Yeah I Don't Know the Answer Either, Jays Loss to Braves

by Tom Dakers on May 23, 2009 11:00 PM EDT in Game Recaps Comment 16 comments

Jays 3 Braves 4

Against the Red Sox we were getting lots of just no runs. Last night, not much for hits. Tonight we had some hits (7) and some walks (5). We even had a lead for a moment when Scoot drove in 2 with a double in the 3rd but the Braves got them back in the bottom of the inning. Braves got 1 more in the 4th on an RBI single by Derek Lowe. Yeah the pitcher, he was 2 for 3 today. Braves got an insurance run on a Kelly Johnson home run off BJ Ryan. It looked like a decent enough pitch, inside, but Johnson, a left handed batter is killing lefty pitchers, that was his 3rd homer off lefty pitching in 36 at bats. If Cito was gaining any confidence in BJ it's gone now.

Jays didn't do much else offensively till the 9th. Lind doubled, Rolen walked (now I complained about umps in yesterday's game, today Rolen got a ball on one I thought he swung at, and the other balls were very close to the strike zone, but Scott showed a good eye). Overbay, allowed to hit against the lefty reliever singled, driving in Lind and Rolen went to 3rd, just barely getting in safe. Barajas walked on 4 pitches, not one pitch close to the strike zone. So we had bases loaded, one out.

Millar pinch hit, Braves brought in a right handed pitcher, but Millar is hitting much better against righties (.320/.370/.600) than lefties (.280/.308/.420). We needed a fly ball, but Millar struck out, not coming close on the swinging strike 3. Hard to get on him, cause he has done well, but man I wanted that fly ball. Then with 2 out Scutaro gave us that fly out. But with 2 outs already it was less good.

Janssen was good, not great, 6 innings 3 earned, 14 ground outs. Lowe did much the same job going 7.1, 2 earned and 16 ground outs, so he won the battle of the ground outs. Jay of the Day Lyle Overbay (.217 WPA). Suckage Jays are Millar (-.224), Scutaro (-.190), Rios (-.156) and Wells (-.129). I thought Rios had pulled out of his slump, he had been hitting great in May but he looked lost today. And so did Wells.

Yeah I don't know what to do about the offense right now and I am sure Cito is not laying awake thinking 'what would Tom do to pull us out of this'. Cito is a terrific batting coach, but me....I'd give the guys a couple of days off batting practice. I guess since tomorrow is a day game batting practice won't be happening anyway. I think I'd also give Wells the day off tomorrow, but Cito has publicly stated he doesn't believe in that. Maybe I'd take them all out to the bar tomorrow night and get them good and drunk.

Good news is thanks to a Papelbon blown save (couldn't happen to a nicer guy), we are still in first. But we really could start winning again any time. Like tomorrow maybe?

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Well

… Wells has been pounding infield hits into the ground and I think his last out was in the air .. so this could bode well that the end of the slump is nearing … fingers crossed

by aagoodfella on May 23, 2009 11:49 PM EDT reply actions

100 games into the season if we look back and the worst the Jays have to complain of is a 5-game slump, i think this is not too much to complain about – of course that implies a win tomorrow

by aagoodfella on May 23, 2009 11:51 PM EDT up reply actions

he came into Atlanta batting .167 with RISP… he will enter todays game batting .164 with RISP. He’s 0-8 this series… and 7 of the 8 at bats were groundouts….

i was never one to rag on Vernon, but even my patience are wearing thin at this point

by Aquamelli on May 24, 2009 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Where is Snider

Snider did not play on Friday or Saturday (through 5.5 innings) for the 51s?

by aagoodfella on May 23, 2009 11:53 PM EDT reply actions

He is sitting on the bench.

In the grand scheme of things, the pain of life is not worth it.

by adamgreuel on May 24, 2009 2:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Must be giving him a couple days of rest...

Arencibia was 1-for-2 with two walks today!

In the grand scheme of things, the pain of life is not worth it.

by adamgreuel on May 24, 2009 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions

How did the Texas Rangers ?!?! get ahead of the Jays

by aagoodfella on May 23, 2009 11:54 PM EDT reply actions

What is the most frustrating about this losing streak is the Jays have been making the opposing starters look like aces. Ok, so Lowe is a good pitcher, but what was their excuse vs. Penny, Lester, and Kawakami, 3 guys with ERAs near or over 6.00? Better question, how does the entire team suddenly go into a hitting funk at the same time? One or two players, fine, but every single guy? There must be something foul in the water…

by Icedragon on May 23, 2009 11:59 PM EDT reply actions

Good opportunity

It looked like the last 3 Jays batters lined up perfectly. Who else would you want to see at the plate with a runner at 3rd and 1 out than than Barajas and Millar and after that failed with the bases loaded who has a better eye than Scutaro with bases loaded. Oh so close.

by Piccasso on May 24, 2009 12:00 AM EDT reply actions

So is this a slump or is the team regressing towards their mean? That .290 Batting Average they sported for a while seems to good to be true now. The pitching continues to do an admirable job, but the hitters are just killing the chances for wins now.

~K
"As the governor of Louisiana once said, the only way Chris Kelsay can lose his job is if he got caught in bed with a dead girl or a live boy."

by Kurupt on May 24, 2009 12:54 AM EDT reply actions

This is definitely a slump. The Jays lineup does have talent. Hill is hitting great, Rolen has always been a pretty good hitter. Both Rios and Wells are capable of hitting a LOT better than they are right now, and so is Overbay. If those 3 guys could break out of their funks and start producing again it would go a long way. Plus Lind has really started to slow down lately. The Jays didn’t have a poor batting average as a team last year, it was just getting the clutch hits to score runs that they had problems with (kind of like on this losing streak).

by Icedragon on May 24, 2009 1:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Also keep in mind that both the Yankees and Red Sox needed huge winning streaks to get back into the race. Yankees with their 9-gamer that just ended, and the Red Sox with their, what was it, 10-gamer earlier in the season. So its not like any of those teams have been hot all year.

by Icedragon on May 24, 2009 1:04 AM EDT up reply actions

this is true and arguably, the Jays have yet to have a winning streak yet. Their admirable record was pieced together by a few wins here and a few wins there. If they ever get a 10 game win-streak together …. LOOK OUT. Personally, I would love for it to start next weekend against the BoSox!

by aagoodfella on May 24, 2009 12:12 PM EDT up reply actions

11

by Aquamelli on May 24, 2009 12:51 PM EDT up reply actions

Brighten up girls...

Ifin you’d been told before the season started that the Jays would LOSE 5 straight games up to May 23rd and STILL be ALONE in FIRST PLACE in the AL EAST – you’d have been one happy camper!

SO – be Happy Camper!

by Mylegacy on May 24, 2009 12:57 AM EDT reply actions