Alright! The Jays bats strike back in support of Halladay. Nice to see Dalgado take a walk to load the bases which moves Shannon to third then Myers takes on a fullcount for the walk and drives in one.

As Barney says go deep into the counts and get their starter outta there. Great concept. Very fitting day to post your MB interview.

Just checked Livan dished-out 29 pitches in the inning. But so far Doc's doing no better.

52 pitches in two innings, but Livan is a horse...

This is definitely not vintage Halladay; his fastball is all over the place, and his curve is hanging. A Cordero HR makes it 5-2 Expos.

The Red Sox scored ten runs in the first inning before making an out! It's an all-time MLB record. The Marlins are on their third pitcher, and it's 13-1, still in the first.

Make it 14-1 in Boston, with the potential fifteenth run thrown out at the plate to finally end the first. Johnny Damon has become the second player in history to get three hits in one inning.

Coach, I'm noticing a very disturbing trend for the Jays to do poorly when you predict a good performance. I suggest predicting bad results in the Yankees and Red Sox series, so we can sweep them again.

In a different train of thought, Coach, Jordan and members of the ZLC were talking about Delgado's work ethic at Wednesday's game. Jordan's thought is that the average fan still perceives Delgado as being lazy, even though he's playing hard, good baseball this season. His double-play in the second inning is an indication of his hard play; two years ago, I don't think he makes that play; maybe he doesn't even try.

Joe, I'm sorry if I jinxed Doc. I think I've predicted his last eleven wins, so my overall record can't be that bad; it's just a slump.

J.P. is in the radio booth, but so far Jerry has talked to him only about the Expos. Meanwhile, Chavez bunted his way on and stole second, but another fine Delgado defensive play ended the threat. Finally, an 8-pitch inning.

J.P. thinks Myers has "as good a chance as anybody" to go to the All-Star game, and calls the catchers "a two-headed monster."

Ricciardi also raved about Johnson, calling him an everyday player "because of his power," just before Reed tripled off the CF wall. A Hinske single cashed him in to cut the deficit to 5-3.

V Wells is starting to remind an awful lot of a young Manny Ramirez at the plate; but with a glove and wheels.

Definitely the real freaking deal. My god.

Coach, I'm noticing a very disturbing trend for the Jays to do poorly when you predict a good performance

Actually, in this case, I blame ESPN, who currently have a Hallady-is-the-bomb piece on the virtual 'front page' of their baseball site.

Which game was it Doc was down five or six zip early then stayed in and the team came back for him and themselves. It was about that game which started the Jays on their march up the standings.

Deja vu all over again anyone.
Hope so.

V Wells is starting to remind an awful lot of a young Manny Ramirez at the plate

I'm pretty close to sold. I need to see about 20 more points of OBP before I'm completely on board. But yeah, he's got wicked, wicked young-player skills.

If he keeps improving at this pace, he'll be MVP in his age 27 year.

Vernon would be leading the AL in HR and RBI if not for the guy in the on-deck circle. That's a 19-game hit streak.

Last four innings' pitch counts for Halladay: 8-9-7-11, retiring 12 in a row. Shannon Stewart goes deep and it's a new ballgame, 5-5.

Wells=Ramirez+Work Ethic

The raw talent is certainly there in both of them but in my mind Wells is the hotter commodity because of his upside and his *willingness* to learn AND work on his game on a day-to-day basis.

WHAT A PITCH!...Vintage Halladay just made an appearance but if the bats don't produce a run in the bottom half he'll get a ND because there's no way Tosca (or Patterson) will let him out for the ninth with 114 pitches thrown.

Fortunately, we've got Vernon and Delgado up this inning, which is about the best possible chance we have to score.

I jinxed it. Sorry everybody.

which is about the best possible chance we have to score
Correction, *should* be our best possible chance, except they were both up there swinging for the fences instead of just trying to put the ball in play. The result: two harmless fly balls and a no decision for Doc.

I prefer to think that I jinxed it. :-)

There won't be a 12th straight W, but what a gamer Doc is. After a really poor beginning, he closed the door. If Reed hadn't lost an easy popup in the twilight, Roy would have retired 15 in a row.

So much for the individual glory (though Halladay still has a string of consecutive decisions going) -- let's win this game!

A great throw by Johnson to nail Chavez at third and a nice running catch by Stewart got Trever Miller out of the ninth. Time for some walkoff heroics...

A sacrifice! Used correctly! Go Jays Go!

Hey, a walkoff walk! Very satisfying comeback.

Good game coach. You were accused of jinxing the team but it was the Barney strategy that definitely played a huge part throughout the game. Good call on your posting today.

And it's a walkoff...

I like the end of the game because of the excitement on the bench, the SportsNet dugout shot (when there were runners on 2nd+3rd) had Wells and a couple others pacing back-and-forth with emotion on their faces. I love the chemistry

For the record: Bobby Orr.

Do I have to elbow you in the ribs?

Gordie Howe...in a twenty-five year walk. Love Bobby, tho.

Bring it

Wells=Ramirez+Work Ethic

I think Manny's laidback style, and subpar defence, gives the impression that he has no work ethic, I don't think this is true. From everything I've heard he works dillegently on his hitting, and I think it shows in the results at the plate.

And I think its premature to say that Wells can perform as well at the plate as Ramirez. If he can, coupled with his great D, you'll be looking at a Hall of Famer.

Sorry, I didnt mean for the whole thing to be in italics. Still getting the hang of the HTML.

Wells isn't quite as good at the plate as Ramirez, but he's quite a package: right now, he's a .300 hitter with power (projecting to 40 home runs if he keeps it up), and great defense in center. And he's young enough to improve. Wow.

Man, the American League is tough. The Jays are currently on a 92-win pace - and still have to climb over two teams to make it into the wild card spot. The Sox and Yanks appear to have found their sea legs again, and Oakland never loses.

No problem, Jason. In your closing tag, you had the "i" before the "/" (should be the other way around) so I fixed it.

That was a more exciting rally than a gamewinning homer. Walk, single, perfectly-executed sac bunt by the NL veteran, walk, walk. Not only does it show patience, it was five guys in a row doing their jobs. "Passing the baton" is another part of the Barnett approach; there are no selfish hitters around here any more.

On the postgame radio show, Mike Wilner sounded sure that Shannon Stewart would be traded before the deadline, mostly because Reed Johnson has earned a full-time job, so Phelps is in limbo until they make a move. How about Stewart to Montreal (who didn't get Gonzalez) along with a couple of prospects, for Vazquez?

Maybe Gordie Howe could beat up Bobby Orr, but while he still had knees, Orr was better.

Wilner has been sure that both Stewart and Lidle are both gone for weeks now. He's repeatedly said that they'll be too expensive next year, so JP will get what he can for them now.

If Manny Ramirez continues hitting like he can for a few more years, isn't he a hall of famer despite his poor defence? It seems to me that if Wells really elevates his hitting to Manny level and continues the stellar glovework, that we could be looking at not only a hall of famer, but an inner-sanctum hall of famer.

No pressure, Vernon.

Nice to see Hinske get three hits, including a double. For those of us who can only rarely actually watch the Jays (Chicago, sigh), how did he look out there?

How about Stewart to Montreal (who didn't get Gonzalez) along with a couple of prospects, for Vazquez?

Oakland would also seem like a possible destination for Stew. And God knows L.A. could use him or any half-decent offensive player for that matter.

I'm not sure how Ramirez is at practice or in weightroom but he seems to confine his workouts to the confines of a batters box because once he leaves it, you're bound to see an effortless jog to first or a lousey attempt at a fly ball. He's earned his place as one of this era's most prolific hitters but I'm still not convinced I'd want him in my clubhouse (granted I wouldn't want to come up against him either).

Gordie, will we see you again in 2010? ;-)

Any chance that the Jays could get Harden back from Oakland for Stewart? I like him a lot better than Harang, not sure if Beane would even be willing to deal either. Then again, if Toronto can't afford to resign Stewart, does Oakland have any more of a chance than we do?

I think I proposed a Stewart-for-Harang trade somewhere, with the caveats that it would only ever happen if both Beane and Ricciardi were feeling awfully sure of themselves and that even then it wouldn't happen, simply because they're both in the hunt. I'd say that Harden is untouchable at any price. If Sterart WERE to be traded to Oakland, it wouldn't be for the long term-Beane would be getting a half-year of good performance and then pocketing the compensatory draft picks.

Harden is untouchable.

Geoff, Hinske looks great at the plate. His double to the opposite gap nearly left the yard, and on 3-1 in the ninth, Manon made one of his better pitches in a nightmare inning, knee high on the outside edge. Eric would have hit a weak DP grounder if he tried to pull it, but he ripped it up the middle with authority. He was trying to play linebacker instead of 3B the first game back; his intensity can go over the red line, but he'll get comfortable defensively soon enough.

Free Josh Phelps! (That means trade Stewart, doesn't it?)

"It seems to me that if Wells really elevates his hitting to Manny level and continues the stellar glovework, that we could be looking at not only a hall of famer, but an inner-sanctum hall of famer."

Let's not get ahead of ourselves- the guy has had one excellent half-season, and could certainly develop more, but why don't we wait to see if he can keep it up for the second half before we start the HoF predictions...

That said, I was one of the people that had concerns about him coming into this year. Tosca really made the right move hitting him in front of Delgado, and Delgado's helped by being the league's most fearsome hitter.

Trades:

Benitez for Rios plus one of the bullpen scraparms, Mets paying B's salary? Benitez has had his trade value bottom out, but is still one of the game's best- his numbers are solid despite that horrid stretch in April. I'd take him, and it looks like the Jays are set in CF and the corners for some years, though a Rios-Wells-Gross OF would be nice...

Has anyone heard much about Jason Arnold recently?
What are his prospects for an early call up to fill the #5 spot?

The Jays will not trade Alexis Rios for a relief pitcher.

Robert-
Wishful thinking from the Mets fan half of my brain? If the Mets could get Freddy Sanchez straight up for Benitez, I'd be happy, but then the Red Sox 'pen would look pretty tough, plus Duke seems to be asking too much. If you put any faith in Gammons, he said the Mets are (were?) seeking Lyon, Sanchez plus a pitching prospect, which is absurd. I'd offer Rey Sanchez plus Benitez for Freddy, with no worries of a PR hit b/c everyone in NY wants B. gone.

Regarding Jason Arnold: he's doing okay, but not great, at Syracuse: after 9 starts, he's 2-3, 4.27, 52 IP, 55 H, 18 BB, 39 K, 5 HR, 17.3% KBF (note the low IP/start numbers). His last game produced 7 innings of 7-hit, 2-run ball, few walks, few K's. He's definitely coming around: it'll take him a while longer to get used to Triple-A (he's not that far removed from A-Ball, remember -- in 2001, he was in the NY-Penn League, where Josh Banks is right now), and it'll take him a while to get used to the majors when he gets promoted. Don't expect to see Arnold-like contributions from him in Toronto till later next year. But he's doing more than fine and he's right on schedule. He'll be up by September, certainly, and if he continues to pitch effectively and the Jays need the arm, he'll be up before then. The better candidiate for a callup to the rotation this year is Corey Thurman (5-1, 3.61, 52 IP, 52 H, 19 BB, 48 K, 3 HR, 21.2% KBF -- won't be much longer). More on these guys in my next monnthly minor-league update, which I'm hoping to have ready by next Wednesday.

Regarding Shannon trade rumours: if what we've heard is accurate, JP can only take on as much salary as he disposes of, maybe a little more, so it would have to be a fairly even money swap to boot. Harang is a possibility, but he doesn't excite me all that much: he didn't have exceptional K/IP rates even in the Florida State League in '01 (136/157), and his Midland '02 numbers, even when re-proportioned for the Texas League, weren't very exciting. He pitched at three levels last year, so it's hard to draw a bead on him. But to me, he looks like a #4 starter on a good team, and I'd prefer to flip Stewart for someone with a higher ceiling, if possible. Vazquez, much as I'd absolutely love to see him in a Toronto uniform, may be too much the other way. He's a bona fide ace, and we saw in last year's Bartolo Colon trade what aces command these days. If I'm Omar Minaya, I'm starting Vazquez discussions with Stewart, Dustin McGowan and Brandon League. Moreover, if I'm tools-obsessed Minaya, I'm ignoring Shannon's great on-base numbers and looking at his vanishing steals totals -- not to mention his hamstrings on Olympic Stadium turf and his arbitration-eligible status. I can't see Stewart going to Montreal; he's not a Minaya guy.

Regarding Vernon and Manny Ramirez: keep in mind that Manny's OPS hasn't been below 950 in eight years, and has been 1000 or higher for the last four. Wells is hot as a pistol right now, and is still only at 934. In his best minor-league season, Vernon slugged .543 (Dunedin '99); in his worst big-league season (Cleveland '97), Manny slugged .538. Wells is a marvellous centrefielder; Ramirez is an indifferent left fielder. They really are completely different animals. I maintain that Vernon's best career comp is Andre Dawson, with more power and less speed.

Regarding my night at the ballgame on Wednesday with the ZLC: what a blast! The game sucked raw eggs, but it was an immense pleasure to watch it with some of the sharpest baseball minds I've ever met, and some of the nicest folks too. Gotta do that again very soon, gentlemen.

I think the Jays would (should?) accept a McGowan, League, and Stewart for Vazquez trade. I'd love to see that happen. I don't think League will ever be all that great at the Major League level and definitely not before 05 or 06. Vazquez is a legit ace and, quite frankly, I just think Reed is better than Shannon Stewart right now and in the future. Maybe try to weasle a different prospect in there than McGowan.