Does anyone know what the Jays record is with Wells leading off?

Marcum looked pretty average again last night, but I'll take the win. Nice to see the bats ringing, if only the season had 200 games we might be able to get back in the hunt.

Magpie,

I thought the run scored against McGowan should have been unearned.  Without the Zaun throwing error, the runner would have been on second base.  Is it assumed that a runner on second will score on a base hit?  If it is, shouldn't it be assumed that Ichiro would not have gotten the hit since the infield would not have been playing in to cut off the runner at home?  I'm a little confused by the scoring here - is it black and white, or open to scorer's judgement?  Any thoughts?

Gibbons asleep at the switch once again.  Bottom of the 7th Thomas walks.  Sure enough, Gibbons leaves him in until Thomas gets to 3rd base-after failing to score from 2nd on the Hill single.  Then, in the 8th inning with 2 runners on and 2 out, Thigpen (who replaced Thomas) is left in to hit against Morrow and, to no one's surprise, pops out to end the inning.  Who was still available to hit?  How about Lind???

And the Stairs fiasco leaves me speechless.  How do you leave a guy with a 1.375 OPS for the month of August on the bench??  The Jays record in August when Stairs got at least 3 at bats in a game- 7-2.  In July, 8-5.  What would be the difference in wins if Gibbons used Johnson/Stairs in a righty/lefty platoon since Johnson's return?  Is it a coincidence that in the last 7 games against the Yankees, the Jays were 2-0 when Stairs started and 0-5 when he didn't??  It's not like he plays the same position as Vernon-the guy plays the same position as a guy who played in a platoon role for most of his career!

Really, are there many managing jobs in pro sports easier than a baseball manager's?  You put your best 9 guys out there, occasionally pinch hit for a weaker hitter and pinch run for a slower runner.  You watch your pitcher for fatigue and pull him when he gets tired or doesn't have his best stuff.  You occasionally call for hit and runs and steal attempts and bunts.  Has Gibbons really grasped any of these concepts with a degree of competence??      

Really, are there many managing jobs in pro sports easier than a baseball manager's? 

LOL.  You mean, the game of failure?  The game of inches? The game of second guessing the manager?

Maybe Thigpen was being given a chance to succeed, and climb out of his slump (what is it? 0-13) ahead, late in the game? 

We can't possibly know all the intangibles involved within the dugout each day.  And did you see, the hit and run with Hill on first, which resulted in a HR for Zaun?   

Let me add this article on Francona, and managing the first place Red Sox.

Some insight about what an easy time he has of it.

http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2007/09/03/managing_it_all/?page=full

   Sportswriters often write their stories under tremendous deadline pressure, so I sympathize with them.  But in the rush to file their stories, they sometimes leave some yawning gaps and confusing passages in their stories.  Can anyone figure out what the hell Jeff Blair is trying to say in the following paragraph from his story today?  A prize will be awarded to anyone who can decipher his meaning.  He seems to be spreading an interesting rumor about the Jays future coaching possibilities, but I read it and reread it several times without a clue as to its meaning:

       Gibbons has a year left on his deal and is expected back, but Ricciardi wouldn't be the first GM to use a coaching vacancy to get an insurance policy in place.

If Brantley doesn't get fired after this year, I would be shocked. The Jays are next-to-last in the AL in runs scored this year. They have scored fewer runs than Kansas City. Given the emergence of the pitching staff, even a Tampa Bay-level offensive output (~650 runs) would put them 4th in the league in run differential , on track for 92 wins, and right in the hunt for the playoffs. Someone has to take the heat for that, and the hitting coach is likely the one (even though the players have been a trainwreck). It is too bad for Mickey that the whole team tanked this year. It will be a great opportunity for his replacement to look like a genius when everyone (hopefully) reverts to form next year. Maybe even  Vernon Wells will play like a $5M player next year (though he'll be earning $16M)).

As for Ernie Whitt, I have no idea whether or not he adds anything to the Jays. I do wonder whether or not he could get a coaching job with any other team in the majors. (Note: It would probably have to be a place where the bench coach is not responsible for filling in the official line-up card).

The Jays are next-to-last in the AL in runs scored this year.

Here are the team-by-team R/G and RA/G rates.

The Jays are tied for third worst R/G and their modest edge over 2nd last Oakland disappears when you factor in home park effects. Their would be Earl Weaver style offense just ain't happening: 140 HR and 446 BB compared to the league averages 135 and 450. This should not serve as an endorsement of little ball as an alternative, but rather as a wake-up call for a more sober analysis of what this particular offense is truly capable of, injury excuses notwithstanding. The continued wishcasting for the good health of past-prime players in their 30's and the repeat performances of career years, is a sure fire recipe for self-delusion. While we can certainly hope for better from the team's offense next season, just how much better will they truly be? League average? Better than that?

As for their terrific pitching (just a quarter of a run of ERA behind the much more expensive Red Sox staff), certainly some regression is in order. McGowan is inches away from becoming the 5th man in the rotation to sport a sub-4 ERA. In today's game, that's unimaginable. And very likely unrepeatable. This staff would still be doing well in 2008 were Halladay the only member of the 3-ERA family, with the rest of the starters in the 4's. Hell, that's where we set the bar this season.

It's not Ricciardi's job to be frank with the public (only to appear to do so), so it's a fool's errand to take the words of, well, a politician of sorts, at face value. If we were to do so, however, and believe that the '08 Jays will look just like the '07 Jays, because the only thing separating this team from contention is good health, then I can't help but think another 85-win season is in store for us next year. The offense will improve, the pitching will regress, the pluses and minuses will cancel out, and we'll be exactly where we are now. If Ricciardi doesn't truly believe the message he feels compelled to deliver, then an honest, behind-closed-doors evaluation of the team's players should be in order and some snooping about in the marketplace should ensue, to seek out instances where other GMs seem to overvalue current Jays. Given the relentless dream clinging that is the Russ Adams saga, for instance, I am concerned about Ricciardi's ability to make honest and frank evaluations.