Tuesday Bantering: Random Blue Jays thoughts

We start a series against the series against the Yankees tonight. The Yankees are on a 5 game win streak (I wonder what that feels like), getting some good starting pitching.

Just some random thoughts that I don't feel like padding out to a full post:

• Can we make it through a series without one of our batters getting thrown at? The last couple of series have been way too angry. It would be nice just to have a normal series without our hitters being used for target practice.
• In the same vein, I'm hoping we can go a series without Gibby getting tossed from a game. It seems like umpires have had a hair pin trigger with Gibby of late. He really hasn't gone nuts on any of the umpires, but I guess he's getting to the magic word too quick. He's mostly been tossed trying to protect his players from being tossed., but I'm hoping we get a level headed series from everyone.
• This tweet from High Heat Stats shows that the Jays are second in baseball for pitches per at bat, even though our offense really hasn't been firing on all cylinders yet. I'd like to think it is a good sign that we are seeing so many pitches, but then the top three on the list each have losing records.

The top 3 teams in 2016 for pitches seen per plate appearance all have losing records: pic.twitter.com/F4N803wzY4

— High Heat Stats MLB (@HighHeatStats) May 24, 2016

• Devon Travis is hitting .294/.294/.412 with 2 doubles in 4 games in Buffalo. It would be nice if he would take a walk. We should have a contest to guess the date he's called up. I would think another week to 10 days would give him enough at bats to get his timing down and prove that's he's not still hurting. I'll guess that he'll be back June 3 for the series against the Red Sox in Boston. I'm wondering where he would hit in the order. I think, if we are scoring with Bautista at the top of the order, that won't change, but if we aren't? Maybe Devon goes back to hitting leadoff.
• Some wins would be nice this series, I don't need a 3 game sweep (not that I'd complain), but 2 of 3 would make me feel good. The Jays next 12 games are against the Yankees and the Red Sox, it would be nice to come out ahead.
• I'd also like us to score more than 3 runs a game. Our last seven games we've scored 2, 2, 3, 3, 9, 3 and 3 runs. The 9 looks like the one that doesn't belong, but I'd love some more games like that.
• I wish we had some hard throwing minor leaguer that I could point to and say 'he could help out our bullpen' but I'm afraid we traded away all those guys last year. If Jeff Hoffman was still with the team, I'd be campaigning to have him called up to help out pen. Maybe Conner Greene?
• Very sorry to hear about Gord Downie. Like they say in Princess Bride, life isn't fair, but it's fairer than death.