I Feel Allright, It's a Minnesota Night / You've Got Nothing Left to Show Me But Your Smile - Game 42, Jays at Twins
Toronto @ Minnesota
Yesterday was one of the more enjoyable games I can remember the Jays playing in quite some time. Litsch pitched well (I would've left him in a little longer, frankly), Rolen had a 15 pitch at-bat that paid off when Stairs took Slowey deep on the next at-bat and sent him out of the game, Lyle crushed a double into the left-centerfield gap to plate a run, Hill looked good at the plate, and Stewart had some good at-bats as well. Rolen also looked great in the field, and Downs and Frasor combined for some very fine bullpen work.
Tonight's game has oversized importance, being that it's game 42 and 42 is the answer to the question of the life, the universe, and everything. Throw in the fact that it's Doc's birthday, and everything is starting to come into focus. Doc is now 3-5 and that's just a little silly - I mean, the guy's got a 47/10 K/BB ratio and a 1.03 WHIP. Let's hope the Jays can continue to find enough offense and the good doctor can strike a little luck on the day of his birth. Happy Birthday, Doc, and many more!
Boof Bonser pitches for the Twins. Bonser has been decent for the Twins this season, but has had two rough outings in a row so the Jays aren't getting him at a bad time. I'm looking forward to the game tonight, and it's been a good day. On my walk home from the subway after work I happened upon a runaway dog, who began to follow us. I made a makeshift leash out of one of the straps on my daughter's stroller, and while walking the little guy around, we happened upon the owner, who was near tears. It was a very happy ending, and consequently I'm in quite a good mood despite an exhausting day of work. Don't ruin it, Jays!
For some minor news, Jesse Litsch volunteered to start Friday's game on only two days rest since he only threw 71 pitches yesterday. Gotta love the kid's enthusiasm, but I expect it will be Purcey who starts Friday against one of the NL's best offenses, which should be interesting. In addition, both Eckstein and Mac have rejoined the team and are doing some light hitting. Gibbons is hopeful that both will be ready to come off the DL when eligible one week from today
I almost forgot, today's title generously provided by Boston band the Push Stars, who were a bit of a big deal when I was in college a few years back.
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Pregame WPA report
The only Jays hitters with positive wins added this season are Overbay (0.09), Rolen (0.03), and Thomas (0.02), with Buck Coats at exactly neutral. Unless someone hits a multi-run homer to cap an unlikely comeback, Zaun (-0.08) is the best bet to get his head above water first.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 7:33 PM EDT 0 recs
interesting
WPA can be a bit misleading when used in a vacuum, but for the 2008 it pretty much tells the whole story
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:06 PM EDT
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There's a question....
Which guy do you think are not going to get above 0?
by rincewind on
May 14, 2008 8:08 PM EDT
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Mench and Wilkerson may not be around long enough.
(Stewart as well, for that matter.)
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:11 PM EDT
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Stairs has a long way to go....
but has been hot the last couple of days
by rincewind on
May 14, 2008 8:12 PM EDT
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I agree, no way
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:13 PM EDT
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I have a feeling
Mench might stick around, since Stairs is a bit old and the Jays probably see him as not a full-timer.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:12 PM EDT
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BRAA also helps
50 runes below average on offense.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:09 PM EDT
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Oh, and it's board game night again
so I’ll probably be leaving at 6:30ish Pacific time, which with Doc on the mound should be the 6th inning or so.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 7:39 PM EDT 0 recs
Wilkerson with the not-much-of-a-single
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:12 PM EDT 0 recs
Hill singles him to third
good start for our heroic corvidae
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on May 14, 2008 8:13 PM EDT 0 recs
and a nice hit for hill....
he looked so awful last week….nice to see him swing well
by rincewind on May 14, 2008 8:13 PM EDT 0 recs
Rios with a chance to get himself out of the basement
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:13 PM EDT 0 recs
he strikes out looking
weird call, I didn’t like it.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:14 PM EDT
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it did stop Rios from hitting into a double play though
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:15 PM EDT
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he is sure pulling off the pitch lately....course hill turned it around suddenly...he can too
by rincewind on
May 14, 2008 8:16 PM EDT
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definitely
what was a drag though was how Rios showed so much better patience at the beginning of the season and then it totally disappeared when he started slumping. If he took some more walks, the slumps wouldn’t be as brutal since he’d still be getting on base and he could swipe some bags as well.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:17 PM EDT
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oh yeah
if he was walking like Lyle was when he was slumping, though, he would’ve scored some runs, since he was batting high in the order and Lyle was before the dregs
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:21 PM EDT
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cmon Rolen
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on May 14, 2008 8:19 PM EDT 0 recs
the Dickens of baseball
great at-bat
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:21 PM EDT
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I'll remind you that this is the exact part of the season
where Stairs got red hot last year, homering in all three games against the Phillies.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:22 PM EDT 0 recs
Stairs!!!!!
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on May 14, 2008 8:22 PM EDT 0 recs
First inning runs can't get you much
especially breaking a tie vs. coming from behind.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:23 PM EDT
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except our undying admiration
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:24 PM EDT
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Case in point: that homer was 22% of a win
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:25 PM EDT
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If Doc pitches the way he can should be 50% of a win
by rincewind on
May 14, 2008 8:25 PM EDT
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He can get a little more than 28%
because we’re guaranteed to make 27 outs over the course of the game, which are all going to be a slight negative now, compared to the larger negative they would be in a tied game.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:27 PM EDT
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w00t!!!!

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on May 14, 2008 8:23 PM EDT 0 recs
When was the last time we had a lead in the first inning?
by rincewind on May 14, 2008 8:24 PM EDT 0 recs
Stew with another hard hit ball
right at somebody.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:27 PM EDT 0 recs
I like how "Happy Birthday" is on the FSN scouting report
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:29 PM EDT 0 recs
Doc's!
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:30 PM EDT
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tsk tsk
you didn’t read the gamethread!
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:31 PM EDT
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Seriously, Sportsnet hasn't said anything?
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:32 PM EDT
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Looks like he actually almost got a glove on it
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:31 PM EDT
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Morneau homer? Game o... wait, we're still winning?
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:34 PM EDT 0 recs
Cuddyer with the Minnesota Chop
They do it more than Baltimore now anyways.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:37 PM EDT 0 recs
this isn't going well
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on May 14, 2008 8:37 PM EDT 0 recs
Did Doc have his cake before the game?
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:38 PM EDT 0 recs
He's had a bad inning in each of his last couple of starts right?
by rincewind on May 14, 2008 8:39 PM EDT 0 recs
But it usually comes later in the game
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:39 PM EDT
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funny that you say that
last I checked, is one of the few pitchers in the majors to consistently have success with pitches 75-100. But anecdotally, I agree with you.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:40 PM EDT
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Well, with our offense he's usually losing after the bad inning
and doesn’t stick around.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:42 PM EDT
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before Morneau hit it out
Doc hadn’t given up a HR since his second start of the season, against Boston. That’s a pretty good run that had to end sometime
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:42 PM EDT
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Yeah just seems like he's had a bad inning each game of late, not very Doc like
by rincewind on
May 14, 2008 8:43 PM EDT
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it's definitely not like him to give back a lead
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:44 PM EDT
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That delayed strike call
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:40 PM EDT 0 recs
Wilkerson draws the walk
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on May 14, 2008 8:46 PM EDT 0 recs
Well it was a bunch of curveballs in the dirt
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on
May 14, 2008 8:46 PM EDT
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true
that hasn’t stopped us from striking out before though, has it?
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:47 PM EDT
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Gameday had it as two fastballs as the last two, but I thought they were curves too
by rincewind on
May 14, 2008 8:47 PM EDT
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sure looked like it to me
particularly the last one
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 8:48 PM EDT
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Great, another foul ball off Zaun's throwing hand
Doesn’t look like he broke it this year.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:51 PM EDT 0 recs
Doc strikes out the side
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on May 14, 2008 8:54 PM EDT 0 recs
Funny that Blyleven and Morris are in the booth together on the FSN feed
One of these guys should be in Cooperstown, and the other probably will be.
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on May 14, 2008 8:59 PM EDT 0 recs
yep
I definitely support Blyleven’s bid.
"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman
by hugo on
May 14, 2008 9:00 PM EDT
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For me....Bly was never the best pitcher in the league....
by rincewind on
May 14, 2008 9:01 PM EDT
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Wasn't he better for longer than Morris
but gets forgotten because he pitched for worse teams, and didn’t have one great game among an otherwise unremarkable postseason career?
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on


