one has to question the direction of a franchise when its neither playing to win, nor playing for the future.
millar is so terrible at bat for sure, but i think we underrate his absolute inability to play a major league first base. guy cant catch a ball not thrown right to him.
he neither helps you win now, nor does playing him help build for the future.
its getting hard for me to think optimistically about this team for next year…
final comment, dont be sleepin on chavez in lansing…he will be in the bigs within two years.
MW: Johermyn Chavez is having a terrific year in Lansing – especially given the he’s only 20 years old – hitting .284/.347/.488. The Jays have been known to get guys through the system quickly, it’s true.
- General ZodNot much to say when the weather,heavy rain and the opening of the roof, along with Cecil’s brain cramp..Oh, and the sight of a couple having their umbrella’s open in the dome…are highlights of this”game.”
- DougJays gave it a shot in the first game but the other two were terrible. Bases loaded again and only one run which pretty well was the Jays season in a nutshell.
It must be somewhat difficult for the broadcasting team to sit through the games….I know it is for us.
The rumours about the Jays increasing payroll are just that. If you don’t even sign your top draft picks, dump Rios simply for salary reasons and also trying to trade Doc. This doesn’t look good. They are further away from contention now then they have been in 10 years. With a need for a catcher, SS, 3b, DH, LF and a closer…oh boy, get ready for a long 5 years of a 50 million dollar payroll
MW: You don’t like Adam Lind?
- KenAre you amazed that over the last 80 games -half a season , Yankees are playing .660 ball (53-27), and Jays have played .360.(28-50)?
I wonder if that is the worst record in MLB over that stretch?
MW: The Jays are actually 30-50 over their last 80 games, so they’ve played .375 ball. The Royals have 26 wins over their past 80 games, and the Nationals are the same 30-50. That’s some pretty unimpressive company.
- ChasAargh, what an awful game. The absolute nadir was when Johnny Mac air mailed that ball to 1st base…I just couldn’t watch anymore, its easier to listen to the radio. According to the paper, these games are “meaningless”, still it wld be nice to see some effort, just for pride. Suffering in Sudbury,
- nancy thurstonHey Mike,
I thought when teams sign draft picks they only dish out signing bonus money. With that being said, I was confused that Stephen Strasburg signed a 4 year 15.1 million dollar deal.
MW: Strasburg signed a major-league deal, which is very rare.
- BrentHi Mike
I am going to offer a counterpoint to you suggestion the Jays shouldn’t sign Scutaro. I am interested in your thoughts
I know it is not exactly the same but there are similarities:
Many people said AJ would fold, he would be on the DL and that he was doing well because it was a contract year. However, he acknowleged that he had learned not to over throw and he has done well this year. Now people are saying Scutaro is only doing well cause it is a contract year but he has learned something, spread out all the time not just on 2 strikes and this is the first year he has gotten to play all year, allowing him to hone his skills. I think there is every reason to think he will have at least two more good years and he says he wants to stay in T.O. So I think the Jays ought to resign him.
Your thoughts
MW: I think the Burnett and Scutaro situations are really different. I don’t think Scutaro will be unable to repeat this year’s success consistently because he’s a head case or a malingerer. Burnett had had good seasons before, though often marred by injury, and he’s a couple of years younger.
- Richard from ARI read on Sportsnet that Bud Selig gave his thumbs up for Beeston to stay on as CEO of the blue jays and I hope that he does stay on because the way he runs a team we won’t have anymore contracts exceeding 3 to 4 years and if they have an option its a club option with a minimal buyout and not a player option.Any contracts that are more than 4 years the options should be the clubs unless the player meets certain performance standards set by the team he signs with then it would become a player option with no buyout. On to my question do you think Beeston will stay in Toronto or is he committed to finding a new CEO?
MW: You’re making a lot of assumptions there. I think Beeston wants to find his replacement ASAP, but I think it’d be cool if he stayed.
- RoyceHey Mike,
With September call ups just around the corner I just wanted to get your take on a couple prospects and how you think they figure into the Jays future plans.
The first is Brian Dopirak. He has had a very good year spread over AA and AAA. He is hitting .314 (better at AAA) with 25 HRs, 91 RBI, Slugging .566, and 104 K in 121 games.
Given that his numbers are similar to Randy Ruiz before his call up (.320, 25 HR, 106 RBI, SLG .584, 99 K in 114 games) and that he is 6 years younger than Ruiz, do you see him getting a look in September? It seems to me like he would be given more of a shot that Ruiz to make the big club next season due to age?
The second prospect is Darin Mastroianni. He is only in AA so he probably would not warrant a call up this season, but do you think he is at least on the Jays radar for the future? He’s hitting .294 with a .400 OBP and has 61 SB’s spread over A and AA. He started off slow at AA but over his last 10 games he is hitting .429 (15/35) with an OBP of .535 and 9 SBs.
I really feel like the Jays have lacked any type of speed over the last couple seasons and that a lead off man that can swipe some bags is something they could really use. I also really like the idea of signing Chone Figgins in the offseason.
What do you think?
PS- You are probably thinking does this guy have nothing better to do than look at Jays minor league stats?
The answer is yes I do, but i’m currently at work getting paid to write this.
Jamie
MW: Which means you’re way ahead of the game. I have to look into the Dopirak thing. If they don’t put him on the 40-man roster, he becomes a minor-league free agent, but I’m pretty sure they can add him after the season is over, so they don’t HAVE to give him a September call. I think he’s earned it, though. Mastroianni is still a ways away, I think. They don’t have to add him to the roster this year, and I doubt they will. If they do, though, he’d at least make a heck of a pinch-runner.
- James SutherlandHey, Mike
Josh Roenicke, what kind of pitcher is he and is he good? and how long is his contract?
Do you think Kevin Millar will be in a blue jay uniform next year?
Why did you say yesterday that the Jays shouldn’t sign back Rod Barajas or Raul Chavez? So who should they sign?
What happen to David Purcey? Last year he played very well how come he is not in the active roster?
What team is David Extenen on?
Sorry for a lot of questions Mike! just curious about the Blue Jays and baseball!
MW: 1 – Of course he’s good, he’s in the big leagues. He’s still unpolished, though, which is a bit of a worry given his age. But he has a terrific arm. 2 – No. 3 – Neither of them is a very good hitter and they’re both on the wrong side of 35. 4 – He couldn’t throw strikes in April and got sent down. 5 – David Eckstein? San Diego.
- Raps FanHey Mike,
re: what’s wrong with Hill at third and Orlando Hudson at 2b.
Nothing. Other than the fact that Figgins would have to then play LF instead of a right handed bopper like Jason Bay. Personally, I think we need that more than a good on base/set up guy like Hudson. I’d rather have a guy like Bay in the 4 hole than Hudson in the 2 hole.
MW: I think with some combination of Lind/Snider/Hill/Wells hitting 3-6, you’re OK even if you don’t get Bay, but your point is a good one.
- peteMike.
I didn’t realize I knew more about baseball than I thought I did when I asked you about OPS when I already knew. Oh well, we all have those days.
You mentioned Ron Hassey last night, he also played another important role in Canadian baseball history. He played for the Expos in 1991 and caught Dennis Martinez’s perfect game. If Tom Cheek is remembered for “touch ‘em all Joe”, Dave Van Horne is remembered for “El Presidente, El Perfecto”. Thanks Mike.
Peter, St.Catharines
- PeterBad question, but, when a ball pops high and you catch it how, long do you have to hold on it for? Just in case you drop it?
Good question, will Cecil be back playing with the Jays next year or stay he will stay the minors just like Purcey?
MW: Long enough to establish control. It depends on how well Cecil pitches early next season, but I’d think he’d have a rotation job to lose.
- Raps FanMike:
Don’t you think it is an automatic roll over when Cito bats Wells, Barajas, and Millar 3, 4, and 5! It’s like we are trying to help Boston out or something.
MW: You seriously expect me to answer that in the positive?
- JBHi Mike,
I put a lot of time and commitment and money every season in watching the Blue Jays, like a lot of people do, and every game, they get my unconditional support to win. But when I see Wells, Barajas and Millar hitting 3-4-5 respectively, I have to wonder if perhaps I care more about winning than the coaching staff does. On the verge of getting swept by the Red Sox, and with a contingent of their own fans in attendance, it would be nice to not create the worst possible lineup, and put yourself in a position to win the game. I love baseball, and going to a MLB baseball game itself nevermind the 70 I go to is a priviledge many people would love to have but I’m really having a difficult time keeping my commitment to this team. Cito is really testing this relationship.
MW: Cito thought that line-up was his best option, given the fact that he was giving Adam Lind the day off.
- Jeff Hhey mike,
I was wondering if the Jays would consider reducing Romero’s innings pitched over the rest of the season in light of it being his first in the majors. Is this something that will be effected by the possibility of him winning rookie of the year or was the month and a half that he missed while on the d/l enough to limit his innings.
thanks,
MW: The time spent on the DL means the Jays won’t have to shut Romero down early.
- bsmittyHi Mike.
This comment has nothing to do with this particular blog. :)
Wednesday I beleive you spoke with Brian Butterfield regarding teaching youngsters the basics about the game. I’d love to hear the conversation again however it doesn’t seem to be on the Fan’s site. Is it available somewhere? Is he going to put out a book?? I’d love for my 7 yr old to have heard the conversation so he (and I) could have picked up a few tips.
Thanks Mike, great work on the Fan!
Kevin
MW: It’s there – you just have to look hard. As I write this, it’s on Page 8 of the “Audio on Demand” section of the website.
- Kevin FreemanHey Mike,
Can you indulge us in some of the things that go on the clubhouse? Is alcohol prevalent?
MW: Anything that “goes on” in the clubhouse that you’d want to know about wouldn’t go on around me, except for the odd playfight. Usually guys are just watching TV, playing cards, on their laptops or listening to their mp3 players. I have never seen anyone drinking in the clubhouse, but I’m not down there after the game.
- NitinMike
Another question.
I may have missed it but I haven’t read anything about AAron Hill’s chances of being named come back player of the year. Seems like he should be. Do you agree?
MW: He’s definitely right up there, but remember that it’s a fan vote.
- Richard from AROne thing I haven’t heard people say recently is that the losing is all Cito’s fault. By the logic many people were using at the beginning of the season, if Cito was the reason we were winning, he’s also the reason we’re losing.
MW: Shhhhhh – don’t disturb those people. They went away when the Jays stopped winning.
- NickYesterday’s baseball show at noon was outstanding. Who knew Mike Lowell was such an intelligent and articulate interview. Kudos. I think it has to be said that Vernon is injured. I think it’s his left shoulder. If you watch his at-bats his hands are far forward, probably because it hurts to keep them back. The result is he misses the pitches he used to wallop or pops them up or hits slow rollers to the infield. In 2007, we were told for most of the summer that he had a cyst on his shoulder. It turns out (in a one-paragraph brief in The Star) that he had a torn labrum. Last year, he seemed to be coming around toward the last month or so. However, something has happened. Mark my words, everybody’ll deny it, but he’s hurting..physically.
MW: That may be. He did have a cortisone shot in his wrist at the end of Spring Training. But if he’s been hurt and the team has known about it, then having him hit in the 4th spot as long as they did is a huge, huge screw-up.
- Richard HennesseyHey Mike
Its obvious the Jays are not going to spend like the Yanks or the BoSox, and i don’t blame them. The only way Toronto can become competitive with those clubs is to start signing more international talent and to put more emphasis on the draft. Letting Paxton, Eliopoulis and Barrett walk is ridiculous. Those guys dropped a bit in the draft and the Jays should have known they would have to pay over slot to sign them. If they were not prepared to do that, they shouldn’t have selected them. I had a look at the performances of recent Jay selections in the first few rounds, and although these guys still can develop, the numbers are horrible :
David Cooper – 1st round 2008 – .262 BA .338 OBP
Kenny Wilson – 2nd round 2008 – .215 BA .297 OBP
Kevin Ahrens – 1st round 2007 – .216 BA .288 OBP
Arencibia – 1st round 2008
– .230 BA .281 OBP
Tolisano – 2nd round 2007
– .235 BA .305 OBP
Eiland – 2nd round 2007
– .191 BA .303 OBP
Why do fans keep calling in and insisting that the Jays are doing a great job at the draft table? I just don’t see it.
MW: Because they’re actually looking at the major-league performance of players the Jays have drafted, and not just in the first two rounds. You know, guys like Hill, Lind, Snider, Romero, Cecil, Rzepczynski, Litsch, Marcum and Janssen.
- RickHi Mike
I want to apologize for my stupid comment I made a week ago. I insulted you and the work that you do. It was not my intention to do that.
I enjoy your blog, your radio show and Jays talk. I always look forward to Jays talk and usually enjoy your show more than the game.
I promise never to comment again and will sit back listen to your shows and read your blogs with the respect and admiration that you deserve.
The contribution you bring to the Toronto baseball scene is entertaining, unique and unmatched by anyone else.
I wish you nothing but success at your dream job.
- Mike MYou were discussing the Snider/Zwolinski thing on the JaysTalk again, so I thought I’d share some notes I made with you :
Travis Snider :
31 days of service prior to 2009
+
47 days of service time 2009 (April 6th – May 23rd demotion)
=
78 MLB days
+
September (30 days) callup + 4 days into October = 34 days
=
112 MLB days (assuming the inevitable Sept. callup)
Why is that relevant? In 2008 and 2009, the most inexperienced Super 2 (Tayor Buchholz) had 2.140 of MLB service time. If you go back to include 2007, there were a bunch in the 2.130s, and the lowest was 2.130 (Alex Rios!, Randy Flores, and Antonio Perez).
The Jays could have given Snider 17 August service days and then with full 2010 and 2011 seasons he would have been at 2.129, which would have kept him from Super2 status the last 3 seasons. As it is, the Aug18 callup means Snider gets 14 August service days, which pegs him at around 2.126. Plenty of breathing room left by Jays upper management, unless they did more extensive research of the players with similar service to Snider currently and projected a lower Super2 threshold than we’ve seen the last few years.
MW: That’s good work. The Jays left themselves enough wiggle room so as to make almost 100% sure that they’ll be safe. But there’s no magic date, no magic amount of service time.
- AriYou’ve probably already been corrected, but it’s “tonight I GOT to see.” Not, “tonight I GET to see.” Got one!
Speaking of balls being thrown out. What’s with balls being thrown out of the game so often? It’s way more than it used to be. It looks as if any ball that touches the dirt is tossed from the game. Umpires used to give them the once over before plunking it back in the bag, if they were good. Now, the balls a goner automatically. Did MLB change it’s ball rules? What gives?
Also, how many balls are allotted per game? I think it used to be 75.
MW: You’re the first to point out the error. Congrats! I think there is a gross of balls ready to go every game. It’s been a while that any ball with even the tiniest of smudges gets thrown out.
- RomeSince you probably know the answer to this one Mike, a quick question to the readers: Since May 19, which record that of the Washington Nationals, and which is the Toronto Blue Jays:
A) 28-49
B) 31-51
Answer: A – Blue Jays, B- Nats
Also, regarding Law and his comments about Barrett and homework – while he may do his homework, do you not think it’s incumbent that the team drafting a guy does MORE homework on one specific player they have in mind than a guy who writes for ESPN and covers 30 teams and hundreds of potential draft picks? I just think it’s a poor excuse to say “well he didn’t know either”. Wouldn’t the Jays have asked for medical records on the guys they were preparing to draft (especially high draft picks)? If medical records were maliciously withheld, should there not be repercussions for that? I know you can’t redo the draft, and the Jays will get that pick back next year for this one they missed… just something seems wrong there.
Also, yes Barajas is currently a Type B: http://www.scribd.com/doc/18674987/Rankings-081609
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to be overly negative about the Jays going forward (I happen to think with the right moves, this team could rebound quickly given the talent on the roster), I just can’t imagine a season ending much worse than this one is.
MW: All I’m saying about the Barrett thing is that it wasn’t necessarily hidden, but that it likely wasn’t a well-known thing. Of course I would expect all teams to do more homework than all pundits, but it’s not like every potential draftee gets a full battery of tests, including an MRI.
- Kevin A.Hey Mike,
It was great having Ricky Romero on Baseball today, today. Have you asked Wells if he would? I’d love to hear what he thinks about the fans booing him and his thoughts about Rios leaving
MW: I did ask Wells today, and got a resounding no.
- ajMike,
All this talk the few weeks has me thinking that the Jays are at a cross roads between rebuild and go-for-it. Now, rather then ask you which way you think the Jays should I’d like to ask you what reasons the Jays may choose one path over the other?
Here are a few as I see it:
GO-FOR-IT
1)Pitching, maybe the best pitching in baseball with maybe the best ace in baseball.
2)New Power Bats – Snider and Ruiz are an added threat to Hill and Lind. If Wells can rebound this offense could be much improved.
3)Taking your shots. If Halladay is going to leave after 2010 this might be the jays best chance until a new ace emerges.
REBUILD
1)Getting something for Halladay – Better to get something for the ace then let him walk only to get drafts picks that the Jays won’t sign all of.
2)Missing O – Do you really want to bet next year on a 30 year minor league journay man and a 22 year who is unproven in the majors? In addition there is likely to be drop off in production from SS and 2nd.
3)Missing pieces – there is no catcher, no SS and no 3rd basemen for next year. Those positions will need to be filled with above average players for the Jays to compete
4) Drop-off in D – Jays lead the majors in erros since Aug 1st. So? Could that be due to missing Rolen and Rios? Snider is good but no Rios, Lind hasn’t looked good in left and EE hasn’t impressed in the field (not to mention at the plate). Wells is only getting older and has a few more balls going over his head than he use to.
5)Red Sox and Yankees – Good isn’t good enough. Can this team next year be great? and is it worth it if the team is going to win 86 games and then have to rebuild for 2011?
MW: Seems like you’re squarely on the rebuild side, huh? Personally, I don’t think that if the Jays are in “go-for-it” mode that Ruiz will have a major role and that the missing pieces will obviously be found.
- JWThere is nothing left to say about this organization. It is so disfunctional that it has done something I never thought was possible. It has left me disinterested (long time fan preceding the birth of the Jays, still play twice a week, and a roto geek). I have stopped buying tickets, I no longer watch the games, and if it is on the radio I switch to another station. And if the Jays have managed to lose me as a fan, I can only guess as to the damage they have done to the rest of the dwindling fan base. If the organization does not right this ship, you can see the franchise leaving Toronto in 5 years.
MW: You and I have a different definition of the word “fan”.
- Steven ZerkerI can”t understand why Rogers want Beeston to run this team..According to some papers, he was the lead negotiator in the talks with this years draft picks..Three of their top 4 picks are gone..Yes they get more picks next season but they lose a year of development..
Couple this with the giving away of Alex Rios should be a clue that this guy isn’t good enough anymore..
Nine Canadians drafted and one signed..Pathetic..I still can’t understand why this team isn’t signing or developing more Canadian players..
The Jays are the only team in Canada and they should be looking to draft the best Canadian talent..
Look at the Montreal Canadians..They always look in their own backyard to find great talent..
The Jays just don’t get it..Never will with these two guys running the team..
MW: You do realize that the Canadiens were allowed to take the best French-Canadian players without regard to the draft until the 70s, right? How much did the fact that the Jays had a Canadian on the team increase your enjoyment of the World Series years?
- ray bMichael,
Can you tell me a little bit more about Tim Collins?
What I’ve heard is a he is similar to Jason Frasor in stature and stuff although his stuff might even be better.
Is he being used as a starter or reliever?
Thanks.
MW: He’s smaller in stature than Frasor and has tremendous stuff. He’s a reliever.
- Uncle BenMichael,
According to Baseball America the Jays and James Paxton were 350,000 apart.
If they were fairly close with Paxton, Eliopoulos, and Jake Barrett, if they knew they weren’t going to be able to sign 1 or 2 of the 3, why couldn’t they take the money they would have been offering to say, Barrett, and beef up their offers to the other two?
Would Bud Selig not wanting teams to go excessively over slot have factored in the decision not to bridge the gap?
MW: No, because that didn’t make a difference with signing Jake Marisnick and Kris Hobson. I think the Blue Jays just wanted to take a strong stance so that players knew they weren’t playing games, that they’d offer what they offer and that’s it. Whether or not that’s a good strategy, we’ll see.
- Uncle BenI have two questions for you. Last week, sorry I can’t remember witch game it was, the Jays pitcher was charged with an error. He overthrew a comebacker to second, advancing 2 runners I believe. Those two runners went onto score. Are they classified as unearned runs even though the error was given to the pitcher? Secondly, I believe it was two nights ago, and again I’m sorry I don’t remember the batter, but he hit into a double play, but a run score on the play. Alan Ashby said that there was no rbi on the play. Why didn’t the hitter get credit for an rbi?
MW: On the first – the Casey Janssen error, the runs are unearned even though the pitcher is the one who made the error. Once he lets go of the pitch, he’s a fielder just like the other eight guys on the field. An out should have been made, so the runs are unearned regardless of who it was that made the error. As for the Barajas double play ball last night, there is no RBI awarded when a player hits into a double play and a run scores. Because two wrongs don’t make a right, I guess.
- David McQuistonMW: Cecil is going to be shut down before Labour Day, and Halladay doesn’t want extra rest. I know that there’s a mindset that if you’re not going to make the playoffs, you might as well finish dead last, but I don’t think it applies as much in baseball.
I dunno. It worked for the Rays.
MW: They did it for 10 years, and so far it’s worked once.
- isabella reyesjim: What are the chances JP Ricciardi can reverse the mistake he made in 2004 and trade Jason Frasor to the Phillies so he can get Jayson Werth back in a Blue Jays uniform playing right field….?
MW: It wasn’t a mistake – that’s revisionist history. Had Werth not been traded, he’d have left as a free agent before his bat really came around, just like he did with L.A.
Perhaps Werth would not have left as a free agent in Toronto or LA if he was offered decent money. The Phillies paid Werth $850,000 in 2007, $1.7 million in 2008, and signed him to a two-year $10 million deal for 2009-10. Those salaries are a bargain for what Werth has produced over the past few seasons.
MW: Note that all Werth could get on the free agent market was $850,000.
- jimBrandon league is on a 56-inning stinking streak. You can’t defend this guy anymore by saying “he’s only 27″ he is downright awful.
MW: He’s actually only on a 2 2/3 inning stinking streak. Before that, he threw three innings of one-hit shutout relief at the Yankees from the 7th through the 9th in a tie game.
- HowardHey Mike,
I wonder…when VW hit his MAMMOTH HR to put the Jays up 5-0, how many VW haters thought, “There goes Wells, hitting HR’s when the Jays are in the lead and don’t need it, again!” I imagine quite a few…but how many of them would admit it?!?! I’ve been waiting for a time like this…I for one and glad VW came up with, count them, TWO CLUTCH HITS tonight, and one of them counting as the game winning run!
- Marlin LichtiMike, what do the Jays do with Scutaro next year?? I like him as a player but is he going to want a big contract that the Jays don’t like or can he be signed for a reasonable amount? My Dad is visiting fron Nova Scotia this week and we are going to the game tomorrow, if you could, can you ask Jerry and/or Alan to give a shout out to all the Jays fans from NS?? there are tons of Jays fans on the east coast and they need to have a shout out now and then. Thanks.
MW: Everyone needs a shout-out now and then, it’s true. See above for the Scutaro stuff.
- Blair MartinA) Isn’t Jesse Litsch coming back? You never mention him in rotation discussions (not that I like he should be top 5)
B) Am I right to assume that Dopirak will get a September callup?
MW: A – I don’t expect him back until mid-summer next year, if that. B – Never assume, but I think there’s a good chance.
- HalyconHey Mike,
Love the show(s), blog, etc.
I was at the game tonight, it was great to see Wells hitting. I was behind home plate and there was some lunatic booing him incessantly despite his performance tonight at the plate – I’m as big a critic of his performance this year as the next guy, but I’d think that a key double and a second deck HR would grant him the night off from the jeers, no?
I have to hand it to Bautista on what probably seemed to most others as just another routine out. 4th inning, he hits a fly ball to right field, an easy out, no big deal. Except that, on a ball that is going to be caught 99.9999% of the time (and it was), Bautista sprinted as if he had just rung one off of the wall and was legging out a triple. He almost made it to second base before the ball was caught – good for him, I (and hopefully many others) appreciate the effort.
MW: I don’t know that anything will quiet the jeers. Vernon has become the new Larry Murphy.
- Terry Bradleyre:comment 35..
The French Canadian rule?..You really need to do your research..Did you know that all the other teams could sign any player in Quebec to a “C” form before the “special” draft? Only the players not signed to a Confirmation form could be taken in this draft..Any player worth his salt was signed long before the Habs could pick any of the French players in the special draft..None of the players they picked in the special draft made the NHL until Rejean Houle and Marc Tardif were selected in 1969..2 players in total and one worth mentioning..I’d have to say it didn’t help much..
There were not many good Canadian ball players back in 1993..Times have changed..Drafting Canadian talent won’t hinder the long term success of this team..Not signing 3 of your top 4 picks will..Paxton can throw the ball in the high 90′s..But Beeston and company will just take a pass..Why not? Beestons teams sans Gillick are now more then 60 games below .500..He fits right in with the mediocre mentality of this organization..
The Jays under Rogers will always be a “corporate” team..If they were serious about the Jays they would clean house and start fresh..
Yes I think it would be fantastic to watch good young Canadian players play for the Blue Jays..Just ask the 40,000 plus that showed up for the WBC..
MW: You’re bang on about the French Canadian draft – I apologize. I agree that it would be fantastic to watch good young Canadian players here, but watching good young Americans, Dominicans, Australians, Japanese, Venezuelan and whoever else would be just fine, if they win.
- ray bIn an interview that your friend, Shi Davidi did with Bud Selig, the commissioner called Toronto “a very important market for us.” Hmm really eh? And just how many times since the Expos moved has he actually stepped foot in Canada?
He points out that Tampa and Baltimore are developing young talent like the Blue Jays are but he fails to remember that attendance is down in all three cities. Bud doesn’t think that a balanced schedule is realistic and he doesn’t seem to want to entertain the expansion of the playoffs even though it would bring in additional revenue. Sure it devalues the regular season a little bit but the casual fan in Toronto or Oakland or Pittsburgh won’t care and they won’t buy tickets if their hometown team isn’t in it.
Let’s face it: Bud Selig can say all he wants about Beeston or Rogers or how Toronto could draw from pretty much all of Canada but like most things he says, it’s all smoke and mirrors and it’ll fall on deaf ears (like pretty much everything he’s ever said about steroids in baseball).
MW: I would love to have Selig on Baseball Today to really discuss things like a balanced schedule and the overwhelming unfairness of the divisional set-up, but I’d be stunned if he ever agreed to do it.
- James