Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Instant Replay: Game 35: Hurry Hard

Dave Bush skips the Jays to go for the sweep in today's early start. And, uh, I've used up all the curling lingo I have.

The thread is now open! The Jays win a bit of an ugly one over KC, 12 to 9.

Who's your game MVP? What was the key play of the game?

Posted by Joe on Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 12:25 PM EDT.

Instant Replay: Game 35: Hurry Hard | 31 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Named For Hank - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 04:27 PM EDT (#116360) #

I'm putting in a vote for Huckaby: the suicide squeeze, throwing out baserunners, blocking the plate.

Though Hillenbrand going 3 for 3 with a homer and a walk and O-Dog going one for two with four walks both make strong cases for themselves.

westcoast dude - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 05:17 PM EDT (#116366) #

I come in for lunch after rebuilding the ramp on the boat deck, click on Gameday in time to see SS Loogy sink and Johnson leave the bases loaded. Ugly. Go out and clean up, snarl at the other lightkeeper. Come back and find Jays win.
Huckaby is an RBI machine, Rios the game winning RBI, Shea
and Koskie are slugging. Ooh Baby, rock on.

Ducey - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 05:59 PM EDT (#116369) #

ESPN reports:

"Toronto purchased LHP Scott Downs' contract from Triple-A Syracuse and sent reliever Matt Whiteside outright to Syracuse. "

Craig B - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 06:02 PM EDT (#116370) #

I'd have to say Hillenbrand, though Huckaby made a case for himself. On base five times in five tries, with four RBI to boot, that does it for me.

No hit was bigger than Rios's hit, though.

The Royals threw 223 pitches in nine innings - exhausting. Sisco's inning in the seventh must have seemed like it lasted a million years.

Craig B - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 06:12 PM EDT (#116372) #

Hillenbrand OBP Watch:

.417

Jim - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 06:23 PM EDT (#116374) #

Hillenbrand has been nothing short of brilliant so far.
Hopefully Wells will heat up enough to make up for when
Shea cools down a bit.

Downs.. eh? How about Gaudin? Do they feel they need a lefty that badly? How about Gaudin and Bush trade spots for a few weeks then? It's Chad's last option year.

Ducey - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 06:44 PM EDT (#116376) #

I don't think you will see Gaudin or anybody else resembling a prospect unless there is a trade, demotion of a regular or injury.

I bet JP looks at Whiteside and Downs like the producers of Star-trek looked at those security officers in the red shirts . They are expendible. Just bring them up, abuse them in the ultra long relief role, then send them down when they inevitably fail. If they get picked off waivers - oh well.

Named For Hank - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 06:49 PM EDT (#116377) #

Ricciardi confirmed what a lot of us suspected in his call-in appearance last night: that Whiteside was up because all of the rest of the guys who could come up and help the team would benefit far more from playing every day in AAA. He still has his eyes on the future, which is a good thing.

So I guess the red-shirt analogy really does apply to Whiteside: he's not in the future plans, and right now he's just a warm body. Now, I know nothing of Whiteside other than he's older and he's not terrific; has he been a good organizational soldier? Is his stint up here a reward for sticking with it?

Rob - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 07:08 PM EDT (#116379) #

Just bring them up, abuse them in the ultra long relief role

Whiteside was hardly abused or used in ultra long relief. His longest outing was two innings. He pitched on April 20, then didn't pitch again, as you all know, for a while after that.

Flex - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 07:12 PM EDT (#116381) #

Ignoring him; ignoring his pain as he is left, forgotten and unloved, could be considered a form of abuse.

Elijah - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 07:35 PM EDT (#116383) #

To be honest, I think a guy in Whiteside's position (age and experience) would rather rot at the end of a big league bullpen than pitch every day in AAA.

The problem with bringing up a Gaudin or League to do the same thing is that their development would be stunted if the team did that. Now one of the Jays starters gets hurt, we are more likely to see one of those guys get starts in The Show.

On an unrelated note, too bad the Pirates nabbed Michael Restovich. I thought he could have been the right-handed bat the Jays could have used off the bench.

Jim - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 07:58 PM EDT (#116384) #

My point on Gaudin was to bring him up and put him in the rotation. It's not like Bush has pitched well at all. He could use some time at AAA himself. Gaudin also is going to have to stick in 2006 or clear waivers, so you might as well find out what you have.

Jdog - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 08:20 PM EDT (#116385) #

In my opinion Bush has had two bad starts, one of which was today. He pitched a solid game against two good hitting teams, in the Red Sox and Orioles, and has gotten no run support. The guy doesn't need time in AAA he just needs to hit his stride. The guy was great last year with an ERA under 4. cut him a little slack will ya.

Jim - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 09:00 PM EDT (#116387) #

It's only 7 starts, but he hasn't been sharp.

4.78 k/9
2.86 bb/9
.883 OPS Allowed (367/516)

He's earned the 5 ERA

I like him a lot, but I'm not sure why he needs any less seasoning then Gaudin does.

Magpie - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 09:14 PM EDT (#116389) #

Nothing like a major league pay check, even if it's just for two weeks work to ease Whiteside's pain. He probably hasn't made a whole lot of money from the game...

#2JBrumfield - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 09:24 PM EDT (#116390) #

I'm putting in a vote for Huckaby: the suicide squeeze, throwing out baserunners, blocking the plate.

I'd certainly vote for Huckaby, based on yesterday's game alone. His 2 out RBI single to tie it saved the Jays bacon because they were on the verge of stranding Hinske's lead-off triple. The way Greinke settled in later on, retiring the last 15 batters in a row, that was a huge run at a crucial time. And, he teamed up with Doc to get Gotay at the plate after that wild pitch. Doc really gave up the body on the play. That reminded me of Kevin Cash and Doc on a similar play when Doc got his 22nd victory against Cleveland in his last start of 2003. Overall, Huckaby had a pretty strong series against the Royals. Still, hopefully Zaun will be back sooner rather than later. The way things are going, maybe Huckaby and Zaun will conjure up the halcyon days of Whitt and Martinez or Borders and Myers.

Flex - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 09:38 PM EDT (#116391) #

I think one benefit of Huckaby's work while Zaun is out is that there'll be more trust and more likelihood that he'll be allowed to play a bit more than once a week once Zaun is back. That should help keep Zaun fresh toward the end of the season.

Ain't no young legs coming up from the minors to help out this September.

Craig B - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 09:55 PM EDT (#116393) #

Ignoring him; ignoring his pain as he is left, forgotten and unloved, could be considered a form of abuse.

This is my favourite post of the week.

JayFan0912 - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 10:00 PM EDT (#116395) #

I don't think bush should be sent down to syracuse; what this team has is an excess of pitching. Bush, if given time, will match his performance from last year. In this season, he played the bosox twice, the yankees, orioles, white sox, beside today, which are pretty good hitting teams. In time, he should rebound to a 4 - 4.5 era.

Anyway, I think that we should look at trading some of the starters we have for a HR hitter. Right now, with the new jays budget, bush + rios + hinske for dunn does not seem that bad but I don't think the reds would give up dunn.
I would try to acquire one of mo pena, dunn, wilkerson, griffey jr., carlos pena, hafner, etc. for one of bush, batista, lily, chacin and a perhaps a prospect.

Stellers Jay - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 10:02 PM EDT (#116396) #

I like the move to bring up Downs. He won't be used much, but at least he can eat multiple innings and keep the other arms fresh in a lopsided game. Asking Whiteside (who's been a short reliever his entire career) to do that simply wasn't fair to the player. At least he got a big league check out of it for 3 weeks or so.

Mike Green - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 10:02 PM EDT (#116397) #

H'brand and Hudson share my Player of the Game vote. I admit to a bias in favour of leadoff hitters who reach base 5 times in a game.

Gaudin is coming along very nicely in Syracuse (as was Downs). Gaudin needs another couple of months there, and then he'll be ready to join the big club should a trade or injury create an opening.

It still will be difficult to give enough work to the 7 man pen when the team is getting so many complete games from Doc, and so many long outings from Chacin and Towers. Downs has a more defined role than Whiteside; he's the 2nd lefty. The work squeeze will be more noticeably on Pete Walker and Justin Speier.

Stellers Jay - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 10:08 PM EDT (#116399) #

I wouldn't touch Griffey with a ten foot pole. He's an injury waiting to happen and he's owed a lot of money. Besides he's only hit 3 homeruns and is slugging 450. He's not exactly tearing the cover off the ball. I hear Giambi's available. Maybe if the Jays offer Bush and Rios, Cashman with throw in Karsay to even it out. :)

PeterG - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 10:22 PM EDT (#116400) #

The fact that Gaudin is in his last option year is all the more reason he should stay in AAA. These regular innings and development may not be available next year. They can easily see what they have off his AAA season, a September call-up and next spring. Barring the unforeseen, I would allow him the full season at Syracuse. Remember, he's only 22 years old and a young 22 at that(mar.83)

Magpie - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 10:37 PM EDT (#116401) #

Sisco's inning in the seventh must have seemed like it lasted a million years.

Seemed? Nay, I know not "seemed." It did last a million years.

This is my favourite post of the week.

Mine too. Give it up for Flex, everyone.

The other Great Line from today's game... I found in the chat. When the Royals brought their infield in, and Rookie Rob goes "Otherwise known as the McDonald Shift."

This game was so enormous (long enough for Halladay-Greinke twice, with enough time left over to grab a quick beer or six) that it will receive no fewer than Two Game Reports. Your regularly scheduled one from Joe, and a Bonus Report tomorrow.

Jordan - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 10:38 PM EDT (#116402) #

Bush has nothing left to learn or to prove at Triple-A. His sole remaining task is to learn to retire big-league hitters on a consistent basis, and he can only learn that in the big leagues. The Jays are not contenders, and this is exactly the year when you allow one of your most promising young pitchers to get knocked around a little while learning the ropes. He'll be fine, and more than fine in the second half.

Conversely, I wouldn't allow Gaudin anywhere near the majors until a September roster expansion, at the earliest. The Devil Rays rushed him ridiculously, and the Jays have no need to do the same. He's only 22 and he's coming along nicely in his first extended exposure to Triple-A hitters.

uglyone - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 11:29 PM EDT (#116407) #

Bush hasn't been great, but he's been far from awful.

1.27whip

2.9k/bb (with a k/9 under 5 to boot)

Those two numbers alone tell us that he hasn't been that bad. He's been slightly off, which has given rise to a problem that plagued him occassionally throughout the minors as well.....giving up the longball.

Ron - Wednesday, May 11 2005 @ 11:58 PM EDT (#116408) #

I saw the O-Dog on Muchmusic today.

I was actually able to understand a couple of his sentences.

He says he trash talks when he gets on base sometimes. He's also got some rap stuff coming down the pipe with the Youngbloodz.

Jim - Thursday, May 12 2005 @ 05:40 AM EDT (#116411) #

'The Jays are not contenders, and this is exactly the year when you allow one of your most promising young pitchers to get knocked around a little while learning the ropes. He'll be fine, and more than fine in the second half.'

This is something that I 100% disagree with. Never, never, never throw in the towel on a season before it is truly lost. Baltimore isn't nearly as good as their early season record indicates and the Wild Card isn't out of the question, Chicago will come back down to earth and it's not as though the other contenders for the WC are untouchable even if Boston ends up with a pretty solid lead in the East.

There are few that are less optimistic then I am about where this team is headed. I still see a bad offense with no help coming from the minor leagues, but there is no way in hell I would throw up the white flag if I were running a team that was over .500.

Jdog - Thursday, May 12 2005 @ 09:44 AM EDT (#116421) #

I agree with you there. It looks like they are contending to me. The reasoning to keep Bush in their is simply because he is expected to have a good year, and he will.

Craig B - Thursday, May 12 2005 @ 10:12 AM EDT (#116429) #

Seemed? Nay, I know not "seemed." It did last a million years.

I meant to him. To me, it was a twinking; I was busy toiling in yonder fields.

NYJaysFan36 - Thursday, May 12 2005 @ 12:02 PM EDT (#116455) #

Magpie,

Your comment about Whiteside was dead-on. I was thinking about him this morning and remembered that he spent the entire year in 2004 closing for the AAA Richmond Braves at the age of 36-37 and hadn't had substantial major league time since the early 90's. I'm sure he was more than grateful just to be up.

Instant Replay: Game 35: Hurry Hard | 31 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.