10:59 PM Eastern
Brad Mills wasn’t in Toronto long, but boy howdy did he leave something by which to remember him. Mills got the call for a one-off spot start with the Jays’ rotation in slight disarray thanks to Friday night’s rainout in Detroit, and he’s already been sent back down to Las Vegas, but he left for Sin City with a big-league win under his belt.
Mills was phenomenal against the league-worst Orioles, allowing a single to Brian Roberts to lead off the game and then holding the Baltimores hitless until Jake Fox singled with two out in the bottom of the 7th. And he held the O’s down while walking the tightrope, holding a 1-0 lead from the second inning on. Mills walked three (well, two – Nick Markakis walked twice) and struck out four, and only allowed two runners past first base. It was a brilliant outing – granted it was against Baltimore, but the O’s did more damage against Ricky Romero and Brandon Morrow earlier in the series.
He won’t overpower anyone, but Mills did a great job of changing speeds and using his curveball to keep the Orioles off-balance. He’ll be back in September, for sure, and he’s definitely thrown his hat into the ring as far as consideration for a spot in the rotation down the line. Sure, he’s still no better than eighth in line behind the five guys they’ve got here, Marc Rzepczynski and Kyle Drabek, but he’ll be tough to forget about after this start. And hey, maybe he works his way into a deal in the next three days a la Tim Collins and Tyler Pastornicky.
Adam Lind swung it awfully well tonight – his second great game in three – he singled twice, one of them a perfect hit-and-run shot right through the vacated shortstop hole, and tripled off the glove of a leaping, bubble-blowing Adam Jones in dead centre. Jose Bautista continued his ridiculous July by doubling twice in four trips.
The Jays may be off tomorrow, but I’ll be on the Fan590 morning show with Jeff Lumby just after 8:00 AM Eastern to talk all things trade deadline-ic – some movement today with Jhonny Peralta and Scott Podsednik changing addresses. Also, I’ll be live and in studio Friday morning at 8:00 for an hour of phones, so be sure to tune in then!
Speaking of phones, here’s tonight’s edition of The JaysTalk, for your listening pleasure:
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And here’s this evening’s edition of “Miked Up LIVE!”:
7 Responses to “That’s How You Leave An Impression”
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Hi Mike. Interesting discussion last night on potential ideas to get the Jays out of the AL East. One thing I haven’t heard mentioned is having the Jays go to the Central, the Royals to the West, and have the East be the 4 team division. I agree that there is no way you can convince another team to go into the AL East to allow the Jays out, so this seems to be the easiest way. I mean, the Royals can suck in either division anyway, so what loss is to to them to be in the west, where they used to be anyway.
I do prefer an option you have put forward in the past – basically the top 4 in each league make it to the playoffs. Although, I don’t think there is any time in the last 10 years where that would have helped anyway, but I think the other part of your plan was to balance the schedule, so who knows how that would have affected the standings.
- DanI think the only barrier to contending next year for the Jays is a serious look a putting together a dominant bullpen and quality bench. Third base may be the only outstanding issue, but that’s it. Given that Arencibia and Wallace have had long runs in the minors I see no reason why these guys can’t step in and contribute. And Escobar, finally, has added a little identity to this team and confidence to the way this game can be played.
- Willmichael,
- darrell bishopreal nice job by young mills last night.
a very decent call up indeed.
don’t get me wrong though. he’s no brian burres but he did fine……….
michael,
- darrell bishopstill time left for a playoff race to be had here.
said it the other day, saying it again.
also mentioned then a favourable schedule as apart of the reasons why. some may have felt i was misinformed with that observation. but oh contraire my baseball friend. just the opposite in fact truth to be told.
build up the w/l record (creep a little closer) here with the home series vs. the clevelands hopefully & then upward & onward hd. to hd. with the teams you got to beat that are all in front of you at a time when the squad has never been playing better, healthier & more rarin’ to go.
just wish that 1st darn trade deadline wasn’t so fast approaching as it is.
could mess up this “what coulda been” royally……
noone else it seems to me is looking at it this way michael.
but i am. i am…………..
Mike,
I love what Alex A. is doing with the Jays. He reminds me of a young Pat Gillick for some reason. Premature? Yes. But I like what this kid is selling.
I have to admit, I am on the Alex A. bandwagon. I think he will build a terrific team in the next few years.
I even started watching them on TV again and I am planning on attending a game or two in August. I haven’t been to a game in over a decade. I’ll be on holidays and I plan on spending some time watching the Jays live.
Keep up the good work Alex.
Go Jays Go!!!!
- R. RalphPlease make sense of the trade for me Mike! Why did Alex trade a young player who is on the cusp of being on the major league roster for a guy who could 4 or 5 years away…I thought it was meant to be a quick rebuild ? Even if they were interested for a while….
- DilsonHello Mike, I do agree with you that Bautista wasn’t in the Jays plans in 2008 but they kind of got ‘lightning in a bottle’ with him this year sort of say. He can be now though. So, things change & even though he was brought here to be a utility player, by having this break through year this year, he is young enough to be part of this team moving forward.
- David F in Etobicoke