Wednesday Bantering: Jays Bits

I would be happy with another win today if that is okay with you Jays. Game time is 3:30 Eastern.

SI.com has an interview with Kevin Gausman about pitching in Denver.

“If you’ve ever been to the mountains, you know exactly what that feeling is,” Gausman said. “You go on a hike in the mountains, the higher up you go, the harder it is to breathe. 5,280 feet — that’s how high Denver is. It’s a huge difference from anywhere else.”

I live in Calgary, and years ago ran a marathon. The leader of our group was smart and had us run on in Victoria. It went so much better because I was used to running in Calgary. It is a thing.

To help players cope, the dugouts are fitted with portable oxygen tanks. Gausman said players can take a hit or two between innings to catch their breath, though some guys need it more than others.

I am going to suggest they get oxygen by our squash courts.

The right-hander made four career starts at Coors Field (3.47 ERA), and one difference he first noticed was the feel of the baseball. MLB keeps all its baseballs in a humidor before the game to maintain moisture, but, in Denver, the baseballs dry up quickly.

Pitchers who rely on big breaking balls or sweeping sliders won’t get a great grip on the ball and must be cautious about their pitch usage, Gausman said.

It is a good read. Go take a look.

Spencer Horwitz talked to Hazel Mae about his mental health issues.

Last Thursday, the newsletter “Down on the Farm” had a story on a metric called SwRV. It is a way of seeing who makes good and bad swing decisions. It is an interesting read. The top guy in baseball? Juan Soto (Brandon Belt is fifth). At the bottom end is Mickey Moniak (no Jays in the bottom ten.

By team, the Jays are third from the top, but the top two teams (Dodgers and Pirates) are miles ahead of everyone. The top three Jays are Belt, Matt Chapman and George Springer.

Today’s lineup against a lefty. No Kirk today.

Mike Soroka started for the Braves yesterday for the first time since June 30th. He left the game after 3 innings and 5 earned. As some of you know, he went to school with my son.