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Archives Game 70: Break Up the Devil Rays!
Pop quiz: which of the following outlandish statements is false?

A. Tampa Bay comes into this game riding an 11-game winning streak.
B. Statistically, Blue Jays starters are outperforming Yankees starters.
C. Statistically, Blue Jays relievers are outperforming Braves and Cubs relievers.
D. The Blue Jays leader in Win Shares Above Average is Jason Frasor.
E. Chris Gomez is starting at first base for Toronto tonight.


Remarkably, all of these statements are true (check out Baseball Prospectus and The Hardball Times for the stats details). Now, don't get too worked up about Chris Gomez, because Josh Phelps is in the lineup tonight at DH. But he's batting 8th, behind Gomez, which is about as faint as praise can get before it becomes inaudible. Recognizing that Phelps' position on the club is a continuing mystery unresolvable by mere mortals, let's turn our eye to the Devil Rays, which is a team in more dire need of a reality check than any squad in baseball. Unfortunately, with hard-throwing youngster Chad Gaudin taking the hill for the Rays, The Ghost of Pat Hentgen suiting up for the Jays, and the 2-3-4 hitters for Toronto all in the trainer's room, that check may not get delivered tonight.
Posted by Jordan on Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 06:40 AM EDT.
Game 70: Break Up the Devil Rays! | 63 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_Magpie - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:17 PM EDT (#56111) #
And of course, the D-Rays kicked our butts regularly last year.

But these are the Opposite Jays, right?
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_Moffatt - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:18 PM EDT (#56112) #
Everybody at the game? Seems pretty quiet in here tonight. :)
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_P Smith - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:19 PM EDT (#56113) #
O-Dog saves a run with an amazing leaping catch.

Rios misplays a ball in right.

Hentgen loses the strike zone for two batters.

Just a typical night at the ballpark.
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_Ron - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:21 PM EDT (#56114) #
My mind isn't totally focused on the game tonight because I'm leaving for my vacation tommorow morning!!!

Checking out the Padres/ D-Backs tommorow night (Wells vs. Unit).

Once I get back if anybody is interested, I don't mind sharing my thoughs on the stadium or the experience in general (I've never seen a MLB game outside of the Skydome)
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:30 PM EDT (#56115) #
4 walks. If Johnson had left that 1-1 alone I suspect he would have walked too. I get the feeling that they're gonna come up empty here.
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_Ryan Lind - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:30 PM EDT (#56116) #
Wow.

That is the shortest outing I've ever seen from a pitcher that didn't alow a run.
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_Loveshack - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:30 PM EDT (#56117) #
Man that double play hurts right about now.
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_P Smith - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:31 PM EDT (#56118) #
We knocked the starting pitcher out of the game without scoring a run.

What a painful first inning.
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:35 PM EDT (#56119) #
Someone send this line to Jayson Stark:

IP H ER BB K
0.2 0 0 4 0
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_Dr. Zarco - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:43 PM EDT (#56120) #
Fawaz, that's certainly the first time I can remember a pitcher not making it out of the first (without an injury of course) without giving up a run. Stark would love that. This ump is squeezing both sides though. Hentgen's 3-2 pitch to Hall and the 0-0 pitch to Sanchez were about a foot above/below each other right down the middle and one was a ball high, the other was a ball low.
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_Loveshack - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:44 PM EDT (#56121) #
I wonder if that's a record. 10 baserunners on only 2 hits, both teams combined.
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_Mark J - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 07:51 PM EDT (#56122) #
No fair, a trick question! I guessed E :(
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Craig B - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:00 PM EDT (#56123) #
Harper's going an Ernie Shore so far.
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_Dr. Zarco - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:03 PM EDT (#56124) #
Why is Julio Lugo such a Jay killer?
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_Ryan Lind - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:06 PM EDT (#56125) #
Is Lugo the guy that had like 4 homers in that late series last year?

I remember someguy doing it; it was either Lugo or Huff. I also remember Delgado showing him up by hitting 4 in one [i]game.[/i]
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_Ryan Lind - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:09 PM EDT (#56126) #
Err oops. Put an [] instead of a <>.

The Tom Cheek sign just got on TV. Good stuff.
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_Rob - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:09 PM EDT (#56127) #
Wow, JP sure went off on Elliot there on the radio.
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_Kristian - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:14 PM EDT (#56128) #
Rob, what did JP say?
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_JackFoley - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:19 PM EDT (#56129) #
Y'know what'd be sweet? A hit.
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_JackFoley - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:21 PM EDT (#56130) #
Thanks, Lexi.
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_Rob - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:21 PM EDT (#56131) #
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Baseball/MLB/Toronto/2004/06/22/509822.html
JP blasted the Sun for getting things wrong, attacking his administration without merit, and for speculating on the Batista trading. They are not trading Batista (like I need to tell you!)

The Bob Elliott stuff was spontaneous, much like his Star-bashing last year on the day of "White Jays". I was too busy laughing at the notion of trading Miguel Batista so I don't have any exact quotes. But to refresh our memories, here's what Elliott said re: El Artista (COMN):

He was hailed as the No. 2 starter when the Blue Jays gave him a three-year contract on Dec. 12.
Now, the Jays are mentioning the name of right-hander Miguel Batista in trade talks

Completely wrong, of course. Marty Yorkish in accuracy. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought, but he was mad at the Sun, for sure.
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_Ryan Lind - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:32 PM EDT (#56132) #
Why did we get rid of Trever Miller?
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_Kris - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:34 PM EDT (#56133) #
Not to get off topic on the game but in the Leftovers pool I am absolutely getting killed tonight. Having Chad Gaudin and Matt Riley in the rotation should single handedly kill my WHIP and K to BB!
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_StephenT - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:34 PM EDT (#56134) #
I think it was Miller who turned down the Jays offer (TB offered more money).

fyi: JP mentioned that the Jays are trying to get SkyDome to install a surface like Minnesota's.
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_Moffatt - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:36 PM EDT (#56135) #
I missed JP's comment on Elliott.. I hope it gets transcribed somewhere.

It's funny.. I read the Elliott piece when I was doing the roundup and my first thought was "Man, I'll bet J.P. will be pissed off when he reads that". I guess I was right. That article didn't make any sense whatsoever.

DISCLAIMER: I have never met J.P. Ricciardi.
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_Kristian - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:39 PM EDT (#56136) #
Mike I had the same thoughts exactly and luckily I have had the opportunity to meet JP. I figured he would be pissed its bad enough that we always have to read about all of the old scouts that JP fired.
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_Kristian - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:46 PM EDT (#56137) #
Great throw by Zaun getting Crawford.
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_Blue in SK - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:46 PM EDT (#56138) #
Question for those that heard the JP interview wiith Wilner, was there any discussion surrounding Phelps? (man, he looks lost at the plate tonight!)
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_Jacko - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:47 PM EDT (#56139) #
Wow, Crawford was safe by a mile on that steal attempt.

However, it's nice to see a bad call go against the opposition for a change!
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_Emerald - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:47 PM EDT (#56140) #
Jorge Sosa at the mound plate
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_DaveInNYC - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:50 PM EDT (#56141) #
Wow, this current offense could be one of the worst I've ever watched.

This is just horrifying.
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:51 PM EDT (#56142) #
Wow, Crawford was safe by a mile on that steal attempt.

I dunno, it initially looked like he was safe, but on the replay it looked like the tag hit his chest before his foot hit the bag.
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_Emerald - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:52 PM EDT (#56143) #
Dangnabbitt! We need Gomez to jump start this inning.

And he does.
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_Ryan Lind - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:56 PM EDT (#56144) #
Bleh.

Sadly, those holes put in the ad behind homeplate may be the highlights of the game for me.
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Dave Till - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:56 PM EDT (#56145) #
Chris Gomez at first base!?
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_DaveInNYC - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 08:57 PM EDT (#56146) #
What makes this offense even harder to watch is they actually do an okay job of getting on base.

The clutch, 2 out hitting is just dreadful. They've had numerous opportunities to come with a big 2 out hit, yet they simply can't. This team can draw walks, but they absolutly can not get base hits.

And for those who support Josh Phelps, how many more chances does he get to prove that all he's good for is a K for the opposing pitchers stats? I agree with a previous post, he just looks lost at the plate.
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_StephenT - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:03 PM EDT (#56147) #
On the Batista issue, I don't think JP actually mentioned the name of the writer or paper. And I don't recall JP being asked about Phelps.
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_Keith Talent - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:04 PM EDT (#56148) #
Hey, I got an idea!

Why doesn't Da Box try to score an interview with John Cerutti?
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:07 PM EDT (#56149) #
Why doesn't Da Box try to score an interview with John Cerutti?

Brought to us by Sea-Doo watercraft...
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_Ryan Lind - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:08 PM EDT (#56150) #
BB: Say watercraft

Cerutti: Watercraft

BB: Haha, say it again.
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_Magpie - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:08 PM EDT (#56151) #
WOWIE!! HOWIE!!
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:09 PM EDT (#56152) #
DAMN!
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_Matthew E - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:09 PM EDT (#56153) #
At some point somewhere I missed something. The boat left and I wasn't on the boat.

What's so funny about Cerutti and 'watercraft'?
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:09 PM EDT (#56154) #
Going, going, CLARK...No? OK.
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_Kenneth - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:18 PM EDT (#56155) #
Nice to see that Nakamura is still fooling them at the ML level. He might be a classic case of AAA being his apex.
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#56156) #
And they return the run that Slugger gave them.
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_StephenT - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:28 PM EDT (#56157) #
On Bauxite night in Ottawa last Friday I learned about the Rogers PVR from Mark (who gave it a positive review). I've now installed the HD version (which came out just this month). I like it. I can record HD for the first time. Also, I can pause the Sportsnet video for 35 seconds so that it's in sync with the radiocast on mlb.com, which is really cool. Occasionally the HD video playback subtly jumps (I suspect it drops a frame now and then), but the audio doesn't skip. Overall, I'm pretty happy with it.
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_Ryan Lind - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:37 PM EDT (#56158) #
Man, it really kinda blows when you knock the opposing starter out of the game in the first inning, and lose the game.
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 09:38 PM EDT (#56159) #
Yeah, but it's OK to lose when the opposing starter no-hits you ;)
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_Ricky Vaughn - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 10:01 PM EDT (#56160) #
The Jays just simply suck. 'Nuff said!!
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 10:02 PM EDT (#56161) #
I think Piniella deserves a lot of credit for pulling Gaudin that early. Gaudin may have been ugly, but it's still quite a move considering he hadn't yet given up a run. Then again, being Lou Piniella helps; if you-know-who tried something like that he would have been skinned.
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_Ricky Vaughn - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 10:08 PM EDT (#56162) #
Tosca sucks, fire his @ss!! This team's a joke!!
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_Mark J - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 10:13 PM EDT (#56163) #
StephenT, glad you like it! I didn't even know they had a HD one. I've pondered getting an HDTV but the price is still a bit steep; I'll wait until they get a bit more popular and the prices come down.
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_Rob - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 10:46 PM EDT (#56164) #
On the Batista issue, I don't think JP actually mentioned the name of the writer or paper.

Well, it's not hard to figure it out.
1) Bob Elliott writes an article stating the Jays want to trade Batista.
2) Bob Elliott is known for taking potshots at JP.
3) JP says the article stating the Jays want to trade Batista is complete garbage, they might as well trade Halladay while they're at it.
4) JP mentions the writer (not by name) who takes potshots at him (HINT: same guy who wrote the Batista article) and says that this writer does that a lot and it's getting to be a tired practice.

Sure, JP didn't come out and say "Elliott is a bad reporter" but if you listened to what he said, that's exactly what he was saying.

That article didn't make any sense whatsoever.
I agree with Moffatt here, which is a rare occurence (and a hard thing to do since he stole 3 of my picks in The Leftovers!). It's not hard to figure out why it didn't make sense...it was in The Sun after all.

And I don't recall JP being asked about Phelps.

You're right there. It was just a visit to the radio booth.
I'm sure he'll be asked about Phelps tomorrow, on "Wednesdays with JP".

One more question. Tosca said Phelps hits better as a DH than as a 1B. Anyone have stats to prove this either way?
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_Fawaz K - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 10:50 PM EDT (#56165) #
AH, Marty York...As it turns out, the entire Blue Jays roster can be had for the right price...
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_Moffatt - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 10:51 PM EDT (#56166) #
I agree with Moffatt here, which is a rare occurence (and a hard thing to do since he stole 3 of my picks in The Leftovers!)

Heh heh. Suggests to me that we agree on entirely too many things. :)
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Named For Hank - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 11:16 PM EDT (#56167) #
Was Tom Cheek on the radio? We arrived a little late to the game and rode up in the elevator with him! He was moving slowly, but he looked really good considering what he's just been through, really only a matter of days ago.

We decided not to bug him. I hope he saw the sign.
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_Rob - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 11:23 PM EDT (#56168) #
Heh heh. Suggests to me that we agree on entirely too many things.

Since I'm fresh out of witty comebacks, here is a lightbulb joke:

How many Microsoft engineers does it take to change a light bulb?
None, they merely change the standard to darkness and then they upgrade the customers.
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_StephenT - Tuesday, June 22 2004 @ 11:28 PM EDT (#56169) #
Aaron, Tom wasn't doing announcing tonight (though I missed the early part of the broadcast).

I saw your "We Miss You Tom" sign on TV. They zoomed in on section 518 from high above (the centre-field roof cam) and showed the sign and the partisans in the front row.
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_doctor_payne13 - Wednesday, June 23 2004 @ 01:16 AM EDT (#56170) #
Anyone else notice that the scouting report wasn't sponsored by Sea-Doo tonight? We may have heard Cerutti has his say his last "watercraft" :(
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_$Ryan Lind - Wednesday, June 23 2004 @ 01:45 AM EDT (#56171) #
I think only the visiting team's scouting report is sponsered by Sea-doo. We never got to Gaudin's scouting report, because, ummm...he was gone before the second inning.
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Craig B - Wednesday, June 23 2004 @ 08:31 AM EDT (#56172) #
Why is Julio Lugo such a Jay killer?

Because I own him in two fantasy leagues and a DMB league. My AL players always, always kill the Blue Jays though otherwise they're usually nothing special.
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_Andrew Smith - Wednesday, June 23 2004 @ 09:01 AM EDT (#56173) #
I WAS HAPPY TO SEE TREVOR MILLER TO HAVE A GOOD GAME I HOPE MARK HENDRIKSON HAS A GOOD YEAR AS WELL AS JOSE CRUZ JR. I AM A DIE HARD JAYS FAN AND I HOPE VERNON AND CARLOS GET BACK SOON.

ANDREW SMITH
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Game 70: Break Up the Devil Rays! | 63 comments | Create New Account
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