Jays lose to Yankees

by Tom Dakers on Aug 25, 2010 3:10 AM EDT in Toronto Blue Jays Game Recaps

Let's just go with 'that sucked', tomorrow will be better.

Or if you want the long version: Marc Rzepczynski was terrible, Brian Tallet wasn't any better. Casey Janssen did well in hit 2.2 innings.

Offensively we didn't do much either. Travis Snider, Vernon Wells and Adam Lind each had 2 hits. Jose Bautista has a hit and 2 walks. John Buck and Edwin Encarnacion had a hit each. Lyle Overbay had two walk. That was about it for offense.

No Jay of the Day. Scrabble gets the Towers award.

Tomorrow it is Brett Cecil vs. Phil Hughes for the series win.

Tweet Comment 17 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

Why is Casey Janssen still being used in mop-up duty?

Casey Janssen: 45 G, 58 IP, 53 K, 13 BB, 48% GB xFIP: 3.40
Shawn Camp: 53 G, 56.2 IP, 37 K, 11 BB, 50.9% GB xFIP: 3.79
Jason Frasor: 53 G, 48 IP, 49 K, 22 BB, 46.4% GB xFIP: 3.93
Kevin Gregg: 47 G, 46.2 IP, 50 K, 24 BB, 44.1% GB xFIP: 3.91

Janssen has been as effective or more effective than any righty in our bullpen, why on Earth did he pitch 2 2/3 innings yesterday?

"Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!"

by jessef on Aug 25, 2010 7:33 AM EDT reply actions

His innings lately have been somewhat scarce with all the off days and blowout games we have had lately. There comes a time when you just need to get a guy some innings. Tallet was on mop-up duty, but he blew his chance as usual.

by Joey P on Aug 25, 2010 10:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Also, he wasn’t really that great in his last two outings, they both resulted in losses. So he needed a game to put it back together.

by Joey P on Aug 25, 2010 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions

You're assuming that his innings lately should be scarce

My point is more that they’re wasting him by not using him in higher-leverage innings and giving him steadier work

"Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!"

by jessef on Aug 25, 2010 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

They have been using him in higher-leverage innings lately. His last two outings prior to this were as higher-leverage as it gets. An extra innings loss to Boston, and ninth inning loss to Oakland. The fact that he was pitching in late inning tied games proves that he has been getting those opportunities and that’s where Cito wants to use him. It just isn’t easy to give him those opportunities lately because of the blow-outs and off days. We have other guys such as Downs, Frasor, and Gregg that need innings through these stretches as well. Last night was a great opportunity for Janssen to revive himself after Oakland and Boston. So I don’t see what was wrong with him coming in at that time.

by Joey P on Aug 25, 2010 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

It doesn't count as giving him high-leverage innings

when the only reason you’re going to him is because you’ve exhausted your other options, such as on 21 August (Camp, Frasor, Downs and Carlson had already pitched that day) and 18 August (Frasor and Downs had already pitched that day and Camp and Carlson had pitched the day before).

The point I’m trying to make is not about his usage yesterday so much as it is about his usage this season. His average Leverage Index when entering games is 0.59. Shawn Camp’s is 1.47. Jason Frasor’s is 1.21. Heck, even Jesse Carlson’s is higher (0.63). Considering that Janssen’s been every bit as good as either Camp or Frasor, why is he getting so many garbage-time innings and so few important ones?

"Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!"

by jessef on Aug 25, 2010 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t know what the big deal is. He is pitching isn’t he? Although he has put up better numbers than Gregg, Camp and Frasor, his numbers aren’t exactly standout numbers. A guy has to earn the trust from the manager over time. Cito isn’t exactly the easiest guy to earn trust from. Carlson has been a favorite of Cito’s for a long time and that isn’t about to change. Janssen just had two chances to earn trust from Cito, and Janssen blew those two chances. I can only imagine how PO’d Cito is with Janssen after those last two games. Janssen was lucky there was mop-up duty available because he was likely to sit for weeksafter the last two games. I’m not saying Janssen doesn’t deserve the chances, but I don’t see what he has done to earn them this year, especially when we are dealing with Ctio. It isn’t like Janssen is spotting a killer ERA and huge SO rate at the moment, even if his numbers are better then the others. When Janssen plays his way into that role, then I will back him up.

by Joey P on Aug 25, 2010 4:59 PM EDT up reply actions

How much longer are we going to continue to use Tallet?

by Joey P on Aug 25, 2010 10:40 AM EDT reply actions

Not much consolation, but Tallet feels as bad about his performance this year as anyone, according to this Globe and Mail article.

Don’t know that it’s the best indicator, but after putting together three seasons with us with ERAs in the 3-4 range, this season marks the second now in the 5-6 range. Seems like there are some younger guys in Vegas, like Accardo and Roenicke, deserving of being up here.

It’s a moot point for this year now with expanded rosters around the corner, but what happens with Tallet for next year? I’d think at best he’d have to fight for a job in spring training. Any thoughts on what the Jays might do with him in the offseason?

by jabalong on Aug 25, 2010 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Hill better hope for a bounce beak in 2011 or I can see his 2012-2014 options being

passed on

by ClintB on Aug 25, 2010 11:07 AM EDT reply actions

"bounce back"

by ClintB on Aug 25, 2010 11:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Rzepczynski

What’s his deal? Where is the guy who gave up 2 hits and no walks while striking out 6 in 7 innings of shut-eye? Does he even exist? Was that a fluke? The question needs to be asked.
But seriously looking at his past 5 starts (IP/H/ER/BB/SO)
Minnesota 5.2/8/4/1/7 Not the worst but it was one of his best over his last 5
KC 4.2/9/5/1/3
LA Angels 7/2/0/0/7 Great start, brought people back into his camp
Oakland 4.1/5/3/5/0 Again not the worst but as the average start not good at all.
Yankees 3/8/6/2/1

I don’t know how this happened and I know it’s not to be expected for him to pitch like he did against the Angels everytime out but can he at least make it closer, only being able to compete in 1 out of 5 games doesn’t cut it in the AL east.

by T_Mizz on Aug 25, 2010 12:22 PM EDT reply actions

This is why we shouldn't count our pitchers before they hatch...

I think Zep could make a good reliever but he has to work on his command a lot if he wants to be a consistent starter.
Although i see him as a #5 guy at best anyways.

Onions Baby Onions

by ohmybosh on Aug 25, 2010 1:09 PM EDT up reply actions

I wouldn’t give up on Zep because of a bad start. That’s what happens when you can’t find the strike zone against the Yankees. Not even Halladay would have escaped damage if he couldn’t hit the strike zone against the Yankees. We need to be patient with these guys and see if they figure it out.

by Joey P on Aug 25, 2010 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions

My point, in case you missed it is the opposite

Instead of me giving up on him after one bad start my thinking is why did I let myself get high on him after one good start. Or alternatively I may have given up on him after 4 out of 5 starts being bad. I still think he may become a decent 5th but collectively, horses need to be held people.

by T_Mizz on Aug 25, 2010 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions