Comments for Blue Jays Rant

Comment on Robert Alomar’s #12 Set To Be Retired By Blue Jays by Alex

Alex — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:10:29 +0000

I like Alomar, but this just goes to show you that Dave Stieb was, and continues to be, the most underrated pitcher of his era. Have the Jays organization paid any tribute to Stieb?

Comment on Blue Jays Almost Get Jo-Jo’d With 9-0 Lead; Rout Yankees In The End by Thom Tsang

Thom Tsang — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 21:23:52 +0000

I think that’s the idea behind the team continually putting out Reyes, Patterson, etc. in completely unnecessary situations (Patterson pinch ran for Thames last night).

AA would probably love to get some value for these guys, the same way he got value from Gonzalez, but at some point you gotta realise that no team in the league is going to be in the market for a lefty with terrible stuff, or a below average veteran bench player who can’t get on base. Word is the Jays are looking to deal a reliever or two, I think.

I can only hope that Reyes will be DFA’d soon. Brad Mills/Stewart can’t do much worse up here, though you don’t want to mess with Stewart’s development right now.

My connection with the Braves is just that I’ve been a fan of the team since Glavine/Maddux/Smoltz days, so I’ve been following that team pretty closely too, and thus have had to watch the development of Reyes. Turner Field is a fantastic park – you’re lucky!

Comment on Blue Jays Almost Get Jo-Jo’d With 9-0 Lead; Rout Yankees In The End by Alex

Alex — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 20:12:49 +0000

What’s the word on the streets of Toronto on why JoJo is starting off the post-All Star break? Do you think maybe AA is trying to showcase him for a potential trade? If so, what playoff team would be that desperate? Or maybe he’s just our new ace? And am I missing something, why is Brad Mills still in AAA?

Oh, what’s your connection to the Braves? I can see Turner Field outside my office window.

Comment on Blue Jays Bullpen Costs Villanueva; Lose Late To Phillies by Thom Tsang

Thom Tsang — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 07:52:17 +0000

I think you’re right with the bullpen – the team just hasn’t really been in sync like that this year. When the bullpen was doing well in April, the starting pitching was so-so. Now the starting pitching is doing well, but the bullpen is falling apart.

Sounds like the Jays are just going to ride it out and see if someone steps up to solidify things eventually. As for Jo-Jo, I think his time with the team is going to be up pretty soon, with all the housecleaning going on. When he finally gets DFA’d, it’ll have been several months too late.

Comment on Blue Jays Bullpen Costs Villanueva; Lose Late To Phillies by Alex

Alex — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 13:39:33 +0000

I for one was very happy to see Rauch blow his top like that. Not because it shows passion, but because it will get him suspended. That will be about 6 blown save/hold opportunities we won’t have to worry about. Geez, what’s happened to the bullpen? I have zero faith in it. The starters should all be begging to pitch complete games. Maybe they need to send JoJo in there to clean things up?

Comment on Romero Doesn’t Need Offensive Help, Dominates Cardinals As Blue Jays Complete Sweep by Thom Tsang

Thom Tsang — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 18:25:08 +0000

Coincidence – that also happens to be my favourite TV series of all time!

I’d like to see some fight in players, like Romero showed. Nothing wrong with challenging your teammates when you’re a clubhouse leader.

Comment on Romero Doesn’t Need Offensive Help, Dominates Cardinals As Blue Jays Complete Sweep by Alex

Alex — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 04:07:44 +0000

Oy vey Ricky!

He reminds me of a recurring line from my favorite SciFi series: “All this has happende before. All this will happen again.”

Romero is this decade’s Dave Stieb. The numbers don’t lie, but I also remember Stieb being understandably upset with his teamates also.

Comment on Dustin McGowan On The Mend, Could Pitch For Blue Jays This Season by Thom Tsang

Thom Tsang — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 06:18:03 +0000

I think it’s probably a little bit more on the hitters’ side than the coaching, to be honest. A lot of these guys come with a habitual approach that they’ve developed over their entire careers, and it’s not always easy to change with coaching.

In some cases, even something that leads to success (ie. Adam Lind & Aaron Hill’s ’09) can end up being a bad habit that ends up being exploited (their ’10 seasons), and then it’s another process to go back to what made it click to begin with.

With guys like Patterson, Nix – they were just never successful players to begin with, so their lack of ability isn’t altogether surprising. The batting coaches can only do so much.

As far as errors go – I can only suppose that it’s easier to make mental lapses when things aren’t going well at the plate. You get down a couple of runs and feel like there’s no way to come back…and then it just piles on. Hopefully that’ll change when the offense finds its groove again.

Comment on Dustin McGowan On The Mend, Could Pitch For Blue Jays This Season by Gary

Gary — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 19:41:46 +0000

I listen to Pat Tabbler and Buck Martinez on the TV as well as Greg Zahn and enjoy Alan Ashby when I get the opportunity. It seems they all say the same. The hitters need a plan when they get to the plate. As a scratch golfer I find it hard to believe that in these times with instant replay, specific coaches for specific areas of the game that Rajai Davis-slider down and away, Cory Patterson-elevated fastball, Aaron Hill almost everything but a strike can’t find a way to be more patient and not swing at the same bad pitch almost every at bat. The hitters such as Adam Lind and Jose Batista seem to be the only ones with such a plan. In your opinion who is at fault the players or the batting coach.
Also the Jays seem to be making one silly mistake a game at least, not running out a ground ball to first base,Hill, Escobar, Nix. Misplaying a catchable fly ball-Patterson, forgetting the number of outs-Hill, not able to get bunts down when called upon Paterson-Davis-MacDonald as late. There seems to be a lack of effort on the part of a lot of these players. It also seems that the coaching staff is allowing this to happen unchallenged.

Comment on Zach Stewart Struggles; Blue Jays Power-Out Continues In Loss To Braves by Alex

Alex — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 21:28:44 +0000

Yeah, I saw….sigh