Wow. This is quite different from last year, last year it took the Jays forever to play a series against the beasts from the East, this year they are only 12 games into the season and we are getting ready to start a stretch that will see us play Boston - New York - Tampa Bay over the next 9 games. It will be nice to play them a bit earlier and more spaced out this year as opposed to all bunched up in the summer and later in the season.
And well this is obviously a familiar foe for our Jays something feels different. The Boston's have started out very slowly going 2-9 over their first 11 games (they also had a rainout). Their rotation is looking more and more suspect each day. They skipped Lackey and now the Jays won't see him in this 4 game set, his next start will mean that he waited 10 days between starts.... I imagine that is not what Theo had in mind when he signed him to that big contract. Dice-K is looking particularly bad as well, his velocity is not what it was when he first came to North America and now his movement has died out as well. What happens when you have a pitcher that can't throw hard or get movement on his pitches anymore? Well hopefully we find out soon. Buchholz hasn't looked at all like he did last year and Beckett can be extremely unreliable.
That is of course not to say that Boston isn't a dangerous team while they may be struggling it is only a matter of time before they start getting healthier and making a push back towards the head of the division. Let's just make sure it isn't the Jays that give them that kick in the right direction.
Tonight we have two pitches sporting remarkably similar lines and struggles early on this season. We may be in for an old fashion slugfest tonight, coupled with Boston's approach at the plate you may be best served grabbing a keg instead of a few cans of beer for tonights game. We're pulling an all nighter! WOOOOO!
The Jays lineup tonight will be lacking a little punch as Edwin Encarnacion was put on the bereavement list today. I wish him and his family the best.
Escobar-SS, Patterson-CF, Bautista-RF, Lind-1B, Hill-2B, Arencibia-C, Snider LF, Rivera-DH, Nix-3B
For the RedSox we have a lineup that can really give you nightmares. And for those who weren't paying attention today. Gonzalez is sporting a shiny new $154M /7 Year contract.
1. Crawford-LF 2. Pedroia-2B 3. Gonzalez-1B 4. Youkilis-3B 5. Ortiz-DH 6. Drew-RF 7. Salt-C 8. Scutaro-SS 9. Ellsbury-CF
Current Series
4 game series vs Red Sox @ Fenway Park
Toronto Blue Jays Friday, Apr 15, 2011, 7:10 PM EDT Brett Cecil vs Clay Buchholz Clear. Winds blowing in from right field at 5-10 m.p.h. Game time temperature around 45.
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| Sat 04/16 | 1:10 PM EDT | |
| Sun 04/17 | 1:35 PM EDT | |
| Mon 04/18 | 11:05 AM EDT | |
Keep it Civil
GO JAYS GO!