Friday, June 22 - Toronto, Ontario
7:07 PM (EST)
|
Colorado Rockies Willy Tavares dh Troy Tulowitzki ss Matt Holliday lf Todd Helton 1b Garrett Atkins 3b Brad Hawpe rf Ryan Spillbroughs cf Jamie Carroll 2b Chris Ianetta c Pitching: Jason Hirsch, RHP |
Toronto Blue Jays Vernon Wells cf Greg Zaun c Alexis Rios rf Troy Glaus 3b Frank Thomas dh Matt Stairs 1b Aaron Hill 2b Adam Lind lf John McDonald ss Pitching: Josh Towers, RHP
|
After a heartbreaking loss yesterday that saw gutsy pitching by Shaun Marcum and Scott Downs go to waste and Jays fans inexplicably booing Casey Janssen, one of the top relievers in all of baseball this season so far, they begin a series with the Colorado Rockies, fresh off a sweep of the Yankees and a great stretch that has taken them to within 3 1/2 games of the division lead.
Unfortunately, we won't be seeing my pick to plug our SS hole from this offseason, for which I argued vehemently and pointlessly, Kaz Matsui. Matsui is OPSing .830, has swiped 13 bases of 14 tries, and has yet to make an error, with what seems to be decent range. Now he has done all this at 2nd base, but I think he has the tools to play SS at the MLB level, and that was his position in Japan. He has quick feet and a strong arm, although he's not great around the bag on the double play and he still isn't great at backhanding the ball (one reason he was moved from SS). Is he great, no, but he would have cost no more, really, than Clayton. Anyway, I'll stop talking about Kaz, who I thought was treated exceptionally unfairly in NY, and move on to tonight's game.
Josh Towers starts against 25-year old Jason Hirsch, who the Rockies picked up with Willy Tavares for Jason Jennings this offseason in a very nice trade for them. Josh's wife, Kendall, just gave birth to their second child, Elizabeth Towers. Congrats, Josh! Let's celebrate with a W!
Let's go Jays!