April is the cruelest month, breeding
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Don't you know by now? If it's April, the Blue Jays must have a losing record.
This is not a new thing. Just look at the last 15 Aprils.
Data Table Time!
In fact, since the team began playing way back in 1977, they've posted their worst over-all record (424-456, .482) in the cruellest month. But it's also somewhat characteristic of teams managed by John Gibbons. Gibbons has a winning record as a major league manager, but in April his teams have played .463 (82-95) ball. This was also practically a defining characteristic of teams managed by Earl Weaver, of course, so it's not something that actually bothers me.
In the process of looking at Gibbons, all the other Jays' managers were swept up into the net. The best guy to run the team in April? Cito Gaston, by a mile. This has little to do with the quality of his teams - Gaston managed a lot of pretty bad teams while he was here - Bobby Cox, Jimy Williams, and Tim Johnson all have better winning percentages as a Toronto manager. But Gaston's teams played .559 (119-94) ball in April. This is something that strikes me as highly ironic, because twice Gaston came on board as a mid-season replacement - he didn't manage any games at all April 1989 or April 2008. But Gaston and Bobby Cox (42-38, .525) are the only Toronto managers whose teams won more games than they lost in the first month of the season.
Do not read too much into this. The most successful managers in September were Tim Johnson in his one year (17-8, .680) and Jimy Williams (51-31, 622). If you were there, you remember Williams' 1987 team losing their last seven in a row, and four of those games came at the end of September. But prior to that fateful losing streak, they'd gone 19-5 in September 1987. The following year, having fallen three games below .500 and 10.5 games out of the pennant race, they posted a 20-7 mark in September to make the final season mark look a little more respectable.
All right, Oakland comes to town. We have matchups!
Fri. - Gray (2-1, 2.33) vs Sanchez (1-0, 1.35)
Sat. - Bassitt (0-0, 2.79) vs Happ (2-0, 1.89)
Sun. - Surkamp (0-1, 3.68) vs Hutchison (---, -.--)
Danny Valencia is headed to the DL with a strained hammy. The A's are expected to call up utility infielder Tyler Ladendorf to fill the roster spot, while playing Chris Coghlan at third.
Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing
Memory and desire, stirring
Dull roots with spring rain.
Don't you know by now? If it's April, the Blue Jays must have a losing record.
This is not a new thing. Just look at the last 15 Aprils.
Data Table Time!
Year W L RS RA Pct.They've played really well in April exactly once, and that was the year they were supposed to lose 90 plus games.
2016 8 9 65 62 .471
2015 11 12 122 115 .478
2014 12 14 120 119 .462
2013 10 17 104 137 .370
2012 12 11 105 96 .522
2011 13 14 125 118 .481
2010 12 12 110 108 .500
2009 15 9 142 112 .625
2008 11 17 116 112 .393
2007 13 12 129 106 .520
2006 12 11 135 125 .522
2005 13 12 122 118 .520
2004 7 15 100 120 .318
2003 10 17 149 178 .370
2002 8 16 124 172 .333
In fact, since the team began playing way back in 1977, they've posted their worst over-all record (424-456, .482) in the cruellest month. But it's also somewhat characteristic of teams managed by John Gibbons. Gibbons has a winning record as a major league manager, but in April his teams have played .463 (82-95) ball. This was also practically a defining characteristic of teams managed by Earl Weaver, of course, so it's not something that actually bothers me.
In the process of looking at Gibbons, all the other Jays' managers were swept up into the net. The best guy to run the team in April? Cito Gaston, by a mile. This has little to do with the quality of his teams - Gaston managed a lot of pretty bad teams while he was here - Bobby Cox, Jimy Williams, and Tim Johnson all have better winning percentages as a Toronto manager. But Gaston's teams played .559 (119-94) ball in April. This is something that strikes me as highly ironic, because twice Gaston came on board as a mid-season replacement - he didn't manage any games at all April 1989 or April 2008. But Gaston and Bobby Cox (42-38, .525) are the only Toronto managers whose teams won more games than they lost in the first month of the season.
Do not read too much into this. The most successful managers in September were Tim Johnson in his one year (17-8, .680) and Jimy Williams (51-31, 622). If you were there, you remember Williams' 1987 team losing their last seven in a row, and four of those games came at the end of September. But prior to that fateful losing streak, they'd gone 19-5 in September 1987. The following year, having fallen three games below .500 and 10.5 games out of the pennant race, they posted a 20-7 mark in September to make the final season mark look a little more respectable.
All right, Oakland comes to town. We have matchups!
Fri. - Gray (2-1, 2.33) vs Sanchez (1-0, 1.35)
Sat. - Bassitt (0-0, 2.79) vs Happ (2-0, 1.89)
Sun. - Surkamp (0-1, 3.68) vs Hutchison (---, -.--)
Danny Valencia is headed to the DL with a strained hammy. The A's are expected to call up utility infielder Tyler Ladendorf to fill the roster spot, while playing Chris Coghlan at third.
