Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Game 52 : Keep It Rollin'

There's not much to add beyond Mike D's excellent White Sox Advance Scout. (I keep hoping that Ad-Rock or MCA will show up to do an Advance Scout, but no luck yet.)

Anyway, tonight it's Buehrle versus Hendrickson. I'd be a lot more worried about this matchup last year, but Buehrle is having a tough time getting outs. It's not just that he's 2-7, but opponents are hitting .306 off him and his walk-to-strikeout ratio is 27:29. The 5.19 ERA doesn't even do him justice; he's given up a lot of earned runs.

As Tosca said over the weekend, if anyone wants to beat the Jays these days they'd better bring their A game. The White Sox did bring their A game twice in the series in Chicago, but they've been incredibly disappointing and it's time for the Jays to show their killer instinct and pound on a struggling team throughout a series.

Posted by Craig B on Monday, May 26 2003 @ 05:19 AM EDT.

Game 52 : Keep It Rollin' | 47 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

_rodent - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 05:28 PM EDT (#101701) #

By the four-ish news on 680, Hinske is on the 15-day DL.

_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 05:32 PM EDT (#101702) #

It's worse than that. Hinske's hand is broken. Surgery on Wednesday...out 4-6 weeks. Howie Clark has been called up.

Sorry, no link.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 05:47 PM EDT (#101703) #

This is unfortunate, but it's preferable to watching Eric play hurt. His football mentality is admirable, but he's toughed this thing out too long already.

Are we glad Bordick wasn't traded to New York the day after Jeter got hurt? Between Mike, Dave Berg and Clark (who can also fill in at 2B) the Jays will get through this, then Hinske can contribute at full strength in the second half.

_Jordan - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 06:25 PM EDT (#101704) #

Here's the link. Hinske says that he's felt the pain all year, and that he probably should have had it looked at earlier. You think? I do admire his ability play through pain, but I trust that someone will sit him down after the surgery and say, in the nicest possible way, that his personal experimentation with the pain threshold comes second to the interests of the team.

Howie Clark is a pretty hot hitter right now, and gives the Jays options in both the infield and outfield. I briefly thought that Toronto might give Simon Pond a double-level promotion to the bigs, but that would likely be in no one's best interests. The team has done quite well thus far with little contribution from third base, so this probably shouldn't hamper their efforts too much. I do worry about Berg getting a little overextended, though.

_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 06:32 PM EDT (#101705) #

FYI, in order to make room on the 40-man for Clark, Bob File was transferred to the 60-day DL.

Pistol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 06:45 PM EDT (#101706) #

I trust that someone will sit him down after the surgery and say, in the nicest possible way, that his personal experimentation with the pain threshold comes second to the interests of the team.

I would hope they would do that for everyone on the team, especially the pitchers.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:11 PM EDT (#101707) #

Shannon Stewart is a late scratch with at least one sore hamstring, so Reed Johnson will be leading off.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:13 PM EDT (#101708) #

Great googly moogly, Lurch has become a power pitcher!

Pistol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:17 PM EDT (#101709) #

Sacrifice Bunt!

Mike D - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:17 PM EDT (#101710) #

Great googly moogly, a sacrifice!

By the way, for fellow ex-pat Jays fans...the ballgame's on ESPN2.

_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:18 PM EDT (#101711) #

A sacrifice! Cat moves Reed to 3rd with 0 outs.

Damn...I was hoping they'd at least get to the AS Break without one.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:19 PM EDT (#101712) #

Good thing Reed scored on the Wells sac fly, or Cat would have been fined. :)

Pistol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:20 PM EDT (#101713) #

1-1 in small ball attempts this year.

Dave Justice is less than impressive on the ESPN2 broadcast.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:24 PM EDT (#101714) #

Reed Johnson is a Baseball Player. Nice catch; he would have gone into the third row if he had to.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:34 PM EDT (#101715) #

Excellent play by Hudson, who did exactly the right thing -- sprinting across the diamond, right at the runner -- to get Carlos Lee, caught between third and home on an infield grounder. O-Dog almost snared the subsequent Crede liner that tied the game 1-1.

Derryl Cousins, behind the plate, has given Hendrickson a low strike and an outside strike so far. If both pitchers take advantage of his generosity, this could be a low-scoring affair. Maybe Buehrle hasn't noticed yet.

_Gleam - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:42 PM EDT (#101716) #

Someone needs to tell Carlos Lee to head toward home when caught in a run down. Someone needs to tell Justice that Woodward already was the Jays shortstop.

_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 07:46 PM EDT (#101717) #

Woody! Jimenez was 2/3s from home and he didn't even attempt a throw from short left.

Pistol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 08:09 PM EDT (#101718) #

Justice can't stop saying scuffle and scuffling. It's getting painful to hear.

It was interesting to see him slam the Yankes hitting coach in 2001. He more or less said he didn't have a clue.

Craig B - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 08:24 PM EDT (#101719) #

I want to know how the heck Chris Woodward is making these plays. He has improved an immense amount since April, and I wish I knew why. All I know is he's going into the hole and making these terrific strong, accurate throws that most shortstops don't make... and it just doesn't fit my mental image of him. He's an OK defender, but this is surreal.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 08:40 PM EDT (#101720) #

Magglio Ordonez connects for a solo HR to make it 3-1 Chicago. This is not a bad effort by Hendrickson, it's just a good group of RH hitters who are seeing him for the second time in five days. Unfortunately, the Jays aren't having the same kind of success against Buehrle, despite pounding him for 10 hits last week.

Mark might have been out of the inning if Woodward had held on to a great throw by Johnson from deep in the RF corner; Woody may have taken his eye off the one-hopper looking for the sliding runner, but the throw appeared to beat Lee. Instead, Lurch is done, and we'll see how Josh Towers performs.

_Spicol - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 08:43 PM EDT (#101721) #

I don't think I've ever seen a pitcher wear his socks up as high as Josh Towers.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#101722) #

Thanks to Carlos Lee for being a brutal outfielder; this baby is tied.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 08:49 PM EDT (#101723) #

Oops, spoke too soon. I thought both runners would score, but Butter played it safe. It's 3-2, two on, none out.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 08:53 PM EDT (#101724) #

The Graffanino error and the Lee error have definitely got to Buehrle; Cerutti made one of his better observations when he said Olivo, the Sox catcher, was looking over his shoulder into the dugout.

The great Carlos Delgado hits a 2-run single to give the Jays the 4-3 lead. With two pitches, Towers is in line for the win.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:02 PM EDT (#101725) #

You can't give Crede an error for failing to locate his base on a force play, another reason there should be an E-10 in baseball. That easy play not made shouldn't count against poor, abandoned Buehrle. It's 6-3 Jays, just like that, a five-run inning entirely due to horrible defence. If you asked Jerry Manuel about his team's execution, he'd be all for it.

_Duane Grassbaug - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:09 PM EDT (#101726) #

a John Mckay reference- gotta like it

_Ryan - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:13 PM EDT (#101727) #

Why exactly was Towers yanked? Surely Tosca couldn't have viewed Sturtze as more capable of holding the lead...

Overall I like the job Tosca has done, but he makes just as many unnecessary pitching changes as Martinez did. It's frustrating.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:17 PM EDT (#101728) #

Tanyon Sturtze gives back most of the cushion by serving up a 2-run HR to Jimenez. The only lefty in the bullpen was used to pitch to one guy (a switch-hitter) in the seventh inning; it didn't work. Once again, it's the rookie Aquilino vs. the heart of the order in a close game.

_Dr B - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:18 PM EDT (#101729) #

Yeah, that's weird. Especially when Towers is part of your long relief corps. I'd have expected Towers to go at least until he ran into trouble.

_Ryan - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:26 PM EDT (#101730) #

With this being a fairly close game and extra innings a distinct possibility, it makes even less sense to use your two long guys for a handful of batters. Even if Sturtze had been effective, Tosca obviously had no intention of stretching him out since Miller started warming up as soon at the start of the inning. Hopefully when the Jays reduce their bullpen by one, we'll see less of this nonsense.

Thank you Chris Woodward!

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:50 PM EDT (#101731) #

Right after Lopez strikes out two guys, Tosca makes another odd pitching change. Unless he's going to let Tam pitch the ninth -- Politte's worked hard lately.

Mike D - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:58 PM EDT (#101732) #

The Jays' offensive performance tonight can best be described as "rousing." They're playing with such enthusiasm and energy at the bat and on the bases -- the crowd loves it!

_Ryan - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 09:59 PM EDT (#101733) #

Really short-sighted bullpen management tonight. There's just no possible justification for burning up so many relievers in a close game, especially when you aren't even trying to play lefty-lefty or righty-righty matchups. This game is probably safe with a three-run lead as I type this, but if Politte comes in for the ninth and coughs up three runs, the Jays only have Pete Walker left for extra innings.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:00 PM EDT (#101734) #

Serious power by Phelps; an end-of-the-bat, opposite-field HR restores the 3-run lead. O-Dog follows by ripping a single, then steals second and advances to third on the wild throw, the fourth official error of the night for the Pale Hose, not counting Crede's tap dance. Woody lines a one-out single to left, and it's 9-5 Jays.

_Jonny German - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:05 PM EDT (#101735) #

A sacrifice bunt in the first inning? A stolen base with a three run lead? Are these really the Blue Jays?

More bad D from Carlos Lee and it's 10-5 for the good guys.

Craig B - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:09 PM EDT (#101736) #

Another day at the office, eleven more runs for the best offense in baseball.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:09 PM EDT (#101737) #

Carlos Lee is awful. He misplays a double by Catalanotto (off the lefty reliever) into a "triple," then Wells makes the Sox pay with an RBI single. It's now an 11-5 rout, with very few of the Toronto runs not tainted by misplays. Dave Berg can pitch the ninth; this one's over.

Craig B - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:11 PM EDT (#101738) #

Now pitching, the righthander, number 2, Dave Berg...

_Ryan - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:13 PM EDT (#101739) #

And one batter later he'll be pulled for another right-hander: Howie Clark.

Craig B - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:15 PM EDT (#101740) #

Any bets on Jerry Manuel getting the axe tonight? I'm thinking after this, he's gotta be gone. Five or six fielding misplays, the team imploding after an early lead... these are the types of games that get managers fired.

Coach - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 10:23 PM EDT (#101741) #

The "other" single-digit righty, Josh Towers, gets the win to go 1-0 as a Blue Jay, and Jeff Tam, of all people, picks up his first save since June of 2001. This really was an unusual game, with over 19,000 witnessing it in person. 18-6 is the second-best month in Blue Jays history, and there are still five games left in May.

_R Billie - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 11:17 PM EDT (#101742) #

Eventhough Reed Johnson has some speed, he doesn't seem like the most graceful fielder or runner out there. Is it just me or was he looking tentative in the field. Two basket catches on fairly routine flyballs?

_Cristian - Monday, May 26 2003 @ 11:25 PM EDT (#101743) #

Josh Towers is a single digit righty? Maybe he can ask Antonio Alfonseca for some spare digits.

Fun game today and the crowd seemed to be buzzing. Now if only each member of the crowd of 19,000 tells two frieds...and they tell two friends...and they tell two friends...the Jays may have some decent crowds for a summer wild card push.

I'm sure the Batter's Box contingent in attendance will do their part.

robertdudek - Tuesday, May 27 2003 @ 01:07 AM EDT (#101744) #

I was in attendance today. The 6th inning absolutely destroyed the Sox. With normal defence it's a routine inning with Buerhle having plenty left for the 7th and then it's Gordon/Marte/Koch instead of the B relievers.

From the angle I was sitting at, I noticed how much Cat hits off his front foot. Almost Ichiro-esque.

The Jays are 7-1 this year when I attend.

Gitz - Tuesday, May 27 2003 @ 03:07 AM EDT (#101745) #

By the time anyone reads this, Manuel may have even axed; at any rate, Craig B. scooped Peter Gammons on this one: on Baseball Tonight PG speculated that this game would do him in, even though neither Kenny Williams nor Jerry Reinsdorf "wants to fire Manuel."

Of course, PG also speculated the A's would trade for Jey Payton and Jose Jimenez in July. Excuse me?

_benum - Tuesday, May 27 2003 @ 04:13 AM EDT (#101746) #

I had to go out just when Towers was coming in (it was 3-1 for the Sox). Based on how Buehrle looked before I booked, I was expecting a loss for the home side.

I've been enjoying the recent success but...the Jays have been very lucky as of late. They had no business coming back on either Weaver or Bueherle but for bad defense (there is a luck factor there).

Pistol - Tuesday, May 27 2003 @ 08:48 AM EDT (#101747) #

The Jays are 7-1 this year when I attend.

I'll chip in a couple bucks for season tickets for you. We can start a BB fund to ensure a .875 home winning percentage.

Game 52 : Keep It Rollin' | 47 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.