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According to the advance box score on Yahoo (usually posted shortly after the lineups are set, and accurate all year, except for last-minute changes) Bobby Kielty is batting third and Vernon Wells gets a very rare night off. Jayson Werth is playing CF and batting ninth. Mike Bordick is back after 11 days off on a personal matter, hitting seventh and playing shortstop.

The lineup juggling could be a response to Tim Wakefield being on the mound. V-Dub has just four singles in 17 career AB against the knuckleballer; Woodward is a mere 2-for-11. Bordick, Myers, Delgado, Hinske and Catalanotto have fared well in previous meetings, although nobody really teed off the last time the Jays faced Wakefield, ten days ago at the Dome. He lasted seven innings, allowing just one run and striking out seven.

It's the enigmatic Kelvim Escobar for the good guys. "Rested Kelvim," as Mike D called him, had one of his patented brain cramps -- more like a spasm -- when asked to face the Yankees on three days' rest in his latest. That's the only really horrible start he's made since being banished from the bullpen for inconsistency. He went seven solid innings, allowing three earned runs, four nights earlier vs. the Red Sox, so if he's not distracted by the trade rumours, he could get back in the groove. Two talented but unpredictable pitchers, plenty of hitting talent on both sides -- anything could happen tonight.
Game 97: Vernon Wells Rests | 54 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
_BagofBalls - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 06:35 PM EDT (#97095) #
I've noticed this site recently,following a link from Aaron's Twin site, which was linked from elsewhere.

Hope you won't mind if I come in a watch the game with the folks here tonite. It seems to feature intelligent conversation, which can't be said for everywhere.
Gitz - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 06:56 PM EDT (#97096) #
It's mostly intelligent, until Yanks like Mick Doherty and I join in. Then it all goes to hell.
Pepper Moffatt - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 06:57 PM EDT (#97097) #
http://economics.about.com
Welcome to 'Da Box.

Although I'm not an official-ZLCer, I'll welcome you anyway. I probably won't be here much tonight as I'm stuck in my office studying for a couple qualifying exams, but I'll pop in now and again because I'll get bored and want to check the score.

Cheers,

Mike
Pepper Moffatt - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:00 PM EDT (#97098) #
http://economics.about.com
It's mostly intelligent, until Yanks like Mick Doherty and I join in.

That's why my department never has any Americans and they have to bring in *gasp* the occasional Canadian.

Actually, I quite like the States, which is pretty much blasphemous for any Canadian to say. I hate the INS, but that's a different story.

Mike
_BagofBalls - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:35 PM EDT (#97099) #
What's ZLC? I noticed Neyer wrote more in praise of Richard Griffin today on ESPN.
Pepper Moffatt - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:39 PM EDT (#97100) #
http://economics.about.com
ZLC = Zombie-Like Cult. It's what Toronto Star columnist Richard Griffin (who Neyer mentioned today) calls stathead types who support JP Ricciardi.

...time...to...go..back..to...work.

Mike
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:43 PM EDT (#97101) #
Geez! Superb throw by Werth to nail Millar (foolishly going first to third) and Hinske took his eye off the bounce. Eric also should have had Nomar's one-hopper. No errors, but two misplays. It would have been the third out, and sure enough, the tying run scored.

I'm not an official-ZLCer

C'mon, Mike. "Zombie-Like Cult" refers to all "statistical seamheads," as Richard Griffin once called baseball fans who aren't dinosaurs. That's a majority of our authors and readers, and I'd have to cite you as Exhibit A.

Welcome aboard, Bagofballs.
_BagofBalls - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:55 PM EDT (#97102) #
Geez, I haven't belonged to a cult since undergrad. Do you do, like, regression analysis at night?
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:57 PM EDT (#97103) #
Better lucky than good. Trot Nixon lost Delgado's easy popup with two outs, and the hustling Bobby Kielty scored all the way from first. 2-1 Jays, and this break cancels the Hinske gaffe.

Great slide by Delgado to avoid Mirabelli's tag and score on Myers' single -- make it 3-1.
_BagofBalls - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:57 PM EDT (#97104) #
Carlos drives the first pitch to right to knock in Kielty. Kielty had looked at the first 5 pitches before he swung. Gotta like that.
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 07:58 PM EDT (#97105) #
Do you do, like, regression analysis at night?

We have no idea what Moffatt does at night.
Gitz - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:02 PM EDT (#97106) #
I think we can all agree on this: the less we know about Moffatt's nocturnal habits, the better. Have a good weekend, kids.
_Lurch - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:03 PM EDT (#97107) #
Wells would have been standing under that ball waiting for it, I bet.
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:04 PM EDT (#97108) #
Reed Johnson just made a highlight-reel catch to rob Manny Ramirez of a home run.

Escobar was working hard -- 51 pitches in the first two innings -- but thanks to that spectacular play, he had a 1-2-3 third on just 7 pitches.
_Cristian - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:05 PM EDT (#97109) #
A nine pitch third inning renews my hope that we won't see the bullpen before the seventh inning at least. Kelvim had tossed 49 through two.
Joe - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:05 PM EDT (#97110) #
Nah. He'd have caught it 10 feet in the air. You know, like Straw did in that Simpsons softball episode.

Homer: I got it, I got it!
Straw (in front of Homer): I got it! (jumps off the screen)
_Mike H. - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:08 PM EDT (#97111) #
Here's the article that bagofballs was talking about. It doesn't look like Neyer comes to Griffin's defense at all, but makes a rather decent defense of sabermetrics in light of race. A nice little column by Neyer though I wish he would've written a bit more forcefully on the issue, as he gives the impression that he has more to say.
_Lisa & Bart Sim - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:12 PM EDT (#97112) #
Verrrrnnnnon, Verrrrnnnnon...
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:12 PM EDT (#97113) #
Werth singled, then -- risking a fine, no doubt -- stole second. For a guy who's barely hanging on among the top OF in the organization, Jayson's having a good night. He just made a nice sliding catch to take a single away from Ortiz.
Joe - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:13 PM EDT (#97114) #
Vernon? Vernon who?
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:24 PM EDT (#97115) #
Shannon Stewart isn't in the lineup tonight. So let me get this straight -- the Twins think two months of Stewart is better than three years of Kielty, but they don't want him in there against Zito. Un-freakin'-believable.
_BagofBalls - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:24 PM EDT (#97116) #
I was being sarcastic when I suggested the article was written in praise of Griffin. Neyer wrote an earlier article in which he called a Griffin article idiotic.
_Chuck Van Den C - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:27 PM EDT (#97117) #
Anyone noticed that over in Minnesota, Shannon Stewart couldn't crack today's starting lineup against a lefty?
_Chuck Van Den C - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:28 PM EDT (#97118) #
Dagnabit, gotta be clicking that Post button faster!
_Mike H. - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:30 PM EDT (#97119) #
My bad. Detecting sarcasm over the internet was never one of my strong qualities.
_StephenT - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:32 PM EDT (#97120) #
On the Twins broadcast last night, I heard them say one reason they acquired Stewart was because the Twins will be facing a lot of lefties (starting tonight), so if Stewart's not playing, presumably he's unavailable for some reason.

P.S.: The game is on WSBK tonight, carried on some Canadian cable systems, including Rogers here in Ottawa.
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:33 PM EDT (#97121) #
Kelvim's settled down to retire ten in a row since Boston scored, which (sorry, Eric) wasn't his fault, though it's an Earnie. Christian and I were looking at different sources earlier on the pitch counts, so let's just say that's approximately 25 pitches the last three innings, after a shaky beginning.

Bordick pounds one into the Monster seats and it's 4-1; welcome back, Mike.
Gitz - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:41 PM EDT (#97122) #
Stewart has a sore heel.
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:44 PM EDT (#97123) #
one reason they acquired Stewart was because the Twins will be facing a lot of lefties

The Twinkies are fools. They already had the cheaper, younger Kielty, who now has 7 HR this year in 75 AB vs. LH, and whose 293/411/640 split against southpaws might be useful. Apparently Shannon bruised his heel last night running out one of his five outs, and was a late scratch tonight.

I've been watching the Boston feed; McDonough and Remy are in a different league from the Sportsnet goofs. Imagine, a play-by-play guy who understands the game, and an analyst with a sense of humour.
_Andrew Edwards - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:46 PM EDT (#97124) #
Looks like we get Good Kelvim again tonight.

One run through 5.2 innings - more like this, please.
_Lurch - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:49 PM EDT (#97125) #
What's Hinske's UERA?
_Mike H. - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 08:54 PM EDT (#97126) #
Coach, living in Connecticut means that I get to watch the NESN guys alot of the time, and I agree that they are both quality announcers. I think they're two of the best in the business that I've seen do games, especially the national broadcast teams like Joe Buck and Tim McCarver (to name one pairing off the top of my head)
_Gwyn - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:00 PM EDT (#97127) #
Coach

How do you get the Boston feed ?
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:11 PM EDT (#97128) #
Gwyn, it's Channel 211 on Rogers digital. Not sure if it's on their standard package.
_Gwyn - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:13 PM EDT (#97129) #
Darn I dont get that one...I'm sure I should considering I pay Rogers a sum equivalent to the debt of several small countries every month.
Pepper Moffatt - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:21 PM EDT (#97130) #
http://economics.about.com
Coach:
C'mon, Mike. "Zombie-Like Cult" refers to all "statistical seamheads," as Richard Griffin once
called baseball fans who aren't dinosaurs. That's a majority of our authors and readers, and I'd
have to cite you as Exhibit A.


Awww.. thanks. My Kielty discussion has now caused my VORN (Value over Replacement Nerd) to jump to 75.2, just edging out Craig Burley for highest VORN by a Batter's Box poster.

Bago'Balls: Geez, I haven't belonged to a cult since undergrad. Do you do, like, regression analysis at night?

Nah. Although I'm an academic economist, I don't do regressions because I'm a Theorist(TM). Our motto: "The Real World is a Special Case".

Coach: We have no idea what Moffatt does at night.

Mainly just watch ESPN2 (I love the World Series of Poker) and water my advisors thousands of houseplants. He chose me to house sit for him, which just goes to show that academics lack common sense.

I'm thrilled to see the Jays ahead and that Kielty is making our slump analysis even more irrelevant.

Speaking of announcers: I hate to admit it, but I love listening to Yankees radio broadcasts despite the fact I loathe the team.

Thaaaaaa Yankees Win!

Mike
_Andrew Edwards - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:25 PM EDT (#97131) #
Aquilino strikes out Nomah and Manny back-to-back. Sweet.
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:25 PM EDT (#97132) #
AQUILINO!!!!!

Routine strikeouts of Nomar and Manny in Fenway with the game on the line. Now what? Acevedo for the SV? Or Miller, with Ortiz and Nixon due up?
_Mike H. - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:27 PM EDT (#97133) #
Now what? Acevedo for the SV? Or Miller, with Ortiz and Nixon due up?

Knowing Carlos' usage patterns, my money's on "both".
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:42 PM EDT (#97134) #
Obviously, Tosca wanted Lopez to face Millar, and thanks to Werth, he got him. Now Miller faces Kapler, pinch-hitting for Nixon, and the next two guys are switch-hitters. I'm sure Carlos has a plan, but I never know what it is.
_Lurch - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:43 PM EDT (#97135) #
Just two more outs...
_Lurch - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:44 PM EDT (#97136) #
Wooooo! Hudson!
_Lurch - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:46 PM EDT (#97137) #
I repeat:

Wooooo! Hudson!
_Mike H. - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:46 PM EDT (#97138) #
Wow, Hudson did an job on both of those last two outs. And who would've thought that Trevor Miller would get the save?
Coach - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 09:47 PM EDT (#97139) #
Nice play, O-Dog. One more out...

Woo-hoo! Another fine grab by Hudson! Good ballgame. Trever Miller gets the save, Escobar a well-earned win.
Dave Till - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 10:00 PM EDT (#97140) #
Wow, what wonderful defense from Hudson. Too bad saves have to go to pitchers; I think the O-Dog deserves this one.

Jayson Werth has an amazing arm - his throw to third was flatfooted and on the run. Yow. I still think that he's not in the club's future plans: if he was, he'd be playing every day in Syracuse instead of languishing on the bench in Toronto.
_StephenT - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 10:07 PM EDT (#97141) #
I'm sure Werth's happier on the major league bench. Though the WSBK announcers suggested tonight that Syracuse is such a beautiful city that players think twice about going when they are called up. (First time I'd heard that.)
_Lurch - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 10:13 PM EDT (#97142) #
This is just visual evidence backing up what the baseballgraphs guy said about O-Dog's defence.
_the shadow - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 10:37 PM EDT (#97143) #
This young BJ team continmes to show the hustle and effort that was sadly lacking on the pre JP teams
Pistol - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 10:38 PM EDT (#97144) #
Can you smell it?

I think we're on the next Blue Jay hot streak.

I've been watching the Boston feed; McDonough and Remy are in a different league from the Sportsnet goofs. Imagine, a play-by-play guy who understands the game, and an analyst with a sense of humour.

I too live in CT and catch a lot of Red Sox game. The broadcasts are high quality. There aren't too many people I'd rather have as analysts than Remy, mostly because of his humor.

I'm not a big fan of McDonough, although he only calls a few games (Friday nights being one of them). I find he's a little lazy (calling Stewart a salary dump when the Jays are paying his salary), and quick to make a judgement if he doesn't know the situation.

If you remember last year there was a situation where it looked like Halladay balked when he stopped in the middle of his motion with runners on. The umps didn't call it a balk, and he went nuts. Turned out the umps were right and he barely acknowledged he was wrong the next day.

Back to the salary dumping, they were talking about how the Jays wanted to get down to about a $50 million payroll next year. Remy jokingly suggested that they fire Cerutti because he made so much. They then showed a shot of Cerutti and Faulds up in the booth, Cerutti is talking to Faulds, and Faulds is yawning. I couldn't stop laughing.
_Lurch - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 11:11 PM EDT (#97145) #
Yawning? Oh for a screencap of that!
robertdudek - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 11:50 PM EDT (#97146) #
Great defensive performance by Hudson, Johnson, Werth and Delgado (on the high throw by Kershner and Bordick's wide throw). Not such a good night for Hinske on D.

It looks like the Blue Jays are edging closer to the Bill James paradigm of using your best relievers in the high-leverage situations. Aquilino is the right man to get out tough righties and once again he did a number on Nomar and Manny. There's no doubt that the 8th was the key relief inning.

This is the way a pen should be run: look to get the best matchups without burning through all your relievers (it helps when Doc can give the entire pen a night off, as he did last night). Pay no attention whatsoever to the Save.
robertdudek - Friday, July 18 2003 @ 11:53 PM EDT (#97147) #
BTW, the triple down the line that Kielty almost caught - Stewart wouldn't have been within 5 feet of it. To boot, he almost threw out the runner going into third.

Suddenly, I'm starting to like our outfield defence. I worry about Woodward though - I'm starting to think he can't really handle shortstop.
_Donkit R.K. - Saturday, July 19 2003 @ 05:17 PM EDT (#97148) #
I'm with you Robert on the Woodward remark... I hope Adams or Hill are capable of playing a Big League SS. This game was a gem, IMHO. Delgado's slide was beautiful, Johnson's catch amazing, Hudson's two plays a great indication of Orlando's play (especially his potential...he's groiwng on me more and more) and Werth made some beauties (though, like he said, maybe only because he got a poor jump on a ball or two). If Hinske made a couple of nice plays, and Kielty was unbeatable again the ZLC would be in full on Euphoria I think. We'll settle for the little bit of enthusiasm we've regained though, I think.
Game 97: Vernon Wells Rests | 54 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.