Yesterday, Magpie wondered who would be the next Jays' starter to throw a complete game, noting that it hasn't happened since the Good Doctor was in town. Tonight, it almost happened.
Wait a second, why am I even talking about this? Who cares that Brett Cecil almost threw a complete game? Brett Cecil took a PERFECT GAME INTO THE SEVENTH INNING.
Cecil was masterful, not allowing a base-runner until Grady Sizemore and Shin-Soo Choo coaxed back-to-back walks with one out in the 7th inning. Cecil gave up his first and only hit one out later to Jhonny Peralta, which cashed in Cleveland's only run on the night. Cecil was perfect in the 8th and Game Over Gregg survived a hit and a walk to finish the game in front 10,112 - a positively Torontonian crowd. Cecil's game score of 84 bested Ricky Romero's 82 in his no-hit bid for the best-pitched game by a Jay this season, and ranks as the 7th best in the Majors this year. (The best, I was surprised to find out, was not Jimenez' no-hitter, because of all the walks he allowed; rather, it was Colby Lewis' complete-game three-hitter from last Friday.)
Speaking of game scores, ESPN has started keeping track of Hitter Game Scores and guess who's on top for the year? That's right, John Buck's 3-homer game. And Buck did it again tonight, sending one over the wall to raise his slugging percentage to .554, which even makes a .288 OBP acceptable.
Travis Snider (#4) and Jose Bautista (#5) also homered for the Jays. Snider added a double to his round-tripper, and look: Snider is fine. His BABIP is .151, despite the fact that his LD% is up more than 8%. That is a ridiculously low figure (the BABIP, I mean). He has also cut his K rate 8% and upped his walk rate 3.5%. It's a small sample size, but those are very positive signs. In fact, I'd say he's improved over last year, and not just a little bit. The hits will start to fall in, like they did tonight, and I'm guessing by the all-star break we'll be dreaming about his Cooperstown plaque again.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20100503235221298