Blue Jays 5 Yankees 6 (12 innings)
The bunt is an interesting strategy. For example, today in the 7th with us up by two, facing Brian Bruney, who just came into the game, Rod Barajas and Marco Scutaro hit hard singles to open the inning. Cito pinch runs for the gimpy Barajas and has Aaron Hill, one of our best hitters this season, bunt. Now, I'm not a fan of the bunt and I really don't like it here because we are up by two already, a big inning puts the game away. Yankee's walk Lind, intentionally and Scott Rolen is up. The reason why you bunted is right here, because Rolen can score the runner with an out. But he pops out and Overbay lines out and the bunt didn't work. Was it the wrong move? Well I don't like the bunt and we were in front so I hate one run strategies when in front. But then if Rolen hit the sac fly, Cito's right.
Ok, skip ahead to the top of the 9th, game tied, Mariano Rivera in. Raul Chavez works a great, long at bat and gets a single. Now do you bunt here? Cito bunted in the other spot where it was a less clear bunt moment. But Cito knows Chavez is as slow as a baseball player gets (and we can't pinch run because Barajas is out of the game), so the bunt would have to be perfect or it would be force at second. Add in Chavez worked Rivera and he knows Scutaro will work him too. So Scoot, after a long at bat, hits a hard ground ball, unfortunately right at Jeter and it's a double play. So if you are a fan of the bunt, well there is another spot to double guess Cito.
I'm not saying Cito was wrong in either case. I wouldn't have done it the first time, I would have thought about it the second and not done it. For me, that's what makes baseball great. The moment. What do you do?
Another moment you could question: 7th inning, up by two, Halladay not really pitching sharp, 98 pitches, do you pull him? I don't, but then a single and a homer and the game is tied. Yeah it was a 'Yankee Stadium' homer, helped by the wind. And we all remember the game Doc came out early, with us way up and we lost. So no you can't rag on Cito for not pulling him, any other Jay starter would have been gone there.
Anyway, extra inning loss. Those are never fun. Two games in and I'm tired of Dellucci already. Please JP, a trade or bring Snider back up. I don't mind Snider not hitting but someone that won't be with the team next season not helping is tough to take.
Jays of the Day are Jesse Carlson (.114 WPA) and Brandon League (110). Honorable mention to Rios (3 RBI), Lind (homer and came close to a second one) and Wells. Suckage Jays, sorry to say it Doc (-.275), Dellucci (-.213), Scutaro (-160) and Hill (-.136).