I Need All the Friends I Can Get
There's a little story in today's Toronto Star about young Jays' outfielder Adam Lind. Richard Griffin wrote it, and it ends with this nugget:
If there is one aspect of these current Jays that defines the difference between old coaching staff and new, it is personified in the emergence of Adam Lind.
Though Griffin doesn't really make this point as clear as it could be, I think what he means is that Tenance and Cito have nurtured Lind and built up his confidence, while Gibbons did not do that. I agree with Griffin in the sense that I think Lind's 1-19 stretch under Gibby earlier this season, followed by him being sent down, was the low point of the season. Although Gibbons and Ricciardi share the blame for that. You just don't do that to a young kid you're developing into a major-league hitter. Of course, Cito has had the luxury of the Jays really being out of it, for all intents and purposes, since he took over. Gibbons knew he had to compete or be fired, so the situation is a little different, at least, as Gibbons likely sees it.
Hopefully next year we will see Snider get an extended shot at some point, and perhaps Arencibia as well sometime next season. Only time will tell, and a lot is out of the coaching staff's hands, as to how and how quickly they will develop as major-league hitters.
I'll be posting the game thread later, and will be around for half of the game, in which I am hoping and praying that Sir Sidney does not humiliate us. See y'all then. Today's title, by the way, comes from a Camera Obscura song off their most recent record, Lets Get Out of this Country (also a great song). I'm really enjoying that record right now.
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JP on Mike Francesca radio show in New York today
Man he comes across as an ass…he basically attributed the Rays success to some good breaks falling their way
Said hiring Cito was his call.
Said Bosox aren’t as tough without Manny in lineup.
And told Mike to keep a seat warm for him—-in case he gets fired this year, he’d replace Mad Dog Russo as Mike’s broadcast partner.
From his lips to God’s ears…
by norm depalma on Aug 21, 2008 2:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
hahahaha
you have to be pretty bad to come across as a jerk when Mike Francesa is the other guy in the room. JP on sports talk radio would be pretty hilarious 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 Aug 21, 2008 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Apparently he still had time in his busy schedule to trade for José Bautista
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on Aug 21, 2008 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Opinions on Bautista?
I just got the text message saying that the trade happened – any opinions on this guy? Don’t recognise the name really. But another infielder? Seriously? My guess is Rolen is being shut down for the season maybe.
And how would it work for the “player to be named”? I’m assuming the Jays set a limit on who the Pirates have access to?
by wroth91 on Aug 21, 2008 4:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I agree
no way Rolen’s playing again this season. Bautista isn’t terrible, I guess – I don’t know much about his defense, but he hits lefthanders pretty well and has a little bit of pop. I find it hard to believe that platooning Eckstein and, say, Adams at 2nd and Inglett and Scoot at 3rd wouldn’t be adequate though. Maybe Eckstein and/or Scutaro are going to be traded and JP is looking for more infield depth just to round out the season?
"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 Aug 21, 2008 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
on the other hand
JP might be sick of Mench and just figures that Bautista is a better righthanded bat off the bench. His numbers against lefties aren’t bad, and Mench has been a joke.
"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 Aug 21, 2008 4:30 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Didn't he homer off us during interleague?
Also, he played short during spring training ‘06, but I don’t think this makes him a long term solution for us at short. (Although how many years of our shortstops do you have to sum up to get 12 homers?)
"He almost has to start. Do you believe in miracles?"
by Torgen on Aug 21, 2008 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

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