Bluebird Banter: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:

Climb the Wall To Make the Sun Rise: Game 33, White Sox at Blue Jays

Bluejayperched_tiny by hugo on in Game Threads

Chicago @ Toronto


Lineup

Chicago White Sox @ Toronto Blue Jays

05/05/08 7:07 PM EDT

Chicago White Sox Toronto Blue Jays
Orlando Cabrera - SS Alex Rios - RF
Carlos Quentin - LF Shannon Stewart - LF
Jim Thome - DH Scott Rolen - 3B
Paul Konerko - 1B Matt Stairs - DH
Jermaine Dye - RF Vernon Wells - CF
Nick Swisher - CF Lyle Overbay - 1B
Pablo Ozuna - 3B Aaron Hill - 2B
Juan Uribe - 2B Gregg Zaun - C
Toby Hall - C David Eckstein - SS

Dustin McGowan ("No Run-DMC" to some, thanks SuckaMD!, a nickname I as a born-and-bred New Yorker am quick to adopt) faces off against fellow hard-thrower Javier Vasquez tonight as the Jays attempt to seal the 4-game sweep that would bring them all the way back to a game below .500.

Yesterday's game featured Doc Halladay finally getting a little run support. Doc pitched great - he had one bad inning which was helped along by an Eckstein throwing error - and gave up only 3 hits and no walks (one HBP) over 7 1/3 innings, while striking out 7. Doc was using his pitches to fine effect and, though he failed to record his 5th straight complete game, it was much more satisfying seeing him finally pick up a well-deserved win.

Offensively, Adam Lind continues to struggle - he had a couple of terrible at-bats yesterday, and finds himself on the bench today against the hard-throwing righty. I find this to be a bit annoying since it's not as if Stewart has done anything to earn the start (in the 2-hole, no less) but perhaps a day off will give the youngster a moment to recollect himself and find his stroke. The slumping Eckstein has been moved to 9th in the lineup.

Today's post comes from a question posed by rincewindw yesterday - What's your favourite Ontario-bred band? My answer was The Band (so far as that counts), but also mentioned Metric, the Constantines, and Kathleen Edwards. I already hit up the Constantines the other day with "I Will Not Sing a Hateful Song" and Kathleen Edwards only writes about Hockey, so that leaves Metric, a fantastic band. The title comes from their lovely song "Soft Rock Star" and certainly seems to fit today's game.

I'll be running and then back to watch the game, which I'm looking forward to. Let's go Jays!

0 recs | Comment 164 comments | Add your comment

Story-email Email | Print |

Comments

Display:

I have a weekly meeting at 4 PST

for an hour, and I might cut out before the end depending how long the game runs, but I should be here for roughly the middle half.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 6:50 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Hate seeing Stewart bat second...

I am afraid that Gibby’s going to bury Lind on the bench…Stewart isn’t hitting either, but he’s an ‘eastablished major leaguer’, in Gibby’s mind

by rincewind on May 5, 2008 7:15 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

got back from my run

just in time to see Dusty strikeout Swisher. How’d the first inning go?

"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 5, 2008 7:26 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Good on De.....Mcgowan looks great again....

3 up 3 down on offense…Rolen hit the ball hard

by rincewind on May 5, 2008 7:28 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

it's kind of weird that

Vasquez has never gotten that good. His peripherals are always great, but he never seems to pitch up to them.

"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 5, 2008 7:30 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

he was

but that was as good as he got

"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 5, 2008 7:32 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I'm no hitting expert

but does anyone else see Lyle pulling off the outside pitch, almost like he’s conscious of his lack of power and is intent on trying to pull everything for power?

"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 5, 2008 7:31 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

haha, enjoy

"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 5, 2008 7:33 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

exhibit a

"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 5, 2008 7:32 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

If the Jays win today and tomorrow

no team in the AL East will be under .500. That’s a strong division.

Visiting Mariners fan here. I can’t take the Mariners right now, so I’m checking out the Jays.

I like using semi-colons; they make me feel smart.

by Llewdor on May 5, 2008 7:35 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

hey hey

I often check out the Mariners as my west coast team to follow

"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 5, 2008 7:39 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

y'all have by far my favourite sports blog over at LL

"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 5, 2008 7:41 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

wow

Uribe misses two chances to score, first on a grounder where he definitely would’ve made it, and then Rios was lucky that his reputation forced Uribe back, since his throw was way down the line

"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 5, 2008 7:43 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Based on his number of bunt single attempts

you’d think he’d be running.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 7:59 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

was that Uribe as well?

I saw Ozuna and it looked like he was trying to bunt his way on every time

"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 5, 2008 8:00 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

Oh, you're right

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:01 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

nice Dustin!

gets out of the 2nd and 3rd, no out jam. Isn’t that supposed to be us failing to score in that situation?

"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 5, 2008 7:46 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

hitting into a weird double play

is still a double play, X

"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 5, 2008 8:00 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Still not sure why the ump looked at first

because if Zaun was out on the tag, he should have been able to call it without needing to know if the force would have been in play.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:00 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

I was thinking the same thing

when Jamie and Rance were trying to explain it. It would’ve made sense if Nerk didn’t touch the bag, but not otherwise

"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 5, 2008 8:01 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

that wasn't a good explanation

what I meant was that it would’ve made sense if Zaun had beaten the tag and the ump was checking to make sure that Konerko had not stepped on 1st before calling the out

"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 5, 2008 8:02 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

7.7 K/9IP is not better than a strikeout per inning of work, Rance

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:01 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

So what happened while I was gone?

three home runs by stewart? and he threw out two at the plate?

by rincewind on May 5, 2008 8:02 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

more excellent pitching by McGowan

though he had to work a little magic with the Sox failing, in Jay-like fashion, to score with 2nd and 3rd and no outs. not much on the Jays side, but our hobbit friend hit into a double play

"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 5, 2008 8:03 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

whoa

Stewart hit a line drive

"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 5, 2008 8:05 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

He has exactly one hit in most of those games

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

he's had some hard-hit outs

anecdotally

"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 5, 2008 8:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

he sure hit that one well

and then…oh 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 5, 2008 8:08 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Well that was pretty....

the play is right in front of Rolen…..

by rincewind on May 5, 2008 8:08 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

that was a bit of a waste

of a good run-scoring opportunity

"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 5, 2008 8:11 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Well that probably would have been a double play ball anyways

because we can commit the fallacy of the preordained outcome with the best of them.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Looked promising for a moment there......

I guess that’s o for 1 with RISP

by rincewind on May 5, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

That was a spectacular broken bat

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:14 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

it died in vain

"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 5, 2008 8:15 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

not to mention

the way these two teams have been hitting with runners on

"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 5, 2008 8:16 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

whenever you're willing to

violate a blowup doll with a baseball bat, that seems pretty serious

"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 5, 2008 8:18 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

That was a surprising foul out

I expected it to make the crowd.

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:17 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Vernon crushed that

opposite field no less

"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 5, 2008 8:21 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

VW leadoff double

RISP time!

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:21 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

cmon Lyle

"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 5, 2008 8:22 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

wonder why

Lyle is hearing it so much from fans, but not Hill

"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 5, 2008 8:26 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

Hmmmmm what are we? 0 for 3 now?

that wasn’t a good AB, Come on Zaun

by rincewind on May 5, 2008 8:26 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

bad at-bat from Zaun

"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 5, 2008 8:28 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

0 for 4

"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"

by Torgen on May 5, 2008 8:29 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

he hasn't disappointed

81 pitches through 6, so he should be good for at least 1 or 2 more. Now if we could only score some runs. Grit your way back into the leadoff spot, X!

"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 5, 2008 8:37 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

or do that, either 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 5, 2008 8:38 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs

it's like they're trying to get out

on as few pitches as possible

"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 5, 2008 8:39 PM EDT reply reply   0 recs

all except Stewart, haha

"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 5, 2008 8:42 PM EDT to parent up reply reply   0 recs