5:45 PM Eastern
That’s right – starting tonight and for the rest of the World Series, we’ll have a real live Blue Jay on to take your phone calls before every game.
And yes, we’ve dropped one of the “pre”s, because we’re no longer leading into the ESPN pre-game, we’re pre-empting it.
Tonight’s guest will be Randy Ruiz, who took the American League by storm over the last third of the season. He was the Blue Jays’ best hitter over the 50 games he spent in the majors, after winning the Pacific Coast League’s MVP Award, and yet there were times he couldn’t find his way into the line-up, stunningly.
Randy will join us at 7:00 PM Eastern on the Fan590 and here on this very website, and he’ll be taking your calls – so please flood the phone lines and make him feel welcome.
A.J. Burnett, who Ruiz took deep in his second game as a Blue Jay, is starting tonight for the Yanks – so maybe Ruiz will have some insight for us on how to beat him.
Saturday night, before Game 3, we’ll be joined by Adam Lind, and Sunday night John McDonald will guest prior to Game 4. If the Series goes to a Game 5, Travis Snider is scheduled to come on on Monday night.
Click here to subscribe to Wilner's blog
Michael,
Why do you think the Jays picked up Sean Henn? His career numbers are less than spectacular.
What is the significance of him being added to the 40 man roster?
MW: I’m guessing somebody likes the arm and they think that they might be able to do something with him.
- Uncle BenMike….A couple of posts back you stated that you could not believe you agreed with Joe Morgan…Do you find him too technical or find that he tries too hard to make baseball into a science?
MW: Um…….no.
- chris m.Great interview with RR. I really enjoyed his story this year – especially a kid from the Bronx getting 2 HR’s in his 1st game in NY. He did not hit any cheap ones this year.
I really hope AA has plans for RR next year. I know you said he’s under control for a long time, so I suppose no reason he doesn’t get a fair shot in Dunedin next Feb.
Have you heard anything from AA specifically on his thoughts or plans for RR ?
MW: Not since he became General Manager. Prior to the regime change, my sense was that the Jays didn’t think Ruiz was a guy who could be counted on to be a productive major-league hitter over a full season.
- RezMike I don’t know if you heard Dan Shulman on PTS this week but he was talking about Scutaro. Shulman specifically mentioned Scoot as a player the Jays have to resign this off season.
It’s interesting that he went on to talk about toughness (of the mental variery) and how important it was for the Jays to find/retain players who play hard all the time. I was screaming at my radio for Dan to link the two points with what I consider an obvious example – Ya like a player who will go and steal 2nd on a walk ! Mike are you and I the only guys who remember that play ? I would have thought it was rare enough that Dan would have it mentally handy – especially when making those 2 points in one interview.
Oh well. I’m going to enjoy the rest of the WS and stop harping about Scoots amazing theft in Philly.
- RezMike,
I just read the Will Hill article on TSN about Beeston deciding to stay.
1) Do you know this guy? is he new?
2) Hill claims that Anthopolous said that the league office lobbied Beeston to stay.. is this a common occurrence in this kind of situation?
MW: 1 – I have known Will for a long time. He used to work in the Blue Jays’ PR department, and then in customer service at Rogers Centre. He’s a terrific guy. 2 – I don’t think it is. That’s not news, we’d heard that from Beeston months ago. But Beeston used to work in the commissioner’s office with Bud Selig, so it’s not surprising that Bud would want him to stick around.
- Sam McLeanSean Henn could be needed to fill a spot in AAA, or more?
How strange is it, that Vernon Wells’ worst season occurs after the first time he’s ever used a trainer (no pain – no gain – how much was strained)?
MW: You could flip a coin as to whether 2009 was worse than 2007 for Wells. I think the trainer thing is a coincidence.
- Richard SpackmanMike! Congratulations on getting the Jays to show up in front of the World Series games!
Well AJ got his win last night and from what I could tell (on the radio), he was pitching a stellar game last night. Of course since the Fan 590 can’t be heard in the Falls after the sun goes down, I had to resort listening to the game on 50,000 watt 880 WCBS (home of the Yankees) so things might have been a bit biased. Geez your transmitters in in Grimsby but you’ve got the antennas pointing north. Can’t Rogers point a couple of its antennae east and west so us folks in the Falls hear you?
Once again the away team almost got to Mariano. With two on and one out, on a 3-2 count, the Phillies elected not to send the runners and Mariano got the double play with help from first base ump Gorman, avoiding 1st and 3rd with two out and Rivera’s pitch count mounting.
I am having second thoughts about how the series are played and the breaks between games. Bud Selig stated on Letterman a couple of nights ago that he favoured a 154 game schedule but that the owners wouldn’t go for it. With 162 games you essentially have 184 days with 22 days off.
The principal I think behind the argument to keep the series compacted is to push the 4th starter into play, to not allow the bullpen to have rest in case of overuse, and to wrap up the entire season before the end of October. On the other hand, the game should be about the best playing the best while fairly representing the pitching talent of the team.
Here’s how I think the schedule should go: Start the season on April 1st instead of the 5th. Cut a day out of the all star break (3 days instead of 4). End the season on September 29 with post season to start Oct 1.
Have the DS end over 6 days with no break between game 2 and 3 but a break between game 4 and 5.
Begin the CS October 9th (two day break to allow for rain) with a 2 Home – 3 Away – 2 Home series with the break after game 5. The 2nd home game would be an afternoon game. All other games would be night games.
Have the world series go in similar fashion (after a two day break, to allow for rain) starting on the 20th with 2 breaks (after game 2 and 5) starting it on the 18th and ending it on the 28th.
Go Philly!
- TimHere’s to the Yankees losing!! I don’t think the American media is aware that the Yankees are facing the Phillies at the World Series. It seems like the media just likes to shove anything about the Yanks down our throats. In all honesty, it makes you want the series to finish tomorrow.
- Danny from Maplemichael,
what i said in yesterdays post. never mind.
the series for the ages is back on.
that’s right bucko, you heard me. back on…..
MW: Isn’t that what I said you’d say yesterday?
- darrell bishopHi Mike,
Do you see Tampa Bay remaining a significant competitive threat in the AL East next year? Their pitching looks a little thin on quality and thin on depth to me.
I don’t see them as a .500 team next year as currently constructed – unless everything breaks right for them, again. Thoughts?
MW: The off-season hasn’t even started yet.
- JamieI did not get a chance to hear the show with Ruiz, but did he say what plans the Jays had for him next year?
It would be nice to see him olay a bit of first and DH for a full year.
MW: He doesn’t know what plans the Jays have for him next year, if any.
- A PriceNo blog post about your take on the ‘interim-ness’ on Paul Beeston? I’m surprised. I really am. So, what’s your general feeling about it? Good, bad, directions, money, what’s your take?
MW: Beeston is a smart guy and I don’t think he wants to tarnish his legacy in Toronto. My general feeling is that Alex is now almost completely in control.
- TheSunkenZealotHey Mike,
Did you happen to catch Greg Zaun’s comments on the Fan 590 regarding how management threw Doc under a bus this season (with the trade talk thing) and how he was unfairly sent down to ‘A’ ball all those years ago? If so, your thoughts? Sounds to me like he’s talking out of something that isn’t his mouth.
MW: I’ve already answered this. I don’t think Zaun was speaking from a position of real knowledge.
- Scott BMike, I’m extremely angry with the Jay’s announcement today that Arnsberg has left to become pitching coach of the Astros (essentially fired or otherwise known as “mutual parting”) and Gaston stays, next year is a “throw-away” year again for the Jays.
Arnsberg has been amazing and the Jays have been one of the best pitching teams in baseball under his tenure (especially this past season considering how many younge pitchers he had to work with). I easily would have chosen to retain Brad (and possibly make him the highest paid pitching coach in baseball if push came to shove) and let Cito go.
MW: Arnie wanted to be in Houston.
- Joachim TMike,
- Brian GouthroThanks for pushing back your wife’s birthday dinner and trying to make some sense out of this announcement. I really hope Cito listens to advice from his bench coach. It’s all about giving yourself the best opportunity to succeed. It won’t always work, just as letting Millar hit hit will sometimes work. Can’t wait for Spring training to start!
Brian