Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Game Thread

When you believe in things that you don't understand, then you suffer.

Josh Johnson and the Jays take on strikeout machine Max Scherzer, who's having the season of his life. Scherzer has finally figured out a way to retire the lefties with whom opposing managers inundate him – he's holding LH batters to .198/.249/.344. He's also riding a .250 BABIP (career: .306). Part luck, part pitchmaking, part confidence, call it what you will. This won't be an easy assignment.

Posted by Alex Obal on Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 03:02 PM EDT.

Game Thread — 7/3 vs Detroit | 65 comments | Create New Account

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Mike Green - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 03:15 PM EDT (#275743) #

Scherzer has only walked 2 per 9IP despite not throwing that many strikes. Work it, gentlemen.

scottt - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 03:28 PM EDT (#275746) #

Not throwing that many strikes is kinda relative here. He's second in strikeout in the league.

China fan - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 04:22 PM EDT (#275757) #

The lineup has been posted. Lind and Arencibia are back. It's interesting to see how far JPA's stock has fallen, with his poor hitting this season. Even with the injuries to Encarnacion, Cabrera and Lawrie, he is still buried near the bottom of the lineup tonight. The lineup tonight has him hitting behind Izturis and DeRosa -- a wakeup call to JPA if he hasn't already had a bunch of them.

Mike Green - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 04:33 PM EDT (#275759) #

And Bonifacio again at second base. You make your bed; you lie in it.

85bluejay - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 04:57 PM EDT (#275761) #

I know that Redmond got called up likely because Weber had pitched the day before & won't be available tonight - What surprises me is that Gibbons has been quoted as saying that Redmond will likely start on Sunday if he isn't used in relief before - Thad Weber seems like he's clearly having the better season, so why not send Redmond back down Sunday & call up Weber to start - unless the Jays don't care about the "Extra 2%" or have pretty much given up - I'm betting that Buck Showalter wouldn't let something like that slide, the Orioles have been masterful at using the shuttle to gain an advantage.

92-93 - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 05:38 PM EDT (#275768) #

I don't believe Richmond is starting Sunday. I think Gibbons was merely stating that as of now that's the plan, assuming he's going to need Richmond over the next few days and/or that AA will have figured out another SP option by then.

Personally, I'd be choosing between 3 guys, all of whom are current members of the bullpen - Cecil, Perez, and McGowan. Cecil could probably go 45 pitches if you let him know today that's the plan - one more session of 15-30 pitches before Sunday and then you try and get 3 out of him. Perez is already good to go for 45-60, but as Magpie has pointed out, his stuff isn't ideal for a starter long-term. McGowan threw 32 pitches on Sunday, so if you gave him a similar outing tonight or tomorrow you could probably squeeze 3-4 innings out of him on Sunday. At this point I'm not sure there's much to lose in terms of starting McGowan if he's going to effectively be the team's 8th RP who can't be sent down because of a lack of options and can't be used in high leverage situations frequently because of the stress.

It's a nice night, so I'll see y'all at the Dome.

scottt - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 05:56 PM EDT (#275769) #

Boni had a hit yesterday. And he's 2 for 3 against Scherzer.

Chuck - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 06:01 PM EDT (#275770) #

At this point I'm not sure there's much to lose in terms of starting McGowan

I agree with this. That McGowan has made it back to the majors after all his setbacks is commendable. But I'm not a big fan of coddling him, having him pitch an inning every few days since this doesn't seem to be building up to more frequent usage (though being the #8 man may be what is limiting his playing time more than anything) or higher leverage usage (though understandably, he is low man on the totem pole given the performances this year).

At this point the organization has to find out if McGowan can pitch without breaking. If he breaks he breaks, and that will probably be the end of it. But better to find out, both for himself and the organization. And since he has a deeper repertoire than the rest of his bullpen cronies, let's see if he can go 4 or 5. That would certainly be sufficient.

Nigel - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 06:15 PM EDT (#275771) #

The optimum would be trying to get around 100 pitches out of McGowan and Perez (probably around 6 innings) but that plan would require that they werern't required in the 3 days or so before.

John Northey - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 06:20 PM EDT (#275772) #

Wouldn't be surprised if the Jays plan A is a mix of McGowan, Perez, Cecil depending on usage the next few days. If they are needed though then you go to plan B or C depending on which pitchers are rested in AAA/AA. Plan D would be grabbing another waiver wire guy and seeing if you catch lightning in a bottle like Wang was for 2 starts.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 07:32 PM EDT (#275775) #

"And Bonifacio again at second base. You make your bed; you lie in it."

yup.

Boni just gifted Max Scherzer the lead. nice.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 07:42 PM EDT (#275776) #

I don't even blame Bonifacio.

I blame Gibbons and/or AA. How they keep starting Bonifacio is completely beyond me. He has been the worst player in baseball this year.

Chuck - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 07:43 PM EDT (#275777) #

If you didn't have alternate sources of information and had only Pat Tabler to rely on, you'd get very distorted view of reality.

Lind is a lefty power hitter than you can slot in between Bautista and Encarnacion. I suppose you could, but I don't know that Gibbons has done that even once this year.

Dirks is a good contact hitter to complement the big boppers on the Tigers, which include Austin Jackson (4 HR in 200 AB) and Victor Martinez (6 HR in 300 AB). Dirks, the good contact hitter, is hitting .245 with an OPS+ of 74.

Mike Forbes - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:02 PM EDT (#275779) #

Not a fan of this team currently. That 11 game winning streak just masked a lot of the team's faults.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:06 PM EDT (#275780) #

playing .500 ball vs. BAL, TB, BOS, DET the last 4 series shouldn't be that discouraging.

Spifficus - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:09 PM EDT (#275781) #

Especially when one starter pitched his way out of the rotation and another one seems desperate to do the same.

Four Seamer - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:11 PM EDT (#275782) #

It's one of the great ironies of the game that Johnson is spared being charged with an earned run thanks to his own two errors. Great to see the ex-Marlins trying to one-up each other out there.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:12 PM EDT (#275783) #

The good news for my fantasy squad is that all 5 runs tonight are unearned.

Nigel - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:14 PM EDT (#275784) #

One of the great beauties of baseball's 162 game season is that it does tend to expose and clarify team weaknesses (and strengths). The Jays undeniably have poor infield defense; a lineup that is OBP challenged and poor starting pitching. Only the last is surprising based on how the team was built.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:22 PM EDT (#275785) #

lineup is slightly below average in OBP at .314.

7) MIN .322
8) BAL .321
9) TEX .321
10) TOR .314

Infield defense is fixed just by starting Lawrie and Kawasaki.

The Starting Pitching, though, is a massive concern. Which is a surprise.

Mike Green - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:31 PM EDT (#275789) #

Kawasaki for Bonifacio helps the OBP too. Thole part-time for Arencibia would probably help the OBP too. The starting pitching ought to be OK with Dickey looking much better.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:35 PM EDT (#275790) #

That was a hard, hard slide. Not technically dirty, but......HARD.

Nigel - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:42 PM EDT (#275791) #

I'm sorry, but the infield defense isn't fixed by starting Lawrie and Kawasaki. I agree that Lawrie is a significantly above average defensive 3B but Kawasaki appears to have average range at best and isn't a natural 2B I think you will still be starting 3 below average defenders on any given night in the infield.

mathesond - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:43 PM EDT (#275792) #

Lately I've been wondering just how bad the Marlins would be had they kept Bonifacio

Chuck - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 08:56 PM EDT (#275793) #

and isn't a natural 2B

Kawasaki certainly doesn't have much experience at 2B, but I'd argue that no one is really a natural second baseman. Guys who end up at 2B in the majors typically played shortstop their whole lives and only moved to 2B because of their limitations. I imagine there are some second basemen who were second basemen from a young age, but I can't believe there are many.

Magpie - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 09:07 PM EDT (#275794) #

Agreed. A "natural 2b" is usually a shortstop with a mediocre arm.

Magpie - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 09:18 PM EDT (#275795) #

If Redmond hadn't hit Hunter, prompting the warning, I think it's safe to say Colby would be getting knocked down right about now.

uglyone - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 09:50 PM EDT (#275796) #

I guess Redmond is offically out of the running for the start on Sunday. Though I'm not sure he actually ever really was.

scottt - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 10:00 PM EDT (#275797) #

Guys who end up at 2B in the majors typically played shortstop their whole lives and only moved to 2B because of their limitations.

Case in point, Omar Infante.

Magpie - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 10:20 PM EDT (#275798) #

Case in point, Omar Infante.

Also: Dustin Pedroia, Ben Zobrist, Robinson Cano, Ian Kinsler, Aaron Hill, Darwin Barney, Brandon Phillips, Danny Espinosa. That's the main line, right there.

The other group of second basemen come from players moved from other positions (usually 3b, sometime lf) because it wasn't clear that they would hit enough for the spot. There's a smaller group who move back and forth between 2b and 3b as the orgnaization tries to figure out what they have (Chase Utley, Dan Uggla.)

snider - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 10:34 PM EDT (#275799) #

Part of me was also wondering if Redmond was protecting Colby by hitting hunter.

scottt - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 11:06 PM EDT (#275800) #

It will be interesting to see what AA does with JJ in the off season. I'd make the one year offer.

Alex Obal - Wednesday, July 03 2013 @ 11:59 PM EDT (#275801) #

In one of the early innings, on a routine fly to right, Hunter gave the universal sign of I Don't Got It, then caught it. Usually this is a ploy to decoy the baserunners. There were two out. Not sure if that had anything to do with his beaning.

In many ways it's a game of inches. Avila's wall-scraping homer and Arencibia's deep flyout in the second were a five-run swing. On the other hand, inches had nothing to do with the E4 in the second...

Richard S.S. - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 04:55 AM EDT (#275802) #

Blue Jay's 2nd round pick, Clinton Hollon (UCL problem on MRI) signs for $467,280.00 which is $700,920.00 under slot. Just in case you'll have forgotten.

TamRa - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 06:07 AM EDT (#275804) #

More moola for Rowdy!

John Northey - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 06:38 AM EDT (#275805) #

It seems the Jays now have $1.3 million extra to spend on draft picks, the most of any club (Astros next at $1.077 then Red Sox at $691k). If this means they can sign a few post-10th rounders (or even one) who is a premium prospect (they drafted a few) then this is a good thing. The Jays have drafted injured guys before and had it work out iirc, you just need patience until they are healthy.

According to the Jays sight they have from picks 30-40 9 unsigned, 4 unsigned from 11-29, and 5 in the top 10 unsigned. One of those top 10 is Hollon who is signed, of the other 4 BlueBirdBanter has 2 listed as signed leaving #1 Bickford and #8 Kendall Graveman left.

BBB has listed picks #31/32/34 as not signing (medical reasons or fully committed to college). Also has two listed as 'unlikely sign' in #22 (Sam Tewes) and #30 Randy Tellez (a top 100 talent at 1B, strongly committed to college unless gets first round cash). The remaining are #11 Jacob Brentz, #17 Eric Lauer, #26 Tanner Cable, and 5 in the 30's who don't appear to be anything 'wow'.

So where to blow the $1 million? If that would get Tellez to sign then go for it I say. Brentz is a high 90's LHP, Lauer a high 80's LHP who is 'projectable' as he is 6'3" and 190 lbs. Tewes a RHP with 90's velocity and projectability thus desirable to sign but seems committed to college. If I was a pitcher offered $1 mil though I'd be signing - colleges are known for eating up pitchers arms with 140+ pitch games and the risk / reward with the cap system in place is just not worth delaying 2-3 years. Tellez though probably should go to college as a power hitter can improve their status and climb to a top 10 pick.

Gerry - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 08:33 AM EDT (#275808) #

The Tigers were very upset at Rasmus, calling his slide dirty. It was borderline offside, his foot was in the air going over the bag and he slid past the bag. Most of the time that is an acceptable slide but because Infante got hurt the Tigers were mad.

I would expect some payback by Verlander to Rasmus tonight. Rasmus has said if he is hit he will just take his base, it's part of the game.

Beyonder - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 09:07 AM EDT (#275810) #

The Detroit announcers took a very different view of the play. They claimed that the slide was hard but clean, and chastised Infante for being boneheaded enough to try to turn a double play in that situation. They said he ought to have settled for one out, especially with a 5-0 lead.

"Cleats up" is the complaint you hear every time a clean slide injures someone.

scottt - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 09:36 AM EDT (#275812) #

Verlander has struggled all year. I don't think we'll see a pay back pitch unless the game gets out of hand one way or the other.

BlueJayWay - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 09:41 AM EDT (#275813) #

Arencibia saying some things.

James W - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 10:15 AM EDT (#275815) #

I wish I had those 12 minutes back.

For those unaware, Arencibia was on the Fan 590 this morning, and tweeted last night that he was going to rip into Zaun and Hayhurst. What I take away from it is that he's upset that he's being held to high standards by the team's analysts. If you like below average major leaguers calling out former players as below average, maybe it's worth a listen, otherwise use your valuable time more wisely.

BlueJayWay - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 10:45 AM EDT (#275817) #

What a shitshow this is turning into. I want JP gone. It's past due.

electric carrot - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 10:51 AM EDT (#275818) #

If you like below average major leaguers calling out former players as below average, maybe it's worth a listen ...

Listening to this sounds like a punishment designed by the CIA to replace water-boarding.

smcs - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 10:59 AM EDT (#275819) #

Here's a transcript. The upshot is that it could hasten the exit of Arencibia, and that he might get into a fight with Gregg Zaun.

Chuck - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 11:01 AM EDT (#275820) #

Arencibia speaks as though only those with stellar careers have the authority to critique. Seemingly lost on him is that this would preclude most managers and coaches. And he seems to be conflating work ethic and acumen. I don't know that anyone has questioned how hard he is working. It's the results that are at issue.

92-93 - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 11:45 AM EDT (#275822) #

Redmond's results were good last night, but I really don't think he deserves Sunday's start, and I would've DFAed him for a fresh body until then. He was let off the hook in his first inning by a well struck Miguel Cabrera double play line drive after allowing the first 2 baserunners to reach. In his 2nd inning of work each batter got a pretty good piece of the ball and drove it deep, just missing their pitch. The third inning was pretty clean. I think the team is far better off handing the first 3 innings of Sunday's game to the bullpen or a callup from the minors so they can have an additional player until then.

Wildrose - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 11:57 AM EDT (#275823) #

Here's what Zaun had to say about Arencibia in a recent Steve Buffery interview.

If Gregg Zaun sees something he doesn’t like, he’ll bring it up on the Blue Jays telecasts — unafraid that he might not win any friends in the process.

Something that Zaun has often discussed is the play of Toronto’s catcher J.P. Arencibia, who has tremendous pop in his bat but takes flak for his batting average and his defence.

Zaun, a former Jays catcher, has been a critic of Arencibia’s play, but also believes that if the Jays want their young catcher to improve, they have to take certain steps to help him — like hiring a catching coach.

“How do you expect a guy to get any better if he doesn’t have anyone to work with?” asked Zaun. “They should add someone to the staff. John Gibbons was a catcher, but he’s the manager and he can’t be coaching the kid too. What they should do is promote Sal Fasano (the organization’s roving catching instructor). He’s a tremendous teacher of that position.

“Arencibia swings and misses too much, but he could be a great hitter, and he could be a really good catcher, but they don’t have anyone to teach him.”

electric carrot - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 12:05 PM EDT (#275825) #

I think Garfoose and Zaun should take it as a badge of honour if as Arencibia says no one respects them in the Blue Jays clubhouse. Journalism shouldn't be about pandering -- even in sports.

John Northey - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 12:24 PM EDT (#275826) #

I guess the truth hurts. JPA is a decent backup catcher who has been put into the everyday role. He seems to work hard at it but, as Zaun says, he needs someone to help him get better. His offense has been going downhill though - OPS+ has gone from 91 to 89 to 76 with his slg% staying pretty much the same but his OBP dropping like a stone. His OBP-Avg has gone from 63 to 42 to 28. That is not a good sign, one would expect as a player gets more experience they'd do better not worse. Not to mention that since June 1st he has hit 182/232/307. Ick.

Mike Green - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 12:26 PM EDT (#275827) #

I somehow missed all 4 of Lind's at-bats last night, so I went back and had a look at them. He wasn't at his flappy worst when his back is really barking, but he chased a couple of pitches out of the zone, swung awkwardly and missed (which he wasn't doing very much early in the season). He ended up striking out 3 times and flying out weakly to left.

Mike Green - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 12:31 PM EDT (#275828) #

Arencibia is a perfectly fine platoon catcher-.244/.286/.463 against LHP in his career. He's Buck Martinez, looking for an Ernie Whitt (or Gregg Zaun for that matter). Thole isn't exactly grabbing the opportunity with both hands so far.

adrianveidt - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 12:35 PM EDT (#275829) #

Here's the audio.

Arencibia makes a few meaningless points.

Zaun and Hayhurst weren't good players.

It doesn't matter how good or bad Hayhurst, Zaun, or any other critic is or was at baseball. What counts is the truth and insight, or lack thereof, of the criticism itself. Arencibia never addresses that, except to say that it's "wrong", but not why it's wrong. These statements are nothing more than ad hominem attacks on Hayhurst and Zaun, and by implication, anyone else who dares criticize him.

No one respects Zaun because he used PEDs.

This might make sense if he said "Zaun's use of PEDs prevents me from playing the game well enough to avoid his criticisms in the following ways..." This is another ad hominem attack. It doesn't matter if Zaun used PEDs. Zaun could have had bionic implants that changed his reflexes, strength, and speed into something Peter Parker would envy, and it still wouldn't make any difference. What counts, again, is the truth and insight of the criticisms themselves. If they are untrue, it must be explained why.

Baseball is hard.

Since I doubt anyone has made the point that it's easy to play baseball, Arencibia is trying to counter an argument no one made in the first place. This is the fallacy of the straw man. No one I know of has said "Arencibia made mistakes that are inexcusable because baseball is easy." Perhaps he meant that it is impossible to do everything perfectly all the time because the game is difficult. We all learn when we're very young that we're not perfect, so it isn't necessary to refute that argument -- no serious person would make it, or entertain it if it were made.

Since Arencibia didn't address the criticisms, and used the opportunity of the interview to launch into straw man arguments and ad hominem attacks, I must assume that Arencibia cannot refute the substance of what critics say about him. In fact, pointing out that the game is difficult is perhaps a suggestion that 'it's too hard for me to play the game well'. Is he saying he isn't a very good ball player?

In any case, it should be very easy for Hayhurst and Zaun to counter these attacks.

CeeBee - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 12:36 PM EDT (#275830) #

JP must want out of town. Fighting the media is a losing battle and it makes no sense at all to take them on though I suppose it might make him feel better for a day or two. Even Buck and Jack have had a few negative things to say about JP so maybe a look in the mirror is in order.

timpinder - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 12:47 PM EDT (#275831) #

JPA has been my least favourite player since Shea Hillenbra and wore the uniform, and this cements it. I can't wait for his departure. Jimenez may not be ready but I'd be happy to watch Thole and Hernandez the rest of the year just so that I don't have to endure anymore of JPA's terrible play or suffer through reading his quotes. For a guy who is ranked on ESPN as the 30th catcher in a 30 team league, he sure does think he's Johnny Bench incarnate.

Four Seamer - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 01:26 PM EDT (#275832) #

Arencibia may have to explain his comments on PED cheats to Melky Cabrera.

Eephus - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 01:29 PM EDT (#275833) #

Handling criticism (constructive or otherwise) is an important part of not just baseball but of any profession. That is of course, significantly more difficult to do in professional sports where criticisms of you are made public on an almost daily basis. Hey, it ain't easy.

The problem here is that even if J.P. isn't an egotistical nitwit who believes he's above criticism, he sure comes across as one. Gasoline on the fire and all that.

Eephus - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 01:35 PM EDT (#275834) #

Upon revisiting my dictionary, "nitwit" might have been a little stronger than I intended, though this whole thing does strike me as just foolish and silly.

katman - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 01:57 PM EDT (#275835) #

I read the transcript, and also Hayhurst's very fair response, which should put this thing to rest.

Catching is a position that often takes a while to develop - so yeah, it's a hard game and early days in his career. On the other side, Zaun's critiques (and even Buck and Morris have stepped in) are bang-on, and JPA is a very 1-dimensional guy. I fault the organization for not platooning him. And it would be great if they took Zaun's advice and made Fasano a major league catching coach for him.

I don't imagine it will change anything in the Jays' plans. The problem with trading him is that other teams are keenly aware of his weaknesses, so even the inflated power numbers may not get you much value. AA has made a move that will let him trade JPA if the right opportunity comes along. Will it? Dunno.

John Northey - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 02:01 PM EDT (#275836) #

JPA has been vocal on twitter in the past, but more in a silly way than a 'I hate these guys' way. Making fun of his not knowing what a walk was for example and his 3 stars (often quite funny). Hopefully he was trying to be tongue in cheek and just flopped this morning.

Some good tweets...
June 20th: TSN turning point of the game: Jp takes a walk (almost extinct) then tries to steal? Other team scrambles, scouting reports were way off!
Canada Day: 3rd star- Beer vendors making sure everyone was hydrated for that warm weather (drink safely); 2nd star- The parrot that made another appearance today on @Encadwin arm while he ran the bases today! #WhatABird; 1st star - The fans that made that atmosphere unreal to play in front of and those cheering us on at home! #Streaking

He is one of the best tweeters for the Jays but it is clear he stresses a lot about how people see him. A thick skin in needed when you are in the public eye, and JPA's seems a bit thin lately.

Mike Green - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 04:16 PM EDT (#275837) #

According to Gameday, today's lineup features the return of Encarnacion DHing and batting third, Arencibia still in the lineup and batting eighth, and Kawasaki playing second and batting ninth.

smcs - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 04:17 PM EDT (#275838) #

Maybe his work ethic needs to be questioned. I don't think he has noticeably improved in any area of his game since he was called up to the majors. I mean, you'd expect some sort of improvement somewhere, no? Even weirder, he's going to jump all over Zaun and Hayhurst for their careers, but then, presumably, take advice from Chad Mottola, John Gibbons, Sal Fasano and, previously, Don Wakamatsu?

John Northey - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 05:04 PM EDT (#275839) #

I think part of the issue is wear and tear for JPA. He started the year playing in 10 straight, one day off, then played in every game until game #40 (28 straight). 3 games, day off, 14 straight, game off, 2 played, game off, 4 games, day off, 4 games, day off, 4 on, 1 off, 5 on, 1 off, yesterday.

Clearly he was played WAAAAAAY too often in the first month and a half. 38 of 39 games is far too often for a catcher to be playing. Then 17 of 18 before finally getting a decent pattern (4-5 games in a row, full game off pattern) but by now his body has to be beaten up.

His stats...
First 38 games he played: 230/246/475
Next 17: 206/239/397
Since: 197/244/342

He has been increasing his walks but losing in batting average and power. While one can understand riding him hard early on with Blanco as your backup it doesn't work well for catchers when you ride them like that. In his first 21 games he hit 268/286/634 but games 22-38 he collapsed to 175/190/246. So driven hard for those first 21 (playing 21 of 22) he was great for power, but since he has hit 194/227/333 which is ugly. I suspect a DL stint would help heal his injuries to date but that isn't going to happen. More likely we have to wait until the ASB for him to get a real rest (4 days in a row). Given his aches and pains I'd say give him the game before and after the break to help fully recover.

Magpie - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 06:25 PM EDT (#275842) #

Someone should have given Arencibia the updated version of Mark Twain's advice. The original said never get involved in an argument with someone who buys ink by the barrel.

China fan - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 06:46 PM EDT (#275843) #

It would be one thing if JPA just spontaneously answered a question about Zaun and Hayhurst in response to an off-the-cuff media question. It's completely a different thing when he promoted the interview in advance on his Twitter feed, like a hit man, boasting about his plans to attack those guys. It shows a complete misjudgment of how he would be perceived.

A very good analysis of JPA's fundamental public-relations blunders is here:

http://taoofstieb.blogspot.ca/2013/07/some-candid-and-free-pr-advice-for-jp.html

Mike Green - Thursday, July 04 2013 @ 07:26 PM EDT (#275846) #

Jaystalk Thursday night:

Mike: Hello, Dave from North York, what's on your mind?
Dave: Isn't JP Arencibia the best catcher in the American League? That home run in the 4th inning to tie the score was a thing of beauty.
Mike: I don't know think JP is the best catcher in the American League, but yes, the home run was beautiful.

Jaystalk Friday night:

Mike: Hello, David from Willowdale, what's on your mind?
David: Isn't JP Arencibia the best catcher in the American League? He saved Mark Buehrle's butt with that block in the 6th inning.
Mike: I don't know, David. There was nobody on, and he also struck out 3 times.

Game Thread — 7/3 vs Detroit | 65 comments | Create New Account

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