Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - RC Doesn't Just Stand For Rogers Centre!

RC Doesn't Just Stand For Rogers Centre!

One of the few highlights in Thursday night's 10-5 debacle to the Damn Yankees was turned in by this first-year Blue Jay who began his big league career with the Expos in 1996. He's the subject of our POTD.

Raul Chavez had a 3-for-4 night at the plate with two doubles and two RBI and scored a run. The 36 year-old Venezuelan improved his batting line to .271/.287/.371 and has two homers and 15 RBI. Sure, he could stand to draw more than the three walks he has in 140 at-bats but he does put the ball in play as evidenced by only 18 strikeouts. He was unable to throw out Melky Cabrera at second base Thursday night but he has still gunned down nearly 42 percent of potential base stealers by going 18-for-43.

Chavez rarely gets consecutive starts behind the plate but I think he should get another one tonight as Roy Halladay gets set to take the mound in a 7:07 p.m. start at the Rogers Centre. The Flashback Friday guest is slated to be the pride of Cambridge, Ontario - Rob Ducey.

Posted by #2JBrumfield on Friday, September 04 2009 @ 12:22 PM EDT.

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Mike Green - Friday, September 04 2009 @ 02:03 PM EDT (#205819) #

Chavez might be the back-up catcher on the RC team, which would be very competitive in the all-initial league (Campanella, Connor, Carew, Chapman, Cey, Colavito, Cullenbine, Clemente, Clemens). Robinson Cano is a good recent addition to the bench.

jmoney - Friday, September 04 2009 @ 06:37 PM EDT (#205823) #

I like Chavez. He's a good catcher.

John Northey - Friday, September 04 2009 @ 10:05 PM EDT (#205824) #

Halladay had a heck of a game eh? 9 IP 1 hit, ERA down to 2.98

I'd say he is back in the Cy hunt. 14-8 isn't the greatest record but with 4 more wins he'd be high enough to be given a shot. Greinke is the favorite with his 2.32 ERA but his 13-8 record isn't the best and he was never viewed as elite before (although he sure has been good if you look at his career). Sabathia will have support due to his win total, as will Verlander (both having shots at 20). Felix Hernandez is also in the mix with his 2.65 ERA (only he and Greinke are ahead of Halladay).

Boy, a tough year for the Cy voters. Greinke is in the lead but one bad game and it is a major horse race.

greenfrog - Friday, September 04 2009 @ 10:34 PM EDT (#205825) #

Yup, great game from Doc. I guess the reports of his early demise may have been somewhat (perhaps greatly) exaggerated.

Scott Feldman is having a nice year (15-4, 3.62), although his overall stats don't really compare to those of Doc, Verlander, King Felix and Greinke. But if he could finangle his way to, say, 20-4 behind the Rangers' offense, who knows?

If the top four or five pitchers end up with similar stats, you could make the case that Doc is the best of the best, based on the division he pitches in. At the moment I would say that the award is Verlander's to lose--he's 16-7, with excellent peripheral stats (including a 54:222 BB:K ratio) and plays for a first-place team. But the race is very close.

greenfrog - Friday, September 04 2009 @ 10:40 PM EDT (#205826) #

Oh, and Sabathia too. Talk about fierce competition. Doc, Verlander, Greinke, Sabathia, King Felix. Even Beckett isn't out of it yet. Should be a great race.

AWeb - Friday, September 04 2009 @ 11:03 PM EDT (#205827) #

I hadn't realized how many doubles (and XBH) Lind has already. 45 doubles gives him a good shot at 50, which would make him only the third Blue Jay to ever reach that level (team record is 57, which while not impossible, seems unlikely). Good to see him keeping it going so far, and not tailing off in the second half.

Thomas - Friday, September 04 2009 @ 11:50 PM EDT (#205828) #

Oh, and Sabathia too. Talk about fierce competition. Doc, Verlander, Greinke, Sabathia, King Felix. Even Beckett isn't out of it yet. Should be a great race.

Don't forget Rivera. There seems to be a growing sentiment in New York (and one could easily see it growing nationally like Shannon Stewart's MVP case did) that Rivera deserves this year's Cy because he's been good and as a quasi-Lifetime Achievement award. He clearly isn't on par with Greinke and the rest of the class in the AL, but it will be easier for writers to justify the choice if nobody has an big win total combined with a low ERA.

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