Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

15 ground balls, 3 fly balls. 7 strikeouts. Classic Roy Halladay.

Star of the Game: Himself, shutting down the Rays like the bottom feeders they are.

Unsung Hero: No unsung hero! It was all Halladay!

For the Rays: What part of “All Halladay” didn’t you understand?!

Slave To The Save: John Gibbons doesn’t give in to the allure of a complete game for his ace, but can’t resist bringing in B.J. Ryan for the ultra-easy save despite Bo Junior having thrown 32 pitches Monday and 18 pitches Sunday.

Rotate This: The Jays will not use Thursday’s off day to skip Gustavo Chacin’s spot in the rotation. Instead, Ty Taubenheim will make his second big league appearance taking on the White Sox Sunday, setting up Roy Halladay to open the series with the Red Sox Monday. Gus will make his return Tuesday, and noted Sock killer Ted Lilly will finish Boston Wednesday.

Boxscore: Boxscore!

Elsewhere: The Yankees hit Tim Wakefield for 7 runs over 6 2/3, while Jaret Wright shut down the Sox for 5. Yes, Jaret Wright. Scott Proctor gave 4 back and Kyle Farnsworth another (on no hits and 3 walks, no less), but Mariano Rivera nailed it down with a 5-out save. 7-5, THE YANKEES WIN. Toronto sits 2 games back of Boston, ½ a game back of New York.

Today: Josh Towers brings it for the Jays, Casey Fossum for the Rays.

Posted by Jonny German on Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 08:25 AM EDT.

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Chuck - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 09:47 AM EDT (#147439) #

How do you spell long relief?

Ryan Madson took the loss for the Phillies despite giving up just one run in his 7 innings of relief against the Mets. He'd been starting this year and would no doubt have kept his starter's job had he been able to pitch 7 innings like that at the start of a game rather than at the end. Long night for Delgado who's ofer was actually an osix.

CaramonLS - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 09:48 AM EDT (#147440) #

So why did Bo Junior get brought in with one out in the 9th? Were the bases loaded or something (didn't see the game as it was not on regular TV... Again).

Chuck - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:05 AM EDT (#147442) #

So why did Bo Junior get brought in with one out in the 9th? Were the bases loaded or something (didn't see the game as it was not on regular TV... Again).

Not sure if this is sarcastic and I'm just missing it, but Ryan was brought in to face the LHB Huff with one man on. Ryan got the save because the potential tying run was on deck (the 3-run save rule only applies if you pitch a complete inning, which obviously Ryan didn't).

Having expended no small amount of energy in last week's debate over the non-use of Ryan against the Angels, I am electing not to comment on last night's decision. I will say that the TB announcers were extremely shocked to see Ryan being brought in, as were the fans, who voiced their displeasure quite adamantly.

A couple of more notes about the game (courtesy of channel 82):

* Joe Magrane, the colour man, made a statement about as wrong as humanly imaginable. When the reliever Harper kept stepping off the mound and throwing to first, to bait Reed Johnson into tipping his intentions to bunt, the crowd got really loud with its grumbling. Magrane said that the Toronto fans were "some of the most raucous in all of sports". Well, perhaps compared to the snow birds in TB.

* Johnny Gomes is right up there with Manny Ramirez as an outfielder. Vernon Wells drilled a ball to RF and had Gomes not moved, or maybe shimmied a few steps to his left, he would have caught it. Instead, he started running back, towards the fence, only to see the ball land in the very spot he vacated.

* Finally, no slight against Campbell and co., but it's interesting to watch the odd Blue Jays game from the perspective of the other team's announcers.

Pistol - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:27 AM EDT (#147446) #

Being an out of market fan I only get the Jays on Extra Innings and MLB.tv. I've never once seen a Blue Jays broadcast on Extra Innings and I'm not sure why (they have the Canadian feeds for hockey games on the Center Ice package so a Canadian broadcast I imagine isn't the issue). MLB.tv is better and usually a 50/50 split. What I've found is that the out of town broadcasters say the exact same thing each series. I imagine that the broadcasting crews get together before each series and exchange notes on the teams they follow and then trust the other team to give them good information.

The Devil Ray broadcast is one of the worst ones to me. It's not at the Yankee/White Sox level of unlistenable broadcasts, but it's probably next in line (among AL teams). On the other side of things I don't mind the Red Sox, Orioles, Angels, A's and Mariners.

Named For Hank - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:33 AM EDT (#147448) #

What I've found is that the out of town broadcasters say the exact same thing each series.

I bet you'd find the majority of what they say in the game notes and media guide bios for each player -- that's what those things are for, after all.

You can't scout everybody.

Named For Hank - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:38 AM EDT (#147450) #

When the reliever Harper kept stepping off the mound and throwing to first, to bait Reed Johnson into tipping his intentions to bunt...

... Reed Johnson kept theatrically rolling his eyes. We were in stitches in the first base camera bay.

Chuck - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:41 AM EDT (#147451) #

I didn't see any of the game last night so I could be off base, but I don't have any problem with bring Ryan in after Halladay allowed a hit. If the next batter gets on base the tying run is at the plate and then the game becomes more interesting than it should be. I'd rather have Halladay pulled too early than too late.

I don't categorically disagree with the decision to bring in Ryan, but there is context to consider. He had pitched the day before and using him last night would potentially make him unavailable today. Halladay's pitch count was only at about 110 and he was pitching well, not labouring. It is true that Gomes hit the ball hard but (a) Gomes is a good hitter, (b) it was a groundball single, not a shot to the wall, (c) had the ball been hit five feet to the left, it would have been a routine groundout.

I would have either kept Halladay in or brought in Schoeneweis to get Huff, and then only gone to Ryan if Huff got on, trying to keep him available for today's game (though Towers may need mop-up men more than he'll need Ryan).

Chuck - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:50 AM EDT (#147453) #

110 pitches. Early season forearm strain. 3-4 long inning starts in a row.

Pitch counts become more significant when used to describe innings of duress. For instance, 110 pitches would have been a lot last night had Halladay laboured threw a 30-pitch 7th or 8th inning. But he hadn't. He was looking like vintage Halladay, particularly late in the game, not the early season model that was not quite himself but still good enough to win.

joemayo - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:50 AM EDT (#147454) #

I was at the game last night so I didn't have the (dis)pleasure of having to sit through the DRays broadcast. Being forced to watch the Rockies broadcast all weekend was bad enough. They weren't horrible, but it does get a little frustrating listening to them make the point that every Colorado starter deserved a shot at making the all-star team this year.................they weren't kidding.

I agree, the YES network and the White Sox broadcasts are two of the most blatantly 'homer' broadcasts in all of sport. It's painful listening to them call a game. I enjoy Red Sox games (on NESN) as well. I can't think of their names off hand, but those guys provide good, well-rounded insight to games and their level of 'homerism' is kept to a minimum.

HippyGilmore - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 12:00 PM EDT (#147460) #

In regards to seeing other broadcasting teams lately as Campbell and co. take a little break, the one thing that really came across from both the Tampa guys and the Colorado guys was a profound respect for the player Alex Rios is becoming. I think I heard the phrase "budding superstar" from the Rockies guys at least 10 times. Good to know people around the league are taking notice of our new stud.

Magpie - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 12:09 PM EDT (#147461) #

I imagine the plan from the beginning of the ninth inning was to give Doc a chance to get the CG, but only if he was going to retire the side in order.

Was watching from the cheap seats with Liam - more on that anon - and we were in total agreement that Doc didn't bring his A game last night. His fastball was consistently hitting 91 on the gun rather than 94. He had to work quite hard in the first two innings, and threw almost half his evening's pitches then and there. Which is what happens when the leadoff hitter is instantly perched on second base, and you work out of the stretch for the rest of the inning. It was harder than it looked...

But he's Roy Halladay, and he can make it look pretty easy anyway. That wasn't his A game? One run, no walks, 8.2 innings...

The man has spoiled me.

dan gordon - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 12:54 PM EDT (#147466) #

With Halladay moved up to Monday, and Taubenheim going on Sunday, it looks like they're skipping Towers' next turn, as long as all goes well with Chacin's rehab start. Starting Friday, it looks like Lilly, Janssen, Taubenheim, Halladay, Chacin, then back to Lilly. Josh's days may be numbered, especially if Taubenheim comes up with a good game on Sunday.

Maldoff - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 01:01 PM EDT (#147467) #

You are correct about Towers. As I mentioned yesterday, Josh has already cleared waivers, and tonight's game will be the last he pitches in TO for a while if he pitches poorly again. There is no doubt he will be sent down, and most likely Taubenheim will remain in the rotation until Burnett comes back or Josh figures out what's wrong with him.

Mike Green - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 01:09 PM EDT (#147468) #

Are you sure, Maldoff? I have heard nothing about the status of Taubenheim and Towers once Chacin comes back. It looks to me as though decisions will be made after both pitch in the next few days.

Maldoff - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 02:28 PM EDT (#147474) #

Mike, this is from Blue Jays.com: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/article.jsp?ymd=20060522&content_id=1466147&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor

"If Towers continues his slide, a move to the bullpen could be pending, or perhaps even a trip down to the Minors. Prior to his win over Tampa Bay, Toronto exposed Towers to waivers, which he cleared. That means the Jays could send him to Triple-A without any fear of losing the pitcher to another club. "

Mike Green - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 03:03 PM EDT (#147479) #

There is quite a bit of difference between that quote and there being no doubt of Towers' status. Ambiguity and pitchers, they go together like Laurel and Hardy, like Jagger and Richards, like baked potatoes and sour cream...

Gitz - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 05:47 PM EDT (#147488) #

Josh Towers brings it for the Jays, Casey Fossum for the Rays.

I presume you're being ironic, JG, because, well, these guys don't bring much, do they?

Jonny Gomes may be a craptastic outfielder, but the dude can hit. He's not just a HR machine, either. He has an idea whaat to do up there, and he never, never, never gives away an at-bat.

Chuck - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 06:16 PM EDT (#147489) #

Jonny Gomes may be a craptastic outfielder, but the dude can hit. He's not just a HR machine, either. He has an idea whaat to do up there, and he never, never, never gives away an at-bat.

I hear that. I was pitching a Towers for Gomes trade in the off-season (and not because I was prescient enough to anticipate a Towers meltdown).

Chuck - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 06:42 PM EDT (#147490) #

Oh, and I also advocated getting rid of Rios, so what the hell do I know?

Jim - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 08:10 PM EDT (#147491) #

Maybe Billy Koch didn't deserve some of the abuse he took around here?

http://www.ktvu.com/news/9264350/detail.html

Geoff - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 09:29 PM EDT (#147492) #

He certainly never deserved the pain of whatever he's got. Here's an article from last year from Popular Mechanics on the topic and an informative entry about Morgellon's on Wikipedia.

rtcaino - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:42 PM EDT (#147494) #

Josh Towers and Russ Adams have been sent to AAA.

Source Mike Wilner.

No other actions announced.

jjdynomite - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:46 PM EDT (#147495) #

At least Russ made his last at bat a good one.

However, McDonald simply can't be a regular. I wonder if JP's working the phones tonight, re: Kennedy.

Geoff - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:54 PM EDT (#147497) #

JP made an appearance on OTR today, saying that a Kennedy jersey would be a better buy for a Jays fan than a Zito jersey.

Gerry - Wednesday, May 24 2006 @ 10:56 PM EDT (#147499) #

A Towers/Adams thread is now up.

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