1:05 AM Eastern
It was the kind of game from a Blue Jays starter for which it feels as though we’ve been waiting all season. The kind of game we saw quite a bit last year. Ricky Romero, coming off his worst outing of the season – and on the wrong side of a no-hitter, no less – turned things around and put together his best performance of the year, dominating the Twins from start to almost finish.
Romero took a no-hitter into the 6th inning before giving up a two-out ground single to left to Denard Span, then a 50-foot nubber up the third-base line for another hit by Trevor Plouffe. A passed ball moved the runners up, but he got Jason Kubel to ground to shortstop to end the inning, keeping the score locked up at 0-0.
As well as Romero had pitched to that point, his teammates couldn’t get the big hit, stranding ten runners through six innings against Carl Pavano and combining to go 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
They finally broke through in the 7th, with Juan Rivera sneaking a soft line single into short left field with men on first and second and nobody out. Corey Patterson, who inexplicably headed back to second when Rivera’s ball was heading into left, was saved by a terrible throw home by Delmon Young and scored the game’s first run.
Jose Bautista went deep leading off the 9th to double the lead – a blast so prodigious that it actually started to rain after his 12th homer of the season left the park!
Romero came out for the bottom of the 9th with a three-hit shutout, having thrown just 87 pitches, but walked Plouffe with his next four – the third leadoff walk he’d issued on the night. He rebounded to strike out Jason Kubel (on three pitches) and Justin Morneau, and John Farrell then came out to tell him he had one batter left. Delmon Young, who was 5-for-15 lifetime against Romero, represented the tying run, and notorious lefty-killer Michael Cuddyer was on deck having gone 0-for-3 but having required a nice defensive play to retire him each of those three times.
Young hit a ground ball just out of the reach of Aaron Hill into the hole for a single to bring Cuddyer to the plate with the winning run, and even though Romero still had the shutout alive, Farrell came and got him, bringing in Frank Francisco, who struck out Cuddyer to save the game.
At the time, the live blog and the Twitter were chock full of people letting Farrell have it, and I wasn’t sure what I thought the right move was (though I knew I wasn’t as upset as so many seemed to be). I wound up convincing myself as The JaysTalk got going that I didn’t have a problem with Romero being lifted when he was.
Granted, he’d only thrown 101 pitches, but he’d been given an opportunity to get the final out and had instead allowed the tying run to reach base. A noted lefty-killer, who is far weaker against right-handed pitching, was coming to the plate. When it comes down to it, it’s not about Ricky Romero getting a shutout, or even a complete game; it’s about the Blue Jays getting a win, and going to Francisco at that point gave them the best chance to do so.
I thought there would be a lot of debate about the move on The JaysTalk, but there were only two callers who disagreed with Farrell (though both were rather vehement about it). Here’s the show, for your listening pleasure:
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I’m still trying to figure out what happened with Yunel Escobar in the 8th, by the way. With runners at first and third and one out, he bunted but Edwin Encarnacion never budged from third base. Somebody missed a sign, and judging from Escobar’s sheer fury upon getting back to the dugout after being retired, Yunel really didn’t seem to think it was him.
Tomorrow, the Blue Jays look for a fourth straight win, trying to improve to 8-18 in games that aren’t series openers. Jo-Jo Reyes tries again for his first major-league win since June of 2008, he faces righty Nick Blackburn, who has the Twins’ only win against the Blue Jays this year. We’re on the air at 3:30 pm Eastern with the pre-game show for a 4:10 first pitch – join us, won’t you?
Please follow me on the Twitter, you can find me @wilnerness590.
Rational, reasonable comments are always welcome!
17 Responses to “Ricky Steps Up”
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Mike,
Not that I think the Jays should go after Fielder by any means, but have you seen him lately? He’s slimmed down considerably and I’m just wondering if that changes your feeling on his longterm abilities. I don’t think there’s any real evidence that he would slow down. The guy can flat out hit.
MW: The guy can flat out hit, there’s no question about it, but I still have concerns about years six and seven of the contract he’s going sign.
- JaysFani used to think that maybe the Jays should turn Encarnacion into a first baseman.. scratch that..
Mike, often during Jays talk, you mention folks listening on line..I am out of the listening area and when i tune in on line, the game and Jays talk are blacked out..
around here, one never knows until game time if it will be available on Sportsnet east, i spend all summer worried about finding the game..it’s so exasperating! and i can’t be rising an hour earlier everyday to listen via download, (as i am now), the day after…
I may be an old, technologically impaired fart, but can someone tell me how a NFLDer can listen live?
thanks as always..
MW: The JaysTalk should always be available online live at http://www.fan590.com. The only time the broadcast is blacked out is between the first pitch and the last pitch. There are occasions when a TFC game or a Raptors game will be on the website as opposed to our post-game, but those occasions are unusual.
- eastcoast ball fanBautista: .365/.525/.798. Oh. My. God.
- BrettHaven’t really paid attention to how hard Romero throws but last night he was around 95 quite often and 97 once. I didn’t know he threw that hard.
I hear talk of bringing Lawrie. His batting stats suggest he’d be OK (mle for Vegas .747). But that inflates his worth as his ob% comes out around .292.
But I can’t find anything on his defence. I’d heard he made 6 errors early on. Have you heard anything about his defensive play improving?
MW: I have. His defense does appear to be improving. I didn’t know Ricky threw that hard, either – I think the gun in Minny might be generous.
- jmaronHey Mike have you found out what set Yescobar off yet?
MW: Nope
- LéoI am glad that we didn’t sign Barry Bonds a few years ago when the rumours were flying, because I believe we have witnessed the second coming of Bonds in the form of Jose Bautista (minus the steroids of course). This year he has been hitting like Bonds did in his great years. Tons of walks. Low strikouts. Make a mistake over the plate and its gone. It’s going to be exciting to see if he can keep that up for the entire season.
MW: Not quite sure how having Bautista hitting as well as Bonds now means it’s a good thing they didn’t sign Bonds when having a power-hitting leftfielder would probably have made them a legitimate contender.
- RolinMaybe Escobar bunted incorrectly? The commentary guys mentioned how Encarnacion would have been thrown out had he run so maybe the bunt wasn’t supposed to be right at the mound and he was angry about not performing how he wanted.
- ChrisLooks like TBay’s continued success is disproving your theory on the little impact a manager has on a team’s results.
MW: How is that?
- WillEncarnacion’s WAR: -0.6
Mostly due to his -5.7 UZR he has accumulated (already!) at 3B.
He’s lucky now that they can stick him at 1B but I truly hope the ship has sailed for him being the team’s 3B. It is almost rediculous how bad he is there.
MW: It’s even more ridiculous how no one can spell ridiculous (or lose) anymore.
- CoreyLast night, with 2 out in the bottom of the ninth, Aaron Hill (as is his wont) lines up at double-play depth. Consequently when “Young hit a ground ball just out of the reach of Aaron Hill” the winning run came to the plate and Farrell was forced to make a controversal decision. Last year Hill committed the same crime and cost Morrow his no hitter.
- Cito ManI believe he has not been signed up for next year and I hope they let him go. Earlier in the year Farrell mentioned his lack of range, and last night the TV announcer mentioned that he was late getting off the mark on the play.
Right now McDonald seems to be a better proposition as the every day second baseman!
Twins are now 12-24. A familiar record for long time Jays fans. If they can get healthy all is not lost – especially in that division.
- RezEscobar can’t be mad at Encarnacion for not running on that play, even if it was a squeeze, the bunt was right in front of the plate, there was no chance Encarnacion would have scored even if he was running on the pitch. Not even Davis could have beaten that out and made it home on that bunt if he was on 3rd. Either Escobar missed a sign, or he was mad at himself for the crappy bunt. As far as Romero goes, Cuddyer does hit lefties better, but that hadn’t seemed to matter all night, no one on the Twins was hitting Romero’s stuff, not Cuddyer, not anybody yesterday. I personally would have risked it and let Romero try and finish it off. I actually think he was the safer bet, since you know Romero’s dealing, and Francisco may not have his best stuff, but I won’t make a big deal out of it though, we got the win, and Romero was fantastic, that’s all that matters.
MW: There’s no doubt in my mind that had that been a suicide squeeze attempt, with Encarnacion taking off with the pitch, he would have scored.
- JackOThis play with Patterson feels like deja vu. I’m pretty sure there was another play like this with him in a previous game where he looked equally bad running the bases.
I don’t understand how Bautista hit 50 home runs last year so quietly. I must have been afraid to get excited about him but it seems like he’s getting more important hits and walks this year.
- habitantHey Mike.
Okay, maybe Encarnacion did miss the sign,but Escobar acting like a petulant child and showing him up has no place at the Major League level. There have been a few times where I think we have all seen some of the reasons why he wore out his welcome in Atlanta.
I thought Arencibia showed the most courage actually going to talk to him and trying to calm him down. Rare for a rookie, good on him.
- BrentMike you are a good guy. But I am tired of backing this Aaron Hill guy. 0-4 today. Not EVEN close on some pitches. We can’t even trade him. Mark my words, he will not be here next year. I assume we will be drafting a 2 baseman in our draft pick. This is my hunch.
- tiredHi Mike,
I guess you haven’t posted for tonight’s game yet–the blow-out in the 11th inning.
First a question: I am trying to put Bautista’s throwng arm in context. When I was a teenager in the 80s, I can remember Jesse Barfield catching a fly ball on the warning track and then throwing a tagging runner out at home. But since I was onl a kid I may have a false impression. Could you comment on how Bautista’s ability to through runners out compares with Jesse Barfield’s? Thx.
Second, it seems to me that the only disappointments for the Jays have been Snider and Hill at the plate. Injuries have turned the 3B position temporarily into a sieve, but everything else we expected, such as the starters needing to work off their inexperience. Other than those things, everything else: Top of the order, Bautista and Lind, the bullpen–these seem to be develping really well. I don’t feel disappointed at all with a barely .500 record in a building year.
MW: Jesse Barfield had a ridiculous throwing arm. Every bit as good as Bautista’s. I wouldn’t say injuries have turned 3b into a temporary sieve, the plan had been to have Encarnacion play there for the first couple of months this season, at least.
- Jonathan Menonunadulterated awesemnity
Mike, I agree. New words are required for description. We have entered a new era in Toronto Blue Jays baseball.
- Joe P.“These aren’t your father’s Blue Jays.”
Not only are we seeing run production directly attributed to successful base stealing efforts (which is an exciting change) but we are also witnessing RBI production from the way we have grown accustomed to seeing them produced – from home plate.
However, we have never seen the proclivity and propensity of home runs from any one player. We can try to compare him with George Bell and Carlos Delgado if you wish but Jose Bautista deserves to have special consideration that everyone needs to recognize! Fellow fans, we may never see another man produce like this. Get out to the ball park folks.
You may be disappointed in yourself if you don’t!