Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Game thread

The final game of the homestand. Mark Buehrle faces Jake Peavy. Buehrle has an ERA of 4.43, Peavy's ERA is 4.50. The main pitchers in both bullpens were rested last night, except for Brett Cecil. Janssen, Santos, Loup, Uehara, Tazawa, etc. should all be ready to go.

After this game the Jays head to Tampa, New York and Houston. The Jays play a day/night doubleheader on Tuesday in New York. With Monday being an off-day the Jays could roll through their rotation but that would cause a problem on the Saturday when they would not have a rested starting pitcher. Baseball rules now allow teams to add a 26th player for a doubleheader, will the Jays recall a pitcher for Tuesday for the spot start?

The lineup for a right handed pitcher is back. Lawrie's hot streak and Lind's not so much has allowed Gibby to flip them with Lawrie hitting 5th and Lind 6th. Pillar is still looking for his first hit while Kawasaki gives Izturis another "rest".

Posted by Gerry on Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 03:34 PM EDT.

Game thread - 8/15 vs Boston | 24 comments | Create New Account

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Thomas - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 03:48 PM EDT (#278088) #

Luckily for the Blue Jays, today is famous Red Sox fan Ben Affleck's birthday.

You may ask, why is that lucky for the Blue Jays?

Since 1997 the Red Sox are 0-13 on Ben Affleck's birthday.

Eephus - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 08:10 PM EDT (#278096) #

That was an interesting play that just happened. On any ground ball to your left you are constantly reminded (drilled, even) as a pitcher to cover first base. It's an instinct, it's a fundamental rule of pitching that you see disobeyed even on occasion in the majors. Buehrle as a alert fielder did just that on the ball hit by Ortiz, but with the infield shift on there was nobody covering third base which of course allowed Pedroia to advance there. The logical person to cover third on such a play would have been Buehrle but you know, instinct and all.

greenfrog - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 08:25 PM EDT (#278097) #

Unfortunate play by Kawasaki, as the Jays could have been out of the inning unscathed. Also, Reyes still seems to be having ankle issues, as evidenced by his limping around afterwards. Should the Jays DL him? It looks as though the injury still needs rehabbing. Playing shortstop on the RC turf every night probably isn't helping.

John Northey - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 09:02 PM EDT (#278099) #

Buehrle is really looking good tonight. Gave up a lot of hits but has done a great job avoiding the big inning with just 1 run allowed. Now if the offense can just score a couple...

ISLAND BOY - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 09:04 PM EDT (#278100) #

Are the Red Sox getting ready for the hockey playoffs ? I haven't seen so many beards since the last episode of Duck Dynasty. Okay , I have a question for the more knowledgable posters on here. On the play last night where Rajai Davis scored the first run of the game on a grounder mishandled initially by Lester, Davis was given an infield single and Lester was given an error on his botched throw to first base. Now if Lester had made a good throw , Davis would have been out, so why was he credited with a hit ? Did the official scorer think it wasn't a makeable play ? It wasn't the way I saw it.

Beyonder - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 09:13 PM EDT (#278101) #

I don't think it was obvious Rajai would have been out if the throw had been accurate. A scorer would have a tough time saying that it was a play that could have been made with ordinary effort.

Thomas - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 09:38 PM EDT (#278103) #

Jays reporters have apparently seen Gose arrive in the team's clubhouse in the last half hour or so. Not surprisingly. Storey or Weber will likely get disappointing news after the game today.

Yeah, it's tough to blame Buehrle for that play. It's gut reaction to go for that ball. That's just a time the shift comes back to bite you. If anything, you'd have hoped Reyes could have quickly recognized there wasn't going to be a play at second and taken off towards third, but that's against his instincts, as well.

greenfrog - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 09:56 PM EDT (#278105) #

I hope DeRosa is around next year to continue on as Lawrie's mentor.

Chuck - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 10:32 PM EDT (#278106) #

I have long ago stopped listening to Wilner's call-in show, more because of the callers than because of Wilner himself. But for reasons unfathomable, I flipped the show on after tonight's game. A caller phoned in to complain that Lawrie didn't bunt in the 7th inning, even though the non-bunt was a hit that tied the game. Usually callers avail themselves of 20-20 hindsight as the basis for their objections. Today's genius didn't care about 20-20 hindsight. He was not happy with the actual result and would have preferred the bunt. "The Jays don't play enough small ball" was the insight this gentleman offered. And then I turned the radio off.

John Northey - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 11:22 PM EDT (#278108) #

Hrm. Not sure how I feel about Gose being there as it suggests the Jays might be looking at benching Pillar already or sending him back to AAA after a tiny sample of the bigs. Pillar has yet to get a hit but has been great on defense and anyone can go through an 0 for 7 with 4 K's. If a platoon is to happen I'd hope it'd be Gose with Davis or Gose in CF everyday, Pillar in LF and Davis platooning with Lind at DH. Gose and Pillar both need PA to help the Jays figure out if they are part of the picture for 2014. Davis is a known quantity, as is Lind (one hopes they have figured it out with him by now) so cutting their PA is not a big deal.

Richard S.S. - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 11:25 PM EDT (#278109) #

If Gose has been called up, then this Site is the only one I checked in the last 25 minutes to have it, and I looked.

Chuck - Thursday, August 15 2013 @ 11:34 PM EDT (#278110) #

Not sure how I feel about Gose being there as it suggests the Jays might be looking at benching Pillar already

They probably just want to carry 4 outfielders (though this may well cut into Pillar's playing time). Storey was sent down.

Richard S.S. - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 09:10 AM EDT (#278115) #

Pillar will get full time ABs. Whether he's kept or traded, it's time to see what he's got. 40+ games is a decent enough showcase. Gose, according to the Official Site platoons with Davis hitting RHP.

uglyone - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 11:12 AM EDT (#278121) #

Baltimore's a .500 team over their last 45gms (or since Davis went from being all-world to just all-star), Boston's a .500 team over their last 35 (as their unsustainable team babip has regressed).

Part of the reason why this year is so frustrating is that our AL East opponents are so beatable. These are all good teams here but none of them are powerhouses. This year is a big opportunity missed.

electric carrot - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 11:28 AM EDT (#278122) #

Part of the reason why this year is so frustrating is that our AL East opponents are so beatable.

Agreed. Somebody needs to communicate to the players that now is the time to go on the forty game win streak. Don't wait one minute longer!

greenfrog - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 03:14 PM EDT (#278126) #

I'm not sure that the AL East is so vulnerable in 2013.

Boston still has one of the best records in baseball, despite being without Buchholz since June 8, Ross since June 14, Bailey since July 12, Hanrahan (who underwent TJ surgery in May), etc. Buchholz (and the recently injured Thornton) are apparently making progress and Ross is currently on a rehab assignment, so reinforcements could be on the way.

Despite trading Shields and Davis and starting out 5-10, Tampa is now 17 games over .500 and is already getting major contributions from young players like Cobb, Archer, Moore and Myers.

Both teams are playing .570 - .585 baseball in a division that is still pretty competitive.

greenfrog - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 03:57 PM EDT (#278128) #

The scary thing is that TB can trade Price for a mega-haul after this year (he's a free agent after 2015) and still have a promising young rotation built around Moore, Archer and Cobb.

Mike Green - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:02 PM EDT (#278130) #

Kolten Wong got the call and makes the start tonight for the Cardinals at second base with Matt Carpenter moving to third. What could have been...

Gerry - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:03 PM EDT (#278131) #

The Royals beat Detroit 2-1 today. Emilio drove in the Royals second run with a ground rule double in the seventh inning. He was 1-3 with a walk and a steal.

Mike Green - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:42 PM EDT (#278133) #

Izturis at second, Thole catching, Pillar in left and Gose in center facing Hellickson tonight. I was curious about the decision to play Kawasaki against a left-hander (2 days ago) and Izturis against a right-hander tonight. Izturis has two singles and a walk in 16 PAs against Hellickson, so it isn't that...Maybe Izturis was fighting a ticklish funny bone two days ago and he got over it by looking at the standings. Never mind- I like Maicer and think that he will be perfectly fine as a utility player next year.

Gerry - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:43 PM EDT (#278134) #

Kawasaki is gone on paternity leave so by default Izturis or DeRosa had to play today.

Paul D - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:43 PM EDT (#278135) #

Mike, Kawasawki's on paternity leave right now (Happ is back), so Izturis or DeRosa are the only choices for 2b.

Mike Green - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 04:49 PM EDT (#278136) #

Thanks, guys.

greenfrog - Friday, August 16 2013 @ 05:40 PM EDT (#278138) #

I liked Izturis while he was with LAA, but his last couple of hundred games or so suggest that he's no longer a particularly effective player. He'll be 33 next year. He certainly could rebound, but the trend isn't great, at least based on the saber stats.

Game thread - 8/15 vs Boston | 24 comments | Create New Account

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