The day the Jays trade Halladay is the day I stop being a Jays fan. He is arguably the best pitcher in baseball, the best pitcher the Jays have ever had playing on their team (except for Clemens and a possible steroids tainted couple of seasons), and the anchor to the franchise. All of that is worth every penny they pay him, and to trade him away for some prospects or for the money would be an insult to him and to any who have been worshipping at the Halladay altar all these years. I hope Halladay is a Blue Jay for life, and retires in a Jay uniform so he can go to the Hall Of Fame as a Toronto Blue Jay.shack said:
Blue Jays 2009
- Thread starter salsamarc
- Start date
And this ball game is UNOFFICIALLY over! Millar with the grandslam in the 7th to put the Blue Jays up 9-1.
Amazing stuff by the Doctor in that bottom of the 5th with runners on first and 2nd and 0 out he strikes out Cassila, Morneau and Kubel in order to get out of the inning unscathed. Just some masterful stuff by Halladay, and he used different pitches to get each of them out too, he got Cassila with the curve, Morneau he climbed the ladder and Kubel a filthy cutter.
HOw about the offense of the Blue Jays too, damn I know its early but its hard not to get excited about the offense we got. The baseball is looking like a beachball right now for Aaron Hill this guy is hitting everything these days.
Just a pure meltdown by the Twins bullpen in the 7th inning. Guerrier gives up the 2 run shot by Scutaro to give the Jays a 4-1 lead and then Breslow comes in and looked like he couldnt throw a baseball into the ocean. Breslow just had no command of his stuff at all, 2 BBs, a wildpitch that allowed Hill to score, a passed ball charged to Morales. Then Gardenhire brings in the righthander Dickey and Millar puts his first pitch offering in the seats for a grandslam.
Did any of you guys hear the story Jamie Campbell was relaying about Burnett, about how Burnett was recently quoted as saying that he came to Toronto to become a better pitcher and to learn from Halladay. Maybe I am just reading too much into it but its kind of a knock on the organization isnt it? I mean he basically is saying that he just wanted to use the Blue Jays as a stepping stone to become a better pitcher.
Amazing stuff by the Doctor in that bottom of the 5th with runners on first and 2nd and 0 out he strikes out Cassila, Morneau and Kubel in order to get out of the inning unscathed. Just some masterful stuff by Halladay, and he used different pitches to get each of them out too, he got Cassila with the curve, Morneau he climbed the ladder and Kubel a filthy cutter.
HOw about the offense of the Blue Jays too, damn I know its early but its hard not to get excited about the offense we got. The baseball is looking like a beachball right now for Aaron Hill this guy is hitting everything these days.
Just a pure meltdown by the Twins bullpen in the 7th inning. Guerrier gives up the 2 run shot by Scutaro to give the Jays a 4-1 lead and then Breslow comes in and looked like he couldnt throw a baseball into the ocean. Breslow just had no command of his stuff at all, 2 BBs, a wildpitch that allowed Hill to score, a passed ball charged to Morales. Then Gardenhire brings in the righthander Dickey and Millar puts his first pitch offering in the seats for a grandslam.
Did any of you guys hear the story Jamie Campbell was relaying about Burnett, about how Burnett was recently quoted as saying that he came to Toronto to become a better pitcher and to learn from Halladay. Maybe I am just reading too much into it but its kind of a knock on the organization isnt it? I mean he basically is saying that he just wanted to use the Blue Jays as a stepping stone to become a better pitcher.
As good as the other players are hitting, this team won't go anywhere unless Wells and Rios perform up to expectation, e.g. hit like no. 3 & 4 hitters should. I hope I'm wrong but Rios is fast becoming one of those frustrating players to watch, so much talent (and so they say) yet always seems to underachieve. He hasn't been the same player since he had a big year and signed a big contract.SkyRider said:Alex Rios will hit his first home run of 2009 on April 16, 2009 (Blue Jays 11th game of the year).
I' not a Jays fan, but I'll give my take.
- Halladay IS the BEST pitcher in the majors. Santana is close, Sabathia is a little below Santana with guys like Webb and Peavy, but Halladay is better than all of them.
- The Jays should, and will, trade Halladay before he becomes unrestricted. The only way he walks for nothing is if the Jays contend next year.
- With Cito back, they can pay less attention to th offense. Cito brings out alot from his guys (Wells, Rios, and Rolen), and some are naturally offensive minded (Lind and Snider); so they don't need many upgrades.
- Riccardi is not a great GM. The only thing that really makes him useful is his 'Moneyball' inspired tendency to draft college players (They tend to develop quicker and better).
- The Jays will not contend in 2009. Too many holes in the rotation.
- April records (especially in week two) don't say much about September. Ask the Angels and Tigers.
- The Yankees have the best team in the East (The Cubs may have the best team in baseball) but, as we know, the schedule is long and has many 'turns' before the play-off picture develops.
Let's go Bombers!!
- Halladay IS the BEST pitcher in the majors. Santana is close, Sabathia is a little below Santana with guys like Webb and Peavy, but Halladay is better than all of them.
- The Jays should, and will, trade Halladay before he becomes unrestricted. The only way he walks for nothing is if the Jays contend next year.
- With Cito back, they can pay less attention to th offense. Cito brings out alot from his guys (Wells, Rios, and Rolen), and some are naturally offensive minded (Lind and Snider); so they don't need many upgrades.
- Riccardi is not a great GM. The only thing that really makes him useful is his 'Moneyball' inspired tendency to draft college players (They tend to develop quicker and better).
- The Jays will not contend in 2009. Too many holes in the rotation.
- April records (especially in week two) don't say much about September. Ask the Angels and Tigers.
- The Yankees have the best team in the East (The Cubs may have the best team in baseball) but, as we know, the schedule is long and has many 'turns' before the play-off picture develops.
Let's go Bombers!!
I love the start so far, and I knew this was going to happen, the offense would be great this year, and yes, the pitching so far too, but it's not going to keep up at that pace for the pitching in my opinion. If it does, great, we could be in for a suprise.
As for the Yankee's, yes, they could very well be in contention, I wouldn't doubt it, but I still think TB and Boston have a better chance at one two again. The Yankee's will lose because of their bullpen, the only piece of value I see there is Rivera, and he can't do it by himself.
As for the Yankee's, yes, they could very well be in contention, I wouldn't doubt it, but I still think TB and Boston have a better chance at one two again. The Yankee's will lose because of their bullpen, the only piece of value I see there is Rivera, and he can't do it by himself.
I agree with you, and the the other posters who talked about the value of a closer. In essence... they're useless. Any major league pitcher should be able to go out and secure a three-run lead over one inning. Seeing that Mariano is in that position means that the Yankee bullpen is suspect. Although Mariano get the glory, over the course of the season 'saves' is a team effort. Mariano's effectiveness is a result of other pitchers doing their job.canbreathethroughearsmale said:
Don't forget that BJ Ryan is one of the better paid 'closers' in the league.
Exactly.guyroch said:
Maybe that lack of expectancy also helps.
I like the fact that they say that could be doing even better. Maybe it's too much to be asking for but if Rios and Overbay could join in then they might prove all the doom sayers wrong.
They also have some pitchers returning later in the year to offset tiredness, injuries etc that will affect performance over a long season. As well as batters such as Emaus and Lane to come up if bats go cold.
If I was Halladay I wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.
Exactly. Everyone has their opinion and they bring it to the forum or wherever and some people have some very interesting observations. Everyone was singing the praises of the bullpen last year and we are two weeks into the season and now most people are saying how terrible they are and then on the flipside, everyone loves the offence and yet they could barely hit a beach ball last year. The team has changed a bit and they seem healthy right now (for the most part). I don't know how long this streak will last but I'm certainly enjoying it.guyroch said:
All that guys like Wells and Rios need is a few games against the Red Sox. Funny, no matter how bad they are going, as soon as they play Boston, they turn into the reincarnation of Murderers Row or Harveys Wallbangers. Just a few weeks til the play the Sox - they will break out.SkyRider said:
Besides - wtf are you guys complaining about? Jays are the top hitting team, they are looking like the 2008 Texas Rangers whose entire lineup (nearly anyways) could rake. Send a few of those hits over to Fenway this weekend will ya. Before the other day, I think Sox had 4-5 players hitting at or near .200. Be thankful for what you have. LOL
Yea, the 25 MLB teams that are not in the AL East have no idea how easy they have it. Or maybe they do and that's why they want to keep things this way.shack said:
The money power that Yanks and Red Sox have, turn them into a couple of 8,000 pound gorillas who suck all the oxygen out of the room in the AL East. That's not whinning it's just reality.
Yanks are Sox are like Elliot Spitzer.
The buying power of Yanks and Red Sox is like they are going to the 25 year high school reunion and each can bring along 3 ten thousand dollar a night hookers to show off how successful and amazing they are while smoking expensive cuban cigars. And it works spectacularly well because the hookers make them look really good by putting on great performances. Hey, sports is a reflection of the real world.
The rest of the schmucks at reunion are forced to show up with the frumpy, dumpy girl they married 20 years ago though and compete with that. I'll always go for the underdog in that situation.
Anyway back to baseball, most years when I look at the final standings I come to the conclusion that if all 4 NL playoff teams were forced to compete in AL east that year none of them would have made the playoffs.
If you look at the last 2 NL World Series Champions, Philly in 08 (92 wins) and St. Louis in 06 (83 wins), - neither of these teams would have qualified for the playoffs if they had been competing in AL East.
As playoffs have proven over the years, once you get your foot in the door and you can compete for the title anything can and does happen.
I'd like to scrap Divisions and go with 14 teams in AL with a balanced schedule and then allow 4 best teams with best records into the playoffs at the end of it.
That's the only way to ensure 4 best teams get into playoffs every year in Conference.
pdson2 said:
never saw that coming but I am certainly enjoying the combination of Jays winning and Yankees losing....
Bring on the Red Soxs
Hehehehe! NYY HUMILIATED last nite by a 14-run inning vs the Tribe! Apparently this sets the record for the worst inning of pitching in Yanks' history!
And now that the Yanks are burning up their 'Pen and their starters are going WAY down fast, they go into Bostown at the end of the week. Oh god, I love it when the Yanks lose!
Could this season get any better??!!
And now that the Yanks are burning up their 'Pen and their starters are going WAY down fast, they go into Bostown at the end of the week. Oh god, I love it when the Yanks lose!
Could this season get any better??!!
Nice game by the Jays today, nice to see them win with defense which by the way , the Jays defense is very underrated. The defensive gem turned by Wells and Hill in the 3rd and then BJ Ryan collecting a save at the end. Was a battle there with Jack Cust in the 9th but BJ got the job done. Excellent job by Romero as well.
