Aaron Hill, All-Star.  Don't tell me you'd rather have B.J. Upton or Brian Roberts at second base this year, flashy batting stats or no.  I won't believe you.

I've got a paean to last night's game over on my blog.  Absolutely fantastic game for the baseball purist, even though those errors make steam come out of my ears.  Johnny Mac's especially... they teach you your first week of Little League to keep your eye on the ball, dum-dum.

I hope everyone here is doing OK.  Sorry I haven't been around much; busy time in my life.

I'm predicting a loss tonight, three of four fromt he pale-hose and a sweep of the Rays to conclude an 8-2 homestand.

I think young Litsch is going to have a rough time tonight and we'll see Mr. Towers in the third.

Great to see the Jays win a game thanks to an error (Jeter), a steal of home, a leadoff double reaching home without another hit being recorded, and great pitching.

I was extremely impressed with Rios' Sac Fly AB. He showed amazing composure, especially for a player whose porch light isn't always on. He went to the plate with fly ball in mind. His adrenaline didn't get the better of him and he was able to lay off some very good change-ups. His patience was finally rewarded when he got an elevated pitch, out of the strike zone. In this context, where a SF meant a whole lot more than a BB, he knew that he could loft the pitch into the outfield. I believe the SF came on the 6th pitch he saw. That showed tremendous discipline and patience.

I personally am glad to see Wolfe come to the bigs.  I feel like he's a guy that maybe Gibbons can trust with a five run lead (Minnesota 7-2 in the eighth) as opposed to Janssen/Accardo or Downs every single time the team has a lead.  Wolfe was having success in AAA in a role that the Jays need some help and he fits their needs better than either Towers or Vermilyea.  They're going to have to get another position player on the roster and I'm guessing Towers gets released soon.

There is a fair bit of criticism heaped on John Gibbons on this site and at times I agree that it is deserved.  On the other side of the coin, how about the two stolen bases leading to runs last night!  The steal of home was an absolutely incredible play, as Jay fans we've witnessed the straight steal just twice in this decade.  We've got to give credit where it is due on that one, definately a gutsy call.  Or maybe it was actually the higher percentage play than hoping Rolls Royce Clayton gets a two-out hit to score the run.

Finally we're having some fun again!

Seven different deadball-type little ball plays led to the three runs last night:

1. steal of third
2. productive groundout
3. tough baserunning by Phillips to break up the DP at first
4. aggressive baserunning by Hill on the bobbled throw
5. a damn steal of home!!  (oh yeah... I'm still pumped)
6. sacrifice bunt
7. sacrifice fly

That steal of home will be a play we'll still be talking about in two years. I am sort of sad I wasn't at the ballpark yesterday, but getting the chance to see numerous replays on TV may have made up for it.

While the majority of the credit should go to Hill for reading it perfectly, that play is one of the many reasons I'll put up with Butterfield's occasional poor decisions when coaching 3rd. Butters was the one who talked about the play before the game or between innings with Hill and he found a perfect situation to take the risk. We'd all be shaking our heads if Pettitte had heard the shouts and calmyl thrown Hill out by two steps, but I still think it was a risk worth taking it, given how well Andy was pitching, Clayton's hitting ability and the knowledge that the Jays were basically unable to make substitutions for the duration of the game, because of their short bench.

Seven different deadball-type little ball plays led to the three runs last night:

I think I saw Aaron Hill in the dugout sharpening his cleats with a file, which he then hid behind his revolver and mustache wax.

First and foremost from all of us here at BB,I hope and pray that little Ryne is ok and is home soon from hospital.

I think the superhuman feat of the year award,if there is such a thing,must go to Shawn not only for pitching such a clutch game but more-so for having the mettle to do it under such emotionally trying circumstances.

No one would have begrudged him in the least if he chose to skip this start to be back at the hospital with his wife and their ailing son.

Even though we are all huge baseball/jays fans I think most of us know what's truly valuable in our lives.

On to the game.

For me two plays stand out and both involve A-Rod.In the seventh J Mac bunts and it's surely about to roll foul but A-Rod chooses to take the sure out which most purists say you should do.I think knowing J Mac is definetly up there bunting then why not let it roll foul and hope for a poorer bunt with the hope of nailing the runner at 3rd who turns out to steal home shortly there after.Especially in a tie game in the late innings.The next A-Rod play is in the 8th and his poor throw to 1st pulling Phelps off the bag turns out ,in reality, to help produce the Jays winning run.

I think 2 less than stellar plays from a guy who,salary aside,should be counted on to produce both in the field and at the plate.

I guess lucky for us he had an off night in both areas.

VBF - not so fast.  Godfrey is quoted right there in the piece saying that 144 games will be televised.  Sportsnet and/or TSN will be cutting back somewhat on their schedule of games to accomodate CBC.

The better news is that Jim Hughson will be doing the games for CBC.  I could listen to him all day.

cable-less summer

What's that???

Oh, I see - you're going to the cottage and it only has a dish!  Seriously, if I ever have to spend any two months without cable, please shoot me.  At least an internet connection, please.

Why in the world do the Jays have an 8 man bullpen? 2 of the guys in the pen haven't been used in well over a week.
I would love to hear the Jays "logic" behind this decision.

It's Wednesday's with JP tonight right?   I'll be at the game, but I'd suggest people from the box trying to call in and ask JP that very questions.  It's worked before.

 Seriously, if I ever have to spend any two months without cable, please shoot me. 

The Jays are the only reason I have cable, and I think i'd be fine with radio only.  If it were up to me (and these decisions aren't always up to me) I would get rid of my cable in a second.

From that same Bastian article:

"We're shorthanded right now. We're not going to go that way very long," Gibbons said. "Then we go out to the West Coast for some National League games. So, we'll have to make some adjustments. We probably need a guy who can do a little bit of everything. A left-handed bat might be nice."

A left-handed bat from Syracuse could mean Adams, Olmedo (S) or Lydon (S).  None of them can do a little bit of everything defensively, as Adams is strictly 2B, Olmedo SS and Lydon OF.  One could suggest that Olmedo can field, bunt, pinch run, walk...if that's what ol' Forest meant.

Not so much love for Jesse Litsch though :

(sell high, boys)

Well, at least now we understand why Gibbons and Ricciardi "need" another reliever: Clearly they're going after the record for most pitchers used in a season. Possibly in a game. Is there any reason to take Josh Towers out after only 46 pitches, fairly early in the game, when he hasn't worked in a long time? I know it was still a close game, and even I don't really want Towers pitching in a close game, but sometimes you've just got to suck it up. It's a better plan than "Make Scott Downs Pitch 400 Innings Out Of the Pen".

Ah well. Nice night for Frasor and Tallet, anyway. It's just bizarre how Frasor can look like an elite reliever one week, and an AA scrub the next.