Good Start for Dustin McGowan: Jays Still Lose to Angels

by Tom Dakers on Sep 21, 2011 10:56 PM EDT in Toronto Blue Jays Game Recaps

That was the second terrible game in a row. After Dustin left I lost interest. Good thing the game thread was fun.

The only thing good about this game was watching Dustin McGowan. Dustin went 5 innings giving up no walks and getting 8 strikeouts. Peter Bourjos was the only one that was able to hit him hard. He led off the 3rd with a triple and scored on a Maicer Izturis single and had a solo homer in the 5th. Other than that, Dustin was great. He makes me think that next year will be a lot of fun.

Other than that, there wasn't much to cheer about. Chad Beck looked good in the 9th, getting 2 strikeouts.

On the bad side, Casey Janssen gave up 3 runs while getting 2 outs, 2 off a run home run to Vernon Wells. It was the first time he gave up more than a run in an outing since June 11th. I guess he is allowed a bad appearance every 4 months or so. Jesse Litsch gave up 2 runs in his inning.

On offense there wasn't much to cheer about either. We only had 6 hits on the day. Eric Thames had a solo home run in the 6th. Kelly Johnson went 2 for 3, with a walk and drove in our other run. Jose Bautista singled in his last at bat of the day, to bring his average back up over .300.

No Jays of the Day. Johnson had the top number at .030 WPA. I'm tempted to give McGowan one, because he did have his best start since coming back. Suckage numbers go to JP Arencibia (-153, for an 0 for 4) and Litsch (-.123). Casey avoids the suckage number only because the Angels had the game in hand when he came into the game.

JP took a bounced pitch off his throwing wrist, early in the game, but stayed in. I think they really should have taken him out, he didn't look good at the plate and he threw the ball away trying to pick a runner off first. Maybe the arm was bothering him. It would have been a good chance to see Brian Jeroloman (this is now an auto comment that will appear in all game recaps until the season ends).

Dan Haren pitched a great game. It didn't end well for him, with 2 out in the 8th, Eric Thames hit a hard line drive at him. He tried to catch it, but it hit his wrist, then bounced to the second baseman, who threw Thames out to end the inning. Haren looked like he was in a lot of pain. No word on the injury, I hope nothing is broken.

Vernon Wells now has 3 home runs and 8 RBI against his old team this year. He was 2 for 5 tonight with 3 strikeouts. His slash line, in 9 games against the Jays, is .211/.231/.500.

Tomorrow the Jays have their last home game of the season and try to split the series. Henderson Alvarez (1-2, 3.62) gets the start for us. Ervin Santana (11-12, 3.40) goes for the Angels.

Good news? The Orioles beat the Red Sox tonight. At the moment, the Rays and Yankees are tied at 2 in the 8th.

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LOL Dustin Parkes!

Not changing my signature until Hechavarria is promoted to the big leagues.
[Funny phrase about how few followers I have on Twitter]

by Joey Kirby on Sep 21, 2011 11:48 PM EDT reply actions

lol amazing work

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by noname3 on Sep 22, 2011 12:24 AM EDT up reply actions

I know, great work over there at Getting Blanked!

Not changing my signature until Hechavarria is promoted to the big leagues.
[Funny phrase about how few followers I have on Twitter]

by Joey Kirby on Sep 23, 2011 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions

That's as creepy as it is awesome.

by TheGP Baseball on Sep 22, 2011 10:42 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Moar funny stuff, kinda awkward looking?

Not changing my signature until Hechavarria is promoted to the big leagues.
[Funny phrase about how few followers I have on Twitter]

by Joey Kirby on Sep 21, 2011 11:58 PM EDT reply actions

"HI!!"

Clear eyes, full hearts, can't lose.

by Jevant on Sep 22, 2011 8:09 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow tough one to watch today

I’m pretty much forcing myself to watch every inning from here on out regardless. If I don’t, I know that in the middle of December when I’m pretending to care about hockey I will have this conversation with myself:

Me: Hey remember that crappy mid-week Jays game when they looked so pathetic against the Angels and you wanted to turn it off because you were bored and frustrated?
Also Me: …maybe… what about it?
Original Me: Well, just think about that game, then think about the Winnipeg vs. Florida hockey highlights that Sportsnet is currently obsessing over.
The Second Me: …huh… Yeah that really is boring, I kinda miss those “crappy” Jays games that I took for granted. Actually, come to think of it, why did I ever think it was a good idea to turn off the game just because the Jays weren’t playing good? Oh Other Me, you are so wise!
Other Me: Yes, indeed I am, now listen up. The moral of this little conversation is that the worst Blue Jays game in history is better than NO game at all. So soak it up when you have the chance.
The Final Me: Thank you good sir, I will! …If only I had this vital knowledge back in September…

by shuswapslugger on Sep 22, 2011 12:50 AM EDT reply actions 3 recs

I have this feeling everytime a sport I like is coming to an end. Especially events like the World Cup.

Unfortunately I’m having a hard time being able to watch Jays game lately so I don’t even have the option…:(

A day that will live in infamy: August 4th, 2011
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by jays182 on Sep 22, 2011 2:03 AM EDT up reply actions

That's a rec'n for making me laugh

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by JaysfanDL on Sep 22, 2011 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Reasons Brian Jeroloman should get in a game

1 – May quit baseball after this season to become a doctor, if he had any doctorin’ skills
2 – Can squat as well as JPA and Molina
3 – May have only thrown out 15% of base stealers in Vegas, but never threw out baby with bathwater.
4 – Tired of being sent to the store for more sunflower seeds during games.
5 – Been working diligently with Dewayne Wise to improve his hitting.
6 – Has Blue Jay uniform with his name on the back.

by JayTeam on Sep 22, 2011 1:54 AM EDT reply actions 5 recs

When can we start calling him Moonlight?

The man in the white shirt.

by durga2112 on Sep 22, 2011 8:00 AM EDT up reply actions

The team said when he was called up that he was unlikely to get into a game.

We may not agree but it shouldnt be unexpected.

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by JohnnyG on Sep 22, 2011 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice to see Kelly Johnson hitting

But I want Colby to do the same.

by Woodman663 on Sep 22, 2011 4:57 AM EDT reply actions

You and me both.

Thought it was interesting that some people on Twitter were already calling Colby a bust. That being said, though, next year is going to be crucial for him…hopefully he rakes.

by TheGP Baseball on Sep 22, 2011 10:43 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Have our pitchers

especially Janssen forgotten about Vernon’s achilles heel with the slider or any pitch for that matter low-and-outside…and sometimes waayyy outside? Disappointing.

by Bendit on Sep 22, 2011 9:33 AM EDT reply actions

Vernon's a really good guy

so maybe they just felt bad for him and the terrible season he is having.

by Playoffs!!!!1 on Sep 22, 2011 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions

I posted a question regarding tRA in another thread

this is jessef’s response:

first of all, tRA (from statcorner) is slightly different from tERA (from fangraphs). tRA estimates run average (including unearned runs), whereas tERA estimates only earned run average. From what I remember, unearned runs generally come to about 0.50 runs per 9 innings (obviously, this depends somewhat on the pitcher, but that’s just a vague, general estimate — so if you want to adjust a tRA to an ERA without going to fangraphs (for whatever reason), I think you can knock about a half a run off).

tRA / tERA is a run / earned run average estimator based on strikeouts, walks, homeruns (I believe), and a pitcher’s batted ball profile.

As long as the specific questions:

Morrow — the reason tRA (and tERA) estimate Morrow high is because his linedrive%, which is out-of-this-world-high at 22.5% this year. I doubt it will stay that high, of course, but that’s neither here nor there, it’s simply the reason that tRA estimates his run average where it does.

Romero — his tRA is high based on his bad HR/fly-rate (12.7%), which xFIP normalizes, and his low popup-rate (5.3%; popups are just about as good as strikeouts in tRA). Also, it assumes that Romero has thrown way fewer innings than he has based on his low babip, which xFIP does not account for.

Alvarez — basically the same as Romero . . . high HR/fly-rate, low popup-rate, slightly below league-average babip.

Hope this helps.

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by benk on Sep 22, 2011 9:35 AM EDT reply actions

pop-ups?

do pitchers really have significant control over that?

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by Pikachu on Sep 22, 2011 12:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think tRA normalizes anything, that's the thing

it doesn’t seem to normalize LD rate (which we know pitchers have no control over) nor pop-up rate (I don’t think they have much control over this either). I think it just says "here’s the batted ball profile, here are the K and BB numbers, this is what his ERA should be with those numbers

I tweet and then Keith Law ignores me

by benk on Sep 22, 2011 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions