The sooner the worst left fielder in baseball is traded, the better. This little rant would have been completely unprintable last night, as my seatmates at the game will attest. I don't care what his OBP is, or what a "pure hitter" he is -- the man is absolutely incompetent in the outfield. Even the most scientific of analysts admits there are no precise defensive metrics, but guys like me and Yogi really can observe a lot by watching, so trust me -- to make up for the catchable balls he allows to drop for singles and his other boneheaded blunders, Stewart would have to hit like Barry Bonds to have any value.
In the first inning, men on first and third, he stupidly threw to third after a routine sac fly, handing the Red Sox an extra base. That runner, of course, came home to score the second run. In the critical eighth, with Mueller up and two men on, coach John Gibbons was frantically waving Shannon (who didn't bother to look) way over into the left-centre gap. Gibby finally had to get up on the top step of the dugout, at which point Stewart reluctantly shuffled a few steps to his left, then almost immediately, like he was tethered to "his" spot, shifted himself back. The increasingly frustrated coach persisted, getting more animated. Again, Stewart edged over, but it looked like he was drawn back involuntarily to his familiar, worn-out patch of turf. Fortunately, he remained close enough to make the catch when Mueller hit the ball precisely where Gibbons had been trying to position him.
When Stewart, who should have had the decisive Ramirez drive with no trouble, compounded his late jump and erratic route by getting in the way of Wells (like a superhero, Vernon had sprinted about 40 yards to save the day) I was livid. They didn't show a replay at the Dome, but it looked to me as if Wells, who would have easily made the catch, had to pull up to avoid a collision, and the ball actually hit Stewart, who had ducked, which is why it rolled along the warning track instead of bouncing. It was E-7 all the way; the original E-8 scoring was as incredible as the so-called left fielder's folly.
"The centre fielder has priority on that play," said Carlos Tosca in a masterpiece of diplomatic understatement. "It was just a miscommunication," added the politically-correct Wells. I don't have to protect poor Shannon's feelings, so I'm able to call his costly, brutal misplay exactly that.
The Hinske error was unfortunate, as was the latest Delgado baserunning misadventure, and Sturtze was terrible again, but when you toss in an 0-for-5, the blame for that devastating loss rests squarely on the shoulders of Stewart. I don't care what they get for him in a trade any more, just get him out of here!
It's not as if his absence would leave a hole in the lineup. Reed Johnson, whose latest bunt single was suitable for framing, can step right into the leadoff spot. Frankie Catalanotto, my favourite Jay not named Roy, is an enormous upgrade defensively in left. By the way, after Cat had singled once to each field, I predicted he would go deep -- his brilliant 5-for-5 seems overlooked in the disappointment of the latest bullpen/defence collapse. Most importantly, getting rid of the useless Stewart would get Josh Phelps and his power back into the lineup. It would even save money; shades of the Mondesi dump that allowed Josh to play last year, turning a lost season into something exciting.
You want numbers, instead of anecdotal "evidence" from an addled geezer? In games when the liability was mercifully on the shelf, the Jays went 16-6 -- they are 32-37 when forced to play a man short in the outfield by the presence of a $6 million albatross.
Straight up for Dustan Mohr (even for Dustin Moore) is fine with me. Being forced by the Dodgers to accept Andy Ashby in addition to a prospect? Just dandy. Since I would celebrate Stewart's release, whatever the Jays get in return is a bonus. I really don't care. Just do it now, J.P. -- please, please don't wait for the draft picks. I'll be watching on TV, but I have attended my last game until he's gone. The memory of him butchering that easy out into a "triple" is too painful. I get emotional at the ballpark, so for the sake of my blood pressure, I must avoid witnessing anything like that again.
In the first inning, men on first and third, he stupidly threw to third after a routine sac fly, handing the Red Sox an extra base. That runner, of course, came home to score the second run. In the critical eighth, with Mueller up and two men on, coach John Gibbons was frantically waving Shannon (who didn't bother to look) way over into the left-centre gap. Gibby finally had to get up on the top step of the dugout, at which point Stewart reluctantly shuffled a few steps to his left, then almost immediately, like he was tethered to "his" spot, shifted himself back. The increasingly frustrated coach persisted, getting more animated. Again, Stewart edged over, but it looked like he was drawn back involuntarily to his familiar, worn-out patch of turf. Fortunately, he remained close enough to make the catch when Mueller hit the ball precisely where Gibbons had been trying to position him.
When Stewart, who should have had the decisive Ramirez drive with no trouble, compounded his late jump and erratic route by getting in the way of Wells (like a superhero, Vernon had sprinted about 40 yards to save the day) I was livid. They didn't show a replay at the Dome, but it looked to me as if Wells, who would have easily made the catch, had to pull up to avoid a collision, and the ball actually hit Stewart, who had ducked, which is why it rolled along the warning track instead of bouncing. It was E-7 all the way; the original E-8 scoring was as incredible as the so-called left fielder's folly.
"The centre fielder has priority on that play," said Carlos Tosca in a masterpiece of diplomatic understatement. "It was just a miscommunication," added the politically-correct Wells. I don't have to protect poor Shannon's feelings, so I'm able to call his costly, brutal misplay exactly that.
The Hinske error was unfortunate, as was the latest Delgado baserunning misadventure, and Sturtze was terrible again, but when you toss in an 0-for-5, the blame for that devastating loss rests squarely on the shoulders of Stewart. I don't care what they get for him in a trade any more, just get him out of here!
It's not as if his absence would leave a hole in the lineup. Reed Johnson, whose latest bunt single was suitable for framing, can step right into the leadoff spot. Frankie Catalanotto, my favourite Jay not named Roy, is an enormous upgrade defensively in left. By the way, after Cat had singled once to each field, I predicted he would go deep -- his brilliant 5-for-5 seems overlooked in the disappointment of the latest bullpen/defence collapse. Most importantly, getting rid of the useless Stewart would get Josh Phelps and his power back into the lineup. It would even save money; shades of the Mondesi dump that allowed Josh to play last year, turning a lost season into something exciting.
You want numbers, instead of anecdotal "evidence" from an addled geezer? In games when the liability was mercifully on the shelf, the Jays went 16-6 -- they are 32-37 when forced to play a man short in the outfield by the presence of a $6 million albatross.
Straight up for Dustan Mohr (even for Dustin Moore) is fine with me. Being forced by the Dodgers to accept Andy Ashby in addition to a prospect? Just dandy. Since I would celebrate Stewart's release, whatever the Jays get in return is a bonus. I really don't care. Just do it now, J.P. -- please, please don't wait for the draft picks. I'll be watching on TV, but I have attended my last game until he's gone. The memory of him butchering that easy out into a "triple" is too painful. I get emotional at the ballpark, so for the sake of my blood pressure, I must avoid witnessing anything like that again.
