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I Heard Somebdy Call My Name; I Almost Climbed the Stairs - Game 35, Rays at Jays

Bluejayperched_tiny by hugo on in Game Threads Comment 309 comments

Tampa Bay Rays @ Toronto Blue Jays


Lineup

Tampa Bay Rays @ Toronto Blue Jays

05/08/08 7:07 PM EDT

Tampa Bay Rays Toronto Blue Jays
Akinori Iwamura - 2B Alex Rios - RF
Carl Crawford - DH Shannon Stewart - LF
B.J. Upton - CF Scott Rolen - 3B
Carlos Pena - 1B Matt Stairs - DH
Eric Hinske - 3B Vernon Wells - CF
Dioner Navarro - C Lyle Overbay - 1B
Gabe Gross - RF Aaron Hill - 2B
Nathan Haynes - LF Gregg Zaun - C
Jason Bartlett - SS Marco Scutaro - SS


 

Hey all. Today's title comes courtesy of one of the first bands I ever dug, Chicago's Smoking Popes, and their song "Megan." Those guys were awesome. Today's post is in honour of my sister (of the same name as the song) who is graduating from college in two days. Congrats, Megatron!

Anyway, the Jays won a great game yesterday behind some masterful pitching by Shaun Marcum. Marcum was just unbelievable, taking a 1-hit shutout into the 9th and striking out 9 to move himself up to 4th in the league in K/9. He's not been walking them either, and that's a recipe for success, especially given that he's been keeping the ball down much more (8 groundouts yesterday) and not yielding the long ball.

Scott Rolen added a HR and Lyle Overbay hit another double to hopefully continue his march toward a .400 SLG and walked as well. He also hit another long opposite way flyball that almost made it out. Marco Scutaro wasn't much with the glove in his first game as the regular SS, but he had 3 hits, which was great. The Jays called up journeyman Jorge Velandia for added infield depth (Torgen was right, I was wrong (I said Inglett, who continues to tear up AAA)) and sent down Adam Lind, a move that has been inevitable since Gibbons started playing Stewart against righties. I, for one, hope Lind is back soon, but he needs to have better at-bats when he returns.

In injury news, there is reason to be optimistic regarding both David Eckstein and John MacDonald. Eckstein's MRI came back negative and Mac reportedly felt "great" yesterday, which is surprising. It's not clear whether either will be placed on the disabled list, but the Jays should decide by tomorrow at the latest.

Tonight, Jesse Litsch faces the team for which he once served as batboy. Edwin Jackson opposes him for the Rays.

I have rehearsal but hope to make it back in time for the second half of the game. Of course, I also thought I'd do so yesterday, but it didn't work out. Although it was great to find out that I've still got the baseball skills as I had a great game! Let's go Jays!

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4th in k/9; tied for second in Ks

with Felix Hernandez.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 6:24 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Oh, and x and Johnny Mac both got put on the DL

Only one was in time for a callup from AAA (Joe Inglett); a second callup will happen tomorrow.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 6:26 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Oh, and Robinzon Diaz sprained his ankle

in a collision at home plate. Diaz was likely to get called up for interleague.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 6:29 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Stew and Rolen don't make very good use of 3-0 counts

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:19 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This time, anyways

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Overbay with the Jays' signature hit

a 2 out double

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:32 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Jamie can't tell Nathan Haynes from Carl Crawford.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:40 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Zaun pops up foul on the 11th pitch.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:48 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Scutaro singles up the middle

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:49 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And Rios grounds into a double play

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:49 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Litsch works another clean inning

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 7:55 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Stairs can't get Rolen home

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:02 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

0 for 2

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:04 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Oh wait, 0 for 3

Overbay’s 2 out double.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:04 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Here come the boo birds for Hinske

after the Peña lineout

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:05 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And Litsch gets the comebacker

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:06 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Though we got a bunch of run yesterday.....

and rolen should get 2 more at bats….can hope for 2 solo homers

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 8:13 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Well it's good that we're hitting it hard

Now to turn that into results

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

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

Jamie just suggested that Jason Michaels might be the player signed tomorrow...

Just what we need…another player that can ground out to short….

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 8:20 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

RISP time for Rios

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

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

0 for 4

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

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

"Blue Jays are looking for a run"

well they’re down by 2, Jamie, so I don’t think they’re looking for a run.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:30 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Jeeze....Stewart looked bad swinging at those fastballs.....

Thought he was having a good at bat till the two fastballs were past before he started his swing…

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 8:34 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Not the Sky Chiefs anymore, Jamie.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:35 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Stairs Nooooooo!

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:38 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Everyone does it

They usually have the good sense to miss them entirely.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 8:50 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm really wondering if it is a slump or if this is the team.....

Which positions should they be better than league average offensively?

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:01 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

They don't need to be better than average

they’re all worse than their own career numbers.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:02 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah

You got a point… Outside of Rios, they really don’t have that many players with all that big of an upside

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 9:02 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And even Rios

has been underwhelming so far

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 9:03 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I think so....

Wells had a good season a couple ago but it was really not the standard Wells season. Overbay I like but isn’t better than the average AL First basemen. Hill is better than average, but not that much better. Eck….well we can hope for average. Rolen, hasn’t been average at 3b in a few years. Stairs had a season no one could have expected last year, why would we expect him to duplicate it. Stewart isn’t close to average in LF. Zaun…is aging though he’s batted well for us.

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Caught him stealing, at least

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:03 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

thanks!

Hey man, thanks for the awesome dedication. That song is great, even if they do spell Meghan wrong. It’s also the ringtone on my cellular telephone. Lots of love, always.

Keep on writing big bro,
Meghan

by Meghan on May 8, 2008 9:04 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And Cy breaks a second bat.....

When you have Cy Young stuff that happens

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:18 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Longoria hit it pretty hard

for a broken bat shot.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Well Rolen leads off with a single

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:22 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

RISP time

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:29 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

1 for 5, btw

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:34 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Now that was clutch

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:31 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Come on Scoot....

wish we had someone to pinch hit….

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:35 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hill steals second

so it’s RISP time again

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:36 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Scutaro does not come through

1 for 6

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:38 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Of course BJ's only going to go 1

and TB still has relievers they haven’t used who own us, like Wheeler.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:39 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That's one

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:42 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Nice Strike out for number 2.....

we have the start of our order up in the bottom of the inning…

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:44 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That's two

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:44 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Walk-off time, boys.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:45 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Home run rios? would feel good....

And it would finish in time I could go practice my drums for a bit….

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:46 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'll take a walk-off balk at this point

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:46 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

I'm here

Got here just in time.

Also, I was screaming at Rios for trying for the triple. Glad he didn’t listen to me

by SuckaMD on May 8, 2008 9:49 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Infield will be in

so probably no chance at the squeeze?

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:50 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Pretty much right down the middle

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:52 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Man I hate Stewart......

you have to swing…the runner’s on third….no outs…you have to swing

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:52 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Maybe they'll throw a wild pitch trying to IBB him

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:52 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Of course if they're going to play at double play depth

then Stairs could shock the worlds with a squeeze bunt

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:53 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hmm.. deep up the middle, shallow at the corners

not a good situation for the squeeze

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:54 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Damn stairs....

Too bad it hit the umpire…Rios might have scored…

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 9:56 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Stairs with the unclutch strikeout

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:56 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You mean Wells?

and isn’t Barajas at first now?

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 9:58 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Bases loaded for barajas

He did have an RBI yesterday. Of course a walk or an HBP wins the game.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:00 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Barajas was .354 with the bases loaded

He ended up on the .646 end that time.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:04 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Barajas's one was overswinging

that looked like way too long a swing for a 2 strike pitch.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Yeah but expecting him to change his swing isn't going to happen...

His swing has been long for years now….had the fluke season that he hit 21 homers and people think he’s a player…

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 10:08 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Snakeface is in

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:08 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

How about not walking the winning run into scoring position?

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:13 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

These are the situations when the Jays' lack of power is really visible

We could sure use a walkoff homer right now. I remember thinking the same thing during that 13-or-so inning loss a few weeks back. The one where Carlson struck out the side

by SuckaMD on May 8, 2008 10:16 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It was 14

Carlson was the last man in the bullpen. AJ pitched the 14th.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:21 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hill, Zaun, Scutaro due up

Who’s pitching the 12th?

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:16 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Zaun draws the 1 out walk

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:21 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Scutaro gets another chance to be super-clutch

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:21 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Gibby should just tell Rios to swing for the fences

It worked in Major League III: Back to the minors

by SuckaMD on May 8, 2008 10:23 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

An accurate depiction of reality

if ever there was one.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:24 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

1, 6, other 1

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:30 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

wait, no

catcher is 2

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:30 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

hey all,

sounds like quite a game! just got in

"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 8, 2008 10:41 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

1 good inning

11 sucky ones.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:41 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

looks like tons of men left 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 8, 2008 10:43 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

but the 11 sucky ones were really sucky

We’ve hit two triples and neither has scored.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:43 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

How was Litsch?

"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 8, 2008 10:44 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

3 runs on 2 homers over 7

Not bad if you can score a few.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:44 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

yeah, that's not bad at all

"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 8, 2008 10:45 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Bartlett singles off Hill's glove

He’s a speedster, isn’t he?

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:44 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

yeah, he can run

"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 8, 2008 10:45 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

almost want to put in Tallet just to stop him from doing so

"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 8, 2008 10:45 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Iwamura singles, Bartlett to third

Ugh.. I think this one is over.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:45 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Need a strikeout or infield fly

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:46 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

You would think so

but we haven’t actually demonstrated that to be the case.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:48 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

He had been good until tonight

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:51 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

ERA of 7.20 last year....I can't figure what we thought he had in him.....

some bad luck this inning though…Hill could have made that first play and Barajas should have made the play on the seconde hit….

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 10:54 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

He added a changeup

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:54 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

League has been pitching well in Syracuse I think

"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 8, 2008 10:51 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

well as usual

things have taken a turn for the worse since I got in

"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 8, 2008 10:51 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

well, everyone

I’ve gotta get some dinner, I’m starving. this has been a really disappointing series – nothing to do but have a good road trip I guess.

"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 8, 2008 10:52 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Against cleveland

who always kill us

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:52 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And now Camp gets a strikeout

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:59 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

It took a lot for Camp to pass Stairs for worst Jay of the game

but he pulled it off.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 10:59 PM EDT reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Don't knock him too hard

He’s been virtually the only clutch Jay so far this year.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:02 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Coming into the game he was -.250

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:03 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Those numbers are irrelevent

You want me to count how many wins we owe to Stairs this year. Wins are relevent.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:04 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Well there was the solo homer for the 1-0 win

but how many has he cost? Those matter too.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:05 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

oh right forgot......

and K’d tonight with the winning run on third and 1 out…..

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 11:06 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And even in the one where he solo homered

he missed chances earlier that game.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:07 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And the rest of the Jays did what exactly different?

the point is he was the only one who stepped up and got a run – with absolutely no help from his team. Remember, baseball is a game where a good hitter fails seven times out of ten. Keep perspective.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:10 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Stewart went 3 for 4 with a triple

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:11 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Every single player on the Jays

failed to get a hit when the Jays needed it. One more home run at any point in this game and this game is won. Your concentration on that one at bat is irrational.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:14 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

No, because that at-bat was a high leverage situation

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:15 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

That's an illusion

Name any random time in the game where there was a player in scoring position and a player failed to get a hit – it has just as much influence on the end result as Stairs’ at-bat did.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:18 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

And they are just as liable

More liable in fact because most have performed worse than him this season.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:19 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

For example, when Rolen tripled with one out

and Stairs couldn’t drive him in?

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:21 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Or when Rolen singled and Stairs grounded into

an inning ending double play?

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:22 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

He had a bad game

So did Rios. So did Stewart. There 161 other games in the season. Scapegoating him for the Jays woes is, again, irrational.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:25 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Expecting a 39 year old to hit like he did when he was 29 is fun and all....

but stairs, Stewart, Zaun aren’t going to suddenly become great players…Stairs was great last year…for stairs…but this years it’s more likely he’ll be the player he had been for the 5 or 6 years before that.

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 11:28 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

He's not going to be an All-star

And no, he’s not a clean-up hitter. But he’ll hold his own. I just hope the rest of the Jays can say the same.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:34 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

If Stairs drives in Rolen in the 4th, do the 3 runs in the 9th win the game?

Or does Litsch still give up the same number of runs? Or do we score any runs in the 9th at all? Does Edwin Jackson pitch the 8th if it’s a 3-1 game? These are questions that can’t be answered. As a result you can’t say that Aaron Hill failing to drive home Overbay in the second had as much influence as Stairs failing to drive home Rios in the 10th. The difference in their effect on our chances of winning was huge.

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

by Torgen on May 9, 2008 2:50 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Aaron Hill

(and Rios) just got a large deal in the offseason and is supposed to be a central part of the Jays offense. Stairs is an old man who will soon retire. So I don’t get mad when Stairs has a bad game, any more than I get mad at pop music for being shallow, or at life for lacking transcendental purpose. It’s all about expectations, my friend.

by thelettere on May 9, 2008 7:30 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

yeah...there is no way JP should have put together a team that has Stairs clean up or DH

It isn’t Stairs fault…as a 4 th outfielder, part timer…he’s ok…pretty good…If you thing he’s the clean up hitter that is going to take the Jays past the Yankees and Red Sox…then you shouldn’t be a major league GM

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 11:23 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Well, Thomas was supposed to be the DH

and in spring training he was visibly putting effort into not sucking to start the season, and he still sucked to start the season.

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

by Torgen on May 8, 2008 11:32 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

This is still the start of the season

And he’s batting .295 That is not sucking. Final verdict can’t be given on either side of suck/not suck anyways as the sample size is way too small.

by thelettere on May 8, 2008 11:38 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Actually batting .277, with 9 rbi's.....maybe not sucking but....find me a cleanup hitter with fewer rbis..

And course….a GM should have an real idea of what to expect from his players…Look at Stairs last 5 years…take the fluke one out and he’s doing about what you’d expect.

Same goes for Stewart….his season, so far isn’t that far off what a person would have thought he’d do. Same with Barajas….and really anyone on the team. If everyone is doing about what you would expect and the team isn’t a contender….no one should be surprised….

by Tom Dakers on May 8, 2008 11:49 PM EDT to parent up reply reply actions actions   0 recs

Hill is only having his worst season ever,

Rios’s slugging is the worst it’s been since 2005, and Overbay has never slugged this poorly in any season where he got significant plate