The Whole Sad Story
The Blue Jays dropped an excruciating one this afternoon to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Shaun Marcum was fantastic in his first start, allowing no runs on no hits and 3 walks through 6 innings, while striking out 7. His control was much better than the 3 walks would indicate, and he really had his stuff working.
Unfortunately, he had to leave after 6 with his pitch count at 79, and Jason Frasor surrendered a HR to Carlos Pena. The Jays could muster nothing against Tampa starter Jae Seo, and by the time Matt Stairs homered in the 9th, the Rays had added their insurance run, which was the result of awful pitching and terrible defense by the Jays in the top of the 9th.
Waxing/Waning Gibbons
One of the worst games I've seen Gibbons manage. I suppose I understand if Marcum had to go after 6, and bringing in Frasor was okay, but letting Frasor face the lefty Pena was a bad idea, especially since Gibbons was planning on using lefty Brian Tallet anyway. Frasor has been terrible against lefties.
Offensively, Gibbons was no better, letting Royce Clayton bat for himself with Thomas on 1st and 2 out as the tying run, then pinch hitting John McDonald (?!) for Jason Phillips, only to let Ryan Roberts also bat for himself. Why was Rios not used in one of these three spots? Is he hurt? The announcers didn't mention anything about that.
Incidentally, Brian Tallet is terrible. Gibbons is a fool to bring him into any close game to face a righty. He made a boneheaded move failing to cover first to give the Rays an insurance run, and he walks everybody in sight while rarely getting a strikeout against a righty. In fairness to Tallet, Ryan Roberts made a throwing error that inning, but he still stinks.
Jays of the Day
Shaun Marcum . He belongs in the rotation, and showed it today. He had been unlucky with both hits and HRs allowed out of the pen, and I don't expect that to continue.
A really disappointing day in which the sweep was there for the taking and in which the visitors could manage only 3 hits.