There are both good and bad news about last night's game. The good news is that the Jays took their bats and beat the crap out of the best pitcher in the AL this season. Maybe they got together before the game and said "let's do it for Doc guys", since it seems the Cy (thus far) may be going to one or the other. The Jays got to Zach early with a run in each of the first 2 innings, but really got to him most in the 3rd inning when they scored 4 runs against him. Some of the runs the Jays got in were due to inning extensions caused by errors (2 total). Overbay and Lind each homered off of Zach and Scutaro was his usual pesky self again with 3 doubles (all off of Greinke) and a walk. Romero, on the other hand, was able to finally show why he was kept with the Jays after spring training. His 3 earned runs came in the 7th when he labored a little and already had a 7-0 lead. He allowed 5 hits and had 5 Ks, and handed it over to Jason Frasor and Scott Downs who shut the door.
The bad is that it proves my theory about the previous night's game that Frasor or Downs should have been the 9th inning guy, and also that only slightly over 15,000 fans saw this game in Toronto: on a Friday night of all days. Come on Toronto, I know it's KC but the Jays need much bigger crowds if they're going to convince ownership to loosen the purse strings. If these tiny crowds continue and the Jays don't break out a winning streak of sorts, I guarantee that JP will trade Roy Halladay for 6-7 prospects because they can't afford not to. If crowd support isn't going to pay for Doc's extension, what will? If TO is going to win another championship sometime soon, it needs Doc as an anchor and hey, maybe he'll be the next guy to win 300 if he can last long enough. Wouldn't it be special if he won all 300 as a Jay?
Strange Jays Notes: The Rios Situation
- Drunk Jays Fan has a bang on post about the Rios video
- Tao of Stieb seconds the motion here
- Robert MacLeod chimes in here, but is dead freakin wrong (that's why bloggers are better than columnists). He says Rios should have known better, right. All he did was wear his heart on his sleeve. He wanted the win so badly that the outcome was still on his mind during the event and he was angry at himself for missing out on opportunities - THANK YOU ALEX FOR CARING!!! I call that a winner. Someone who gets seriously peaved when they lose because they hate the hell out of it. I just wish he'd show this kind of emotion on the field, but hey, at least now I know how he truly takes the outcomes seriously. Get over yourself Rob, you're no Saint either.
- I would like to chime in as well. Posting videos of guys refusing to sign autographs is just self-righteous. If you're so perfect maybe you don't deserve to be a fan and should set yourself up in your own little world so that nobody could insult your entitlement issues. It's a scribble of ink on paper for crying out loud!! It has value to kids, sure, but remember that the athlete or star has daily issues he has to deal with. Sometimes they get cranky, just like the rest of us. And hey, if one athlete never wants to sign autographs, it's his business. Just don't buy his jersey and refuse to stoop to getting as low as to post a video of him, because then YOU become the jerk and will be remembered as a whinny bitch.
6.06.2009
6.05.2009
Jays 5, Angels 6
Sometimes you just have to blame the manager. Cito is very responsible for yesterday's loss for different reasons. He is responsible because instead of bringing in Jason Frasor or Scott Downs in the 9th inning, he asked Brandon League to stay in there for another inning. I also question what went right in the pen, since Cito used Dick Hayhurst in a very critical situation during the 7th inning. Dick was just called up and thrown right into the fire in an intense game that was tied at the time. I'm all for pushing the guys to be ready to go at any time, but when you're in a pennant race and trying to play every game like it matters, throwing a rookie in a veteran situation may not have been necessary or the best option.
Look, Downs, Frasor, and League had not thrown since the weekend and so they were all very fresh. Roy threw a gem complete game Tuesday, Carlson - Camp - Ryan were used Wednesday, so why the hell didn't Cito pass the ball to Downs? Was he expecting extra innings? And who does that? To assume makes an.....you know the rest.
In the positive category Lind was absolutely awesome yesterday with 3 doubles and a 5 for 5 day. Overbay and Chavez both had 2 hits a piece, while the top of the lineup was dormant for the second straight day.
We need things to turn around fast here and Cito has got to re-learn how to use his pen. If the pitching coach is the one making the calls, then let Cito slap him around a little to wake him the hell up. We can't afford pen losses when the Yanks and Sox are ahead in the standings. I will admit the winning run was sneaky, but if Downs had been in the game I doubt the runners would have been there in the first place.
Look, Downs, Frasor, and League had not thrown since the weekend and so they were all very fresh. Roy threw a gem complete game Tuesday, Carlson - Camp - Ryan were used Wednesday, so why the hell didn't Cito pass the ball to Downs? Was he expecting extra innings? And who does that? To assume makes an.....you know the rest.
In the positive category Lind was absolutely awesome yesterday with 3 doubles and a 5 for 5 day. Overbay and Chavez both had 2 hits a piece, while the top of the lineup was dormant for the second straight day.
We need things to turn around fast here and Cito has got to re-learn how to use his pen. If the pitching coach is the one making the calls, then let Cito slap him around a little to wake him the hell up. We can't afford pen losses when the Yanks and Sox are ahead in the standings. I will admit the winning run was sneaky, but if Downs had been in the game I doubt the runners would have been there in the first place.
Hot Prospect: Justin Jackson, SS Dunedin
Nobody is happier about Justin Jackson's hot streak this season than any Jays fan who has faint memories of El numero uno, Tony Fernandez. Since then, the Jays have filled the SS positions with some willing and able people, but never with guys who have the ability to make an impact on the outcome of the game. This does exclude Marco Scutaro's run thus far since he has been instrumental to the Jays. Nobody would have predicted that would happen, but he'll be able to hold the fort until JJ gets enough experience to make the bigs.
Jackson's 2009 stats don't look very impressive when looked at altogether
.246 avg, 134 AB, 33, hits, 6 doubles, 1 triple, no homers, 10 SBs, 22 walks and a scary 51 Ks (38%)
However, if you take April out of the equation the story is entirely different
May stats:
.367 avg, 49 AB, 18 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 SBs, 9 walks, 15 Ks (30%)
Although the reduction in Ks is not monumental, it is an improvement. The fact that a good portion of his hits started to become extra base hits after April is very encouraging even if the homerless part is worrisome.
If we break down JJ's issues, it becomes evident that he has serious problems hitting right-handed pitching. His average vs lefties is .389, while it is .224 against righties. He also seems to have issues playing in Dunedin, where he is hitting .224 in comparison to .269 while away where he has 5 of his 7 extra base hits.
Overall the increased number of hits is very nice and JJ seems likely to become a top of the order or bottom of the order player with very little power. At 6'1" 186 lbs you would think that he'd be able to put a hurt on once in a while, but I guess they can't all be Pedroia types, can they. He did have 7 HRs last year, which leads me to believe that if he squares up the ball enough he'll get his 5-10 HRs per season. I hope he keeps up the hot streak and does enough to get a trial in AA some time this season.
Jackson's 2009 stats don't look very impressive when looked at altogether
.246 avg, 134 AB, 33, hits, 6 doubles, 1 triple, no homers, 10 SBs, 22 walks and a scary 51 Ks (38%)
However, if you take April out of the equation the story is entirely different
May stats:
.367 avg, 49 AB, 18 hits, 4 doubles, 1 triple, 3 SBs, 9 walks, 15 Ks (30%)
Although the reduction in Ks is not monumental, it is an improvement. The fact that a good portion of his hits started to become extra base hits after April is very encouraging even if the homerless part is worrisome.
If we break down JJ's issues, it becomes evident that he has serious problems hitting right-handed pitching. His average vs lefties is .389, while it is .224 against righties. He also seems to have issues playing in Dunedin, where he is hitting .224 in comparison to .269 while away where he has 5 of his 7 extra base hits.
Overall the increased number of hits is very nice and JJ seems likely to become a top of the order or bottom of the order player with very little power. At 6'1" 186 lbs you would think that he'd be able to put a hurt on once in a while, but I guess they can't all be Pedroia types, can they. He did have 7 HRs last year, which leads me to believe that if he squares up the ball enough he'll get his 5-10 HRs per season. I hope he keeps up the hot streak and does enough to get a trial in AA some time this season.
6.04.2009
TOR 1 LAA 8
Jered Weaver only allowed 3 hits while striking out 10 Jays hitters last night in an Angels 8-1 win over the Jays. Maybe it was revenge for the embarrassment that Doc caused when he struck out 14 Angel hitters, but in any case it was a dominant performance. The Angels pen closed the door nicely thereafter. On the Jays end Casey Janssen only stayed in for 69 pitches, which is a little worrisome, but more worrisome was his ineffectiveness. I think we need to allow him to get back into a groove before we over-criticize each of his performances, but it may be something that would have been done a little more easily in AAA. Jesse Carlson has simply been horrible in his last couple of outings. What used to be an "in your face" style of aggressive pitching coming from Jesse is now a whimper that says "please don't...". I don't know when or why it happened, but he needs to figure it out quick because we need him. His ERA now sits at 5.00 on the season, coupled with BJ Ryan's 8.03 the pen is starting to look...uhhummm....shabby?
Let's hope they can turn it around tonight when Tallet goes for win #4 against John Lackey, who recently returned from injury.
Let's hope they can turn it around tonight when Tallet goes for win #4 against John Lackey, who recently returned from injury.
6.03.2009
McLouth Trade to Atlanta for 3 Prospects
Nate McLouth was traded to Atlanta tonight, in return for SP Charlie Morton, OF Gorkys Hernandez, and SP Jeff Locke. I know this isn't a Jays story, but I think it deserves to be looked at to wage the trade market. First of all, why is it that some teams just tend to trade well between one another? The Braves and Pirates tend to make trades each year with one another, so do the GMs just get along that well, or is Pittsburgh just another of Atlanta's affiliates?
Trade Evaluation
To the Braves: OF Nate McLouth
The 28 year old's stats are pretty mediocre this season in comparison to his 2008 season. So far he has 9 HRs in 168 ABs for a .256 average, a 0.348 OBP, and a .407 SLG percentage. He also has 7 stolen bases. I guess that when you compare it to the output from other Atlanta outfielders, he looks like a rock star. Either way he should do much better in Atlanta where he'll get more opportunities to shine and may get a shot of motivation that was non-existent in Pittsburgh. McLouth bats from the left side, joining McCann, Johnson, Kotchman, and Anderson on the left side which balances the lineup fairly well.
To the Pirates
RHP Charlie Morton - 26 years old, pitches in AAA
2009 AAA Stats: 7-2, 10 GS, 64.2 IP, 55 Ks, 52 HA, 16 BB, 2.51 ERA
Morton should fit nicely into a #3 or #4 role with the Pirates some time this season. He is the most likely of the 3 prospects to have an immediate impact for the Pirates.
LHP Jeff Locke - 21 years old, pitches in HiA
2009 HiA Stats: 1-4, 10 GS, 45.2 IP, 43 Ks, 47 HA, 26 BB, 5.52 ERA
Locke was ranked the 7th best prospect in Atlanta by Baseball America this year and is highly touted. He was a second round draft pick in 2006 and although expectations are high, results have been mixed. BA projected him to become a middle of the rotation guy and that seems about right, with a time line of making the Pirates some time in 2011.
OF Gorkys Hernandez - 21 years old, playing in AA
2009 AA Stats: 212 ABs, 67 hits, 11 doubles, 2 triples, no homers, 10 stolen bases, caught stealing 8 times, .316 average.
BA had ranked Gorkys as the 4th best Atlanta prospect this season and noted his lack of power. He has no homers so far this season but has struck out much less often than he has in the past. I'm not sure how he'll fit in someone's starting lineup as an outfielder if all he does is hit for average. I've never been a fan of Gorkys. He has trouble stealing bases in AA, getting thrown out almost half of the time and doesn't hit enough extra base hits. I guess the Pirates were looking for a nice 4th outfielder and putting much of the value in the trade into Morton and Locke, even if Gorkys is "highly thought of" by many.
Overall I feel that it is a strange deal on both sides. While the braves didn't sell the farm to get McLouth, they're not getting any guarantees and have to endure his contract if he doesn't return to 2008 form. On the Pirates end it better work out because they just gave up the most talented guy in their lineup for 3 maybes. I'm sure Morton will do well enough to warrant part of the trade, but I'm not sure Locke will get the other half soon enough to make the deal worthwhile for them. Gorkys is just another piece thrown in the more I think of it, so I give the Braves the thumbs up here and the Pirates a big fat C. I know they could have gotten more elsewhere if they had waited long enough. The Pirates will need a new strategy to be successful, one that doesn't involve trading with the Braves.
Trade Evaluation
To the Braves: OF Nate McLouth
The 28 year old's stats are pretty mediocre this season in comparison to his 2008 season. So far he has 9 HRs in 168 ABs for a .256 average, a 0.348 OBP, and a .407 SLG percentage. He also has 7 stolen bases. I guess that when you compare it to the output from other Atlanta outfielders, he looks like a rock star. Either way he should do much better in Atlanta where he'll get more opportunities to shine and may get a shot of motivation that was non-existent in Pittsburgh. McLouth bats from the left side, joining McCann, Johnson, Kotchman, and Anderson on the left side which balances the lineup fairly well.
To the Pirates
RHP Charlie Morton - 26 years old, pitches in AAA
2009 AAA Stats: 7-2, 10 GS, 64.2 IP, 55 Ks, 52 HA, 16 BB, 2.51 ERA
Morton should fit nicely into a #3 or #4 role with the Pirates some time this season. He is the most likely of the 3 prospects to have an immediate impact for the Pirates.
LHP Jeff Locke - 21 years old, pitches in HiA
2009 HiA Stats: 1-4, 10 GS, 45.2 IP, 43 Ks, 47 HA, 26 BB, 5.52 ERA
Locke was ranked the 7th best prospect in Atlanta by Baseball America this year and is highly touted. He was a second round draft pick in 2006 and although expectations are high, results have been mixed. BA projected him to become a middle of the rotation guy and that seems about right, with a time line of making the Pirates some time in 2011.
OF Gorkys Hernandez - 21 years old, playing in AA
2009 AA Stats: 212 ABs, 67 hits, 11 doubles, 2 triples, no homers, 10 stolen bases, caught stealing 8 times, .316 average.
BA had ranked Gorkys as the 4th best Atlanta prospect this season and noted his lack of power. He has no homers so far this season but has struck out much less often than he has in the past. I'm not sure how he'll fit in someone's starting lineup as an outfielder if all he does is hit for average. I've never been a fan of Gorkys. He has trouble stealing bases in AA, getting thrown out almost half of the time and doesn't hit enough extra base hits. I guess the Pirates were looking for a nice 4th outfielder and putting much of the value in the trade into Morton and Locke, even if Gorkys is "highly thought of" by many.
Overall I feel that it is a strange deal on both sides. While the braves didn't sell the farm to get McLouth, they're not getting any guarantees and have to endure his contract if he doesn't return to 2008 form. On the Pirates end it better work out because they just gave up the most talented guy in their lineup for 3 maybes. I'm sure Morton will do well enough to warrant part of the trade, but I'm not sure Locke will get the other half soon enough to make the deal worthwhile for them. Gorkys is just another piece thrown in the more I think of it, so I give the Braves the thumbs up here and the Pirates a big fat C. I know they could have gotten more elsewhere if they had waited long enough. The Pirates will need a new strategy to be successful, one that doesn't involve trading with the Braves.
Jays Recall RP Dick Hayhurst
The Jays recalled RHP Dick Hayhurst from AAA Las Vegas today and simultaneously sent the hapless Brian Wolfe down to AAA in his place. Comparison of stats thus far in 2009:
Hayhurst: 2-4, 15 GP, 5 GS, 5.11 ERA, 37 IP, 29 Ks, 51 HA, 10 BB. Era over last 10 games has lowered to 3.65.
Wolfe: 7 GP, 8.1 IP, 8 Ks, 13 HA, 2 BB.
Although Wolfe was rarely used, he was definitely not dependable in the least. I'm not sure that Hayhurst was the best choice, but he has done much better as a relief pitcher thus far in 2009 than he has as a starter. The disconcerting part of his call up is that both righties and lefties are hitting over .300 against him, leading me to ask: what will his specialty be? I'm guessing that he'll be used in either substantial lead or substantial losing situations at first and may only get rare opportunities until he proves himself. I have to ask though, why not call up Jeremy Accardo who is very effective against lefties, has more experience in the bigs, and can feasibly fill-in for save opportunities if the pen needs the help? We all know that BJ can't be relied upon to help Downs out, so Accardo would make a whole lot of sense.
Hayhurst: 2-4, 15 GP, 5 GS, 5.11 ERA, 37 IP, 29 Ks, 51 HA, 10 BB. Era over last 10 games has lowered to 3.65.
Wolfe: 7 GP, 8.1 IP, 8 Ks, 13 HA, 2 BB.
Although Wolfe was rarely used, he was definitely not dependable in the least. I'm not sure that Hayhurst was the best choice, but he has done much better as a relief pitcher thus far in 2009 than he has as a starter. The disconcerting part of his call up is that both righties and lefties are hitting over .300 against him, leading me to ask: what will his specialty be? I'm guessing that he'll be used in either substantial lead or substantial losing situations at first and may only get rare opportunities until he proves himself. I have to ask though, why not call up Jeremy Accardo who is very effective against lefties, has more experience in the bigs, and can feasibly fill-in for save opportunities if the pen needs the help? We all know that BJ can't be relied upon to help Downs out, so Accardo would make a whole lot of sense.
JP Ricciardi says Jays could be buyers
Paging Matt Holliday to the Jays lineup. Matt Holliday, Jays lineup please. If JP truly has faith in this roster and wants to make a statement while giving the Jays the best chance to win, he'll go out and grab Matt Holliday. A recent interview with parts posted on MLBTR shows just how ready he is to move on from his short stay in Oakland, and he's only going to get more expensive in the end. JP recently said the Jays could be buyers if they're still in the race at the trade deadline, I say don't wait until then - make certain that you are in the race by getting the guy(s) now!! I'm not sure exactly what the Jays would have to give up to get him, but I came up with one scenario that I thought the Jays could muster and wouldn't hurt their long-term franchise talent depth.
Send LHP Marc Rzepczynski, 1B Brian Dopirak, OF Jose Bautista, and either Johermyn Chavez or Moises Sierra in return for Matt Holliday.
It's only a sample scenario, but even if the Jays move 1 arm or 2 from the minors along with a bat or 2, they still have depth and can carry on next year if Matt moves on elsewhere. Travis Snider would be able to remain in AAA to develop fully and could still be a September call up or injury replacement if necessary. Either way, it relieves some pressure from the kid. Matt's presence would also be key because he's been there before - both in terms of races to get into the playoffs, and in playoff experience once they get in. If the Jays build up the experience they have by adding Matt to Scott Rolen's experience they could settle down what is a really inexperienced squad when playoff races and performances are concerned.
The Jays lineup with Matt Holliday included:
SS Marco Scutaro
2B Aaron Hill
RF Alex Rios
LF Matt Holliday
CF Vernon Wells
DH Adam Lind
3B Scott Rolen
1B Kevin Millar / Lyle Overbay
C Rod Barajas
That lineup can contend a lot more easily with the other AL East teams than the current lineup. Replacing Bautista with Holliday adds to all offensive areas and with his career average being so high, it will help the lineup turn over more often. However, as previously stated here, the major Achilles heel of the Jays is their entire lack of consistent pop in the lineup - and Matt would go a long way to helping them out in that category. The Jays don't really need a 40 HR guy if he hits .240, but if they spread out their pop to ensure they can always threaten to hit one out they will be able to have a lot more success than they currently do at scoring runs in bunches.
Let's say the Jays don't go get Matt Holliday and he ends up in Boston. The Jays will not only have to contend with the powerful Yankees combo of Arod and Tex, but will now have this lineup to contend with:
Dustin Pedroia
JD Drew
Kevin Youkilis
Matt Holliday
Jason Bay
Mike Lowell
David Ortiz
Jason Varitek
Jacoby Ellsbury
Nick Green / Julio Lugo
That lineup, along with Boston's superior pitching would all but ensure the Jays will not make the playoffs and would make us sellers. I'm not sure what Matt's preference is in terms of destination, but as far as I can tell from his interview he just wants to contend and get a shot. The scary part for us Jays fans is that Boston actually has a ton of pitching to deal. However, I do know they were looking to trade at least some of their pitching (1 or 2) for help at the catcher position long term. The Jays need to act and need to act quickly if they have any chance of making the playoffs this season. Go get Matt JP, then let the boys prove they have what it takes.
Send LHP Marc Rzepczynski, 1B Brian Dopirak, OF Jose Bautista, and either Johermyn Chavez or Moises Sierra in return for Matt Holliday.
It's only a sample scenario, but even if the Jays move 1 arm or 2 from the minors along with a bat or 2, they still have depth and can carry on next year if Matt moves on elsewhere. Travis Snider would be able to remain in AAA to develop fully and could still be a September call up or injury replacement if necessary. Either way, it relieves some pressure from the kid. Matt's presence would also be key because he's been there before - both in terms of races to get into the playoffs, and in playoff experience once they get in. If the Jays build up the experience they have by adding Matt to Scott Rolen's experience they could settle down what is a really inexperienced squad when playoff races and performances are concerned.
The Jays lineup with Matt Holliday included:
SS Marco Scutaro
2B Aaron Hill
RF Alex Rios
LF Matt Holliday
CF Vernon Wells
DH Adam Lind
3B Scott Rolen
1B Kevin Millar / Lyle Overbay
C Rod Barajas
That lineup can contend a lot more easily with the other AL East teams than the current lineup. Replacing Bautista with Holliday adds to all offensive areas and with his career average being so high, it will help the lineup turn over more often. However, as previously stated here, the major Achilles heel of the Jays is their entire lack of consistent pop in the lineup - and Matt would go a long way to helping them out in that category. The Jays don't really need a 40 HR guy if he hits .240, but if they spread out their pop to ensure they can always threaten to hit one out they will be able to have a lot more success than they currently do at scoring runs in bunches.
Let's say the Jays don't go get Matt Holliday and he ends up in Boston. The Jays will not only have to contend with the powerful Yankees combo of Arod and Tex, but will now have this lineup to contend with:
Dustin Pedroia
JD Drew
Kevin Youkilis
Matt Holliday
Jason Bay
Mike Lowell
David Ortiz
Jason Varitek
Jacoby Ellsbury
Nick Green / Julio Lugo
That lineup, along with Boston's superior pitching would all but ensure the Jays will not make the playoffs and would make us sellers. I'm not sure what Matt's preference is in terms of destination, but as far as I can tell from his interview he just wants to contend and get a shot. The scary part for us Jays fans is that Boston actually has a ton of pitching to deal. However, I do know they were looking to trade at least some of their pitching (1 or 2) for help at the catcher position long term. The Jays need to act and need to act quickly if they have any chance of making the playoffs this season. Go get Matt JP, then let the boys prove they have what it takes.
Litsch has setback - visits Dr.Andrews
Apparently the Jays will need to rely on some of the youngsters in order to keep pace this season because it's looking more and more like Jesse Litsch will be out for a very long time. Recent reports from JP Ricciardi state that he is still experiencing pain in the elbow and needed to revisit Dr.Andrews who said that there is nothing wrong "structurally" with the elbow. It sounds a little like the Shawn Hill situation, where the player feels the pain but has nothing noticeable to surgeons to work on. He has been told he can resume throwing, but we shouldn't hold our breath that he'll return any time soon.
The Doctor Delivers!
Last night's Jays game versus the Angels was a statement for different reasons. Cito Gaston allowed Roy Halladay to remain in the game long enough to throw 133 pitches. That's a statement about the trust he has in the pitcher knowing his limits (I'm sure he was approached before going out for the 9th inning), but one that also makes me very nervous. If Roy burns himself out before July ends, we're in trouble. Having said that....WOW!
To strike out a career high 14 hitters in your 11th season is impressive to say the least, especially when you're know to be a "pitch-to-contact" style pitcher. Roy only walked 1 hitter and allowed 7 hits. His stuff was nasty, sliding off the table whenever he chose and painting the corners like he had them pre-taped professionally. You could see it in the eyes of Angel hitters after he K'd them "how was I supposed to hit that?". You weren't. The 7th inning was the sole sore spot for Roy and the wild pitch was something I have not seen him do in a long time. It does show just how nasty the sink on his ball was last night.
Offensively, Rios hit his 7th HR of the season and Rolen-Millar-Barajas worked the bottom of the lineup into production with 2 hits a piece including 2 doubles, 4 runs, and 3 RBI. Surprisingly, Scutaro-Hill-Wells were cold the entire game at the top of the lineup, and Lind stole a base - his first of the season!!
The performance by Doc was needed in order to maintain momentum and to keep pace with both the Yanks and Sox who also won their games last night. Let's hope it doesn't burn him out or lead to injury.
Note: Attendance for Tuesday's was close to 27,000 fans, not bad for the worst attendance night of the week!
To strike out a career high 14 hitters in your 11th season is impressive to say the least, especially when you're know to be a "pitch-to-contact" style pitcher. Roy only walked 1 hitter and allowed 7 hits. His stuff was nasty, sliding off the table whenever he chose and painting the corners like he had them pre-taped professionally. You could see it in the eyes of Angel hitters after he K'd them "how was I supposed to hit that?". You weren't. The 7th inning was the sole sore spot for Roy and the wild pitch was something I have not seen him do in a long time. It does show just how nasty the sink on his ball was last night.
Offensively, Rios hit his 7th HR of the season and Rolen-Millar-Barajas worked the bottom of the lineup into production with 2 hits a piece including 2 doubles, 4 runs, and 3 RBI. Surprisingly, Scutaro-Hill-Wells were cold the entire game at the top of the lineup, and Lind stole a base - his first of the season!!
The performance by Doc was needed in order to maintain momentum and to keep pace with both the Yanks and Sox who also won their games last night. Let's hope it doesn't burn him out or lead to injury.
Note: Attendance for Tuesday's was close to 27,000 fans, not bad for the worst attendance night of the week!
6.02.2009
The Dunedin Crew lights up Jupiter!
Dunedin's RHP Andrew Liebel had a great start with 6.2 IP, 8 hits allowed, and 8 Ks for his first win of the season after 11 starts. Yep, his first win despite a respectable 4.35 ERA and 48 Ks over 60 IP. Andrew has allowed 2 or fewer runs over his last 4 starts and is really starting to open up some eyes. He's only 23 years old, stands at 6'0" and a sturdy 195 lbs. He was a 3rd round pick of the Jays in 2008, a draft that seems to have created quite a few options for the Jays going forward.
But, the lighting up of Jupiter pitching was done by one effective offensive outburst. 2B John Tolisano hit his 5th HR of the season and is starting to show the pop in his bat on a consistent basis. Outfielder Darin Mastoianni was a pest the entire game at leadoff, getting 3 hits including one double, a walk, 3 runs, and 2 RBI. His season average now sits at over .300, and although he has no home runs, he does have 27 stolen bases already. He could be the first speedster the Jays have had since.....hell, I can't remember the last speedster they've had. Another hot outfielder during this game was Sean Shoffit, who was demoted from AA after a horrid start to the year. He was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. However, the ligthning rod of the bunch was the previously mentioned Johnny Tolisano, who went 5 for 5 and punched in 4 RBIs with the help of his home run. John is hitting .286 over his last 10 games but only has 2 extra base hits over those 35 ABs. He still needs to develop a lot before the Jays move him up and may remain in HiA the entire season as a result.
Note: 3B Kevin Ahrens is really starting to look like a huge bust. Although the expectations were not as high as, say a Cameron Maybin or Travis Snider, he was compared to Chipper Jones when the Jays selected him in the 1st round of the 2007 draft. He went 0 for 5 in last night's game and is hitting .162 over his last 10. His season average is at the mendozza line (.206) and he has only managed 9 extra base hits over 131 ABs. Not exactly compelling stuff for a 1st rounder. SP Tim Alderson, Aaron Poreda, Rick Porcello, Andrew Brackman, and OF Ben Revere are just a few of the later picks in the 1st round that may have been better options than Ahrens. Then again, all scouts agreed that Ahrens was a great pick at the time, but who can really tell how a HS player will develop. That Porcello passed us by really kills me though, because the only reason he did was "sign ability". Which pretty much means "we don't want to win badly enough".
But, the lighting up of Jupiter pitching was done by one effective offensive outburst. 2B John Tolisano hit his 5th HR of the season and is starting to show the pop in his bat on a consistent basis. Outfielder Darin Mastoianni was a pest the entire game at leadoff, getting 3 hits including one double, a walk, 3 runs, and 2 RBI. His season average now sits at over .300, and although he has no home runs, he does have 27 stolen bases already. He could be the first speedster the Jays have had since.....hell, I can't remember the last speedster they've had. Another hot outfielder during this game was Sean Shoffit, who was demoted from AA after a horrid start to the year. He was 3 for 4 with 3 runs scored and 2 RBI. However, the ligthning rod of the bunch was the previously mentioned Johnny Tolisano, who went 5 for 5 and punched in 4 RBIs with the help of his home run. John is hitting .286 over his last 10 games but only has 2 extra base hits over those 35 ABs. He still needs to develop a lot before the Jays move him up and may remain in HiA the entire season as a result.
Note: 3B Kevin Ahrens is really starting to look like a huge bust. Although the expectations were not as high as, say a Cameron Maybin or Travis Snider, he was compared to Chipper Jones when the Jays selected him in the 1st round of the 2007 draft. He went 0 for 5 in last night's game and is hitting .162 over his last 10. His season average is at the mendozza line (.206) and he has only managed 9 extra base hits over 131 ABs. Not exactly compelling stuff for a 1st rounder. SP Tim Alderson, Aaron Poreda, Rick Porcello, Andrew Brackman, and OF Ben Revere are just a few of the later picks in the 1st round that may have been better options than Ahrens. Then again, all scouts agreed that Ahrens was a great pick at the time, but who can really tell how a HS player will develop. That Porcello passed us by really kills me though, because the only reason he did was "sign ability". Which pretty much means "we don't want to win badly enough".
Prospect Reider Gonzalez shines in AA start
New Hampshire's 24 year old RHP Reider Gonzalez, who hails from Cuba, threw a gem in his latest start, lasting 8 innings of shutout ball. He only allowed 4 hits and 1 walk, while striking out 5. It was his 11th start of the season and he now holds a meager 2.31 ERA, and has 43 Ks over 66 innings.
Over the season, Reider has been hit a lot more by lefties (.268) than righties (.184) which leads me to believe that he'll have to do a little better before getting a promotion. He also struggles with runners on base, allowing a .265 average which is manageable, but not ideal. With his height of 5'9", he may end up with a role in relief given his dominance over righties. But for now, the Jays must be happy that they have at least one RHP option in the minors since they have so many LHP to draw from.
Over the season, Reider has been hit a lot more by lefties (.268) than righties (.184) which leads me to believe that he'll have to do a little better before getting a promotion. He also struggles with runners on base, allowing a .265 average which is manageable, but not ideal. With his height of 5'9", he may end up with a role in relief given his dominance over righties. But for now, the Jays must be happy that they have at least one RHP option in the minors since they have so many LHP to draw from.
6.01.2009
AL East Roundup - 5/25/09 trough 5/31/09
New York Yankees - By Joseph Pawlikowski
For the first time in over two years, the Yankees reached the top of the AL East standings. It started as a tie with the Red Sox on Wednesday. They lost the lead when the Sox won on Thursday, but retook the lead over the weekend. The Yanks currently sit a half game up on the Red Sox. While the standings on May 31 count for absolutely nothing in the long run, it’s a relief for Yanks fans to see their team back atop the standings, rather than ending May in third place as they’ve done for the past few years.
The offense put up monstrous numbers every other game for the Yanks, as they scored 11 on Monday, nine on Wednesday, and 10 on Saturday. They mixed those with three-run showings on Tuesday and Friday, and a four-run affair in Sunday’s walk-off loss to the Indians. The pitching turned in a solid week as well, with the only poor showing coming on Tuesday in the team’s 7-3 loss in Texas. Joba Chamberlain had a sub-par start, and after the Yankees tied the game the bullpen blew it open. While the bullpen remains a concern, the continued quality starts from the rotation helps keep the relievers’ exposure limited.
Once again, Mark Teixeira was the offensive player of the week. He put up a .357/.400/.786 line in the last seven days (1.186 OPS), smacking three homers and three doubles in 28 at bats. Alex Rodriguez did his part, posting a .417/.517/.542 line on the week. Surprisingly, he hit no home runs, but he did have three doubles and five walks to go along with just one strikeout. It seems like his defense (-27.8 UZR/150) will be the last thing to come around following surgery to fix a torn hip labrum.
On the pitching end, it was a mixed bag. Phil Hughes had a stellar start on Monday in Texas but his struggles in the third inning of Sunday’s start in Cleveland tainted that start. CC Sabathia had just one start, in which he was more than good enough to give the Yanks a W. A.J. Burnett lasted just six innings in his start, though they were of the scoreless variety, and came with seven strikeouts. Chien-Ming Wang, however, tossed five scoreless innings in relief. These innings have given the Yanks a bit more confidence in him. If he can return to the rotation and go back to throwing seven, eight quality innings per start he could give the Yanks a big boost.
Week’s record: 4-2
Season record: 29-21
Injuries: Melky Cabrera (shoulder, day to day)
This week: Mon @Cleveland; Tue - Thu TEXAS; Fri - Sun TAMPA BAY
Boston Red Sox — Surviving Grady
The Red Sox hit the road for their longest trip of the season on Monday. First stop: Minnesota. Game one in the series should have been a laugher as the Sox piled up 16 hits against the Twins pitchers. Unfortunately only six of those baserunners crossed the plate, and a two-run homer off Paps in the ninth made it a 6-5 game. That’s all the Twins would get but it certainly put a question mark next to Papelbon’s name after the fiasco against the Mets.
The Sox would drop the next two, having completely lost the ability to score runs away from home. They lost 5-2 on Tuesday as Lester continued his “one bad inning” theme, giving up all five earned in the fifth. Wednesday they went quietly 4-2, with Dice-K laboring through just five innings. Thanks to Josh Beckett and Cap’n Tek the Sox worked a split, taking Thursday’s day-game 3-1 behind seven strong innings by Beckett and two homers off the bat off Varitek. That’s his second two-homerun game of the season giving him a total of 10. For a 37 year-old catcher who has only hit more than 15 homers three times in his career to have 10 by the end of May…well… [ed. note: Thanks to reader Zach for pointing out that Tek has hit more than 15 homers five times in his career, not three.]
The Red Sox average 6.3 runs per game at Fenway but just barely over 4 runs per game on the road. The next stop was Toronto and it seemed like a good place to get your mojo back. The Sox had put the Jays on a nine-game tailspin after the sweep at Fenway. But the Jays had other ideas. A wild Tim Wakefield and the inability for the Sox to get the clutch hit (they used to have a guy that did that for them) combined for a 6-3 loss in the first of three.
Saturday would only get worse as the Sox could only manage four hits in the 5-2 loss. It was up to Lester on Sunday, and the way he pitched he knew it. Six innings, just three hits and a career-high 12 K’s for young Jon. The bats finally came to life with Bay and Pedroia homering as well as two dingers from Youk. Even Ortiz had a hit! When the dust settled it was 8-2 in favor of the good guys, and hopefully the runs will keep coming. The Sox will take Monday off before finishing up the road trip in the Motor City.
Week’s record: 3-4
Season record: 29-22
Injuries: Rocco Baldelli (knee, day-to-day)
This week: Tue - Thu @Detroit; Fri - Sun TEXAS
Toronto Blue Jays - Blue Jays Daze
It seems that the lack of pop has been hurting the Jays over the course of their latest losses. By lack of pop I mean that the Jays have had to score runs the hard way this season. Instead of the odd HR to clear the bases, they’ve needed to have consecutive hits - many of which have come with 2 outs - to drive in runs. My best example was when I looked at the scorecard of the 2nd game they played against the Red Sox. The Jays had 10 hits in their 6 innings against Penny and 3 runs to show for them, while the Red Sox had 3 hits and 3 runs. When I noticed this I went back over the course of their slump and found that this is what has hurt the Jays the most. The proof is that they’ve only managed 3 HRs over their last 11 games. Ouch.
Back to the week that was, the Jays turned out a disastrous start to the week that even Doc Halladay couldn’t resolve. It all started in Baltimore, where the Jays were swept despite decent starts by Brian Tallet (6 IP, 2 ER, 5 Ks) and Doc (7 IP, 3 ER, 5 Ks) in games 1 and 3. The pen lost the handle on Doc’s start with Brian Wolfe having a breakdown 3 ER 11th inning after BJ Ryan had already proven ineffective. Romero had a rough start for the second game, a game in which the Jays offense was shut down by O’s starter Jason Berken which was a little embarrassing. At least they managed 10 runs the following game, maybe as a result of that embarrassment. Of note offensively for the Jays in that series was Marco Scutaro, who is second in SS All-Star voting for the AL by the way, who went 7 for 15, with 3 doubles, a walk, and a stolen base. Despite his efforts most of the other Jays were fairly silent until the 3rd game of the series.
I’m not sure what Cito told the guys during the day off, but one thing is certain, he’s keeping the roster as is. Some managers may have panicked, switched guys in the lineup and called up half of AAA after 9 straight losses, but not Cito. The lineup was the same and he put the trust in the guys to change their own fortunes, and boy did they ever. Janssen kicked it off with an edgy win even after allowing 11 hits and 2 walks. He managed to weasel his way out of jams and allowed 3 runs overall. Offensively, the Jays finally learned how to hit the knuckle ball and Scutaro and Rolen led the way with 2 hits a piece. In the end, they managed to manufacture enough consecutive hits in the 5th inning to win it 6-3. The second game ended the same way as the first, with League and Downs shutting the door with small leads. Rios was on fire that game, going 4 for 4 and Lind chipped in with a much needed HR. Rios hit one of his own in the 3rd game, but Romero was roughed up for the second time this week and the Jays ended the week with a loss, but a series win versus the Red Sox (we’ll take it!). Overall, an up-and-down week, with the hope that the series win leads to a new winning streak to build on.
Week’s Record: 2-4
Season Record: 29-24
Injuries: New - Robert Ray on 15-day May 30th (Strained right shoulder), Michael Barrett (Shoulder-hitting off tee), Jesse Litsch (Right Forearm), Shaun Marcum (Elbow-resting), Dustin McGowan (Labrum-threw from 120 feet for the first time 23rd May).
This Week: Tue- Thur ANAHEIM ; Fri - Sun KANSAS CITY
Tampa Bay Rays - Rise of the Rays
By most accounts, the Rays had a bad week. To begin the week, after losing 2B Akinori Iwamura to a season-ending injury, they had to place SS Jason Bartlett and left-handed reliever Brian Shouse on the disabled list. Then, they went on to be swept by the Cleveland Indians in a four-game series in Cleveland. To end the week, the came back to the Trop to beat Minnesota 2 out of 3 to close the week.
In Cleveland, it was obvious that the recent rash of injuries were taking their toll. Not to mention the fact that the Rays were nearing the end of a stretch in the schedule that had them playing 40 games in 41 days. On Monday, the Rays ran out to a 10-0 lead in the fourth. Unfortunately, the Indians tallied 11 in the final five innings, capped by a 7-run ninth inning, marking the largest lead that the Rays have blown in the history of the team.
After the Cleveland sweep, the Rays came home to take on the Minnesota Twins in a three-game series. The Twins came to the Trop with the worst road record in the AL. And, the Rays took advantage of that, winning the first two games of the series, before dropping game three on Sunday.
The highlight of the week had to be the impressive starting performance of LHP David Price. He rebounded from a shaky first outing by striking out 11 in 5 2/3 innings. In the start, he allowed just one run on five hits and two walks, on his way to his first career win.
At the plate, the Rays were led by Carl Crawford, who finished the week 10-27 with two HR and two stolen bases. Carlos Pena also hit a pair of home runs for the Rays. And, Matt Joyce returned to the roster to hit a home run on Sunday.
Week’s Record: 2-5
Season Record: 25-28
Injuries: Akinori Iwamura, season-ending torn ACL, Jason Bartlett, sprained ankle, Brian Shouse, left elbow strain, Scott Kazmir, right quadriceps strain, Troy Percival, right shoulder tendinitis, Pat Burrell, stiff neck.
This week: Tue - Thu KANSAS CITY; Fri - Sun @New York
Baltimore Orioles - Dempsey’s Army
A very eventful week in Birdland!
First, let’s take care of the elephant in the room. Matt Wieters, Christ in a Catcher’s Mask, made his major league debut on Friday. Matt went an uneventful 2 for 11 over the weekend but his first major league hit was a triple crushed off the centerfield fence. More impressive was his work behind the plate. He called his games, fielded his position well and seemed more veteran than rookie when the catcher’s gear was on. The power is there, it’ll be interesting to see how he develops over the next month or so.
But while Wieters was the big story this week, he was not the only rookie making an impact this. LF Nolan Reimold has hit 5 home runs over his last 11 games and is posting a .279/.340/.651 line over the past two weeks putting a stranglehold on the left field job. SP Brad Bergesen went 8 innings giving up only two runs in beating the Tigers on Friday night. SP David Hernandez made a spot start for the injured Koji Uehara, winning his major league debut and SP Jason Berken made two starts this week, winning his debut and posting a 2.25 ERA. Wieters is big but there are several rookies helping to improve the club and erasing the bad memories of Adam Eaton and his ilk.
DH Luke Scott came off the DL and homered in 4 straight games this week with 6 total homers for the week.
Now to bring this whole thing down a notch…it was a nice week but the O’s still have a long way to go. Yes, they went 5-2 with Adam Jones and Nick Markakis slumping but the bottom line is that the rookies will have their growing pains, the bullpen is suspect and the starting rotation is still very shaky. The lineup is decent but it can’t carry the team by itself. Getting the record up above .500 is still a pipe dream at this point.
But with Seattle and Oakland on the schedule for this week, Baltimore has a fair chance of having another winning week.
Down on the Farm:
21 year old SP Chris Tillman is 5-0 with 44 Ks, 13 BB and a tiny 2.13 ERA in 8 starts for AAA Norfolk. He tweaked a hammy last week but should be back in the rotation this week. Unlike some of the rookies called upon to pitch this week, Tillman is a legit top prospect who may be in Baltimore before the All-Star break.
Speaking of top pitching prospects, 2008 first round pick Brian Matusz has lowered his ERA to 2.37 and has struck out 69 in 60.2 innings for A+ Frederick. He could be promoted to AA Bowie anyday.
Previously disappointing 1B prospect Brandon Snyder has put up a stellar .342/.418/.595 line at AA Bowie so far. Still only 22, Snyder should be in Norfolk soon and could play into the O’s plans for 2010.
Week’s Record: 5-2
Season Record: 23-28
Injuries: SP Koji Uehara (hamstring, 15-day DL), RP Dennis Sarfate (hand numbness, 15-day DL, out until July), OF Lou Montanez (Right thumb surgery, 15-Day DL, out 6-8 weeks)
This Week: Mon-Wed @Seattle, Fri-Sun @Oakland
For the first time in over two years, the Yankees reached the top of the AL East standings. It started as a tie with the Red Sox on Wednesday. They lost the lead when the Sox won on Thursday, but retook the lead over the weekend. The Yanks currently sit a half game up on the Red Sox. While the standings on May 31 count for absolutely nothing in the long run, it’s a relief for Yanks fans to see their team back atop the standings, rather than ending May in third place as they’ve done for the past few years.
The offense put up monstrous numbers every other game for the Yanks, as they scored 11 on Monday, nine on Wednesday, and 10 on Saturday. They mixed those with three-run showings on Tuesday and Friday, and a four-run affair in Sunday’s walk-off loss to the Indians. The pitching turned in a solid week as well, with the only poor showing coming on Tuesday in the team’s 7-3 loss in Texas. Joba Chamberlain had a sub-par start, and after the Yankees tied the game the bullpen blew it open. While the bullpen remains a concern, the continued quality starts from the rotation helps keep the relievers’ exposure limited.
Once again, Mark Teixeira was the offensive player of the week. He put up a .357/.400/.786 line in the last seven days (1.186 OPS), smacking three homers and three doubles in 28 at bats. Alex Rodriguez did his part, posting a .417/.517/.542 line on the week. Surprisingly, he hit no home runs, but he did have three doubles and five walks to go along with just one strikeout. It seems like his defense (-27.8 UZR/150) will be the last thing to come around following surgery to fix a torn hip labrum.
On the pitching end, it was a mixed bag. Phil Hughes had a stellar start on Monday in Texas but his struggles in the third inning of Sunday’s start in Cleveland tainted that start. CC Sabathia had just one start, in which he was more than good enough to give the Yanks a W. A.J. Burnett lasted just six innings in his start, though they were of the scoreless variety, and came with seven strikeouts. Chien-Ming Wang, however, tossed five scoreless innings in relief. These innings have given the Yanks a bit more confidence in him. If he can return to the rotation and go back to throwing seven, eight quality innings per start he could give the Yanks a big boost.
Week’s record: 4-2
Season record: 29-21
Injuries: Melky Cabrera (shoulder, day to day)
This week: Mon @Cleveland; Tue - Thu TEXAS; Fri - Sun TAMPA BAY
Boston Red Sox — Surviving Grady
The Red Sox hit the road for their longest trip of the season on Monday. First stop: Minnesota. Game one in the series should have been a laugher as the Sox piled up 16 hits against the Twins pitchers. Unfortunately only six of those baserunners crossed the plate, and a two-run homer off Paps in the ninth made it a 6-5 game. That’s all the Twins would get but it certainly put a question mark next to Papelbon’s name after the fiasco against the Mets.
The Sox would drop the next two, having completely lost the ability to score runs away from home. They lost 5-2 on Tuesday as Lester continued his “one bad inning” theme, giving up all five earned in the fifth. Wednesday they went quietly 4-2, with Dice-K laboring through just five innings. Thanks to Josh Beckett and Cap’n Tek the Sox worked a split, taking Thursday’s day-game 3-1 behind seven strong innings by Beckett and two homers off the bat off Varitek. That’s his second two-homerun game of the season giving him a total of 10. For a 37 year-old catcher who has only hit more than 15 homers three times in his career to have 10 by the end of May…well… [ed. note: Thanks to reader Zach for pointing out that Tek has hit more than 15 homers five times in his career, not three.]
The Red Sox average 6.3 runs per game at Fenway but just barely over 4 runs per game on the road. The next stop was Toronto and it seemed like a good place to get your mojo back. The Sox had put the Jays on a nine-game tailspin after the sweep at Fenway. But the Jays had other ideas. A wild Tim Wakefield and the inability for the Sox to get the clutch hit (they used to have a guy that did that for them) combined for a 6-3 loss in the first of three.
Saturday would only get worse as the Sox could only manage four hits in the 5-2 loss. It was up to Lester on Sunday, and the way he pitched he knew it. Six innings, just three hits and a career-high 12 K’s for young Jon. The bats finally came to life with Bay and Pedroia homering as well as two dingers from Youk. Even Ortiz had a hit! When the dust settled it was 8-2 in favor of the good guys, and hopefully the runs will keep coming. The Sox will take Monday off before finishing up the road trip in the Motor City.
Week’s record: 3-4
Season record: 29-22
Injuries: Rocco Baldelli (knee, day-to-day)
This week: Tue - Thu @Detroit; Fri - Sun TEXAS
Toronto Blue Jays - Blue Jays Daze
It seems that the lack of pop has been hurting the Jays over the course of their latest losses. By lack of pop I mean that the Jays have had to score runs the hard way this season. Instead of the odd HR to clear the bases, they’ve needed to have consecutive hits - many of which have come with 2 outs - to drive in runs. My best example was when I looked at the scorecard of the 2nd game they played against the Red Sox. The Jays had 10 hits in their 6 innings against Penny and 3 runs to show for them, while the Red Sox had 3 hits and 3 runs. When I noticed this I went back over the course of their slump and found that this is what has hurt the Jays the most. The proof is that they’ve only managed 3 HRs over their last 11 games. Ouch.
Back to the week that was, the Jays turned out a disastrous start to the week that even Doc Halladay couldn’t resolve. It all started in Baltimore, where the Jays were swept despite decent starts by Brian Tallet (6 IP, 2 ER, 5 Ks) and Doc (7 IP, 3 ER, 5 Ks) in games 1 and 3. The pen lost the handle on Doc’s start with Brian Wolfe having a breakdown 3 ER 11th inning after BJ Ryan had already proven ineffective. Romero had a rough start for the second game, a game in which the Jays offense was shut down by O’s starter Jason Berken which was a little embarrassing. At least they managed 10 runs the following game, maybe as a result of that embarrassment. Of note offensively for the Jays in that series was Marco Scutaro, who is second in SS All-Star voting for the AL by the way, who went 7 for 15, with 3 doubles, a walk, and a stolen base. Despite his efforts most of the other Jays were fairly silent until the 3rd game of the series.
I’m not sure what Cito told the guys during the day off, but one thing is certain, he’s keeping the roster as is. Some managers may have panicked, switched guys in the lineup and called up half of AAA after 9 straight losses, but not Cito. The lineup was the same and he put the trust in the guys to change their own fortunes, and boy did they ever. Janssen kicked it off with an edgy win even after allowing 11 hits and 2 walks. He managed to weasel his way out of jams and allowed 3 runs overall. Offensively, the Jays finally learned how to hit the knuckle ball and Scutaro and Rolen led the way with 2 hits a piece. In the end, they managed to manufacture enough consecutive hits in the 5th inning to win it 6-3. The second game ended the same way as the first, with League and Downs shutting the door with small leads. Rios was on fire that game, going 4 for 4 and Lind chipped in with a much needed HR. Rios hit one of his own in the 3rd game, but Romero was roughed up for the second time this week and the Jays ended the week with a loss, but a series win versus the Red Sox (we’ll take it!). Overall, an up-and-down week, with the hope that the series win leads to a new winning streak to build on.
Week’s Record: 2-4
Season Record: 29-24
Injuries: New - Robert Ray on 15-day May 30th (Strained right shoulder), Michael Barrett (Shoulder-hitting off tee), Jesse Litsch (Right Forearm), Shaun Marcum (Elbow-resting), Dustin McGowan (Labrum-threw from 120 feet for the first time 23rd May).
This Week: Tue- Thur ANAHEIM ; Fri - Sun KANSAS CITY
Tampa Bay Rays - Rise of the Rays
By most accounts, the Rays had a bad week. To begin the week, after losing 2B Akinori Iwamura to a season-ending injury, they had to place SS Jason Bartlett and left-handed reliever Brian Shouse on the disabled list. Then, they went on to be swept by the Cleveland Indians in a four-game series in Cleveland. To end the week, the came back to the Trop to beat Minnesota 2 out of 3 to close the week.
In Cleveland, it was obvious that the recent rash of injuries were taking their toll. Not to mention the fact that the Rays were nearing the end of a stretch in the schedule that had them playing 40 games in 41 days. On Monday, the Rays ran out to a 10-0 lead in the fourth. Unfortunately, the Indians tallied 11 in the final five innings, capped by a 7-run ninth inning, marking the largest lead that the Rays have blown in the history of the team.
After the Cleveland sweep, the Rays came home to take on the Minnesota Twins in a three-game series. The Twins came to the Trop with the worst road record in the AL. And, the Rays took advantage of that, winning the first two games of the series, before dropping game three on Sunday.
The highlight of the week had to be the impressive starting performance of LHP David Price. He rebounded from a shaky first outing by striking out 11 in 5 2/3 innings. In the start, he allowed just one run on five hits and two walks, on his way to his first career win.
At the plate, the Rays were led by Carl Crawford, who finished the week 10-27 with two HR and two stolen bases. Carlos Pena also hit a pair of home runs for the Rays. And, Matt Joyce returned to the roster to hit a home run on Sunday.
Week’s Record: 2-5
Season Record: 25-28
Injuries: Akinori Iwamura, season-ending torn ACL, Jason Bartlett, sprained ankle, Brian Shouse, left elbow strain, Scott Kazmir, right quadriceps strain, Troy Percival, right shoulder tendinitis, Pat Burrell, stiff neck.
This week: Tue - Thu KANSAS CITY; Fri - Sun @New York
Baltimore Orioles - Dempsey’s Army
A very eventful week in Birdland!
First, let’s take care of the elephant in the room. Matt Wieters, Christ in a Catcher’s Mask, made his major league debut on Friday. Matt went an uneventful 2 for 11 over the weekend but his first major league hit was a triple crushed off the centerfield fence. More impressive was his work behind the plate. He called his games, fielded his position well and seemed more veteran than rookie when the catcher’s gear was on. The power is there, it’ll be interesting to see how he develops over the next month or so.
But while Wieters was the big story this week, he was not the only rookie making an impact this. LF Nolan Reimold has hit 5 home runs over his last 11 games and is posting a .279/.340/.651 line over the past two weeks putting a stranglehold on the left field job. SP Brad Bergesen went 8 innings giving up only two runs in beating the Tigers on Friday night. SP David Hernandez made a spot start for the injured Koji Uehara, winning his major league debut and SP Jason Berken made two starts this week, winning his debut and posting a 2.25 ERA. Wieters is big but there are several rookies helping to improve the club and erasing the bad memories of Adam Eaton and his ilk.
DH Luke Scott came off the DL and homered in 4 straight games this week with 6 total homers for the week.
Now to bring this whole thing down a notch…it was a nice week but the O’s still have a long way to go. Yes, they went 5-2 with Adam Jones and Nick Markakis slumping but the bottom line is that the rookies will have their growing pains, the bullpen is suspect and the starting rotation is still very shaky. The lineup is decent but it can’t carry the team by itself. Getting the record up above .500 is still a pipe dream at this point.
But with Seattle and Oakland on the schedule for this week, Baltimore has a fair chance of having another winning week.
Down on the Farm:
21 year old SP Chris Tillman is 5-0 with 44 Ks, 13 BB and a tiny 2.13 ERA in 8 starts for AAA Norfolk. He tweaked a hammy last week but should be back in the rotation this week. Unlike some of the rookies called upon to pitch this week, Tillman is a legit top prospect who may be in Baltimore before the All-Star break.
Speaking of top pitching prospects, 2008 first round pick Brian Matusz has lowered his ERA to 2.37 and has struck out 69 in 60.2 innings for A+ Frederick. He could be promoted to AA Bowie anyday.
Previously disappointing 1B prospect Brandon Snyder has put up a stellar .342/.418/.595 line at AA Bowie so far. Still only 22, Snyder should be in Norfolk soon and could play into the O’s plans for 2010.
Week’s Record: 5-2
Season Record: 23-28
Injuries: SP Koji Uehara (hamstring, 15-day DL), RP Dennis Sarfate (hand numbness, 15-day DL, out until July), OF Lou Montanez (Right thumb surgery, 15-Day DL, out 6-8 weeks)
This Week: Mon-Wed @Seattle, Fri-Sun @Oakland
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