Good Start for Henderson Alvarez: Jays Still Lose to White Sox
by Tom Dakers on Sep 28, 2011 2:22 AM EDT
in Toronto Blue Jays Game Recaps
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Our offense is really is really limping to the finish line. It doesn't help that we have Yunel and Edwin hurt, but we just aren't scoring runs.
We did get 8 hits today and Mike McCoy hit a home run. Really, if McCoy hits a home run you really ought to win the game. The two Joses had two hits each. 0 fors tonight go to Colby Rasmus and Eric Thames. To give an idea to how poor Colby has been hitting, Farrell had Chris Woodward pinch hit for Rasmus in the top of the 9th.
Henderson Alvarez had another good start. 7 innings, 7 hits, 2 earned, no walks and 6 strikeouts. But he gave up a home run to Tyler Flowers and an RBI single to A.J. Pierzynski. Since we've been offensively challenged the past couple of week, that was enough for the loss.
I'm going to give a JoD to McCoy for the homer and Alvarez for the 7 innings of good work.
Tomorrow the season comes to a finish with Brandon Morrow (11-11, 4.78) getting the start. Brandon has had 2 excellent starts in a row, so I'm hoping he can have one more to go into the off-season with good feelings. Philip Humber (9-9, 3.86) starts for the White Sox. It is a 2:00 Eastern start.
Both the Rays and the Red Sox won today, so they go into the last day of the season tied for the Wild Card. The Rays, amazingly, got a triple play in the 6th inning. A huge moment in the game. the Yankees were already up 3-2 and had a good chance to blow the game wide open but Russell Martin hit a triple play with the base loaded. He might have been safe if he didn't dive for the bag at first base. The play was costly because the Rays got a 3 run homer from Matt Joyce in the bottom of the inning. It makes for an exciting last day of the season and leaves the strong possibility of a 1 game playoff between the Rays and Sox.
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Alvarez deserves a shot at the rotaion next year… i´m looking forward to see if Tom will have Alvarez over Drabek in the next rookie preview.
KLaw would vote for Bautista as the AL MVP….
"Touch ´em all, Joe!"
by jaysfanfromeurope on Sep 28, 2011 4:10 AM EDT reply actions
Where in Europe are you? It is annoying being a baseball fan over there as it is difficult to watch the night games.
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 6:21 AM EDT up reply actions
i´m from germany… so normally i´m 6 hours infront…. evening games on workdays are pretty bad for me as they normally start at 1 a.m. and end in the middle of the night… and you won´t have a lot of friends here who are interested in baseball… but it´s still fun and i have relatives in canada… so… Go Jays!
"Touch ´em all, Joe!"
by jaysfanfromeurope on Sep 28, 2011 7:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Do you watch the German Baseball League? You wouldn’t happen to be a fan of the Dohren Wild Farmers?
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 8:08 AM EDT up reply actions
no… i not following our baseball league… which maybe has the niveau of a good highschool team (i suggest)…
it´s common to follow soccer, hockey and basketball here in germany… with handball these are the top 4 sports in our country. Soccer is number one by far…
"Touch ´em all, Joe!"
by jaysfanfromeurope on Sep 28, 2011 8:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Hmmm is Drabek still a "prospect" though?
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 8:48 AM EDT up reply actions
We still finish the 2011 ranking…. don´t know if he´ll make the top 30 of 2012;-)
How would you rank our pitching prospects based on their 2011 performance?
I think i´d go with:
1) Alvarez
2) Hutchinson
3) Molina
4) McGuire
5) Drabek
6) Syndergaard
7) Niccolino
8) Sanchez
… it´s really hard to place a guy like Drabek who has seen the big league but had an ERA north of 6… and nearly walked a batter an inning in Vegas
But if have of them make it to the show it looks like a bright future!
"Touch ´em all, Joe!"
by jaysfanfromeurope on Sep 28, 2011 10:03 AM EDT up reply actions
protected pick
Am I correct in stating that we have a protected pick if we lose tomorrow? We are in 16th position now and would “catch” Chicago with a loss.
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 6:20 AM EDT reply actions
I think if we lose and Cleveland loses, Cleveland would get it. Tiebreaker is the worse finish in th previous year?
But yeah, I’ll be hoping for a Jays loss.
by ayjackson on Sep 28, 2011 7:50 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I was just looking at that too and agree. The problem was that the reversestandings have the Jay’s in 16th and Cleveland in 17th even though they are tied. I think the reverse standings are wrong though and that Cleveland is actually ahead.
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 7:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Are the National only playing 161 games this year? If they win and only play 161 games then they would have a better winning % than us.
If the Reds win and we lose we would also get the protected pick I reckon.
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 8:02 AM EDT up reply actions
i was wondering about that
If that’s true, we need a Jays loss and one of the Indians, Nats and Reds to win.
by ayjackson on Sep 28, 2011 8:07 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Indians and Reds only
Nats would pick before the Jays in case of tie, because we had the better record last year
Actually, as the Nats will only play 161
They’d be 80-81 vs our 80-82, so we’d scrape past them by a fraction.
Yay! Worse than the Nationals!
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Wait how come the Nats only play 161?
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AA convinced them not to play more—there was a cancelled game that couldn’t be made up. It happens once in awhile.
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Our pick can go as high as 13 and as low as 17 depending on today’s results.
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 8:06 AM EDT up reply actions
Lefties hit terribly against the reliever in the 9th
So that was probably a big factor in replacing Rasmus but still…Rasmus against a LHP should be better than Woodward against anyone.
by Nadia on Sep 28, 2011 7:35 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Henderson Alvarez
He is the third pitcher in MLB history to finish with a WHIP under 1.2 and have a K/BB of 5 or more in his first season (min. 10 starts). The others were Roy Oswalt (2001) and Stephen Strasburg (2010). Starters with more than 63 innings pitched with that WHIP and K/BB (or better) include Dan Haren, Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, and Henderson Alvarez.
I know that we are looking at SSS but it’s still exciting!
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
It also shows how quickly things can change for prospects. He was the BBB 11th rated prospect this winter and only played ‘A’ ball before this year.
by JaysSaskatchewan on Sep 28, 2011 9:27 AM EDT up reply actions
Yep. But to continue on this pace he must add one more good pitch to his arsenal
I’m sure MLB hitters would adapt quite quickly next year if he just stays the course
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions
i don't see why they wouldn't have already adapted to him
i mean, every team has the scouting report on him – mostly fastballs, some changeups, and the occassional slider.
i think he needs to add a third pitch to become a top tier pitcher, but i’d say he’s comfortably a mid-rotation guy right now even if he doesn’t add a third pitch.
I would prefer to see success the 2nd and 3rd time through the league
before pinning him as a mid-rotation guy already. The results so far have been very promising, but I want to see how he handles getting roughed up a few times before anointing him as a permanent fixture. Most impressive thus far has been his low walk rate for a rookie starter, and if he keeps that up I agree he should have a solid future.
I'd argue he has more than 2 pitches
His 2 seamer moves so much its ridiculous he also has a cutter a 4 seamer and throws an awesome change thats how he gets by so well, of course if he were to improve his slider to atleast average he would become that much more dominant. The future is bright for this kid.
And I'd argue
That the PitchFx data shows just enough variance in horizontal movement to indicate the possibility of two different fastballs being thrown. However, both sink, so it may just be variation on just one pitch.
Jacoby Ellsbury has 9.7 WAR
WTF is going on
Sad, Drunk, And Poorly
My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world. - JL
Who are arguably our 2nd, 3rd and 4th best hitters.
by Nadia on Sep 28, 2011 10:35 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Wow. I forgot about Lawrie too... :-(
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
for anyone that missed it
RSN will have all 4 “key” games on tonight, spread across their 5 channels.
… and i have a 7-10 class. Boo.
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My condolences, 7-10 classes are the worst
Hic sunt fortuna dracones
Yea, Yuck.
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions
i don't mind them
but on a night like this, i despise them
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by Bowling_Guy25 on Sep 28, 2011 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions
Just one day per week?
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:22 AM EDT up reply actions
this one yeah
next semester 4/5 days are 7-10
better then 8am in my head
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by Bowling_Guy25 on Sep 28, 2011 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Of course.... especially during the winter term
There’s no baseball anyway so what else are you gonna do in your evenings?
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Hope you don't like hockey Bowling Guy
I actually always preferred 8 am classes to evening classes. I always had to get up early for my summer job so by the time school was back, I was in a morning routine. I liked the early mornings in university when it’s quiet and I had my coffee, feeling smug while everyone else complained how early it was, lol.
Hic sunt fortuna dracones
i stream the game in class Lol
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by Bowling_Guy25 on Sep 28, 2011 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions
Brilliant, lol.
Hic sunt fortuna dracones
That's my plan for tonight too
I'm more than a little jealous of Grantland's ability to use footnotes rather than excessively long bracketed statements.
I was an 8 am class guy, too
I liked to do classes in the morning, study in the afternoon while others were in class, and then have nights to myself. I almost never did work after dinner.
"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
That's the best way, IMO
It also makes the transition into the workforce easier too.
Hic sunt fortuna dracones
How did I not know Jeroloman is hurt...
Is that old news?
by Nadia on Sep 28, 2011 11:29 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Jeroloman is hurt?
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions
Yeah
JP said it on twitter when someone asked him if he could ask Farrell to put him in a game.
by Nadia on Sep 28, 2011 11:33 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Well, I guess that explains why he hasn't had a start.
Hic sunt fortuna dracones
Why haven't they said anything, though?
Lott just wrote an article on him.
by Nadia on Sep 28, 2011 11:38 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Uh oh
He probably shouldn’t have said that.
Follow me @BBBMinorLeaguer | 2011 Jays record while in attendance: 12-12 (.500)
by Minor Leaguer on Sep 28, 2011 11:41 AM EDT up reply actions
NOOOOOO this cant be happening
the last chance to FREE JERO and he is hurt. lol i just cant believe he is yet to make his debut
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does anyone know if that segment on jays connected with the young guys is online anywhere?
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so ozzie is with the marlins
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/09/ozzies-four-year-deal-worth-about-10mm.html
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i guess he got his money
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Guillen and Loria together with the same team
That should be VERY interesting.
"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr
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