OOTP Season Sim Game 99: Jays lose first game after break

I was going to put this up last night, but I started reading. My plan was to read for half an hour and then do the post. Well, I read until I fell asleep. My New Year’s resolution was to read more books. Last year I didn’t read much at all, but I have an old (very old) tablet and I’ve been a lot of late. Right now I have a bio of Paul Simon going.

Anyway, there was a trade. The Cardinals sent 25-year-old 2B Tommy Edman (hitting .332/.371/.558 in 55 games) to the Twins for 27-year-old OF Max Kepler (hitting .232/.306/.415 in 95 game) and 21-year-old minor league OF Lawson McArthur who is in rookie ball and doesn’t seem to be much of a prospect. Seems to me that the Twins made out well.

And the Jays signed their number one draft pick Asa Lacy to a $10,240,000 signing bonus.

Cleveland 11 Blue Jays 8

Cleveland is having a terrific season. They are now 66-32.

Hyun-Jin Ryu had his worst start of the season (ignoring the game he came out of after 1 batter due to injury). Ryu went 2.2, allowed 5 hits, 5 runs, 2 earned, 2 walks (tying a season high again) with 5 strikeouts.

The unearned runs came in the first inning. With 1 on and 2 out, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. booted a ground ball that would have ended the inning. A double and a wild pitch scored 3 runs after that. Vlad made another error, to start off the sixth inning. That one didn’t lead to runs, mostly because of a Teoscar Hernandez throw from left field which nailed Jordan Luplow at the plate.

Ryu came out of the game in the third inning, with 2 outs, 2 runs in and a runner on second. But Chase Anderson got the last out of the inning.

Ryu that’s two poor starts in a row for Ryu. It would have been much better without the error, but he gave up the double and the wild pitch on his own.

Anderson pitched 2.2, allowed 2 hits, a walk with 2 strikeouts with out a run scoring. He’s so much better in relief in this game.

Shun Yamaguichi gave up 3 runs in his inning of work and Jordan Romano also gave up 3 runs in his 1.2 innings.

Ken Giles pitched the ninth, getting 3 strikeouts. I don’t know why he was used, I guess he should get some work after the break.

On offense, we tried to make a game of it. We were down 11-3 going into the eighth, and scored 2 and then 3 more in the ninth. We had the tying run on deck in the ninth when Derek Fisher hit into a double play to end the game. We can forgive him, he had 2 home runs and 3 RBI before that.

We had 12 hits, including 4 home runs, which should be a recipe for a win. Cavan Biggio, Fisher and Bo Bichette had 2 hits each. The other home runs came from Biggio (his 16th) and Randal Grichuk (his 18th). Unfortunately, 3 of the 4 home runs were solo shots.

The amazing stat of the game was Rowdy Tellez stealing a base. That would be the second of his career.

Biggio is hitting .221/.314/.412 now. At the end of May he was hitting .178/.241/.267 so things are better.

Let’s give a JoD to Fisher, despite the double play ball.

Tomorrow (well today, I’ll post it tonight) Anthony Kay (0-0, 5.73 in 2 starts) is scheduled to start. Shane Bieber (9-4, 3.60 in 20 starts) starts for the Cleveland To Be Named Laters)