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The affiliates won two out of five on a day when most of the pitchers left their best stuff at home.


Las Vegas 2    Fresno 12

Yeesh.  The 51s scored two in the ninth to close the deficit to 10 but Fresno held on.  Al Quintana drove in both runs with a two-out single.  Brad Emaus had two hits.  Brett Wallace had one.  Moving on.

Rommie Lewis got the start and certainly wasn't great in allowing four runs in five innings.  But the real goat horns were awarded to Bubbie Buzachero who allowed the first seven batters of the 7th to reach and score.  His final line was one inning pitched and eight runs allowed on eight hits and a walk.




New Hampshire 6    Binghamton 2

Loads of encouraging signs in this one.  Travis Snider belted his 1st post-wrist-injury homer as part of a 2-for-4 day.  Eric Thames one-upped him in hitting a Grand Slam, his 18th homer of the year.  He's been on fire lately with 4 HR in his past six games and a 10-game slash line of 333/465/815.  Darin Mastroianni picked up a pair of hits, including a double and Adeiny Hechavarria was 1-for-4 with a run scored.

The good times continued on the mound as Zach Stewart picked up the win going six innings and allowing two runs on seven hits and four walks.  He struck out five.  Tryston Magnuson picked up a save in going three shutout innings and striking out three.



Jupiter 9    Dunedin 4

Rain halted this one in the top of the 8th and judging by the DJays performance today, that wasn't a bad idea.  Jon Del Campo and Mike McDade had two hits each with one of Del Campo's going for his 2nd homer of the year (and in the past three games).  Brad McElroy smashed a 3-run homer, his 2nd to fill out the offense.

There wasn't much good news on the mound as Chad Beck and Dumas Garcia both got rocked.  Daniel DeLucia did provide 2.2 shutout frames, though.



Lansing 4    Beloit 5

After trailing 4-0, the Lugnuts made a game of this one but ultimately fell a run short.  Kevin Nolan had a good day going 3-for-5 with a run scored and an RBI while Brad Glenn was 2-for-4 with a HR.  Sean Ochinko picked up a pair of hits for himself, including his 26th double.  Kevin Ahrens had the only other hit for the Lugnuts, a double.  He also walked.

Ryan Shopshire took the loss in going 5.2 and giving up four runs on six hits.  He walked three and struck out seven.  Brian Slover finished the game with 1.2 scoreless frames.



State College 5    Auburn 6

30th rounder Stephen McQuail had a nice day for the Doubledays going 3-for-4 with two doubles and 4 RBI.  Marcus Knecht continued his hot pro start with a 2-for-5 day including a double, run scored and an RBI.  Finally, Carlos Perez keeps on keeping on with a 1-for-3 day and 2 BB.  His line's up to 341/429/549.  Not bad for a 19 year-old catcher.

Casey Lawrence started and went five.  By allowing two earned runs, his ERA rose all the way to 1.05 in 29.2 innings.  Nice start.  Tyler Powell blew the save in the 7th by allowing two runs, while Zach Anderson picked up the win and Dayton Marze nailed down the save.



GCL Blue Jays did not play.



Neither did the DSL Blue Jays.



Three Stars:

3rd Star: Travis Snider
- 2-for-4, HR
2nd Star: Zach Stewart- 6 IP, 7 H, 2 ER, 4 BB, 5 K
1st Star: Stephen McQuail- 3-for-4, 2 2B, 4 RBI
Troubles on the Mound | 18 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Mike Green - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 10:27 AM EDT (#218703) #
Thames and Snider both homered off a lefty yesterday. 

Thames and Mastroianni both have significant platoon splits, and Mastroianni plays centerfield well.  In 2011, you could have a club with Thames, Mastroianni, Wells, Snider, Bautista and Emaus covering the OF/3B and 2 back-up roles, to take advantage of the positional flexibility afforded by Mastroianni, Bautista and Emaus.  I imagine that this club will move slowly with Thames and Mastroianni, and instead run out an outfield of Bautista, Wells and Snider in 2011. 

ramone - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 10:38 AM EDT (#218704) #

I see Bautista at 3rd in 2011 if he`s not traded with an outfield Lewis, Wells and Snider.

uglyone - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 11:03 AM EDT (#218708) #

Until Wallace shows he's clearly ready, even after an Overbay trade I'd run with a Lewis-Wells-Bautista outfield, and have Snider/Lind in the 1B/DH spots, with EE at 3rd.

I don't think Bautista is an improvement defensively over EE at 3rd, and I think Snider is a big downgrade from Bautista defensively in RF.

ayjackson - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 11:29 AM EDT (#218709) #

I think Lewis, along with Buck, is the mostly likely to be traded prior to July 31 (amongst position players).  I don't think you'll find a taker for EE before August and I don't think the Jays will find an offer they like for JBau (I think they believe in him more than other clubs may be willing to).

I think Lewis and a reliever could find themselves on the way to Boston.

Of pitchers, I think Shaun Hill and Jesse Litsch are candidates to be moved to a team looking for starters, but again with Litsch, I don't think the offers will match the club's valuation.

TamRa - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 12:20 PM EDT (#218710) #
I think it's unquestionable at this point that the jays view JB as part of the near-term future and i fully expcet no trade and an extension there.

I'm split on Lewis - on one hand, I can absolutely see the value in givving EE a chance to rebuild value in anticipation of an August trade and someone from Lubanski to Loewen auditioning in LF when JB goes back to third.

One the other hand, if Esco leads off, you are pretty much back down to putting Hill in the 2-hole and that's not a great plan.

I think Alex is gonna find it easy to deal the relievers and is manuvering for the best return - i think though, that his most intense work is in trying to find someone who'll give him something of value for EE if the Jays eat some salary. Normally I'd suggest that's pretty impossible but after the Esco deal...

Buck, I think,is being marketed too - it's just a matter of whether he will bring a return equal to the potential picks he's worth.

Overbay I think WILL be dealt, but in late August, not in the next two weeks.


earlweaverfan - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 01:35 PM EDT (#218711) #
A couple of related questions - now that Texas has moved Smoak to Seattle, relying on the umimpressive Chris Davis, and appears to have a pretty weak catching corps, headed by Bengie Molina, is it not true that Texas could strongly shore up their roster - to get to, and perform well in the post season - by trading for both Overbay and Buck?  And if that premise holds true, is there any potential trade with Texas that would make us salivate?

Alternatively, could John Buck not be marketed as a country mile better than Boston's current options behind the plate?  (I would so much love to find a way for AA to acquire Bard and control him for several years, I would trade Buck and Downs for Bard).

I just know AA will do something much better researched and thought out than I am capable of predicting - but still, its fun to speculate...

uglyone - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 01:43 PM EDT (#218712) #

I honestly don't think Lewis is going anywhere. The guy is a quality all-around player, period. He and Escobar combine to make the first legit one-two OBP + speed  punch on top of the order we've had in a long while, and I think AA is probably pretty pleased with himself for managing to get the two of them for free, especially considering that we had zero legit top of the order candidates to start the year.  I also don't think Lewis' value is at any kind of high point that makes selling him at this point a must.

And I agree with you earlweaver that Buck has to look pretty dang attractive right now to the Sox - but also to the Yanks and Tigers, and maybe even to a team like STL if they're tired of their molina's uselessness at the plate this year. But really, if Arencibia wasn't destroying AAA right now, I think I'd want to keep Buck. Looking at his career numbers, I don't really think this year is some massive outlier for him. He's just a pretty darn good catcher, I think.

jerjapan - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 01:51 PM EDT (#218713) #
I like Bard too, but can't see Boston moving him, although a package of Buck and Downs / Gregg / Frasor would likely be quite attractive to Boston - and to Detroit, for that matter, who's catchers can't hit at all.  What about Buck and Downs for Ryan Perry?   Cincinnati and the Yanks would also like our relievers. 

If we pay his full salary, Overbay to Texas makes lots of sense for both teams - but we'd have to get a pretty decent prospect in return if we pay everything.  Our ability to do that could be a serious asset - which other contenders need help but can't afford to take on salary? 

Any chance EE could handle 1B defensively if we deal Overbay and while we wait for Wallace?  His bat might play there if he could ...  

Given the reasonable salaries of some of our players, the improved value teams place on compensation draft picks, and the needs of certain contenders - not to mention the sheer number of teams with a reasonable chance at a wildcard - I could see AA making several moves in the next weeks. 

stevieboy22 - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 02:57 PM EDT (#218714) #
I think it's unquestionable at this point that the jays view JB as part of the near-term future

I don't think its unquestionable, I agree it seems they are leaning towards keeping him though.

I believe if AA gets an offer he finds reasonable he would pull the trigger. The only problem is how to value such a player. Is he going to be a consistent 35 homerun on base machine, or back to the player that was marginally better than Joe Inglett?

Based on the current MLB power outage, AA might end up with an offer that he can't refuse..



Mike Green - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 03:52 PM EDT (#218715) #
Thames has put up somewhat better numbers than either Lubanski or Loewen and he's significantly younger.  You have to adjust the numbers significantly for the Las Vegas hitters regardless whether you're speaking of Arencibia, Wallace, and Lubanski or Hoffpauir and Emaus. 
92-93 - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 04:27 PM EDT (#218720) #

I honestly don't think Lewis is going anywhere. The guy is a quality all-around player, period.

Love when people speak in absolutes and are wrong. Lewis is a very poor defender, a big reason why the Giants got rid of him.

and maybe even to a team like STL if they're tired of their molina's uselessness at the plate this year.

They aren't, TLR LOVES Yadier Molina. Sure, he's hitting .235/.311/.314, but that really doesn't tell the story. First of all his BABIP is way out of whack and will normalize over the 2nd half - add the 27 points missing from his career BABIP and you have a .252/.338/.341 hitter which is basically his career line. Most importantly, however, is the fact that Molina is probably the best defensive C in baseball and completely shuts down the opponent's running game. TLR relies heavily on Molina, only Kendall has started more games. Molina leads MLB in CS%, stolen bases against per start, and catchers' ERA, and is 2nd in actual caught stealing despite how wary teams are of running on him.

uglyone - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 06:24 PM EDT (#218726) #
Love when people speak in absolutes and are wrong. Lewis is a very poor defender, a big reason why the Giants got rid of him.   And I love it even more when the people running around after a poster trying to correct them are wrong.   Fred Lewis career UZR/150:  
  • LF: -0.8 (2163.0inn)
  • CF: -0.1 (151.1inn)
  • RF: -16.2 (271.2inn)

Fred has been as close to average as possible over his career in LF and CF....and it's only in RF where is poor arm gets exposed.  Meanwhile, as good as Schierholz is defensively, he's been nowhere near as good as Lewis at the plate this year.

The Giants made a mistake, and were forced to pick up Burrell off the scrap heap to try and make up for it.

They aren't, TLR LOVES Yadier Molina. Sure, he's hitting .235/.311/.314, but that really doesn't tell the story. First of all his BABIP is way out of whack and will normalize over the 2nd half - add the 27 points missing from his career BABIP and you have a .252/.338/.341 hitter which is basically his career line. Most importantly, however, is the fact that Molina is probably the best defensive C in baseball and completely shuts down the opponent's running game. TLR relies heavily on Molina, only Kendall has started more games. Molina leads MLB in CS%, stolen bases against per start, and catchers' ERA, and is 2nd in actual caught stealing despite how wary teams are of running on him.

Yeah, take this paragraph, replace STL with ATL, and replace the name Molina with the name Escobar, and you get the same argument.  And that didn't stop the Braves from "upgrading" from Escobar to Gonzo.

Especially if they want to get a guy who might also be able to DH for them in the WS, in addition to a potential upgrade offensively at C (even if only as a PH), I could see them being interested in a guy like Buck. But maybe not. I dunno - all I know is that Yadier's been a black hole at the plate, and that might concern them, no matter how good his defense is. I know it would concern me if I were their GM.

Spifficus - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 06:45 PM EDT (#218727) #
On Lewis's UZR, I'm not sure that's borne out with the breakdown. Sure, his Arm ratings in right knock his UZR down, but more damage was done by his Range. Of course, the samples are small, and I would just look at the aggregate, and consider him an average LF. Given his speed, that's disappointing, but in the end, it is what it is.

As for Molina, the key difference is that TLR and Duncan, if I remember quotes do actually love him. The same cannot be said for Escobar. Also, those two have always shown a preference for defense at catcher - before Molina was Matheny, some Eli Marrerro, Tom Pagnozzi, Alberto Castillo, Mike Difelice and Tom Lampkin. Aside from Marerro and Lampkin (who I can't remember their defensive skills). Defense-first catchers seem to be a trend.
92-93 - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 07:28 PM EDT (#218730) #

Fred has been as close to average as possible over his career in LF and CF

Throwing out his experience in CF for obvious reasons, I don't consider a player with above average speed & limited power who is merely close to average in LF as being a quality all-around player, period. If Ryan Braun was close to average in LF it would be fair to say he's a quality-all around player.

TamRa - Monday, July 19 2010 @ 10:04 PM EDT (#218748) #
I don't think its unquestionable, I agree it seems they are leaning towards keeping him though.

I only say that because of the Mentor thing with Esco. AA wouldn't, i don't think, set up that situation only to yank JB out of the frame. Now, I think very likely he explored the market over the last month but I think he's committed now, at least for the rest of this season.

Thames has put up somewhat better numbers than either Lubanski or Loewen and he's significantly younger. 

In my opinion, being younger is exactly why they will g slower with him. Plus, Thames isn't hitting (I love him, don't get me wrong) LHP at all this year.

On the other hand, Loewen is in a position where they need to know what they have there, or so it seems to me. I was wondering why they didn't promote him to Vegas but after Snider was optioned there was a remark from Bastian about Vegas numbers being misleading that, while not attributed to the team, made me wonder if he'd heard something from them to that effect.

Loewen's worst month was April, Thames worst month was June - but Thames is hotter right now.

Lowen has more defensive flexibility, Thames has more power it seems, Loewen seems to run better. While Thames' slash lines are better, i don't think there's enough of a difference between them for the Jays to violate their "don't rush the kids" philosophy.

As for Lubanski, i don't think he'd be anything other than a shot in the dark that they'd take only if they opened up LF and considered all those AA guys not ready yet.

On the whole, i'm not at all sure we can afford to deal Lewis right yet, unless we are well overpaid. (Going on the assumption that Overbay will be deal at some point)

Sneeps - Tuesday, July 20 2010 @ 12:55 AM EDT (#218756) #

ARENCIBIA with a solo homer with an out in the 9th to tie the game.

2 for 4, double, homer, 3 rbi's.  laying waste to all who dare oppose him.

Mike Green - Tuesday, July 20 2010 @ 09:48 AM EDT (#218768) #
It is my understanding that Thames is considerably faster than Loewen.  Loewen does have (of course) a much, much better arm.  If you were looking for a player who could play right, Loewen would be the man.  Personally, I find the idea of going slow on a 23 year old in double A or a 24 year old in triple A who is playing well a bit strange.  It makes complete sense for an 18 or 19 year old struggling in the GCL or NYPL in the Midwest League, i.e. "the social promotion".
uglyone - Tuesday, July 20 2010 @ 01:25 PM EDT (#218805) #

I was under the impression that Thames not being rushed was more to do with his lack of minor league at bats (thanks mostly to injury) than anything else.

And I'm not sure he profiles much differently than Lubanski, really. They're only a year and a half apart in age, and Luby is destroying AAA even more than Thames is AA. And neither can hit lefties.

I think they both basically profile as Gabe Gross, but without the ability to handle RF.

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