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Congratulations to Boston Red Sox rookie RHSP Clay Buchholz, who in making just his second career major league start tonight, no-hit the Baltimore Orioles, 10-0.

Buchholz's no-hitter comes on the heels of last night's gem by Minnesota's Scott Baker, who came within three outs of a perfect game and two outs of a no-hitter against the Royals.




Red Sox Rook Buchholz No-Hits O's | 21 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Pistol - Saturday, September 01 2007 @ 11:13 PM EDT (#173771) #
I was watching some of the post game and Epstein said they would have pulled him if he got up to 120 pitches (he ended at 115).  Apparently he's never gone over 98 pitches in the minors.
AWeb - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 12:52 AM EDT (#173774) #
The players and manager both scoffed at that notion, essentially saying Epstien would've had to come take him out himself (A brief sad thought to the Marcum 6 inning no-no goes through my head).  Tejada pulling the ever-stupid head-first dive into 1B may have cost him an infield hit late in the game, although the lack of good replays made me suspicious that perhaps his hand got in there anyway.

jeff mcl - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 12:55 AM EDT (#173775) #
Without Erik Bedard, who is soon to depart B-town by all indications, the Orioles are a horrid, horrid ball club.   Does Jesse Litsch have no hit stuff?  He ran the O's 8 2/3 in his debut and held them to 4 hits.  I guess there's some solace in knowing that all the competition is ahead of us. 
Thomas - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 01:44 AM EDT (#173777) #
If anybody wonders why winning the AL East isn't going to get easier in the near future, here's a perfect piece of evidencce.
DepecheJay - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 02:27 AM EDT (#173779) #
Thomas, I know your statement was a rather harmless one, but I am simply growing tired of this mentality.  Sadly, there are a lot of Blue Jays fans who feel the same way.  Why even think of things that way?  How bout for once since the 80's/90's Jays fans go into a season EXPECTING victory.  Screw the Red Sox, screw the Yankees and forget Baltimore and Tampa Bay because they aren't even on the same platform as the Jays.  It's about the Jays and it's about the confidence that the fans, organization, players, coaches are lacking.

I'm tired of hearing Ricciardi talk about how hard it is to compete with the Sox and Yanks, I'm tired of the fans echoing the same sentiment.  I'm tired of Ricciardi and Wilner and fans moaning about the injuries.  It's just made me sick over the Ricciardi era because it's the same story every year.  The team spends a ton of cash and fans are supposed to just sit back and not expect the team to win the division because of Boston and NYY?  Why spend the cash in the first place then? 

Lastly, screw Clay Buckholz.  Seriously.  God bless him but the Jays have McGowan, Marcum, Litsch, Janssen, Accardo and that's just the young ARMS.   Halladay is still Halladay AKA God and AJ Burnett isn't half as bad or as much as a pest as JP seems to want to believe he is.

So basically, I'm tired of the excuses, I'm tired of the whining, I'm tired of the complacency, I'm tired with the treadmill 500 team and I'm tired with the acceptance of mediocrity... the TEAM and it's fans and the whole organization need to BELIEVE that next season is THE YEAR whether it's realistic or not.   I'm on the bandwagon, who's with me?

And Thomas, PLEEEEASSSSEEE don't be offended by the fact that my rant was caused by your very simple, harmless statement.  I'm just sick and tired of being sick and tired and it's truly nothing personal.

christaylor - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 03:25 AM EDT (#173780) #
I couldn't agree more DepecheJay, especially with the screw Clay Buckholz comment. Wilson Alvarez anyone?
groove - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 10:38 AM EDT (#173781) #
So... every time I think that the Orioles have hit a new low, they manage to outdo themselves yet again.  They may actually *gasp* finish worse than the Devil Rays this year.  Is that my friends the lowest of the low or can it get worse than that?
Pistol - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 11:37 AM EDT (#173783) #
So basically, I'm tired of the excuses, I'm tired of the whining, I'm tired of the complacency, I'm tired with the treadmill 500 team and I'm tired with the acceptance of mediocrity... the TEAM and it's fans and the whole organization need to BELIEVE that next season is THE YEAR whether it's realistic or not.


The Jays/Ricciardi shouldn't be using excuses for not being better than a perpetual .500 team.

But fans blindly believing isn't going to make the team any better.  I think that's an acceptance of mediocrity.

Most teams have some chance every year.  The Jays have a lot of pieces where they have a chance if things break right.  And when I look at the Yankees and Red Sox I see teams that better today, have better organizations, more resources, and better farm systems.

The Jays almost certainly can't compete with the resource part of the equation.  But they really don't need to.  Where they need to be better is having a better organization and I don't think you'd find anyone who thinks the Jays are better run than their competition.
westcoast dude - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 12:06 PM EDT (#173785) #

I must say Clay seemed to be putting  his fingers to his mouth a lot, but that's just me. His last strikeout reminded me of the World Series perfect game: a rabid home town crowd and the ump wants it, too, so you'd better be hacking, because you can forgetabout it being called a ball: it's Fenway.

Call me crazy, but the Blue Jays are going to beat out the Yankees and go all the way this year.

Jordan - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 02:54 PM EDT (#173787) #

The Jays almost certainly can't compete with the resource part of the equation.  But they really don't need to.  Where they need to be better is having a better organization and I don't think you'd find anyone who thinks the Jays are better run than their competition.

Right on the money. The Yankees and Red Sox are two very well-run organizations with smart leadership. They have more money than the Blue Jays and they always will. But give Brian Cashman a $90M payroll and JP Ricciardi a $200 million payroll, and I think the Yankees would still have the edge, because I simply think Cashman is a better GM and the Yankees have a better executive team. Or put it this way: if money were all that separated the Jays from the Sox and Yanks, I would join the chorus of complainers. But it's not all about how much money you have: it's also very much about how you spend it and what kind of brand you build for your organization in the process. The Jays under Gord Ash were a lost muddle, but under JP Ricciardi, they've become a whine factory.

I was immensely cheered up when Ricciardi first arrived, and later when Keith Law joined, because I felt the Jays were finally in a position to outsmart their competition. That enthusiasm has dissolved, to say the least; Tony Lacava is the only person in the front office whom I now think of as a standout talent, and there's lots of buzz around him being the next hot GM hiring. The Jays' current success cycle is nearly complete, and after 2008, the organization will have to start re-engineering the roster. If a lot of things go right, the Jays could make some serious noise next year. But this has never been a franchise blessed with a lot of luck, and my expectations for next season are modest. More problematically, my expectations for the GM are equally modest. I think this current team is the best that Ricciardi can do, and it's not equal to the task.

Jordan - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 02:57 PM EDT (#173788) #
That said, congratulations to young Mr. Buchholz. Was it Bo Belinsky who threw a no-hitter in his second major-league start? That didn't turn out too well for him in the long run.
Jordan - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 03:01 PM EDT (#173789) #
Also, have the Orioles given up? In the last couple of weeks, they've lost a game by three touchdowns and a field goal to another last-place squad, and they've been no-hit 10-0 by the rawest of rookies. Something is broken in that clubhouse and with that franchise.
DepecheJay - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 04:21 PM EDT (#173792) #
Of course I don't believe that by blindly believing and getting behind the team they will get any better.  You are right, that IS accepting mediocrity.  Instead, what I mean is that I think the city of Toronto and Jays fans need to put some pressure on the organization and demand results and at least meaningful baseball in September, at the least.  Just look at how it is in New York and Boston.  A 9 game losing streak like the Jays sustained earlier this season would probably have been enough to force some kind of move, whether it be firing Brantley or Gibbons, moves that will likely happen anyway. 

IMO, Ricciardi is too inconsistent with his decisions and I feel this resonates throughout the entire organization.  I even see it in John Gibbons and on the field.  And of course, I agree 100% with the idea that even with less money the Yankees would be better than the Blue Jays, it's just the structure of the two organizations and how different winning is viewed.  In New York and Boston of course, winning is the only option.  In Toronto, winning is hopeful but if they don't forge a winning team, let's try and find some positives.  I'd be all for this if eventually the team made the playoffs, but whose to say that next season Marcum or McGowan will continue to stay in the form they are in this season?  Whose to say the offense will rebound?  There are just too many question marks.  Add to that the fact that Ricciardi says he's going to keep this team together for the most part?  It doesn't exactly inspire confidence.  I know this, Cashman would NEVER, NEVER!  in August comment about how he's going to keep a non-playoff team together for the upcoming season.  He'd get ripped to shreds by everyone from fans to radio hosts to players to coaches to the front office around him.

It's all about the mentality.  The Jays organization seriously needs a large dose of accountability and the expectations need to be raised in order for this team to ever make a step forward under Ricciardi.  Personally, I hope it does, but I don't ever see it happening under JP.

DepecheJay - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 04:23 PM EDT (#173793) #
Oh, and all ranting aside.  Allow me to also congratulate young Clay.  While I'm still not completely sold, I still think it's pretty awesome for a guy to throw a no-hitter AT FENWAY in only his 2nd career start.  Congrats.
trent77 - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 05:20 PM EDT (#173798) #
That's absolute BS about the Yankees winning with a $90 million payroll.  There is a 5.5 game difference between the two teams.  I'll take one player from the Yankees (ARod) and switch him with McDonald and magically the Jays are then a better team than the Yanks.  Some of you are just delusional-money is the biggest factor in the difference between the two teams.  Sure Gibbons is weak and I'm not crazy about J.P...but give the guy another $100 million to work with this off-season and you sign Eckstein, Dunn, Ivan Rodriguez or Posada, Schilling and another big bat and 6th starter.  Or maybe they just sign ARod and Posada and call it a day?? 
DepecheJay - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 05:46 PM EDT (#173800) #
Money is hardly the biggest factor.  Remember that when Ricciardi took charge he was working under a tight budget.  The team was supposed to be much like the A's in that the farm system was supposed to supply them with constant talent to make up for the financial gap between them and the two super powers.  Years later, take a look at the farm system.  Outside of one player with star potential in Snider, it's almost completely baron.  Sure there are guys like Marcum and Lind along the way, but not many.  JP's inability to build from within has been his biggest failure as GM of the Jays and it's the reason why the team lacks any type of depth year after year. 

Even when Rogers opened up the purse, Ricciardi's big money moves haven't been that impressive.  He has the weirdest of relationships with Burnett in which he acts completely unprofessional by calling out an injured pitcher time after time despite claiming that "they knew what they were getting" when they signed him.  Injuries.  The Thomas move was a big risk.  Everyone knew Glaus had injury problems.  Vernon's contract came at the worst possible time considering the amount of quality CF's that are about to hit the market this off-season.  His decisions have been far from sound.



trent77 - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 06:30 PM EDT (#173801) #

i make no apologies for J.P.  But too many people expect a team with the 16th highest payroll to have a top 5 record.  Beyond the ability to sign free agents and acquire high-priced players through one-sided trades there is also the significant issue of the draft budget-which impacts which players are selected in the draft.  I think JP has made some poor picks-Adams and Romero come to mind.  But you have to give him credit for Marcum, Hill, Janssen and Litsch.  Bush and Jackson were traded for Overbay and Wolfe.  Lind and Thigpen look like they will be regular players at some point.  Snider looks like a great pick.  How many teams have had more players come up and contribute during the draft years that JP has been running the team?  My guess is not many.  And really, what are the current weaknesses on the Jays?  They have had the best pitching in the league in the 2nd half-both starters and bullpen.  Almost all of their pitchers are young and not even in their prime.  Do they need anything more than a 5th starter for next year?  In terms of position players-CF, RF, and 2B are set for years to come.  Overbay will probably bounce back.  Lind/Snider will eventually replace Johnson.  They need an eventual replacement at 3B and DH and they need a C and a SS.   

Take all of JP's 'big money' moves and compare them to other moves made by other teams.  Was Damon a great signing by the Yankees??  What about Giambi?  If JP had made those kind of mistakes, he's out of a job.  Every single move made by a mid-market team is magnified because they can't afford to screw up and have $ tied up in players that aren't producing.  It doesn't matter if Cashman or Epstein make major mistakes because money doesn't matter to those teams-they will always re-load  in the off-season.  Sure, his decisions have been far from sound, but which teams with a comparable payroll have been better than the Jays over the last few years.....Oakland, Cleveland and Minnesota, that's about it.     

timpinder - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 09:12 PM EDT (#173804) #

I think some Jays fans are too critical of Ricciardi.  The Hillenbrand/Accardo trade, the Koskie/Wolfe trade, the Overbay trade, the Lilly/Kielty trade, the Mondesi dump, to name a few, all seem to have been good moves.  Some trades haven't been great, but you can't win them all.  Some free agent signings have worked out well, others not so well.  Some draft picks have worked out great so far, such as Marcum, Litsch, Lind, Janssen, Snider, Hill, etc., while others such as Adams have not panned out.  Again, you can't win them all.  But overall, I think Ricciardi has done a good job with drafts and trades.  On baseballcube.com, there's a draft score ranking system that seems to be based on the number of players who've reached the majors from each draft year.  The Jays are tied for 5th for 2002, tied for 2nd for 2003, and are 1st for 2004.  It's too early to tell how 2005 and 2006 will pan out.  Ricciardi has done as he's said he would, drafting college players for a few years to get the bodies at the major league level, and now he's started to shift his strategy and target high-ceiling high school players.  We really won't know how those players will work out for a few years.

I don't think that the Jays' system is bereft of prospects.  I heard similar things about the Yankee's system a few years ago, and then Cano, Wang and Cabrera showed up.  Some players will step up and surprise while other highly regarded prospects may never make it.

Finally, the financial situation is real.  Considering their payroll, the Jays have done a good job of competing with the Yankees and Red Sox, in my opinion.  With another $110 million to spend, Ricciardi could sign A-Rod for SS, Posado or I-Rod for C and Dunn for LF and still have money left over.  I'm not suggesting that constantly whining about it is constructive, but its foolish to dismiss the argument that the Jays' inability to reach the playoffs is in large part due to the fact that they have a huge disadvantage because of payroll disparity.

Mylegacy - Sunday, September 02 2007 @ 09:44 PM EDT (#173806) #

I'm even excited about the dregs that are left in this season.

We've a plethora of young talented arms and the walking wounded are slowly coming around. Sparky, our lead off guy had back surgery, Wells our number three hitter has had a bad shoulder since May, Glaus our four hitter has had foot and ankle injuries all season, Overbay our number five guy has had a broken hand, Zaun our number seven hitter had a broken hand, Thomas spent the first half of the season on vacation, Hill is just in his second full season, if the offensive guys were not all cycling themselves through various medical centers then JohnnyMac's stellar defence would get him a pass offensively and Rios is just in his first full healthy season.

Next year with Stairs and Thomas as a R/L DH duo, and the return to health of at least four or five of the walking wounded we've every reason to ASSUME we will contend to the final day. Even this year I smell Yankee blood seeping into the grass and turf during the 7 games we've left with them.

I have not given up.  

As for Clay's feat of gold I say it's spinach and to hell with it.

FranklyScarlet - Monday, September 03 2007 @ 08:05 AM EDT (#173812) #

Depeche Jay

 It's about the Jays and it's about the confidence that the fans, organization, players, coaches are lacking.

The players and coaches came into this year expecting to win.  I'm not clear on why you say the confidence is lacking with the players and the coaching staff?  Of course with struggles,  the players may lack confidence...but what are you suggesting about the coaches?

This is a positive staff.  You can watch Guillen react to his team's shortcomings, or you can watch Gibbons protect his players. Can you elaborate on your statement?


 

Jacko - Wednesday, September 05 2007 @ 06:44 PM EDT (#173933) #
For me, the most frustrating aspect of the Ricciardi administration is their unwillingness to take some chances in the draft.  They rectified that a little bit by grabbing some HS hitting talent in the 2006 and 2007 drafts, but it's kind of frustrating to see wealthy teams like the Yankees and Red Sox bag great players with relatively low draft picks.

For example, the Yanks got Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain with the 21st and 41st picks in the 2006 draft.  How the heck did they manage to do that?   And has a team ever graduated two players to the majors from the previous draft?  I don't know if that has even happened before.

Then there's the Red Sox getting Buchholz with the 41st overall pick in the 2005 draft (along with Ellsbury at 23 and Michael Bowden at 47).   The Red Sox also used an 18th round pick (553rd overall)  in 2006 to draft Lars Anderson and and then signed him for a measly 800K.  For those who haven't been keeping track, Anderson is right up there with Travis Snider as one of the top power HS bats from the 2006 draft.

Are the other teams (including the Jays) not trying hard enough?  Or are they just being outscouted and outworked by other teams in their division?
Red Sox Rook Buchholz No-Hits O's | 21 comments | Create New Account
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