Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Game 95: What A Difference A Day Makes

If the Yankees had won yesterday, the Jays would be only two games over .500 and we'd all be holding our breath today at the Escobar-on-short-rest experiment. Thanks to those terrific two-out at-bats by Clark, Woodward, Stewart and Catalanotto in the seventh, four games over looks very different. The six-run explosion in the eighth was a collective sigh of relief turning into a celebration, and the Toronto hitters can continue the party this afternoon against Jeff Weaver, a winner just once in his last eight starts. Carlos Delgado has ripped the chronic underachiever to the tune of 480/649/840 and Eric Hinske (438/471/938) is also looking forward to more batting practice. This season, the Jays beat Weaver at the Dome in May, though Jeff shut them out (3 hits in 7.2 IP) in the Bronx during their April funk.

Super Kelvim got the W on the road against the Yankees May 23 in just his second start, lasting five innings. They will see a stronger, more confident version today. Escobar is overdue for a little luck; he has a loss and two no-decisions to show for his last three starts, which were all pretty good. "Luck" includes a little help from the 'pen for a change, but they shouldn't use Acevedo today; Juan had a lot on his mind Saturday, which had an obvious negative affect on his performance. The only lineup shuffle for the Jays has Hudson returning to 2B, giving Tosca a .400-hitting lefty stick off the bench.

Posted by Coach on Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 12:54 PM EDT.

Game 95: What A Difference A Day Makes | 17 comments | Create New Account

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Pistol - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 01:08 PM EDT (#97722) #

Juan had a lot on his mind Saturday, which had an obvious negative affect on his performance

Well, I'm not sure that it's obvious. It's not like he's pitched like Eric Gagne up to this point and struggled yesterday. He's been bad most of the season.

Coach - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 01:27 PM EDT (#97723) #

You're right, Pistol. I didn't mean to imply that he's been great, just that Acevedo's feud with Cashman and Steinbrenner has to be a distraction, and he was probably "trying too hard," a recipe for disaster on the mound.

Even though I own him in the BBFL, I've had my fill of Jason Giambi this weekend. 2-0 Yankees; I won't be providing a play-by-play today.

Coach - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 01:34 PM EDT (#97724) #

For those who get ESPN2, the Futures Game starts at 5:30. Kid named Hudson starred for the U.S. team last year, just before his callup. Here's what BA has to say about World CF Alexis Rios:

Considered a reach as a first-rounder for the cash-strapped Blue Jays in 1999, Rios has developed into a premium prospect. He's developing power and plate discipline as he progresses towards Toronto. An outstanding all-around athlete at 6-foot-6, Rios has eclipsed his previous career home run total (six) for Double-A New Haven this season. He has excellent hand-eye coordination that allows him to be aggressive at the plate, yet make consistent contact and center the ball on the barrel of the bat. Rios is a basestealing threat and an above-average defensive center fielder.

Behind the plate for the World, catching that Canadian phenom Rich Harden, will be another Jays farmhand:

(Guillermo) Quiroz has made significant progress since signing as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela for $1.2 million. Coming into the 2002 season, he carried a .202 average for three professional years. He proceeded to hit a career-high .260 with 12 home runs, prompting an emergency callup to Triple-A. He has continued to make strides this season in Double-A, again threatening his season highs in home runs at midseason. Defensively, Quiroz uses outstanding arm strength and agility behind the plate, and has learned to speak English fluently, which has helped improved his game-calling skills.

Without Rios and Quiroz, New Haven still won yesterday, as John-Ford Griffin and Dominic Rich keep swinging hot bats. Elsewhere on the farm, Kevin Cash was 2-for-3 (now up to .264) with a homer, and Jeff Tam got the save, as Syracuse split a twin bill with Buffalo. Those awesome Doubledays rolled 10-0 over Brooklyn, with Aaron Hill driving in six runs (including a grand slam) while fourth-round lefty Kurt Isenberg combined with seventh-round righty Danny Core on a 3-hitter.

Meanwhile, it does not look like Kelvim Escobar's day. The first three batters in the second hit safely, and it's 3-0, with the heart of the order coming up and Corey Thurman getting loose in the bullpen.

Coach - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 01:44 PM EDT (#97725) #

I spoke correctly, but too soon. Kelvim hit Jeter, walked Giambi on four pitches (none of them close) to force in a run, then bounced a wild pitch off the plate. Finally, he walked Williams on a 3-2 pitch that nearly went to the screen; 5-zip, and mercifully, he's done. Tough spot for Thurman; still just one out and nowhere to put Matsui.

_Eric C - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 05:01 PM EDT (#97726) #

Slight Hijack...

Former Doubleday and current Auburn shortstop both off to fast starts.

A piece on Adams, Hill and Jamie Vermilyea.

But Vermilyea, taken by Toronto in the ninth round of the 2003 draft, wants to be a reliever and so far Holmberg has obliged him. Vermilyea snuck into the rotation only because Marcos Sandoval was called up to Single-A Charleston last week.

Hmm....if he is pitching so well, won't the Jays rather have him starting rather than relieving, especially since his relief stints will become shorter and shorter as the starters build up arm strength.

"I'd much rather pitch out of the bullpen. Coming out of the bullpen is much more interesting to me,"

Interesting? Maybe someone should Jamie that starters make more money...

Coach - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 05:39 PM EDT (#97727) #

Eric, thanks for the look ahead. On Hill-vs.-Adams at shortstop, Holmberg won't say who will end up at second base.

"Both players should complement each other and play together in the big leagues in two years."

Especially if they still have Hudson and Woodward, that's a pretty deep middle infield. Hinske and Wells will be in their prime. Delgado might want to stick around and win.

Too bad about Escobar having an off day. It's happened before to Kelvim, but it's the first time in quite a while. After Thurman worked out of that jam, I didn't see much more of the game. According to the box score, the whole bullpen did just fine, and Kershner was terrific again. Carlos got two RBI for 97, third best ever. Vernon Wells is considered the second best outfielder by his peers. Roy Halladay is 13-0 since mid-April. Together, Greg Myers and Tom Wilson are providing All-Star catching. Reed Johnson belongs. Well done!

The Jays fell short this season in the Terrible Twenty and the Dirty Dozen, but this is a respectable third-place team chasing a couple of pretty good clubs. The Jays could have won the Central this year, so bring on the balanced schedule. Enjoy the second half, people. 2004 should be very interesting, and it's really fun to speculate about 2005.

Let the fire sale begin...

Pistol - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 07:09 PM EDT (#97728) #

A Gammons tidbit:

Toronto is going to deal Cory Lidle and Shannon Stewart and try to sign Kelvim Escobar and keep him out of the market. The Cardinals are a possible destination for Lidle, as Matt Morris was in the 85-88 mph range in his last start. The Jays would like to assemble a three-way deal that would send J.D. Drew to Oakland and bring Ted Lilly to Toronto. Someday, somewhere perhaps Lilly will stop being so hardheaded.

Lilly gives up a lot of home runs, but otherwise he looks pretty good to me. Of course, that's similar to saying he's a pretty good 1B except he can't hit for power.

The hardheaded comment seems to come out of nowhere though......

Rios just went yard in the futures game. According to Gammons everyone in this game is 'special'.

_Shane - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 07:44 PM EDT (#97729) #

Ted Lilly being "hardheaded" was something that was mentioned by an Oakland writer in one of his columns this week. If I remember correctly, the infererence was made in regards to Lilly not completely understanding what Rich Peterson is trying to get him to do on the mound.

People bag on Gammons all the time, but it would seem since Ricciardi hit Toronto, Peter gets all the Blue Jays rumours straight from the horses mouth. Maybe they're trying to sign Escobar, but considering the money he could make on the open market (both $ & years) this seems like a Gammoms fairy tale for me. They haven't even made aggressive proactive attempts at locking the soon to be big-time wealthy Halladay up for cripes sakes.

Gitz - Sunday, July 13 2003 @ 09:44 PM EDT (#97730) #

Pistol, most of the home runs have been solo jobs, but I have not been impressed with Lilly since the A's acquired him, and I hope the Blue Jays don't go after him. The allusion to Lilly being hard-headed re: Rick Peterson may be an indication why Lilly has played on five teams despite being left-handed, talented, and only 26-years-old. That he is talented is not in doubt, as his maddening stretches where he strikes out seven hitters in a row show, but it seems he's another one of those pitchers with a nice K/BB ratio whose success doesn't quite add up. He nibbles too much, he's too deliberate on the mound, he's got no reliable fourth pitch. He might make a nice middle reliever; as a starter he's a six-inning guy with a decent skill set but which has to be nearly perfect every start.

He's basically on the Bruce Chen career path, except Chen was never traded for Jeremy Bonderman, Carlos Pena, and Franklyn German. Lilly has been a bad move for the A's; let's hope the Jays don't repeat what could very well be Billy Beane's worst trade.

Pistol - Monday, July 14 2003 @ 08:43 AM EDT (#97731) #

He's basically on the Bruce Chen career path, except Chen was never traded for Jeremy Bonderman, Carlos Pena, and Franklyn German. Lilly has been a bad move for the A's; let's hope the Jays don't repeat what could very well be Billy Beane's worst trade.

Well, the A's also got Griffin and Arnold in that trade who they flipped for Durazo.

Coach - Monday, July 14 2003 @ 09:33 AM EDT (#97732) #

Pistol, Durazo hasn't exactly lived up to his "Holy Grail" billing. Pena wasn't ready to help a contending team, so I understood the A's (and Yanks, thank you very much) dealing the future for the present, but the Tigers clearly gained the most in that trade with "geniuses" Beane and Cashman. Nobody's perfect.

Geoff Baker is also speculating on Lilly-to-Toronto in this morning's Star, possibly for Escobar. I'd like to see Stewart, Lidle, Escobar and a huge sack of toonies go to Oakland for a slew of prospects. If they insist on including Lilly, that's fine with me.

Pistol - Monday, July 14 2003 @ 12:08 PM EDT (#97733) #

Coach - Agreed. Just pointing out there was more to the deal than Lilly.

_Jurgen - Tuesday, July 15 2003 @ 03:06 AM EDT (#97734) #

Jeff Weaver.... chronic underachiever....

I just got it!

_Jurgen - Tuesday, July 15 2003 @ 03:14 AM EDT (#97735) #

I'm starting my own toonie collection jar just in case. I suggest you all do the same.

I read somewhere that Beane has apparently cooled on trading MLB ready prospects like Hinske and Bonderman (although only on a club like the Tigers would anyone have considered Bonderman MLB-ready). Truth, or more disinformation to ease Allard's skittishness about picking up the phone when his name comes up on call display?

_R Billie - Tuesday, July 15 2003 @ 12:37 PM EDT (#97736) #

Well if they can get Lilly without dealing Escobar, that would be ideal. I mean they have to have SOMEONE in the rotation after Halladay next year and I doubt Lidle will be back though he could be available for quite cheap if he keeps pitching the way he is.

If they can remove Lidle's $5 million and Stewart's $6 million from the payroll, they can afford Escobar just fine...I doubt he'll end up earning MUCH more than the $4 million he's getting this year. Halladay, Escobar, Lilly, cheap veteran, Arnold/Thurman. Wouldn't be terrible and still puts McGowan and Bush on track to become regulars in the second half of '04 or for the start of '05.

Gitz - Tuesday, July 15 2003 @ 03:14 PM EDT (#97737) #

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Lilly is exactly the kind of pitcher the Jays don't need. He would fall into the "If things go well, he could be adequate" category, and the Jays are rife with those kinds of arms. He won't eat innings, he's got a (relatively) poor health record, and, apparently, he's something of a head case. As I said earlier, they need somebody more proven than Lilly. Assuming Stewart and Lidle are gone (we'll keep Escobar for the sake of argument), they'll have roughly $7-10 million extra to spend on a starter. Kevin Millwood may or may not be available, but he is exactly the kind of pitcher the A's need, and he, or somebody like him (Javier Vazquez?) could be had with that price, assuming baseball's new economic structure holds. Halladay and Millwood at the front end of the rotation looks awfully nice, and could very well vault the club into contention next year.

Yeah, the Jays signing Millwood is wishful thinking, but no more so than thinking Ted Lilly will develop into a solid number-two-type starter. Right now, there's not much evidence beyond a nice K/BB ratio to suggest that.

Gitz - Tuesday, July 15 2003 @ 03:16 PM EDT (#97738) #

Oops. That should be "exactly the kind of pitcher the JAYS need," not the A's, though Millwood on the A's is an intoxicating thought for A's fans. Also, pay no attention to the "link" on my name. Typos are fun!

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