So, it all boils down to whether Kelvim Escobar can come through in the clutch. I guess this qualifies as "ironic".
If my thread (Game 91: Will we see Super Kelvim?) still exists, don't use it to comment on the game. Use Dave's. Mine should vanish shortly ...
And it is gone ... so please ignore these two scintillating comments ...
so please ignore these two scintillating comments
Way ahead of you, Gitz.
By the way, TSN is reporting that Lurch is being sent down to pitch on his regular rest with starts in Syracuse and Dunedin until his turn with the big club comes up again.
Way ahead of you, Gitz.
By the way, TSN is reporting that Lurch is being sent down to pitch on his regular rest with starts in Syracuse and Dunedin until his turn with the big club comes up again.
No Nomah tonight! Freddy Sanchez starts at short and bats ninth, with Nixon-Mueller-Walker providing the bridge to Manny.
Yay. Or something. I can't feel confident whenever Davis or Lurch pitches. I long for the Blue Jays to acquire somebody as consistently average as Ryan Franklin (who has been a notch above that this season, IIRC).
Note to Shannon Stewart...you're not Vlad Guerrero throw to the correct base.
Jeez: maybe Delgado can get 100 RBI before the break.
I see that we have a pitchers' duel happening here. :-)
I see that we have a pitchers' duel happening here. :-)
Holy crap! I can't believe that Delgado hit didn't leave the park.
Just announced: Jayson Werth is back, and Mark Hendrickson is out.
Way ahead of you, Gitz.
I think I've been zinged!
I think I've been zinged!
I will never figure out how Johnny Damon ever hits a home run. He doesn't generate any sort of power with his hips or legs. He's all wrists. This is fine if you've got Gary Sheffield wrists, which Damon does not.
Here's the news on the roster move. Hendrickson has been sent down to get his regular starts in over the All-Star Break, while Werth is the extra bat while Bordick is away. Davis is gone to the bullpen for the foreseeable. Lidle pitches Thursday, TBA (probably Wasdin) Friday, Doc Saturday and Escobar Sunday.
Great but typically blunt quote from JP: "We don't want to go into a gunfight with a knife." The Untouchables was a great movie.
Great but typically blunt quote from JP: "We don't want to go into a gunfight with a knife." The Untouchables was a great movie.
Ugh. You know Nomar's going to hit after Varitek now.
Second and third with nobody out.
When the Sox hit the bases-clearing home run, I'm going to turn off my television set.
When the Sox hit the bases-clearing home run, I'm going to turn off my television set.
Hey, there's still an outside chance we'll win...
I turned off the television after the third pitching change.
It's hard to maintain interest with that kind of bullpen usage, defensible decision-making though it may be.
It's hard to maintain interest with that kind of bullpen usage, defensible decision-making though it may be.
ugh.
The minor league arms can't come fast enough.
The minor league arms can't come fast enough.
I have the game on in the background while I'm writing, or I'd've turned it off too. Four pitchers in one inning - good lord.
Good job by Lopez and Kershner to escape 7-7. I'm less frustrated by constant pitching changes when the pitchers stink. I hated it when Tosca made changes after a pitcher went 1-2-3.
How, exactly, have we Jays fans offended the gods lately?
Apparently the Red Sox bullpen of April has transmogrified into the Jays bullpen this evening. This is beyond brutal.
How about a positive?
Maybe we've entered the era of Consitently Pretty Good Kelvim and we can avoid the clever nicknames now :-)
Maybe we've entered the era of Consitently Pretty Good Kelvim and we can avoid the clever nicknames now :-)
If I be not ashamed of my pitchers, I am a soused gurnet ... And now my whole bullpen consists of ancients, corporals, lieutenants, gentlemen of companies, slaves as ragged as Lazarus in the painted cloth, where the glutton's dogs licked his sores; and
such as, indeed, were never pitchers, but discarded unjust
serving-men, younger sons to younger brothers, revolted tapsters,
and ostlers trade-fallen; the cankers of a calm world and a long
peace; ten times more dishonourable ragged than an old faced
ancient.
such as, indeed, were never pitchers, but discarded unjust
serving-men, younger sons to younger brothers, revolted tapsters,
and ostlers trade-fallen; the cankers of a calm world and a long
peace; ten times more dishonourable ragged than an old faced
ancient.
The first seven innings, this was a playoff-calibre team. The last two innings, it's been the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. It ain't over till it's over, of course, but these last couple of games are probably telling JP a lot about whether he's buying or selling.
I'm impressed that no one has managed to blame Kelvim yet. You know, something along the lines of "It's Kelvim's fault that this all happened, because he threw so many pitches early in the game and therefore had to come out after seven innings."
Hudson surrendered an easy double play that would've ended the inning to cut the run down at the plate. Nice job by Myers but this is one of those E-10's that Coach is always talking about.
I thought about it, John, and while that is a good point he recovered and had a quality start, both by statistic and in my eye. I don't think Kelvim's to blame. He got in an early funk but recovered. I don't like the idea of putting as much pressure on him as the Jays seem to be though.... i.e. getting him in on three days rest against the division's kingpins.
Maybe the BP has a thing about Escobar, first in Baltimore and now this, one bright spot continues to be Kershner, can Sturtze be released outright and thus free a spot in the pen for someone who can pitch?
Something is rotten in the state of this bullpen....
Dudes, I've been out for a while, what should Hinske feel terrible for?? Swing 3-0 or what?
Five-Hit Cat. Can I say again what a brilliant low-cost acquisition this guy was?
Shane, he booted a DP grounder that could have prevented the worst of the 8th inning. If they give out Loss Shares, Hinske could split them with Sturtze and Miller.
Hinske booted a ball that would've led to a double play.
....and Carlos strikes out. A nice pitch, but a strikeout nonetheless
Once again defeat was snatched out of the jaws of victory
Jordan, gentleman, thank you. I'm slammed here with work and didn't see one inning of the game. Zero. Judging from you're reports it was a complete bullpen explosion in the eighth? I'm a extreme pro-Hinske Guy (almost anti-Wells) and it bites he f@7ked up tonights win, no one wants to win as bad as that SOB! Hinske was the backbone that brought about a win for Sunday. Sh#t!
Good night everybody, and wait until next year! I guess the Jays will be selling at the trade deadline now.
I think I'll skip reading waymoresports.com tomorrow.
I think I'll skip reading waymoresports.com tomorrow.
Not to be sarcastic (my favorite), but what the hell will Lidle even fetch now? He's blown for what 4-5 weeks now? Stewart? You pay his deal and then where? Escobar? F&*K, maybe you just play it out through September?
Donkit, I wasn't trying to blame Kelvim at all. Rather, I was expressing a mock feeling of surprise that he had not been blamed for an outcome that was not his fault by any reasonable stretch of the imagination. I don't think he always gets enough credit around here.
Next time I'll put in the </sarcasm> tag...
Elijah, I don't know about an "easy double play." I'd like to see it again -- my impression was that he wasn't going to be able to tag the runner and the relay to first would have been awfully close.
Shane, I'm with you on Hinske -- after the Baltimore series I sort of expected him to come up huge against Kim in these two games. You can blame Wells as much as Hinske for game-losing errors, though.
John
Next time I'll put in the </sarcasm> tag...
Elijah, I don't know about an "easy double play." I'd like to see it again -- my impression was that he wasn't going to be able to tag the runner and the relay to first would have been awfully close.
Shane, I'm with you on Hinske -- after the Baltimore series I sort of expected him to come up huge against Kim in these two games. You can blame Wells as much as Hinske for game-losing errors, though.
John
Come on, this one series can't make the Jays sellers. J.P. is on crack if he meant it. Besides, the lack of quality pitching was obvious from April.
And in the category of "some things never change", I'm reading Roger Angell's "Season Ticket", and came across this lovely quote about the bitterness of decades of disappointment in Red Sox Nation prior to the '86 World Series:
"The ugly 'Choke Sox' label was much heard, and the team's ancient, stubbornly held style of play, characterized by insufficient pitching, insufficient or nonexistant speed, a million ground-ball double plays (by the Sox, I mean), and an almost religious belief in the long ball, had become a byword in the game, a 'pahk your cah' joke around the league. Nothing could change this, it seemed."
Boston '03:
-9th in ERA (4.69)
-8th in SB (48 for 63)
-7th in GIDP (75)
-3rd in HR (119)
With Bill James and Theo Epstein, everything old is new again!
Hmm. It actually kinda sounds like the Jays:
-10th in ERA (4.92)
-14th in SB (14 for 29)
-5th in GIDP (72)
-4th in HR (118)
Could it be the SABR way?
And in the category of "some things never change", I'm reading Roger Angell's "Season Ticket", and came across this lovely quote about the bitterness of decades of disappointment in Red Sox Nation prior to the '86 World Series:
"The ugly 'Choke Sox' label was much heard, and the team's ancient, stubbornly held style of play, characterized by insufficient pitching, insufficient or nonexistant speed, a million ground-ball double plays (by the Sox, I mean), and an almost religious belief in the long ball, had become a byword in the game, a 'pahk your cah' joke around the league. Nothing could change this, it seemed."
Boston '03:
-9th in ERA (4.69)
-8th in SB (48 for 63)
-7th in GIDP (75)
-3rd in HR (119)
With Bill James and Theo Epstein, everything old is new again!
Hmm. It actually kinda sounds like the Jays:
-10th in ERA (4.92)
-14th in SB (14 for 29)
-5th in GIDP (72)
-4th in HR (118)
Could it be the SABR way?
Not that the '86 WS did anything to erase that bitterness. The team just went about disappointing their fans using a different approach.
Whoops. Boston has 72 GIDP, and Toronto 75. (Being 5th is worse than being 7th.)
Whoops. Boston has 72 GIDP, and Toronto 75. (Being 5th is worse than being 7th.)
Did anyone else hear Cerrutti's call at the end of the game?
"Yeah, that's a strike."
A) It was a questionable call.
B) Even if it was a strike you don't rub it into the T.O. fans faces.
"Yeah, that's a strike."
A) It was a questionable call.
B) Even if it was a strike you don't rub it into the T.O. fans faces.
Lords knows he deserves much criticism, but that particular call had to be made. The final pitch was a strike, plain as could be. The strike two call by the umpire, on the other hand, was atrocious.
I don't actually mind John Cerutti since he has a sense of humour and once in a while says something amusing. When he has been teamed up with that immortal CBC commentator Brian Williams he was far and away the brains of the duo. Read into that what you will. :-)
(aside) "Is this a lawyer joke from Shakespeare I see before me?"
Apparently not.
(aside) "Is this a lawyer joke from Shakespeare I see before me?"
Apparently not.
John N -
OK, I'll admit, maybe calling it "easy" is an overstatement. But after watching a replay, Hudson fielded the ball just a couple steps from the second base bag and Damon was right in his path. All Hudson had to do was stop and wait for Damon to run into him (and Damon couldn't stop because he was running on the pitch) and Hudson had more than plenty of time to double up the slow-footed Mirabelli. Anyway, it did no harm as the Sox failed to score any additional runs.
There were just a couple of defensive meltdowns (the Hinske error in the 8th and the Stewart/Wells miscommunication on Manny's triple. It was a preventable loss thanks to poor defense. But the Red Sox took advantage of the Jays' mistakes and pulled it out.
I didn't like the umpiring on the last at bat either but the game wasn't lost on any one play or due to any one bad call (even the poor call on the 1-1 to Hinske in his last at bat).
OK, I'll admit, maybe calling it "easy" is an overstatement. But after watching a replay, Hudson fielded the ball just a couple steps from the second base bag and Damon was right in his path. All Hudson had to do was stop and wait for Damon to run into him (and Damon couldn't stop because he was running on the pitch) and Hudson had more than plenty of time to double up the slow-footed Mirabelli. Anyway, it did no harm as the Sox failed to score any additional runs.
There were just a couple of defensive meltdowns (the Hinske error in the 8th and the Stewart/Wells miscommunication on Manny's triple. It was a preventable loss thanks to poor defense. But the Red Sox took advantage of the Jays' mistakes and pulled it out.
I didn't like the umpiring on the last at bat either but the game wasn't lost on any one play or due to any one bad call (even the poor call on the 1-1 to Hinske in his last at bat).
I don't think Escobar has taken much heat around here since he's been a starter. When he was the 'closer' he stunk to high heaven (this year) and I was one of the mad villagers out with my torch.
I've been blown away by his performance as a starter. Maybe with the bullpen meltdowns stealing his wins he'll be more affordable come contract time (just ask Joe Morgan, it's all about the Wins baby!)
I've been blown away by his performance as a starter. Maybe with the bullpen meltdowns stealing his wins he'll be more affordable come contract time (just ask Joe Morgan, it's all about the Wins baby!)
I don't think Escobar has taken much heat around here since he's been a starter. When he was the 'closer' he stunk to high heaven (this year) and I was one of the mad villagers out with my torch.
I've been blown away by his performance as a starter. Maybe with the bullpen meltdowns stealing his wins he'll be more affordable come contract time (just ask Joe Morgan, it's all about the Wins baby!)
I've been blown away by his performance as a starter. Maybe with the bullpen meltdowns stealing his wins he'll be more affordable come contract time (just ask Joe Morgan, it's all about the Wins baby!)
I am not overpayed.
Or, it seems, a MENSA member.
overpaid
Or, it seems, a MENSA member.
overpaid
Mr. Quantrill, you are worth every penny, and Jays fans would love to have several $3 million setup men -- and a $6 million closer, for that matter -- but there's this $18 million first baseman that makes that economically impossible, until the average crowd (approximately) doubles in size.
I thought Hudson had the double play, but if Damon had somehow avoided the tag, it would have been a run. I admire Orlando's instinct to make that gutsy decision, and the perfect throw. However, even though the enormously strong Kapler bounced off Myers, I fear that Crash was hurt on the play. Otherwise, why did Clark pinch-hit?
From where I sat, strike two to Hinske was high and outside.
I thought Hudson had the double play, but if Damon had somehow avoided the tag, it would have been a run. I admire Orlando's instinct to make that gutsy decision, and the perfect throw. However, even though the enormously strong Kapler bounced off Myers, I fear that Crash was hurt on the play. Otherwise, why did Clark pinch-hit?
From where I sat, strike two to Hinske was high and outside.
However, even though the enormously strong Kapler bounced off Myers, I fear that Crash was hurt on the play. Otherwise, why did Clark pinch-hit?
Myers looked slightly dopey after the play. He did the oddy-oddy-oddy head shake but I think (and hope) it was just a temporary issue. All of his extremeties seemed to be well protected.
Myers looked slightly dopey after the play. He did the oddy-oddy-oddy head shake but I think (and hope) it was just a temporary issue. All of his extremeties seemed to be well protected.