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Interleague play starts today.

MLB has staggered the rivalry matchups, so this weekend will feature some unusual dance partners (Marlins/White Sox? Dodgers/Tigers? Astros/Rays? Blue Jays/Diamondbacks??!!) in addition to the familiar blood feuds (Giants/A's, Yankees/Mets, Twins/Brewers, Orioles/Natinals).

Tonight's card looks good on paper. We'll see Joel Pineiro's return to St. Louis, as well as Alfonso Soriano in Arlington, rejuvenated Barry Zito in Oakland, and Javier Vazquez looking to lower his 8.01 ERA against a National League team. Plus, a likely 1-0 game when Wade LeBlanc's Padres visit Cliff Lee's Mariners.

It's fun to watch unusual matchups for a few weeks, I think. It's less fun to watch the Jays get hammered. Unfortunately, that's what usually happens this time of year. That's particularly annoying when the rest of the American League fattens up on the same puppies that are killing the Jays. The AL has won interleague play by 20, 56, 22, 46 and 23 games the last five years. That's an average of 33.4 games.

In light of the AL's clear pitching advantage, I would be shocked to see a different result this year. Anyone disagree?

The Jays face a fairly challenging assignment this weekend. The Diamondbacks lead the NL in homers. They are, however, 18-24. Here's why:

Bullpen WPA
1. Rays (3.07)
16. Blue Jays (0.07)
27. Orioles (-1.66)
28. Mariners (-2.14)
29. Brewers (-2.69)
30. Diamondbacks (-4.73)

Their pen doesn't look that bad on paper. Chad Qualls has excellent defense-independent stats. Saul Rivera had three straight good years for the Nationals. Aaron Heilman has had success before, as well, and Juan Gutierrez can miss bats. It's not a deep bullpen, but I expect it to improve.

Tonight, Arizona sends Dan Haren to the mound. Haren was lit up by the Braves in his last start - he allowed 7 runs in 4.1 innings and took his third Pitcher Loss of the year. But he has 62 strikeouts to only 15 walks; his 4.83 ERA is deceptive. Then again, Jose Molina has homered off Haren...

It's Brandon Morrow's job to calm the snakes tonight. Diamondbacks -170, first pitch is at 9:40.

21 May 2010: Shiny Object | 23 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Friday, May 21 2010 @ 03:48 PM EDT (#215393) #
Calm the snakes or charm 'em?

The D'Backs are giving up a lot of runs, and the bullpen is only part of the problem (the team's Pythagorean is 18-24 too).  The team's pitchers lead (well, trail actually) the majors in LD% and HR/FB%.  In layman's terms, they're getting lit up, despite having a pretty good defence behind them.   Haren might be the one exception.  His LD rate is normal, and yet his BABIP is .357, and he is having particular trouble with runners on base this year.  His HR/FB rate is higher than usual, but less than the team average.  Personally, I'd be real happy if the club scored 3 runs in 6 innings off him and got into the pen.   

Magpie - Friday, May 21 2010 @ 04:10 PM EDT (#215397) #
If things didn't end badly, they wouldn't end at all...

The 51s won't be meeting up with Josh Towers this weekend - the Isotopes have just released him. Towers went 2-2, 3.00 in his first 5 starts for Albuquerque, and then submitted three starts so mind-numbingly awful that... well, they didn't have much choice. (0-3, 27.00 - he gave up 27 hits and 24 ER in 8 IP.)
Chuck - Friday, May 21 2010 @ 04:10 PM EDT (#215398) #

In light of the AL's clear pitching advantage, I would be shocked to see a different result this year. Anyone disagree?

Eduardo Perez does. Strap on your seat belt. It's a wild and random ride.

brent - Friday, May 21 2010 @ 10:50 PM EDT (#215409) #
Jason Donald is up with the Indians now. I think it should be interesting keeping an eye on him vs. Adeiny down the road. I'll say I think I like having the Cuban better + the other prospects from the Halladay deal rather than having dealt for Donald.
dan gordon - Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 12:34 AM EDT (#215414) #
Could the Jays have just set an alltime mlb record for the fewest runs scored by a team hitting 6 home runs in a game?  At least they tied the record, but I wonder if it's ever been done before?
Chuck - Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 08:59 AM EDT (#215421) #

So I guess we now know the answer to the question: can you hit 6 homeruns in a game and still lose? I wonder if that's been done before (I imagine it must have been at some point).

The Jays' homeruns for/against is now 72-34. They out-homer their opponents by an unfathomable 0.86 per game.

When the Mariners hit their MLB record number of homeruns in 1997, their differential was 264-192. It took a 6-homerun game for the Jays to get there, but their pace is now 265-125.

Chuck - Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 09:35 AM EDT (#215422) #

but I wonder if it's ever been done before?

Apparently this was the second time in major league history that a team scored 6 runs on 6 solo homeruns.

perlhack - Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 10:32 AM EDT (#215427) #
The Oakland A's lost 8-6 on 3 August 1991 against the Minnesota Twins despite hitting six (solo) home runs. The A's lost quite a few games that year when scoring six or seven runs.
92-93 - Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 02:16 PM EDT (#215433) #
The Blue Jays were never considering Jason Donald as anything more than a throw in a Roy Halladay deal.
brent - Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 05:16 PM EDT (#215438) #
Perusing the game notes, Chase Field is the most homer friendly park this season. It has the second highest elevation next to Colorado.
katman - Saturday, May 22 2010 @ 11:31 PM EDT (#215445) #
After Game 2, the big question seems to be Dana Eveland's future.

The guys in the booth said they were unanimous that it's time to cut Eveland loose. A sad thing, heartbreak for any player.

With the Jays not needing a 5th starter next time through, and their minors full of up-and-coming prospects, the question seems to be release outright or not, rather than just send down or not.

Cutting him loose seems most likely. Tallet is almost ready to come back, and Litsch should be back soon. That would cover long relief and spot starts, to deal with the strong innings limits on our present pitching staff, and fill the 5th spot in the rotation. Zep is also on the way back, which adds injury insurance on top.

On the "send him down, not out" side, Drabek's control isn't ready, Litsch and Zep have yet to look good (and could have complications), other key prospects are likewise unready, and Carlson and Merkin have been just horrible so far. We know we'll need innings later this year, so maybe another lefty with flexibility isn't a terrible idea. Assuming Eveland agrees to be sent down, since he's out of options.

Bauxites - thoughts?
TamRa - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 02:17 AM EDT (#215448) #
We're not short of lefties but I'd send him down.

Two of the next three turns fall on an off day and with any luck, Tallet will be ready to spot that one in between. Then I'd target having Litsch start on June 10 at TB (though you could technically wait as long as June 12, I'd rather not have his first start be in Colorado) - and if he breaks down along the way, Zep will have logged 4 more AAA starts by then, or, if all else fails, you could use Tallet as a spot starter (not that Cito actually WOULD) like this:
 
23 Marcum
24 Cecil
25 Romero
26 Morrow
27 >off<
28 Marcum
29 Cecil
30 Romero
31 Morrow
Tallet
2  Marcum
3  >off<
4  Cecil
5  Romero
6  Morrow
7  >off<
8  Marcum
9  Cecil
10 Romero
11 Morrow
12 Tallet
13 Marcum
14 Cecil
15 Romero
16 Morrow
17 >off<
18 Marcum
19 Cecil
20 Romero
21 >off<
22 Morrow
23 Marcum
24 Cecil
25 Romero

 
Again, I don't think Cito will actually use Tallet in this fashion (should the need arise) but in short - you only need the #5 twice in the next month.

In such a situation, there's no real reason to keep Eveland around any longer.


Spifficus - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 04:57 AM EDT (#215451) #

Assuming Eveland agrees to be sent down, since he's out of options.

Assuming he gets through waivers unscathed, does he have the right to refuse an outright assignment? If I'm remembering right, this would be his first, and if I remember the rules right (not a given, with the way the waiver rules are), he can't refuse until his second assignment.

Chuck - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 08:00 AM EDT (#215453) #

Until any of the current rehabbers prove themselves healthy and halfway reliable, an easy short-term solution would be to simply flip-flip Lewis and Eveland's roles. I grant that this may be moot given the impending off-days.

LouisvilleJayFan - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 09:03 AM EDT (#215454) #
Brad Mills gets no love in light of Eveland's struggles? Granted he's been a mixed bag in his last few starts, but given what everyone else is doing down there in Vegas he looks like Cy Young.
ayjackson - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 09:23 AM EDT (#215455) #

I think I'd be tempted to let Janssen have the next start, then bring in Lewis or Eveland in relief.

I'm not a fan of going to a four man rotation - I like the idea of Marcum in particular getting that extra day rest for his arm now and then.

Litsch has pitched fairly well, save his last inning, during his rehab.  His turn right now is aligned well with Eveland's spot in the rotation.

smcs - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 11:44 AM EDT (#215460) #
The Janssen-as-a-starter boat has sailed for now and forever.  I'd prefer to see Mills or even Boone step into the gap until Litsch or Zep is ready.  Has Gaston given any indication (or anyone) that the Jays will be skipping the 5th spot in the rotation due to the off-days?
ayjackson - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 12:09 PM EDT (#215462) #
I'm not suggesting converting Janssen back to starting. I'm suggesting giving him the next start, letting him pitch once through the lineup and then bringing a lefty out of the pen.  I feel better about Janssen taking three innings at the start of the game as opposed to Lewis and Eveland.
electric carrot - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 12:46 PM EDT (#215467) #
I agree with ayjackson and would take it further.  I personally haven't given up on Janssen as a starter at least in the short-term.  My memory of his record is that he started really well -- got injured and didn't pitch as well for a period of time (or a few periods of time) and I believe the jury is out about how good he is in any of the positions we might try him in.  I personally have him above Tallet in my depth chart and would prefer to try him out as a starter some time this year to see how it goes.  In fact I would have chosen him above Eveland to begin the year on the five man rotation.
TamRa - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 03:02 PM EDT (#215469) #
Has Gaston given any indication (or anyone) that the Jays will be skipping the 5th spot in the rotation due to the off-days?

I read - on twitter I think - that he was asked about it and said it was possible and he planned to talk with alex about it.


Mike Green - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 08:03 PM EDT (#215473) #
AYJ is talking about using Janssen as a tandem starter.  Welcome to the dark side, AY. 
budgell - Sunday, May 23 2010 @ 09:04 PM EDT (#215478) #
Bastian has tweeted that Eveland has been designated for assignment.
21 May 2010: Shiny Object | 23 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.