The Jays face a mighty challenge this weekend -- but it's also an opportunity.
* General: The Sox are heating up, going 13-4 over their last seventeen games ... At 6-2, the Jays are the only AL club with a winning record against Boston ... More of a one-dimensional club than last year, but still a dangerous one ... I can say, without hyperbole, that Boston's pitching and defence have each been no better than mediocre over the course of this season. But they're a mighty offensive juggernaut ... Have won ten games in which they allowed five or more runs ... Tops in the majors in runs, hits, doubles, batting average and on-base percentage by a mile (.360) ... Station-to-station offensive club that hits plenty of singles and doubles, draws walks, hits enough home runs and seldom bunts or steals ... Curt Schilling is optimistic for an imminent return to the rotation after feeling good during his rehab assignment (5 IP, 5 H, 1 R with AAA Pawtucket) ... Old friend John Olerud recently collected his 1,200th RBI. He says he's understanding of his part-time role, and he's enjoying exploring Boston for the first time as a home player ... Interesting: Since the Bosox' World Series triumph in October, participation in high school baseball is up 8.6%, and youth baseball numbers are also on the rise ...
* Matt Clement: The man J.P. coveted now presents an awfully tough matchup for J.P.'s lineup ... Throws a lively sinker in on both lefties' and righties' fists ... Very tight slider with very late movement ... Likes to make hitters chase away with two strikes -- think away! He seldom backdoors righthanded hitters for a strikeout ... Delivery is easy on his lower body, but seems to be a little arm-heavy ... If there's anything to hit, it's his two-seam fastball which sometimes catches too much of the plate ...
* Trot Nixon: Loves the ball up and drives pitches with an inside-out swing for power ... Waits on righthanded breaking pitches very well ... Lefties, however, can freeze him with the hook that starts inside ... Vulnerable on the outside corner ... Good outfielder who goes back over his head even better than he goes into the gap. Occasionally fumbles balls ground into right field, however ... Muffed a fly ball earlier this week off the bat of Grady Sizemore -- and thanks to the low wall in right, his misplay turned into a two-run homer ... Intense player whose emotions occasionally get the better of him ...
* Bill Mueller: Outstanding low-ball hitter who stays down on pitches expertly from both sides of the plate ... Frighteningly similar stat lines for his left/right splits. That said, Kevin Youkilis has been getting starts at third against lefthanded starters ... Patient hitter who will go down looking rather than swing at a pitch he doesn't find appealing ... Strong and accurate throwing arm but not an amazing glove man at third ...
* Edgar Renteria: Likes the ball out over the plate and has started to hit more consistently ... Thinks left-centre to right-centre at the plate ... Because of his outer-half tendencies, he chases away ... Continues to struggle defensively, showing decent range but very unsteady hands. Good throwing arm, though ... Has hinted that he'd be willing to try second or third base to make room for prized shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez. Both Bellhorn and Mueller are free agents after this season ...
* Manny Ramirez: Will chase down and away, but crushes mistakes ... Can turn on anything up and in ... Capable of taking pitches up and away deep to right ... Still chasing lefthanded breaking pitches. He's getting frustrated by his struggles against southpaws ... Occasionally pulls his head off sinkers ... Has been absolutely atrocious with the glove in left field of late. I mean, it's been comically bad ... That said, he has a surprisingly strong throwing arm and he shouldn't be tested, especially going from second to third ...
* David Ortiz: Simply put, a tough out ... Jack swing, but easily strong enough to yank even outside pitches out of the yard to right-centre and right ... Recognizes inside pitches from lefties very quickly, and can turn on them ... Lefties should generally throw him junk because he's such an excellent fastball hitter ... Can be tied up by breaking pitches down and in -- but make sure you hit your spot ...
* Johnny Damon: Comes into play tonight on a scorching 16-game hitting streak ... Was the first AL batter to reach triple figures in hits this season ... Slaps the ball the other way expertly on outside pitches, like Tony Fernandez with a better batting eye ... Stays down on pitches well and is hard to fool down in the zone ... Doesn't like the ball up and in and 12-to-6 curves can surprise him ...
* Mark Bellhorn: An irritating opponent who looks terrible on all kinds of pitches, but will work the count and can belt mistakes ... Vulnerable to high strikes, where his bat speed isn't good ... Chases breaking stuff down and away, but not fastballs ... Capable of reaching outside pitches, especially from the right side ... Nothing special at second base defensively, and is as likely to muff the simplest of routine plays as he is the more challenging ones ... Very popular in the clubhouse, where the stoic Bellhorn has earned a reputation for year-round hard work ...
* Jason Varitek: The captain has a tremendously compact two-handed swing from both sides of the plate ... Pounds pitches up in the zone ... Knows how to hit in his home ballpark, and takes aim at the Monster with an uppercut from the right side ... Has a bit of a blind spot down and in from the left side of the plate ... Much tougher from the right side, where he can hit any strike hard. Try to get him to chase up the ladder ...
* Mike Timlin: Old friend continues to be effective, but his gaudy ERA is a tad misleading; he's allowed 9 of his 15 inherited runners to score ... Barely hits low 90s with his fastball, so he's got to keep it down or he gets into trouble ... Helps himself on that front with a straight overhand delivery. He works a lot around the knees ... Throws a mid-70s slider that's really more of a slurve ...
* David Wells: Tweaked his right arch while "running" the bases on Sunday during interleague play ... No longer wears his silly #3, having switched to a marginally more pitcher-like #16 ... High-80s cutter that sometimes comes in rather flatly. It's the source of his gopher problems ... Still stingy with free passes ... Likes to backdoor righties with a late-breaking slider that looks like a mid-80s slider ...
* Bronson Arroyo: Sweeping leg kick much shorter from the set position -- and he seems to be less comfortable from the stretch ... His mid-80s slider is hittable with the ball up in the zone, especially when using that shortened delivery ... The slider can be nasty when he starts it thigh-high and away from righthanded hitters, against whom he's very tough ... Throws a mid-70s curve with similar action to his slider. It's a change of pace for him ... Good life on his low-90s four-seam fastball ...
* Keith Foulke: Ay. He's having a season, isn't he? ... With his reduced velocity, he's in the unhappy situation of hitting his spots and still getting tattooed ... His problems seem to be mechanical, not psychological. The problem is, Foulke doesn't know exactly what to fix: "If I knew I'd correct it...I wouldn't keep throwing the ball right down the pipe to get hammered" ... His release point this season has made it easier for hitters to pick up the ball sooner. He's as strong as ever, yet his fastball is topping out at 86 mph ... For all that, though, his low-70s sinking changeup remains a seriously tricky pitch ... Bizarre: His ERA is 1.40 in non-save situations, and 11.00 in save situations ... Terry Francona angrily shot down suggestions this week of reassigning the closer's job to Timlin ... Epstein on the possibility of acquiring relief help: "As usual, demand outweighs supply for quality pitchers this time of year" ... Foulke apologized this afternoon after referring to booing Fenway fans as "Johnny from Burger King" ...
* Kevin Millar: Slugging just .385 on the season ... Seems to be pulling off pitches (i.e., stepping a bit toward third). It's hurting his ability to go with outside strikes ... Lays off outside breaking stuff and can be frozen ... Below-average at receiving throws at first ...
With no chance to gain head-to-head ground on the Bosox after this series until September 12, this series is as big as it gets if the Jays believe themselves worthy of contention. Any series that features a Doc start is a series the Jays have a chance to win -- can Ted Lilly keep up his recent success against the Beantowners?
This week's Scout features a bevy of bats, an old but dear friend, and an embattled closer looking for answers.
On to the Advance Scout!* General: The Sox are heating up, going 13-4 over their last seventeen games ... At 6-2, the Jays are the only AL club with a winning record against Boston ... More of a one-dimensional club than last year, but still a dangerous one ... I can say, without hyperbole, that Boston's pitching and defence have each been no better than mediocre over the course of this season. But they're a mighty offensive juggernaut ... Have won ten games in which they allowed five or more runs ... Tops in the majors in runs, hits, doubles, batting average and on-base percentage by a mile (.360) ... Station-to-station offensive club that hits plenty of singles and doubles, draws walks, hits enough home runs and seldom bunts or steals ... Curt Schilling is optimistic for an imminent return to the rotation after feeling good during his rehab assignment (5 IP, 5 H, 1 R with AAA Pawtucket) ... Old friend John Olerud recently collected his 1,200th RBI. He says he's understanding of his part-time role, and he's enjoying exploring Boston for the first time as a home player ... Interesting: Since the Bosox' World Series triumph in October, participation in high school baseball is up 8.6%, and youth baseball numbers are also on the rise ...
* Matt Clement: The man J.P. coveted now presents an awfully tough matchup for J.P.'s lineup ... Throws a lively sinker in on both lefties' and righties' fists ... Very tight slider with very late movement ... Likes to make hitters chase away with two strikes -- think away! He seldom backdoors righthanded hitters for a strikeout ... Delivery is easy on his lower body, but seems to be a little arm-heavy ... If there's anything to hit, it's his two-seam fastball which sometimes catches too much of the plate ...
* Trot Nixon: Loves the ball up and drives pitches with an inside-out swing for power ... Waits on righthanded breaking pitches very well ... Lefties, however, can freeze him with the hook that starts inside ... Vulnerable on the outside corner ... Good outfielder who goes back over his head even better than he goes into the gap. Occasionally fumbles balls ground into right field, however ... Muffed a fly ball earlier this week off the bat of Grady Sizemore -- and thanks to the low wall in right, his misplay turned into a two-run homer ... Intense player whose emotions occasionally get the better of him ...
* Bill Mueller: Outstanding low-ball hitter who stays down on pitches expertly from both sides of the plate ... Frighteningly similar stat lines for his left/right splits. That said, Kevin Youkilis has been getting starts at third against lefthanded starters ... Patient hitter who will go down looking rather than swing at a pitch he doesn't find appealing ... Strong and accurate throwing arm but not an amazing glove man at third ...
* Edgar Renteria: Likes the ball out over the plate and has started to hit more consistently ... Thinks left-centre to right-centre at the plate ... Because of his outer-half tendencies, he chases away ... Continues to struggle defensively, showing decent range but very unsteady hands. Good throwing arm, though ... Has hinted that he'd be willing to try second or third base to make room for prized shortstop prospect Hanley Ramirez. Both Bellhorn and Mueller are free agents after this season ...
* Manny Ramirez: Will chase down and away, but crushes mistakes ... Can turn on anything up and in ... Capable of taking pitches up and away deep to right ... Still chasing lefthanded breaking pitches. He's getting frustrated by his struggles against southpaws ... Occasionally pulls his head off sinkers ... Has been absolutely atrocious with the glove in left field of late. I mean, it's been comically bad ... That said, he has a surprisingly strong throwing arm and he shouldn't be tested, especially going from second to third ...
* David Ortiz: Simply put, a tough out ... Jack swing, but easily strong enough to yank even outside pitches out of the yard to right-centre and right ... Recognizes inside pitches from lefties very quickly, and can turn on them ... Lefties should generally throw him junk because he's such an excellent fastball hitter ... Can be tied up by breaking pitches down and in -- but make sure you hit your spot ...
* Johnny Damon: Comes into play tonight on a scorching 16-game hitting streak ... Was the first AL batter to reach triple figures in hits this season ... Slaps the ball the other way expertly on outside pitches, like Tony Fernandez with a better batting eye ... Stays down on pitches well and is hard to fool down in the zone ... Doesn't like the ball up and in and 12-to-6 curves can surprise him ...
* Mark Bellhorn: An irritating opponent who looks terrible on all kinds of pitches, but will work the count and can belt mistakes ... Vulnerable to high strikes, where his bat speed isn't good ... Chases breaking stuff down and away, but not fastballs ... Capable of reaching outside pitches, especially from the right side ... Nothing special at second base defensively, and is as likely to muff the simplest of routine plays as he is the more challenging ones ... Very popular in the clubhouse, where the stoic Bellhorn has earned a reputation for year-round hard work ...
* Jason Varitek: The captain has a tremendously compact two-handed swing from both sides of the plate ... Pounds pitches up in the zone ... Knows how to hit in his home ballpark, and takes aim at the Monster with an uppercut from the right side ... Has a bit of a blind spot down and in from the left side of the plate ... Much tougher from the right side, where he can hit any strike hard. Try to get him to chase up the ladder ...
* Mike Timlin: Old friend continues to be effective, but his gaudy ERA is a tad misleading; he's allowed 9 of his 15 inherited runners to score ... Barely hits low 90s with his fastball, so he's got to keep it down or he gets into trouble ... Helps himself on that front with a straight overhand delivery. He works a lot around the knees ... Throws a mid-70s slider that's really more of a slurve ...
* David Wells: Tweaked his right arch while "running" the bases on Sunday during interleague play ... No longer wears his silly #3, having switched to a marginally more pitcher-like #16 ... High-80s cutter that sometimes comes in rather flatly. It's the source of his gopher problems ... Still stingy with free passes ... Likes to backdoor righties with a late-breaking slider that looks like a mid-80s slider ...
* Bronson Arroyo: Sweeping leg kick much shorter from the set position -- and he seems to be less comfortable from the stretch ... His mid-80s slider is hittable with the ball up in the zone, especially when using that shortened delivery ... The slider can be nasty when he starts it thigh-high and away from righthanded hitters, against whom he's very tough ... Throws a mid-70s curve with similar action to his slider. It's a change of pace for him ... Good life on his low-90s four-seam fastball ...
* Keith Foulke: Ay. He's having a season, isn't he? ... With his reduced velocity, he's in the unhappy situation of hitting his spots and still getting tattooed ... His problems seem to be mechanical, not psychological. The problem is, Foulke doesn't know exactly what to fix: "If I knew I'd correct it...I wouldn't keep throwing the ball right down the pipe to get hammered" ... His release point this season has made it easier for hitters to pick up the ball sooner. He's as strong as ever, yet his fastball is topping out at 86 mph ... For all that, though, his low-70s sinking changeup remains a seriously tricky pitch ... Bizarre: His ERA is 1.40 in non-save situations, and 11.00 in save situations ... Terry Francona angrily shot down suggestions this week of reassigning the closer's job to Timlin ... Epstein on the possibility of acquiring relief help: "As usual, demand outweighs supply for quality pitchers this time of year" ... Foulke apologized this afternoon after referring to booing Fenway fans as "Johnny from Burger King" ...
* Kevin Millar: Slugging just .385 on the season ... Seems to be pulling off pitches (i.e., stepping a bit toward third). It's hurting his ability to go with outside strikes ... Lays off outside breaking stuff and can be frozen ... Below-average at receiving throws at first ...
