Here are your lineups:

Crawford LF
Cruz RF
Huff 3B
Martinez 1B
Fick DH
Lugo SS
Cantu 2B
Hall C
Gathright CF
Zambrano P

Johnson LF
Catalanotto DH
Wells CF
Delgado 1B
Hinske 3B
Rios RF
Gomez SS
Hudson 2B
Cash C
Bush P

Those are solid lineup choices by Carlos Tosca for today's game. I'd personally like to see Woodward and Phelps get more time, but it's easy to see why they haven't.

Dear Pat,

Best wishes to you and your family on your retirement.
You did exceedingly well during your years with the
Blue Jays and other teams and have absoutely nothing
to be ashamed of.

You gave so many of us such great pleasure in following
the Blue Jays during those glory days. We will never
forget you and knowing you as I do I am sure that after
a suitable period of rest and relaxation you will find
a position in MLB, preferably with our team, where you
can give back to the up and coming baseball players
some of what you learnt and gathered over the years.

Good luck and good health!!

George Tsoi-A-Sue

Darn, Vern tagged that ball but it just hung up there a bit too much.

Nice little opportunity here in the first. Let's see if Carlos can deliver.

FINALLY SOME SUPPORT FOR BUSH!!

Run support, for David that is ;)

That ball REALLY carried off the bat of Delgado. It goes to show how strong he is, he basically lunged at it with one arm and lifted it off the ground.

Awesome

Ha! Delgado still has his power (even if he doesn't make contact as often as he might).

3-0, great start.

How sweet it is. An emphatic way to reach 1,000 RBI -- congratulations, Carlos!

So, Sean Douglass does get the callup and the start.

I think that's the reason I'm so frustrated with the way Carlos as played this year. The guy just has a ridiculous amount of power and there's no reason he should not be hitting the ball to left field and centerfield on a consistent basis. And there's also no reason for him to muscle up so much on so many of his swings. He swings nice and easy just to make contact there and he still hits it out.

This hasn't been a great start for David Bush despite the results. His control of the changeup has been non-existent and he has gotten away with some really bad pitches. Uses a lot of pitches to Fick here and loses him.

That swing was pure Delgado. Keeping his hands back and one-arming it over the right-field fence. Outstanding Carlos, congrats on the milestone.

As Brian said, Douglass up into the rotation and Nakamura into the bullpen.

I'll start a new thread with the roster moves.

Yet another great play by the O-Dog to get Lugo. Even when he isn't hitting he has to be in the lineup. His glove and range are that valuable.

Interesting tidbit from Jerry in that Bush, from Philadelphia, grew up very close to Lenny Dykstra and was friends was his son. He got into the Phillies major league clubhouse as a child through those connections.

I agree about Bush, he does not look as sharp (so far). Hopefully it'll come together in the middle innings, like in Batista's early outings this year. He is getting away with it so far.

Hudson's problems at the plate are all mechanical and maybe a bit mental. He just has to get back to letting the ball come to him and being content to hit it solidly to centerfield and the opposite field.

O-Dog's struggles at the plate continue. Softly hit ball to short to start a DP for the Rays.

Wow, that was a horrible at-bat by Cash.

I knew he would take a while to get going with the bat but this is just a bit much. He just looks lost at the plate.

That was an old-fashioned (circa 2003) Jays inning in the first. Sparky HBP, Cat single, Delgado bomb. About time.

R Billie, I agree that Bush didn't begin this game with the same command he had on Tuesday. Yesterday, Gil Patterson told me that Dave didn't need much coaching, but they had been working on a new grip for his changeup that is supposed to give it more movement. Let's not forget, the rookie's a work in progress.

I wonder if Orlando has been playing hurt for a while. Maybe an elbow or wrist; he's lost a lot of pop at the plate but he's still a vacuum in the field.

Poor O Dog keeps having these short at-bats where he ground out right away.

If only there was a DF spot for Ca$h money. ; )

The new thread about the roster additions is up.

Yeah it does look like Bush was dragging his arm just slightly in his delivery and that was leaving his pitches up in the zone, especially the changeup which was staying belt high. He looked better in the third inning though, helped a bit by Hall chasing a pitch on his hands at his shoulders.

Tidy little five pitch inning.

Bush looks pretty good from here at the ballpark. They're getting good swings, but they're not hitting it very square - unless they're out in front and pulling it foul.

Young man just knows how to Pitch.

If only there was a DF spot for Ca$h money.

There is. He's called the pitcher. Unless the coaching staff can justify having the pitchers bat for themselves, Cash won't be accepted at many MLB outlets.

(I realize you weren't serious, just had to say it)

Ball 1 to Martinez was the first pitch that had missed the strike zone since the Cantu AB.

Uh oh, looks like the Rays have something brewing here in the 4th.

Hopefully Bush can get out of it and limit the damage because it's obvious he doesn't have his best "stuff" today.

I don't think that quite works -- if the pitcher bats, doesn't the DH vanish?

David still hasn't fixed his mechanics. A lot of pitches up this inning and eventhough he hasn't been hit tremendously hard he hasn't been able to get the ball where he wants.

Big strikeout to Lugo on that 68 mph curve. David isn't going to last 8 innings on this day though.

That's getting it done when it counts.

Bush through 4 innings: 47 pitches, 34 strikes

Well, he's through 4. The damn mlb.tv feed keeps cutting out so I'm terrified I will miss the important moment...

Bush only has 47 pitches through 4, I think he can certainly go 8 today. If he keeps throwing first pitch strikes, he'll get there.

Actually, now that I check he only has 47 pitches through 4 innings now and despite loading the bases there that inning only cost him 18 pitches. He should have plenty left in this game but he needs to find some more consistency.

I'm having a blast watching this game. How can you not root for this kid? Even when your team is a dozen games under .500, you can always find a reason to go to the ballpark.

if the pitcher bats, doesn't the DH vanish?

I haven't looked this rule up but I believe the DH can be applied to any player as defined by their starting line-up. If nothing else, that version of the rule is good for a high school game :-)

DH is for the pitcher only. Rule 6.10, I believe.

The hit and run works yet again. One of my favorite plays in baseball.

If Rios isn't running on that, that's a routine DP for Cantu and the Rays.

Great call Carlos!

Great AB by the O-Dog, he absolutly ripped that ball down the third base line.

Now THIS is Blue Jays baseball!

Finally, a good at-bat for the O-Dog!

That's exactly what Orlando needs to do to break out of it. Don't jump at any pitches too early, let the ball come and just get the fat part of the bat on it and hit it the other way. Tremendous at bat.

I like the call too. With a 3 run lead you can afford to have that chance backfire with a line drive to the 2b.

DH is for the pitcher only. Rule 6.10, I believe.
Then I believe I stand corrected.

If Tosca was really great he would have had hudson execture the squeeze bunt. With Odog struggling and Cash on deck make the rays pay for their error and get at least the for sure run.

But the double worked

Ouch, walking CASH? That's purely a lack of control.

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/official_info/official_rules/batter_6.jsp
Rule 6.10 (COMN):

The Rule provides as follows: A hitter may be designated to bat for the starting pitcher and all subsequent pitchers in any game without otherwise affecting the status of the pitcher(s) in the game.

So every offensive lineup has to have C, 1B, 2B, 3B, SS, LF, CF, RF.
In the AL, the 9th hitter is the DH.
In the NL, the 9th hitter is the pitcher.

A, we are talking about Victor Zambrano here...so a walk doesn't shock me.

If Tosca was really great he would have had hudson execture the squeeze bunt. With Odog struggling and Cash on deck make the rays pay for their error and get at least the for sure run.

He's even greater by letting O-Dog hit through his struggles obviously knowing that O-Dog would come up big ;)

The Rays, afraid of Cash Money? Obviously, how else can you explain a 4 pitch walk with first base open?

I know, I know... Zambrano's control is lousy ;)

If you play for one run, one run is all you're gonna get.

I like the two-run 2b a whole lot better.

With Odog struggling and Cash on deck make the rays pay for their error and get at least the for sure run

I realize this is going to seem like an "I told you so" comment because of the timing but I promise the response would have been the same regardless...We have the D-Rays on the ropes with a 5-0 lead, there's no reason to let them off by donating an out -- regardless of who's due up.

Agreed Magpie.

Anyone know exactly when Purcey will report to Auburn? Same for Zach Jackson? And what are the details of Purcey's contract and bonus and how do they compare to the other first rounders especially those around him in the draft?

Thanks

I know we're talking about Victor Zambrano, he's on my fantasy team :(

Cash Money

If his bat doesn't show a little life through out the second half, we might as well call him Roubel ;-)

The Rays announcers are pretty awful.

Can they please stop pronouncing Cat's name as "Cantalanatto"?

obviously the hudson hit worked out , but i think the smart call there would have been the squeeze bunt. Plus i just think that sort of thing is exciting.

Wow. The sun just broke through the clouds (the first four innings have been played in the shade. Kinda cool...

David Bush pitching with a lead. Not a sentence we've had the opportunity to use a lot.

At least we're beating the Devil Rays.

You call a squeeze bunt when it's a surprise. Not when the infielders are playing way in on turf. If they were playing normal depth you might consider it. But Hudson is a very strong hitter from the left side of the plate too and I would have let him hit there as well. They need to get him going.

I really love the way Cash catches Bush. I especially like it when Cash gets out of his crouched position to try and get Bush to get one up and out of the zone to coax a swing. Just tried and failed with Hall, but it's still a pretty good idea.

And right now, you'd have to wonder why the Rays are still taking the first pitch. Bush' control has been great today and your basically putting yourself in an 0-1 hole. Now the Jays with Zambrano on the other hand, that's a different story. You take the first pitch from him because the odds are he's going to throw you a ball and thus your ahead in the count.

Another quick 1-2-3 inning from Bush. This kid is amazing!

Bush is going to give up hits; it's almost a shame he follows Towers in the rotation because their pound-the-zone styles are so similar. As long as he avoids the walks and gopher balls, he'll be fine, and for once, he's enjoying some run support. Hitting's especially contagious when you get it from your big guys.

As Adam knows, I love the DH-for-anyone rule in high school ball. Most of the pitchers are excellent hitters, and you often have a good glove man who can't hit and a good hitter with no position.

Dave, I don't know the details of Purcey's deal but assume it was "slot money." Don't expect too much from him or Jackson this year; they've logged a lot of innings already and are just getting used to the pro routine. Both will be on careful pitch counts, and no matter how good they look in the NYPL, won't be promoted. They should begin next year in Dunedin, advancing from there on merit.

Another 10 pitch inning. Through 5, 57 pitches, 42 strikes.

Morneau just hit a 3 run dinger for the Twins.

And later today, Rich Harden vs Way-back Wasdin. In a pennant race??

Vern is really swinging the bat well today. He's hit too line drives and then he also drew a walk.

Anyone else surprised at how good of a throw Crawford made? I didn't know he had that kind of throw in him. If Cantu holds onto it, they've got Vern at 2nd.

Thanks Coach, that's pretty much what I was expecting as far as it being "slot money." I might just have to make the trip up to Auburn to go and check some of the new guys out. I'm really enthused about Klosterman the shortstop out of Vandy. He and Thigpen have really been hitting the ball well. Could the Jays have yet another shorstop in the fold?

There's no excuse for those kinds of at bats from Carlos. That's just plain undisciplined. That was the first pitch and it was at his shoulders. Inexcusable.

Carl Crawford is such an amazing defender. You add his tremendous range and jump to a very strong and accurate arm. Earlier in his series he made a very close play to second on a Wells double into the corner and this inning he would have had Wells out on a similar play if Cantu had held onto the ball. That's how the Rays have hung close to the Jays in runs allowed despite not having anywhere near the quality of rotation.

If the score holds up, might we see the Blue Jay debut of Kevin Frederick? If Bush can throw a few more scorless innings Tosca might have the perfect situation for Kevin Frederick. Low pressure, just the way he wanted it.

I remember JP saying guys like Hudson and Phelps once in a funk, have trouble playing out of them. Its better to give them time off and work on their hitting, than let it get worse on the field. Hudson got a day off, perhaps just to rest, but I guess he is such an active player, he needs to calm down and figure out his problems with Barnett.

Its great to see Carlos knock one out. Although with the playoffs already out of view, i would almost like to see him struggle so that we can convince him to take a nice pay cut and stay with the team. Cause i know he has got at least 3 or 4 more good carlos years left in that bat.

By the way i just ran into this site , and have been reading the posts for the last few days....itsa great site...i love all the info on the minors..you guys are a bunch of nerds though...

Nerds and proud of it, I think.

I think most of here will take that as a compliment.

lol, speak for yourself.. "not that there's anything wrong with it"... especially a baseball one, in fact I'd wear it like a badge of honour if I truly did qualify.

Huff pulled a pitch just foul in the first inning which would have been a long two-run homerun. That pitch was over the middle of the plate. This time Bush gets it a little further inside but that's in Huff's wheelhouse. That was a bolt. Something for Bush to file away for the next time he faces Huff.

He's still got this game very much in hand so there's no need for him to get nervous nor do I expect him to. Single, groundout, error puts runners on the corners with two down.

I am not a nerd.

I am a mob boss, in fact.

Oh come on Hudson...

That VERY costly error winds up hurting the Jays and Bush in a big way.

Remember, the Jays have stranded quite a few runners today. It might come back to haunt them.

Grr. Don't throw it away!

Thanks to what sounded to be a mental lapse, Bush won't have those runs count against him. Now he's just got to bare down and get his team out of the inning.

Way to limit the damage and get out of the inning by Bush.

Is Jason Frasor available for today's game? I would assume not seeing as how he's been used a lot recently, including back to back save opportunities.

Jdog, the announcement of Terry Adams' signing turned into a "nerd" competition.

Now he's just got to bare down

I think that would distract the hitters more than tattoos or jewelry.

Okay, 1st and 3rd 1 out Sparky needs to get the ball into the air here.

Please, no strikeouts and no double plays!!

Crawford comes into play again holding Cash to a single and Hudson at third. He was still a good 30 feet away from the ball when it hit the turf and he got to it on the first bounce. The average left fielder has to chase that into the corner for a run scoring double.

Tom and Jerry are talking about how Lance Carter has been sprinkled with the Magic Closer Dust. Come on, guys! There really is no such thing - and Lance Carter is a prime example.

Jdog, step a little closer and say that. Chicken****.

Lovely, exactly what the Jays couldn't afford...

another bases loaded double play.

Too many runners stranded, I wouldn't be surprised if it came back to haunt them as Bush is getting hit harder and harder.

Now he's just got to bare down

I like Bush an awful lot, but...

not that much.

It's amazing the knact this team has for not being able to get runners in from third with less than 2 outs. It's happened just too much this season.

We could have used another run there! Squeeze Bunt? No I am kidding I love Catalanotto you got to let your best hitter swing away...The nerds comment was meant as a compliment boys....i love baseball but the stats you guys throw around and all the analyzing, factoring in parks and all that....makes me think all your wives have left cause you spend too much time on baseball stats...either that or you are not married and have not got any action for a long time....but who needs it with baseball....right guys

Sometimes Bush just throws a gorgeous slow curve. Like that one he struck out Gathright on.

All of six pitches to get out of the 7th inning. That brings David to 84 on the day. He has an outside chance at completing this game if he doesn't run into anymore trouble. Another run or three from the Jays would help a lot in taking the pressure off in the 8th and 9th.

Another very tidy inning: six pitches, five strikes. Bush through 7 - 84 pitches, 61 strikes.

I assume you bring him back. My only qualm is Huff leading off. He has a single, a HR, and he crushed two foul balls before his GDP in the first. He is the ONLY guy in the lineup who has looked dangerous.

Wow, great 7th inning there for Bush. Still only 84 pitches, he MIGHT be able to go the distance but the offense definitely needs to score a few more runs.

http://www.chancetolive.net
I just started following the action on GameDay now. It's interesting that Bush has allowed so few hits with only two strikeouts through seven. The defense must be very efficient today I guess.

Ah. Sorry, Jdog. Yeah, we tend to get very stat-heavy. Understanding the stats helps you understand the game (only helps, though).

My own wife is gently tolerant of my baseball mania.

A very weak offensive 7th for the Jays and Bush is due back out. He's facing the middle of the order who have hit him well all day so I hope the Jays have a contingency getting ready in the pen.

I think that this is a key time. Bush could get a quick inning and all looks rosy. Or the rays could catch up now.

Wow, Bush got lucky there.

He left that 2-0 pitch up to Huff and Huff just missed it.

I like the fact that Bush is actually now hitting 91 and 92 on the gun after hovering around 89 and 90 all day.

Maybe if Bush knows he's on his last inning he can reach back and give a little bit more, like Pedro seems to nowadays.

Bush falls behind 2-0 to Huff and then has to groove a fastball. He got away with it with Huff popping up to centerfield. Martinez rips a 1-0 pitch foul. He and Huff have been the most dangerous against Bush today. Now he fouls back a high fastball. Count runs full. And he drives yet another single through the infield, hard hit. That pitch was up.

Now Tosca is going to Kerry Ligtenberg with Robert Fick due up. Let's hope for the best but a valiant effort by David Bush getting through 7.1 innings without his best stuff or command.

NO......... looks who's coming in!!!!!!

Bush' run is done. Time for a change with Kerry.

;)

All jokes aside, a very good outing for Bush when it was obvious he didn't have his best stuff.

Now, let's hope the pen can hold onto the lead.

Well I don't often say this but Ligtenberg did a good job just then.

Frasor won't be used today as they rest him for the Yankees series after back to back 4 out saves. It will be up to Ligtenberg to get the final three outs.

Another pathetic inning at the dish for the Jays.

Please bullpen, please, CLOSE THIS ONE OUT! My heart can't possibly stand another heartbreaking loss.

The deal with Ligtenberg - his season consists of two nightmare games, and a year of quite decent work. I the two nightmare games (May 14 against Boston and July 10 against Anaheim, Ligtenberg went 0-1, allowing 10 ER and retiring no one. NADA. Zilch.

In his other 35 games, he put up a 2.76 ERA. He's the only guy on the staff striking out a batter an inning, and now he and Speier are the verterans in a bullpen that now has 4 rookies.

No tight strikezone today. Ligtenberg gets Hall looking on a borderline pitch for the first out. Falls behind 3-1 to Gathright. Full count. Foul. Groundout to Hudson for the second out.

Phew. Well the series sweep really helps in the standings. The Jays just need not to be swept in turn by New York.

Crawford grounds out completing a terrible series for him on my fantasy team but it means a Jays sweep of the Devil Rays and the much deserved first major league win for David Bush.

Thank you, Kerry!

Meanwhile, Eric Milton has his no hitter spoiled by a bloop double leading off the 9th. Glanville came in as a defensive replacement in centerfield and initially misread the ball off the bat and just failed to make the play. If Milton retires the next two in a row that play will be hard to take.

Milton strikes out the next two batters in a row to give him 12 on the day. A very familiar sight there with Alex Gonzalez striking out on an outside pitch. So but for the misplay by Glanville there might have been a no hitter.

The next two hitters though go single and very deep double to drive in two runs to tie the game. So Milton goes from no hitter to no decision with two earned runs.

The deal with Ligtenberg - his season consists of two nightmare games, and a year of quite decent work. I the two nightmare games (May 14 against Boston and July 10 against Anaheim, Ligtenberg went 0-1, allowing 10 ER and retiring no one. NADA. Zilch.

Yes, but you're not factoring in the countless amount of times that he's come in with runners on and allowed them to score. I can think of at least two base-clearing doubles that he's allowed where the three runs were charged to the previous pitcher. ERA just isn't a very good stat when evaluating relievers.

Also, I missed this game. But I see Delgado hit one out. That's nice to see. It seems that Carlos is channelling Pat Burrell of yesteryear.

I think that would distract the hitters more than tattoos or jewelry

Gotta do what ya gotta do to get outta those jams ;-)

you're not factoring in the countless amount of times that he's come in with runners on and allowed them to score.

You're right, Ryan, I'm not. Kerry has been indeed been awful at stranding other people's runners. He's allowed 12 of 17 inherited runners to score (70%) - coming into this season, he had stranded 71% of his inherited runners.

All the same, I don't think he's been quite as horrific as his raw numbers suggest. Two truly crappy outings (and I mean crappy on a COSMIC SCALE!!) can truly distort the overall record, when we're only looking at 33 innings.

Can anyone tell me something about Mike Gonzalez? He's 25, was awful last year and is now absolutely dominating big league hitters (22 K's, 11 hits, 4 walks, 1 ER in 18.2 innings). Was he ever a prospect? Has anything changed between this year and last?

Kevin Millar is the spawn of Satan.

Apologies for the mini-jack. That just needed to be said.

Adding to your hijack, good to know Terry Adams wasnt performing so badly because of the uniform, hes up to his old tricks and the Yankees are getting back into the game.

nm, francona got him out of there before anything serious developed.

But whoa, with that BoSox lineup, not to mention the pitching, you would think they would win more like this against the Yankees.

Great game today. Bush continues to do his thing, though, I agree that his success can partially be attributed to being an unknown. However, many unknowns get shelled everyday in the League, so credit is unquestionably due.

What a series at Fenway. Despite my contempt for both teams, it's hard not to enjoy the soap opera. It's great to see N.Y.'s failure to land the Unit. The money is endless and yes, George will probably always have shiny toys to rub in everyone's face, but at least past decisions are beginning to catch up with them.

On the other hand, it would have been intriguing to see a Schilling and Johnson duel, but who knows? It might still happen.

Watching T.A. almost blow the rubber match was priceless. Can't wait to see that mine blow up down the stretch. Although, unless injured, Embree will likely keep him in the pen.

This kid Ricciardi picked up in the trade looks like a prospect. But, of course, who knows?