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Dear Batter's Box faithful,

I don't understand. There was a baseball game yesterday involving the Blue Jays, and there hasn't been a game thread posted. There's always a game thread posted -- why just yesterday, there was one extolling all the "positive firsts" of the series opener in Da Bronx.

Today, nothing. Did something ... different ... happen yesterday?

Best regards,
Mick Doherty
Batter's Box resident Yankee fan

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Mylegacy - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 02:54 PM EDT (#199969) #
Mick pound salt...or any number of other things I could mention. (PS Still love ya.)

From ESPN a scouting report on ARoid:

• On Alex Rodriguez: "His defense has been terrible. He doesn't look like he could move off a dime. He's a dead-stand-up stationary third baseman right now. But his biggest problem, I think, is at the plate. He can't get to the low, outside fastball or the slider away. He normally takes those balls the other way, but he can't get there. And as word gets around the league, he may have more holes than he's ever had."

Mr Tallet, PAY ATTENTION!

Mike Green - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 03:05 PM EDT (#199970) #
What happened?

The Yankees hit a few bloopers and Texas Leaguers that went for doubles and triples.  Brett Gardner hit a Baltimore chop that flew over the fence and was bizarrely scored a home run.  Meanwhile, the Jays hit 16 line drives which were caught.  You'll have one of those games every season and you've got to brush 'em off, like Obama does.
jjdynomite - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 03:26 PM EDT (#199974) #
Come on MyLegacy, it is not easy weaning off the juice. Ask a former Jay, he has to resort to mixed martial arts to maintain his (financial) flexibility.
Magpie - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 03:58 PM EDT (#199975) #
Did something ... different ... happen yesterday?

1. There was a game yesterday?

2. Nothing happened. Nothing.

3. Bite me.
westcoast dude - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 04:51 PM EDT (#199978) #
My mind is a complete blank.
92-93 - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 05:34 PM EDT (#199980) #
JMac is in at 2B while Hill DHs giving Lind the night off. An all righty lineup becomes a scary proposition with a manager who doesn't PH and a team whose lone southpaw is Phil Coke.
scottt - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 05:54 PM EDT (#199981) #
It's a lot less scary when you factor that CC just came off a complete game and that the Yankees bullpen--minus Rivera-- is completely awful.
Geoff - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 06:09 PM EDT (#199982) #
There's always a game thread posted? By my account this is the second 'Game Report' of the year. There was only one last year and two the year before.

The big chili cheese dog will feel the heartburn of the Jays offense tonight.

andrewkw - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 06:28 PM EDT (#199984) #
With Johnny Mac starting today, I suspect he may have an AL record at least when it comes to non rule 5 choices.  Has he gone the longest to start the season on an active roster without starting a game?

How would we/I go about finding this out?  Someone else suggested that Baltimore may have had a backup infielder not play this long with Ripken playing every inning but for the 3 years I went through their game logs this is not the case.

Geoff - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 06:53 PM EDT (#199985) #
I'd say the odds are pretty good that Cito will call a bat off the bench once CC is out of the game.

I'm surprised Arod isn't getting a night off, given that he's the one guy who hasn't had success vs. Tallet ... but that's what happens when you miss the first 30 games and your salary/ game played ratio is kind of embarrassing.

And what is with Tallet's splits this year? .162 avg by RH batters, 6 BB and 23 K; .333 avg by LH batters, with 10 BB and 6 K.

I'm hoping Tallet gets some help from these umpires tonight.

jmoney - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 07:21 PM EDT (#199987) #
Tallet looks to be continuing the trend of terrible pitching.
Mike Green - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 08:08 PM EDT (#199988) #
Sabathia has a very modest platoon advantage over his career.  McDonald to 2B, Hill to DH makes sense if you want to give Aaron a bit of a rest, but you do have to realize the offensive sacrifice.
Geoff - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 08:23 PM EDT (#199989) #
Terrible pitching? He's allowed three hits through five innings and the only run scored off him was via a bases-loaded walk, which I grant you is a terrible act of pitching.

I'd say the talented Mr. Tallet is bringing his A-game tonight. This one may come down to the strength of the bullpen.

HippyGilmore - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 08:29 PM EDT (#199990) #

Great to see Johnny Mac again, and he's having a great night, but tonight is the first time this season I feel like there's automatic outs at the bottom of the order like there have been the past few years. It really makes me realize how unbelievable the bottom of the lineup has been this year.

Hodgie - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 08:39 PM EDT (#199991) #
Is it possible that Hill is DH'ing tonight in order to give his leg a bit of a rest after fouling the ball off of his shin last night? He looked to be in some discomfort long after that AB.
andrewkw - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 09:42 PM EDT (#199992) #
Leaving the teams second best hitter out in favor of one of the worst hitters in the majors could prove costly.  Since it's against Cito's moral code to use a young player for a veteran why not use Overbay who would have at least had a chance...

I'd say this team needs a right handed bat on the bench but first they'd have to convince the manger of this.

Magpie - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 10:02 PM EDT (#199993) #
why not use Overbay

Because he can't play second base?
Mike Green - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 10:09 PM EDT (#199994) #
At least Rios is starting to swing the bat.  Tough loss.
greenfrog - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 10:16 PM EDT (#199995) #
This was a tough loss to swallow, for various reasons:

- It seemed so predictable (Doc would win game one, then the two strong starters for the Yankees would dominate the rest of the series). But then Tallet kept the Jays right in the game, only to walk the leadoff batter--baseball's cardinal sin--in the seventh when Toronto was up 2-1
- The Jays painted themselves into a corner by starting McDonald when he couldn't be PH for (not that the team had much choice)
- This is probably the weakest offensively the Yankees will be all year (Posada out, Nady out, Jeter/A-Rod coming off an injury, Teixeira mired in his usual early-season slump)
- Sabathia was good, but not untouchable...the Jays had a few good opportunities
- Yet another key mistake pitch (Carlson to Matsui) from an otherwise solid Jays pitcher
- They played just well enough to lose...shades of '08

On the other hand, the team still has a great record, they battled hard, and the cavalry (Janssen/Romero/Litsch/BJ) is about to arrive. So it probably makes more sense to look at the bright side, and expect more good things from the team.
andrewkw - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 10:26 PM EDT (#199996) #
Why couldn't Bautista play 2nd base?

Finally if it came down to it you could use Hill at 2nd and still have 3 additional bats on the bench which you know they weren't going to use anyway.  If they somehow ran through the lineup 3 times and were still playing then the birthday boy Doc Halladay pinch hitting wouldn't be that much worse then sticking with Johnny Mac with the game on the line the first time.

i'm upset the jays lost this game but I'm more upset they weren't given themselves the best possible chance to win.

TamRa - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 10:40 PM EDT (#199997) #
Bastian says Janssen will get ANOTHER rehab start Sunday...

WTF? WHY?

JP told him BJ and Janssen would be back "soon" and R-Ro "not so soon" so I don't see what it is about Janssen that needs another re-hab start.


Magpie - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 11:02 PM EDT (#199998) #
McDonald vs Sabathia (prior to that AB): 3-14 (4 Ks)
Overbay vs Sabathia: 1-6 (4 Ks)
Lind vs Sabathia: 0-2 (2 Ks)

Not really worth losing your last middle infielder for.
Waveburner - Thursday, May 14 2009 @ 11:48 PM EDT (#199999) #

Barajas getting gunned downed at the plate turned out to be huge. Right call to send him though, they were not hitting Sabathia much. Tough loss, really didn't think that Matsui HR was going out, seemed to carry a ton, but meh. Yanks got a gift run and a fluky blooper-that happens. Nice to see Tallet not get pounded, I was a little leery of that even before the Richmond start.

On cheerier news, the Red Sox and Rays both lose. Jays still in first in the AL East.

 

John Northey - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 12:10 AM EDT (#200000) #
 Funny, not that long ago people were complaining that Janssen was being rehabbed too quick and now we're getting the 'too slow' complaints.  I'd guess the Jays saw something (velocity, endurance, location, whatever) that suggested Janssen isn't quite ready for ML hitters.  I'd rather go through the current rotation another time than have Janssen come back and then go back to the DL or be ineffective.
92-93 - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 12:31 AM EDT (#200002) #
"Right call to send him though, they were not hitting Sabathia much."

I can't agree. Last night Leyva shouldn't have sent Rolen on a shallow fly, and only a poor throw allowed him to score. Tonight, Leyva allowed Rod Barajas to make the 2nd out at home plate. That's a terrible decision, in my opinion - it's bad enough to send anyone in that spot with 1 out when you should still have a reasonable chance to drive him in without a hit - with Rod Barajas you put up one gigantic STOP sign. When you have CC Sabathia finally working hard for the first time all night and it's the fifth inning, you want that dragging out as long as possible.

At this point I'm thinking Janssen and Romero each make their last rehab starts Sunday and Monday and then rejoin the rotation following Doc vs. Atlanta on the 23rd and 24th.
#2JBrumfield - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 03:00 AM EDT (#200003) #

There hasn't been a game thread posted. There's always a game thread posted -- why just yesterday, there was one extolling all the "positive firsts" of the series opener in Da Bronx.

Today, nothing. Did something ... different ... happen yesterday?

Doherty, this forum is to be used for good, not for evil!!!  ;D  It's a total waste of bandwidth to gloss over some cheap Yankee wins.

Bid - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 07:33 AM EDT (#200004) #
Not hitting for Johnny Mac is understandable, but why not Overbay & Lind in the 9th for Millar & Barajas? One big fly to tie...Overbay to first, Chavez to catch...top of the order just around the corner...
Magpie - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 08:11 AM EDT (#200005) #
why not Overbay & Lind in the 9th for Millar & Barajas?

Because Rivera is considerably tougher against LHB batters, and always has been. He's an unusual pitcher - a one-pitch guy, and the pitch runs in and eats up LH batters. Over his career, RH batters have hit almost twice as many HRs against him as LH batters (in fewer ABs). I've seen switch-hitters bat right-handed against him.
Mike Green - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 09:46 AM EDT (#200006) #
I thought that the decision to send Barajas in that situation was unwise.  Gardner was playing pretty shallow with McDonald at the plate, and with Barajas running, he had to have a shot at gunning him down even though he has a weak arm.  With 1 out and Scutaro up next, the odds have to very good to justify sending him. I would have liked to to have seen Barajas held, and then Scutaro laying down a suicide squeeze on the first pitch. 

The decision to hold back Janssen and Romero does not surprise me.  The key is not that they come back quickly, but that they come back in good form.

John Northey - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 11:05 AM EDT (#200009) #

A funny article in the Star today suggesting Cito Gaston is on a HOF path as a manager.  I found it funny due to the fact Cito has won just 757 games so far placing him 72nd all time while his 525 winning percentage is #75 all time.  He is in a tie for 25th in playoff appearances at 4 (15 for Bobby Cox leads - BR has an error listing Cito with a 5th playoff appearance).  For comparison Jimy Williams has made the playoffs 4 times as well, has 910 wins and a 535 winning percentage.

The article bases it all on his 2 WS wins and the fact he is the first black manager to win a playoff series/win the world series as all 8 guys who won 3+ WS are in the HOF or will be (Joe Torre).  There are 16 guys with 2 WS wins of whom 6 are in the HOF with LaRussa & Billy Martin having strong supporters and Terry Francona a likely one to get lots of support.  Others include Dick Howser who was #2 of 3 managers in a year the Yankees won it all thus not really a 2 time WS winner. 

So, what would it take for Cito to get in?  A 3rd WS title is a must as is 1000 wins as a manger imo.  To make it likely he'd need 4 or more titles I suspect and ideally 1500+ wins (or double his current win total).  If Cito v2.0 can do what Cito v1.0 did overall then he gets in I suspect.  Anything less will make it doubtful.

Magpie - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 11:17 AM EDT (#200010) #

Others include Dick Howser who was #2 of 3 managers in a year the Yankees won it all thus not really a 2 time WS winner. 

Same with Billy Martin - it's the same season (1978). Martin was fired with the Yankees in 4th place, 10 games out. Howser managed the team for a game before Bob Lemon arrived. You can't really credit Martin or Howser for that championship.

John Northey - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 12:40 PM EDT (#200015) #
Thanks Magpie.  Forgot Martin only got one WS over his career.  Seems funny as he always seemed the ultimate short term fix and should've had more WS wins if he was you'd think (he'd burn up his entire staff if it won him one more game).
Richard S.S. - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 01:15 PM EDT (#200016) #

At this point I'm thinking Janssen and Romero each make their last rehab starts Sunday and Monday and then rejoin the rotation following Doc vs. Atlanta on the 23rd and 24th.

As the Fisher Cats have the 18th as a scheduled day off, C. Janssen pitches the 17th, (AAA - D. Purcey pitches the 18th) and R.Romero pitches the 19th.  Janssen can rejoin the team (5 days off) on the 23rd following Halladay in the rotation.  Or Janssen can rejoin the team (4 days off) on the 22nd.  Halladay would pitch (5 days off) on the 23rd and (5 days off) on the 29th vs Boston!!  Otherwise Halladay pitches the 22nd, the 27th and (on 5 days off), the 2nd, missing both Boston series.  The other option is Halladay pitches (on 3 days off) the 21st in Boston, and later (on 3 days off) the 31st at home to Boston.  Which is more likely?

With the off-day Romero's earliest return to the team would be the 24th, which lets him pitch the 29th vs Boston.  The days off on the 28th and the 1st permits the roster to be reset.  And it needs it.

christaylor - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 01:58 PM EDT (#200019) #
"he is the first black manager to win a playoff series/win the world series as all 8 guys who won 3+ WS are in the HOF or will be (Joe Torre)"

I think this is one piece of evidence that holds water even if Cito 2.0 can't get very far - especially given the "systemic racism" that was clearly present for a long time in baseball management. However, has Cito even been celebrated recognized for this achievement?
christaylor - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 02:07 PM EDT (#200020) #
Roy used twice with 3 days rest? Let's not contemplate such madness. I'd like to see Roy go against BOS as much as the next fan, but unless this is late August or September and the Jays are in the running for a playoff spot, I don't want to see Doc's shoulder/forearm stressed in that fashion. Sure the games count just as much now, but this team with a hurt Halladay? Yikes...
John Northey - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 02:51 PM EDT (#200021) #

Cito hasn't received anywhere near the recognition one would think he should for being the first successful black manager.  I remember the PBS Baseball series and how it went on and on about racism in baseball then it hit the Jays WS wins and just gave a very brief mention of Cito along the lines of how a black man managed a WS winner - a footnote rather than a 'wow'.  I'm guessing it is a combination of a few things - the Jays being in Canada, Cito being a quiet guy who isn't like a Tony LaRussa who feels the need to celebrate his genius non-stop, and the raw talent those teams had making people say anyone could've done it (even though Bobby Cox and Jimy Williams couldn't).

If the Jays pull off a division win or playoff appearance this year Cito might finally get a manager of the year award (2nd in 1989, 5th in '90, 3rd in '91, 4th in '92, 3rd in '93, 6th in '08) but odds are KC or someone else will be viewed as more amazing and Cito will get nada again.

Magpie - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 03:10 PM EDT (#200023) #
a footnote rather than a 'wow'.

I think that was an accident of timing more than anything else - the Jays winning in 1992 coincided with Ken Burns doing his final cut and edit on the series. I really suspect if Burns had started work on his project after the 1992 Series, instead of completing almost the entire enterprise before it, he would have incorporated a whole narrative arc to run through the second half of his series: The Road from Jackie Robinson to Cito Gaston. Which likely would have made a very significant impact indeed on how Gaston is regarded in the game.
John Northey - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 03:19 PM EDT (#200024) #

Still, in 1989 Cito became, as I recall, the first black man to manage a team into the playoffs then did it again in 1991.  If Burns wanted to it wouldn't have been hard to mix Cito in a bit more.  The first black man given a team that had a chance to win.  Frank Robinson did some magic with the '89 Orioles but was given a team in the midst of (iirc) a 20+ game losing streak.  Mixed with the Montreal/Jackie Robinson connection a Canadian theme mixed in for giving black guys a shot would've been nice but that wouldn't have fit the 'USA land of opportunity' theme I guess.

Magpie - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 03:20 PM EDT (#200025) #
I thought that the decision to send Barajas in that situation was unwise

I didn't mind all that much - I think you run the bases aggressively against the bad defensive teams (the Yankees do qualify!) and force them to make a good play. I was under the impression Gardner had a pretty decent arm - not as good as Cabrera, way better than Damon - but wasn't this particular throw a few feet up the line? Didn't the catcher (a third-stringer, too!) make a nice play to grab it and slap the tag on Barajas as he was barreling by?

I thought so, but I don't remember Fletcher commenting on it. Most old catchers do talk about it, whenever the catcher does something good. Most of them won't shut up about it....
Ryan Day - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 03:24 PM EDT (#200026) #
The Jays got away with a close play at the plate on Tuesday night, when I thought Lind was DOA at the plate but scored when the ball bounced a few feet in front of the catcher. So I suppose you could look at it two ways: He was lucky and you shouldn't do it again, or, as Magpie says, do it again and trust in the Yankees lousy defence.
Mike Green - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 03:30 PM EDT (#200027) #
You had it right, Magpie.  I figure that Gardner gets him maybe 40% of the time.  If there were two outs, I would have definitely sent him, but you need better than 60% to make it worthwhile with one out and Scutaro coming. 

As it was, it took either a good throw or a mediocre throw and a good swipe tag to get Barajas.  I don't like those odds.

Geoff - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 03:53 PM EDT (#200030) #
There was a play in the bottom of the eighth inning of last night's BOS-LAA game where Abreu was on 3rd and tagged on a fly ball to shallow right-center. It looked like the ball would drop between Pedroia and Ellsbury before Drew swooped in from right and grabbed it in the nick of time.

As Drew was running at full speed he didn't have time to stop and make a throw, he threw the ball in mid-stride to home plate with a perfect strike to Varitek to nail Abreu by a few feet.

Now, Abreu is more fleet of foot than Barajas and Drew isn't a slouch with his arm. But was it also a wise gamble to test his throwing accuracy after making a difficult catch, despite how shallow Drew was?

The run would have given the Angels the lead heading to the top of the ninth, but making the out meant Kendry Morales did not get to swing with a runner on third and two out. As the Angels won in extras, they likely aren't fretting too much today about it.

Should Abreu have been so aggressive on Drew? If Pedroia or Ellsbury caught the ball and hit the ground in doing so, I would say so-- but how much would you risk on a right fielder running towards the diamond and making an accurate throw from very shallow right field?

Mike Green - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 04:01 PM EDT (#200032) #
I watched the play on mlb.com.  It was a very poor decision.  Drew made a nice play, but Abreu was out very easily.

It was a different kind of play than the Barajas play.  If Pedroia makes the catch over-the-shoulder or Ellsbury has to dive for it, Abreu scores easily.  It's a split-second decision that has to be made just as the catch is about to be made, or not.  The Barajas' play was telegraphed from the time the ball went through to the outfield.  The only question would be whether Gardner came up with the ball cleanly 

Geoff - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 04:04 PM EDT (#200033) #
Of course, what good would the Internet be if it didn't include video of the play I was describing.
Geoff - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 04:16 PM EDT (#200035) #
I would have expected the third base coach to stop Abreu once Drew made the catch. (and perhaps he tried)

Abreu should have been prepared to sprint down on the tag-up but not leave until he heard his coach give the green light.

I suspect Bobby just saw where it was going to land in relation to the fielders and decided, "there's no way I would be able to make a play on this." And if it was Abreu in right field, I don't think he'd make that play. It was quite remarkable of Drew to make it, but how many right fielders would have the sense and ability to throw on the move like that? If you try to stop and come set, Abreu has at least a few strides more to the plate. That play had to be done on the run. And Drew throws across his body a bit-- he wasn't moving toward the plate by any means. Many outfielders would try to stop and make a stride toward the plate as they throw -- and they'd lose a precious second and still need great accuracy.

And here's your Barajas-Gardner play.

Geoff - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 04:25 PM EDT (#200037) #
That throw from Gardner was poor and the margin of error for Barajas getting by the catcher was very small --much smaller than what Abreu saw with Drew's near-perfect toss.

If only Barajas tried jumping over Cervelli....

Or watch the second replay and note how Rod dances around third to make the corner. (0:49) Clearly loses stride after touching the bag.

JustinD - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 05:45 PM EDT (#200038) #
Per Jordan Bastian: Blue Jays activated Romero from the 15-day DL today and assigned him to Triple-A Las Vegas. Ricciardi on Romero/Janssen: "Right now we don't have a spot for them. That could change real quick."

If they were ready I would have thought Ray would have been out of here by now. I guess they're going to give both Ray and Richmond one more shot and if they don't succeed, we will see Romero and Janssen real soon.
JustinD - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 06:04 PM EDT (#200039) #
And another update...Ricciardi on Richmond, Tallet, Cecil and Ray: "They haven't done anything to lose their spots."

I'd agree with Tallet and Cecil, but Richmond and Ray have not been as successful recently as I would have liked and hoped.
Magpie - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 07:09 PM EDT (#200040) #
The Tv is channel 399, and it's the White Sox feed

For those of you who haven't had the experience - Ken "Hawk" Harrelson.
jmoney - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 08:48 PM EDT (#200043) #
Geoff when I made my Tallet is terrible comment it was in the first when he had the bases loaded. I was using my mental powers to turn his fortunes.

I should have went one step further and complained about the offense.

Magpie - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 09:02 PM EDT (#200046) #
I was using my mental powers to turn his fortunes.

So where were you when Carlson was pitching to Shemp Matsui? Fixing a snack?
James W - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 09:07 PM EDT (#200047) #
It was fun to shout "Put it on the board" when Hill went yard.  Not quite as fun to listen to it on their home runs.  "The good guys" are still stuck on 3 runs though.
ayjackson - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 09:46 PM EDT (#200048) #
I think it's time I confessed.  I am an idiot.  I for the life of me couldn't figure out why we'd spend $3m on two Arb relievers, when we seem to have a bullpen surplus.  I couldn't figure out why these two weren't sent out of town for the first midling prospect offered up in the offseason.  But now friends, I am ON the Frasor and Tallet bandwagon.  I am their number one fan.
Magpie - Friday, May 15 2009 @ 11:19 PM EDT (#200052) #
I think it's time I confessed. I am an idiot.

There's a confession I've had to make many, many times. So join the club, we're getting some jackets made!

Like the players always say - this game will humble you.

Or as Yogi said, "nobody knows nothing."
scottt - Saturday, May 16 2009 @ 06:07 AM EDT (#200053) #
Tallet has always been like that. I couldn't understand why he wasn't competing for a rotation spot.

 Who knew that Frasor would add a pitch during the offseason? That was a big surprise to me. I'm even more surprised at how effective it has been.



greenfrog - Saturday, May 16 2009 @ 09:00 AM EDT (#200054) #
"I think it's time I confessed. I am an idiot."

The 2004 Red Sox proved that a team composed of idiots can be very successful (if not quite cool)...
chips - Saturday, May 16 2009 @ 12:21 PM EDT (#200055) #
I didn't see Frasor throw one off speed picth to A-Rod on Thursday. He did fly out to right though based on location
Mike Green - Saturday, May 16 2009 @ 12:27 PM EDT (#200056) #
Frasor's change has made him more effective against left-handed hitters particularly.  This appears to have given him confidence against all hitters.  Pitching is a bit like poker.
Maldoff - Saturday, May 16 2009 @ 12:49 PM EDT (#200058) #
With Romero now healthy (despite being assigned to Las Vegas), I have a feeling today is Ray's last chance to prove he should be in the rotation to stay. If he gets knocked around a little, I would not be shocked to see the rotation having 3 lefties (Tallet, Cecil and Romero) for the next turn.
Mike Green - Saturday, May 16 2009 @ 01:09 PM EDT (#200059) #
Cecil passed the test with flying colours.  The White Sox hit lefties hard but Cecil kept the ball on the ground until the game was out of reach and let the Jay infield do the work. 

The Jays are fortunate that they are missing Buerhle this time out.

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