1992 ALCS Rematch! Late Night Game Thread: Blue Jays @ Athletics

Twenty seasons ago, your Toronto Blue Jays faced the Oakland Athletics in the 1992 American League Championship Series. The Blue Jays won the series 4 games to 2, which made them the first non-American team to win the American League, and later the World Series, championship. This ALCS featured Roberto Alomar's legendary come-from-behind homer off of A's closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 4 of the series (+.330 WPA on the play!), and the iconic picture of Pat Borders holding on to the ball even as big Mark McGwire was punching him in the face.

Flash forward back to tonight, we are going to be watching Jays' lefty Ricky Romero face off against A's rookie Jarrod Parker. The Jays have won in all but 1 of Romero's 6 starts this year. Romero pitched 8 innings and gave up 5 runs against the Rangers (4 coming in a very shaky 5th inning) last Wednesday, but his teammates scored 11 runs behind him to propel the victory.

Parker, 23, was sent to the A's along with Ryan Cook and Collin Cowgill for Craig Breslow and Trevor Cahill this off season. He started the season with 3 good starts in the Pacific Coast League with the Sacramento River Cats, his worst coming against the Las Vegas 51s when he gave up 3 runs and 6 hits in 6 innings pitched. Travis Snider hit a 2-run homer off of Parker in the 6th so I am pretty sure he received a couple of calls from the Jays asking for a scouting report. This is Parker's 3rd start this year, with two previous against the White Sox and Red Sox. Both times he pitched into the 7th inning while giving up just a single run. Including a start last year, Parker became the second pitcher since 1990 to start his career with 3 consecutive games of 5 or more innings pitched, allowing 1 run or fewer. The Blue Jays can snap that streak tonight.

Our friends at Athletics Nation and Baseball Prospect Nation has scouting reporters on Parker. You can follow him on Twitter: @JarrodBParker. Apparently he had rotisserie chicken today--let's hope that's the last bird he carves through tonight.

I'm eager to see this young hot shot in action tonight and to see if Toronto can do what Chicago and Boston failed to do. Actually I won't be seeing it, I will be listening to the game on radio. Mike Wilner will be doing some play-by-play tonight! Television viewers will get a treat--Alan Ashby hops over as Pat Tabler takes a week off.

Lineups after the jump!

Toronto Blue Jays

Pretty standard lineup with Kelly Johnson remains in the leadoff spot and the Jays' full-time cleanup batter remains in 5th.

1. Kelly Johnson 2B
2. Yunel Escobar SS
3. Jose Bautista RF
4. Adam Lind 1B
5. Edwin Encarnacion DH
6. Eric Thames LF
7. Brett Lawrie 3B
8. Colby Rasmus CF
9. J.P. Arencibia C

Oakland Athletics

The Jays will get their first look at Cuban Youtube star Yoenis Cespedes, former farmhand Michael Taylor, and Pikachu's favourite player ever, Daric Barton.

1. Jemile Weeks 2B
2. Cliff Pennington SS
3. Josh Reddick RF
4. Yoenis Cespedes CF
5. Jonny Gomes DH
6. Brandon Inge 3B
7. Kurt Suzuki C
8. Daric Barton 1B
9. Michael Taylor LF

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GO JAYS GO!