Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

It's happened before, it'll happen again.

That's what I always tell myself, anyway.

By the bad guys:

Date           Final Score      Hitter                   Pitcher                Inning    Out
13 June 1977   TOR  1 CAL  2    Bobby Grich              Tom Bruno              13         0
 9 July 1977   TOR  2 CLE  3    Andre Thornton (2-run)   Jerry Garvin            9         2
11 June 1978   TOR  4 MIL  5    Robin Yount              Tom Murphy              9         0
15 July 1978   TOR  2 OAK  3    Dave Revering            Tom Underwood           9         2
23 June 1979   TOR  3 BOS  4    Bob Watson               Tom Buskey             11         0
19 July 1979   TOR  2 MIL  3    Sixto Lezcano            Tom Buskey             11         1
 9 Sept 1979   TOR 10 CLE 14    Bobby Bonds (Slam)       Tom Buskey              9         1
27 Sept 1979   TOR  5 BOS  6    Carlton Fisk             Tom Buskey              9         0
12 April 1980  TOR  2 SEA  3    Leon Roberts             Jerry Garvin           10         0
27 May 1980    TOR  4 BOS  5    Carl Yastrzemski (2-run) Tom Buskey              9         0
31 May 1980    TOR  6 NYY  8    Reggie Jackson (2-run)   Joey McLaughlin        11         1
19 Sept 1980   TOR  6 BAL  8    Doug DeCinces (2-run)    Mike Willis            12         1
18 May 1982    TOR  5 CLE  6    Toby Harrah              Dale Murray             9         1
 4 July 1982   TOR  3 MIN  4    Gary Gaetti              Dave Stieb              9         0
24 August 1982 TOR  3 BAL  7    Joe Nolan                Joey McLaughlin        10         2
24 August 1983 TOR  4 BAL  7    Lenn Sakata (3-run)      Randy Moffitt          10         2
26 August 1983 TOR  3 DET  4    Alan Trammell            Jim Gott               10         2
28 August 1983 TOR  2 DET  4    Chet Lemon (2-run)       Joey McLaughlin         9         2
 4 June 1984   TOR  3 DET  6    Dave Bergman (3-run)     Roy Lee Jackson        10         2
24 June 1984   TOR  3 BOS  5    Tony Armas (2-run)       Dennis Lamp            10         1
 5 Sept 1984   TOR  3 NYY  4    Don Baylor               Roy Lee Jackson        10         2
14 July 1985   TOR  3 CAL  5    Brian Downing (2-run)    Garry Lavelle           9         2
10 August 1985 TOR  3 KC   4    Jim Sundberg             Bill Caudill           10         1
13 May 1986    TOR  3 OAK  6    Dave Kingman (3-run)     Dennis Lamp            10         1
25 July 1986   TOR  5 OAK  6    Carney Lansford          Bill Caudill           10         0
 9 August 1986 TOR  6 TEX  7    Pete O'Brien             Bill Caudill           10         0
13 August 1986 TOR  6 BAL  7    Larry Sheets             Luis Aquino            13         1
20 May 1987    TOR  4 CAL  5    Wally Joyner             Tom Henke              10         1
21 July 1987   TOR  4 TEX  6    Ruben Sierra (2-run)     Jeff Musselman          9         1
15 May 1988    TOR  5 CWS  6    Dave Gallagher           Mark Eichhorn          11         1
 7 June 1988   TOR  3 CLE  5    Cory Snyder (2-run)      David Wells             9         0
 9 April 1989  TOR  2 TEX  3    Ruben Sierra (2-run)     Tom Henke               9         1
14 July 1990   TOR  7 CAL  8    Brian Downing            Duane Ward              9         1
 3 Oct. 1990   TOR  2 BAL  3    Mickey Tettleton         Tom Henke               9         2
21 April 1991  TOR  8 MIL 11    Robin Yount (3-run)      Frank Wills            10         1
13 August 1991 TOR  4 MIL  5    Paul Molitor (3-run)     Tom Henke               9         2
16 Sept 1991   TOR  5 SEA  6    Pete O'Brien             Bob MacDonald          11         0
15 June 1994   TOR  3 CLE  4    Jim Thome                Scott Brow             13         1
 4 June 1995   TOR  8 CLE  9    Paul Sorrento (2-run)    Darren Hall             9         2
27 June 1995   TOR  5 BOS  6    Bill Haselman            Woody Williams         11         1
30 August 1995 TOR  3 CLE  4    Albert Belle             Tony Castillo          13         2
31 August 1995 TOR  4 CLE  6    Albert Belle (2-run)     Jimmy Rogers           10         1
 5 Sept 1995   TOR  8 KC   9    Bob Hamelin              Ken Robinson           10         0
15 July 1996   TOR  6 BAL  8    Chris Hoiles (2-run)     Mike Timlin             9         1
31 July 1996   TOR  2 CLE  4    Albert Belle (slam)      Bill Risley             9         2
23 April 1997  TOR  4 ANA  5    Jim Edmonds              Paul Spoljaric         10         1
29 April 1997  TOR  5 KC   6    Chili Davis              Paul Quantrill         10         0
21 Sept 1997   TOR  4 NYY  5    Tino Martinez            Carlos Almanzar        10         1
12 April 1998  TOR  1 TEX  3    Kevin Elster (2-run)     Paul Quantrill          9         1
19 June 1998   TOR  4 BAL  7    Rafael Palmeiro (3-run)  Bill Risley            15         2
17 Sept 1998   TOR  4 DET  7    Damion Easley (3-run)    Robert Person           9         1
26 April 1999  TOR  3 ANA  4    Darrin Erstad            Nerio Rodriguez        11         0
 8 Sept 1999   TOR  3 SEA  4    Tom Lampkin (2-run)      Billy Koch              9         0
24 May 2000    TOR  3 BOS  6    Brian Daubach (3-run)    John Frascatore        11         2
 1 August 2000 TOR  1 OAK  3    Randy Velarde (2-run)    Billy Koch             10         2
17 June 2001   TOR  1 MTL  4    Orlando Cabrera (3-run)  Paul Quantrill          9         0
28 April 2002  TOR  5 ANA  8    David Eckstein (slam)    Pedro Borbon           14         2
16 August 2002 TOR  5 TEX  6    Alex Rodriguez           Kelvim Escobar          9         1
27 August 2002 TOR  4 CWS  8    Joe Crede (slam)         Felix Heredia          10         1
20 April 2003  TOR  5 BOS  6    Nomar Garciaparra        Cliff Politte           9         0
11 April 2004  TOR  4 BOS  6    David Ortiz (2-run)      Aquilino Lopez         12         0
27 April 2004  TOR  4 MIN  7    Jaques Jones (3-run)     Justin Speier           9         1
22 July 2004   TOR  0 NYY  1    Ruben Sierra             Vinnie Chulk            9         2
11 June 2005   TOR  3 HOU  6    Morgan Ensberg           Miguel Batista          9         2
30 July 2006   TOR  5 OAK  6    Milton Bradley (3-run)   B.J. Ryan               9         2
30 August 2006 TOR  2 CLE  3    Jhonny Peralta           B.J. Ryan              10         2
 8 June 2007   TOR  3 LAD  4    Olmedo Saenz (2-run)     Jeremy Accardo         10         0
30 July 2007   TOR  4 TB   5    Carl Crawford            Brian Wolfe            11         0
 8 Sept 2007   TOR  4 TB   5    B.J. Upton (2-run)       Jeremy Accardo          9         2
 5 June 2008   TOR  8 NYY  9    Jason Giambi (2-run, ph) B.J. Ryan               9         2

By the good guys

Date            Final Score    Hitter                    Pitcher
15 July 1977    DET 6 TOR  8   Bob Bailor (2-run)        Jim Crawford           13        2
31 July 1978    DET 7 TOR  8   Otto Velez                Bob Sykes              14        1
26 August 1978  MIN 3 TOR  4   Dave McKay                Geoff Zahn             10        0
26 May 1979     BOS 6 TOR  7   Roy Howell (3-run)        Bill Campbell           9        2
31 August 1979  SEA 4 TOR  5   Craig Kusick              Byron McLaughlin       11        1
17 April 1980   MIL 0 TOR  1   Rick Bosetti              Lary Sorenson           9        1
 4 May 1980 (1) CLE 8 TOR  9   Otto Velez                Sid Monge              10        0
21 August 1981  CWS 4 TOR  5   Lloyd Moseby              Ed Farmer               9        2
27 June 1982    MIN 2 TOR  3   Damaso Garcia             Terry Felton            9        0
19 April 1983   CLE 7 TOR  9   Lloyd Moseby (2-run)      Dan Spillner            9        2
 4 Sept 1983    DET 3 TOR  6   Ernie Whitt (3-run)       Aurelio Lopez          10        2
11 August 1984  BAL 2 TOR  3   George Bell (2-run)       Storm Davis             9        0
17 April 1985   TEX 1 TOR  3   Jesse Barfield (2-run)    Dave Stewart           10        0
 6 June 1985    DET 0 TOR  2   Buck Martinez (2-run)     Aurelio Lopez          12        1
14 June 1986    DET 5 TOR  6   Buck Martinez             Willie Hernandez        9        0
17 August 1986  TEX 7 TOR  8   Ernie Whitt               Jeff Russell           11        0
 1 May 1987     TEX 2 TOR  3   Jesse Barfield            Mitch Williams         10        0
 6 June 1987    BAL 5 TOR  8   Jesse Barfield (3-run)    Ken Dixon              11        2
 4 Sept 1987    SEA 5 TOR  6   Cecil Fielder (ph)        Dennis Powell          10        0
 4 Sept 1988    TEX 7 TOR  9   George Bell (slam)        Mitch Williams          9        1
28 May 1989     CWS 5 TOR  7   George Bell (2-run)       Bobby Thigpen          10        0
15 Sept 1990    BAL 3 TOR  4   Kelly Gruber (3-run)      Curt Schilling          9        0
12 April 1991   MIL 4 TOR  5   Mark Whiten               Dan Plesac             11        0
17 Sept 1992    CLE 5 TOR  7   John Olerud (2-run)       Eric Plunk             10        1
18 July 1993    KC  3 TOR  4   Willie Canate             Hippolito Pichardo      9        0

23 October 1993 PHA 6 TOR  8   Joe Carter (3-run)        Mitch Williams          9        1

 9 April 1994   SEA 6 TOR  8   Joe Carter (2-run)        Bobby Thigpen           9        1
 2 May 1995     CWS 8 TOR  9   Roberto Alomar            Isidro Marquez          9        0
 1 June 1996    KC  3 TOR  5   Joe Carter (2-run)        Jeff Montgomery        10        2
25 June 1996    SEA 7 TOR  8   Jacob Brumfield (2-run)   Norm Charlton           9        1
25 July 1996    OAK 3 TOR  4   Joe Carter (2-run)        Jay Witasick            9        2
12 May 1998     OAK 3 TOR  4   Jose Canseco              Billy Taylor           10        0
14 May 1998     ANA 4 TOR  5   Mike Stanley              Rich DeLucia            9        2
16 May 1999     BOS 6 TOR  9   Carlos Delgado (3-run)    Kip Gross               9        0
30 June 1999    BAL 9 TOR 10   Darrin Fletcher (3-run)   Jesse Orosco           10        1
19 July 1999    ATL 7 TOR  8   Tony Batista              John Hudek             10        0
 3 April 2000   KC  4 TOR  5   Tony Batista              Jerry Spradlin          9        2
16 August 2000  ANA 6 TOR  8   Carlos Delgado (2-run)    Lou Pote                9        1
10 April 2001   TB  2 TOR  3   Jose Cruz                 Tanyon Sturtze         10        1
14 August 2001  OAK 3 TOR  6   Jose Cruz (3-run)         Jason Isringhausen      9        2
29 June 2002    MON 4 TOR  5   Eric Hinske               Matt Herges            10        1
14 July 2002    BOS 5 TOR  6   Eric Hinske               Ugueth Urbina           9        0
25 April 2003   KC  5 TOR  6   Vernon Wells              D.J. Carrasco           9        0
15 June 2003    CHI 4 TOR  5   Reed Johnson              Mark Guthrie           10        0
 8 July 2004    SEA 8 TOR 10   Carlos Delgado (3-run)    Eddie Guardado          9        2
28 July 2004    NYY 2 TOR  3   Vernon Wells              Scott Proctor          10        1
24 May 2005     BOS 6 TOR  9   Reed Johnson (3-run)      Alan Embree             9        1
10 August 2005  DET 3 TOR  4   Orlando Hudson            Craig Dingman           9        1
27 May 2006     CWS 2 TOR  3   Shea Hillenbrand          Jeff Nelson            11        1
20 July 2006    NYY 4 TOR  5   Vernon Wells              Mariano Rivera         11        1
15 Sept 2006    TB  4 TOR  5   Aaron Hill (2-run)        Brian Meadows          10        0
 7 Sept 2008    TB  4 TOR  7   Gregg Zaun (slam)         Troy Percival          13        2

Unless I missed someone, two men have hit three walk-off homers against the Jays: Ruben Sierra and Albert Belle. Sierra went a remarkable 15 years between his second and third. Belle hit his first two on consecutive days.

And to answer the little trivia question I threw out there yesterday - the only pinch-hit walk-off by a Blue Jay was by Cecil Fielder. I think Giambi's blast yesterday was the first pinch-hit walk-off by an opponent. George Bell was for many years the only Blue Jay to trot around the bases having hit a game ending grand slam, but Gregg Zaun joined him in September of this year. A number of opponents have done that very same thing: Bobby Bonds, Albert Belle, Joe Crede, and David Eckstein.

Quite a few Jays have hit a trio of walk-off homers: George Bell, Jesse Barfield, Joe Carter, and Carlos Delgado. Carter also hit one in the post-season, as you may recall. Tie-breaker goes to Joe. The late Tom Buskey allowed a remarkable 5 walk-off homers in 1979; what's remarkable is he was actually having a pretty decent season.

Mitch Williams and Bobby Thigpen were both victimized twice. Thigpen at both the old Ex (on the very last pitch thrown at the old ball yard) and the Dome. Williams allowed both of his regular season game-enders at the Ex, but he added one at the Dome in the post-season. Tie-breaker goes to Mitch.

And despite numerous opportunities, no one shows up on both sides of this equation.

Posted by Magpie on Friday, June 06 2008 @ 04:00 AM EDT.

Walk-Off Blues | 30 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Mick Doherty - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:21 AM EDT (#186705) #

ESPN was saying that Giambi's shot was the first pinch-hit, walk-off, come-from-behind home run in the history of the Yankee franchise. Who'dathunk?

Chuck - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:40 AM EDT (#186708) #

Going, going, thong.

Mick Doherty - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:55 AM EDT (#186710) #

Well, you can't say the Jays haven't been victimized by the very best. Quick glance provides two full starting lineups of players who have hit walkoffs against Toronto, packed with All-Stars:

FIRST TEAM
C Carlton Fisk
1B Jim Thome
2B Bobby Grich
SS Alex Rodriguez
3B Gary Gaetti
LF Carl Yastrzemski
CF Robin Yount
RF Bobby Bonds
DH Paul Molitor

SECOND TEAM
C Chris Hoiles
1B Rafael Palmeiro
2B Damion Easley
SS Alan Trammell
3B Carney Lansford
LF Albert Belle
CF Jim Edmonds
RF Tony Armas
DH David Ortiz

And those two teams don't even include notables like Dave Kingman, Brian Downing, Mickey Tettleton, Cory Snyder, Wally Joyner and yes, Giambi.

Someone want to do an all-Jays walkoff lineup and see how it compares?

Paul D - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 11:14 AM EDT (#186715) #

4 Sept 1988 TEX 7 TOR 9 George Bell (slam) Mitch Williams 9 1

This is the best game I ever saw live. Inside the park homerun, dramatic comeback, and a grand slam to win it? That's fantastic.

Dan Daoust - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 11:22 AM EDT (#186716) #

Paul D, me too! As I discussed here: http://www.battersbox.ca/comment.php?mode=view&cid=175838

Dan Daoust - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 11:40 AM EDT (#186718) #

JAYS FIRST TEAM
C Ernie Whitt
1B Carlos Delgado
2B Roberto Alomar
3B Kelly Gruber
SS Aaron Hill (indeed he played SS that year)
LF George Bell
CF Lloyd Moseby
RF Joe Carter
DH Cecil Fielder

JAYS SECOND TEAM
C Buck Martinez
1B John Olerud
2B Damaso Garcia
3B Tony Battista
SS Surely Mark Whiten could handle this
LF Jose Cruz, Jr.
CF Vernon Wells
RF Jesse Barfield
DH Jose Canseco, I guess

Notable absentees: Paul Molitor, Fred McGriff, Willie Upshaw, Devon White, Tony Fernandez (who we really need to field a team).

Mike Green - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 11:47 AM EDT (#186720) #

Aesthetically, I'd put Barfield over Carter on the first team to keep the 80s guys together. The fact that he gets on base more and saves you 10-15 runs a season on defence is a bonus.

Mick Doherty - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 11:54 AM EDT (#186724) #

Love Hard-Hittin' Mark Whiten, but didn't Eric Hinske actually play short a little bit while in TO?

Dan Daoust - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 11:58 AM EDT (#186726) #

Aesthetically, I'd put Barfield over Carter on the first team to keep the 80s guys together.

No way! It's the mixing and matching that makes it fun.

Mick, Reggie Jackson doesn't make RF on your team?

Mick Doherty - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 12:11 PM EDT (#186732) #

Dan, that's why the first three letters of my last name are "Doh!"

I figured I'd miss someone, but not that obvious!

Jackson to the first team. Bonds or Armas on the second team? Armas the better defender, but we'll go with BB Sr.

Magpie - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 01:39 PM EDT (#186747) #

On the second Jays team, isn't it easier to put Hinske at 3b and Batista at short? They were actually playing those positions when they did this (well, first time for Batista, both times for the Dude.)

According to the Jays Media Guide, there have been 49 walk-offs hit by Jays from 1977 through 2007. And that's how many I found. But it didn't actually list them - it mentioned only the PH by Fielder and the slam by Bell, and that 1987, 1996, 1999 and 2006 saw the Jays hit three of them.

Consequently, this list was assembled the old-fashioned way, by going through Retrosheet game logs. There's a simple enough art to it: eliminate all games without saves, then check only road losses or home wins with a margin of four runs or less. In the process, I was sorely tempted to do another list. Perhaps "Worse Than a Walk-Off." When the winning run scores on an error. Or a walk. Or a wild pitch (Mark Lemongello, step up!).

Magpie - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 01:44 PM EDT (#186748) #

Notable absentees:

Well, Paul Molitor did show up. Just playing for the other team!

I did keep running across some of the same Jays repeatedly with walk-off hits, but not walk-off homers. Garth Iorg, of all people, who I think had a pair of walk-off triples. Shannon Stewart. Mulliniks, Fernandez, Olerud. And Molitor.

Geoff - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 03:50 PM EDT (#186760) #

I had the impression from your description that perhaps the game was won on an inside the park grand slam.

Of course that wasn't the case, but can anyone say how often an inside the park grand slam has been hit, and if ever as a walk-off hit?

dogbus - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 04:42 PM EDT (#186765) #

There is one home run missing from that list (unless I'm overlooking something) It was a pretty important one too. Joe Carter, 1993. Mitch Williams was on the mound. He didn't really walk off though.. I think he was carried off.

ANationalAcrobat - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 04:46 PM EDT (#186766) #

He didn't really walk off though.. I think he was carried off.

The term "walk-off" refers to the losing team walking off the field while the winners stay on and enjoy the victory.

Paul D - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 04:46 PM EDT (#186767) #

Dan, that's really cool that you were also at that game. My birthday was two days prior, and my dad got me tickets. We went down on a bus with a group who was going to the game - I remember that the bus drive had to leave early to get the bus started, so he missed the end of the game.

Magpie - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 05:31 PM EDT (#186768) #

Joe Carter, 1993. Mitch Williams was on the mound.

I did mention it - breaks the tie-breaker between Williams and Thigpen.

Ah, let's include it! OK!

jgadfly - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 05:39 PM EDT (#186770) #

Giambi's walkoff ... Gameday had Ryan's pitch as an 84 mph fastball and by it's location it would probably have been called a ball ... so should somebody ask JP how BJ's back is ?

Rob - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 06:27 PM EDT (#186771) #

didn't Eric Hinske actually play short a little bit while in TO?

Oh, sure, let's just add another incredibly scary thing to the list. (You're thinking of Glaus.)

 3 April 2000   KC  4 TOR  5   Tony Batista              Jerry Spradlin

That's a clear Kansas City Royals memory if there ever was one. 4 pm start, if I recall correctly (the walkoff wasn't late at night, i.e., 10 innings after every bat boy was introduced at SkyDome). Wells went 6, Quantrill 7th and 8th, then Koch blew it in the ninth. Apparently Zaun got the two-run single to tie it. That game also lent itself to Carlos Febles/Carlos Beltran confusion, which is less likely these days.

And man, August 1983 must have sucked. Didn't Tippy Martinez happen around then?

Magpie - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 07:11 PM EDT (#186772) #

Gameday had Ryan's pitch as an 84 mph fastball

That's what a flat slider looks like. When it doesn't slide, it's just a really lame fastball.

Mick Doherty - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 08:46 PM EDT (#186773) #

(You're thinking of Glaus.)

You're right. Maybe Hinske can send me a thank-you note for confusing him with Glaus -- I went to BBRef to see if Hinske had ever played short (um, no) and while there saw that while Glaus' current career Most-Similars are Hall-of-Fame talents like Mike Schmidt, Reggie Jackson and Gary Sheffield (and hey, Scott Rolen at #6), for Hinske the names are somewhat less glamorous -- Scott Spiezio, Mark Whiten, Brad Wilkerson (quite a Jay connection!) and hey, DiMaggio! (Um, Vince DiMaggio). Mr. Glaus, I offer my humblest apologies.

jmoney - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 09:46 PM EDT (#186774) #

Speaking of painful. Watching the Orioles put up six (so far) in the 8th on three home runs is just awful.

Sherrystar - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:06 PM EDT (#186775) #

Watching Shannon Stewart at the plate is even more awful.

Mike Green - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:16 PM EDT (#186776) #

Chipper Jones keeps on rolling at age 35. Some of the number on the age 35 leaderboard look attainable for him. With a .500 OBP to date, the possibility of falling smack dab in the middle of Ted Williams, Babe Ruth, Tris Speaker and Ty Cobb at .475 or something would be nice.

King Ryan - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:26 PM EDT (#186777) #

- M. Mora homered to deep center, N. Markakis scored
- K. Millar homered to deep left
- A. Jones homered to deep left, L. Scott scored

What the hell?!

Mike Green - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:34 PM EDT (#186779) #

Jason Frasor has been a better pitcher than Armando Benitez for 3 and 1/2 years. It would be good if Frasor was used in the more highly leveraged situations.

Alex Obal - Friday, June 06 2008 @ 10:39 PM EDT (#186780) #

It would be a very pleasant surprise.

tstaddon - Saturday, June 07 2008 @ 06:25 AM EDT (#186786) #

The record in one-run games worsens. Sherrystar, you're right. As passable as his May would've been coming from a reserve outfielder, Stewart looks finished. One home run and fewer than ten extra-base hits in almost 200 plate appearances is completely unacceptable from a corner outfielder. May as well see in the next week if Mench has any worth; if not, calls for their exits and the swift returns of Wells and Lind should be deafening. Even if Lind only matches Stewart's .241, at least it will be with some pop.

Thomas - Saturday, June 07 2008 @ 07:16 AM EDT (#186787) #

May as well see in the next week if Mench has any worth; if not, calls for their exits and the swift returns of Wells and Lind should be deafening

The thing with Mench is that he plays a different role from the other 3rd/4th outfielder types the Blue Jays have. Mench is a lefty-killer and should be making the significant majority of his plate appearances against southpaws. This is a sharp contrast from Wilkerson (lefty), Stairs (lefty), Inglett (lefty) and Stewart (righty with reverse splits).

Despite his struggles against southpaws this season, Mench had an .876 OPS against them in 2006, preceded by a .980 in 2005 and followed by a .901 in 2007. I don't see any reason Mench shouldn't continue to put up good numbers against lefties this year.

I suppose I can understand the argument that you can't afford to keep an outfielder who hits righties like a middle infielder on a 4-man bench, but Mench seems like a good compliment for Stairs and the other outfielder that remains standing. He's not a strong defender, but neither is Stewart, and both Inglett and Scutaro can play also play the outfield.

tstaddon - Saturday, June 07 2008 @ 09:26 AM EDT (#186788) #

There's certainly an argument for Mench that involves this year's sample size, too. And I agree he could offer an appropriate compliment to Stairs. So perhaps at the heart of my frustration is the team's current roster composition. With the four-man bench, it's hard to accommodate more than one platoon situation. Pleased as I am that Wilkerson's come through of late, I must say it's startlingly how much he strikes out when he's going well . If this is a hot streak, I don't look forward to his next slump. Elsewhere, ESPN is reporting that Aaron Hill is likely to be DL'd today. Do Scutaro and Inglett platoon, with Lind getting recalled to squeeze ABs from Stewart? Or does Russ "future Joe Inglett" Adams placehold until Aaron's back? Guthrie today and a glorified AAAer tomorrow... I vote Lind.

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