LIVE Game Thread: Toronto Blue Jays (14-24) at Boston Red Sox (22-15) – Mother’s Day Edition

February 23, 2012; Melbourne, FL, USA; Julian Sirianni and his mom Mary wait for an autograph during camp at Space Coast Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

Everyone loves their mom. But when I got a Facebook message from my mom earlier this year with an update on the Washington Nationals vs. Detroit Tigers game in Lakeland I knew there was no way that I could forget Mother’s Day this year. So today’s thread we are honoring hard-working moms across the world who also may know a thing or two about baseball. Moms everywhere please take a bow!

Chad Jenkins (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Ryan Dempster (2-3, 2.93 ERA)

The Toronto Blue Jays will try to win their second road series of the season this afternoon at Fenway with an important rubber match against the Boston Red Sox. Brandon Morrow had his start pushed back today so the Jays will send recent roster addition Jenkins to the hill to face off against the Canadian Dempster. I’ve said it once and I will say it again – Triple-A pitching has beat the Jays already this year so maybe today it can work out in their favor. The bats will need to stay warm as they are forced to face yet another tough starter.

Yesterday the Jays did just enough against Clay Buchholz to get the win but today they will need a much better effort from the bats to have a chance. Jenkins pitched only 32 innings in the Bigs last year and the results were not pretty allowing 9.0 H/9 and 3.1 BB/9 to go along with a brutal 1.45 SO/BB ratio. Not exactly the type of pitching that inspires confidence in a fan base. But this is what the Jays are left with after the recent rotation setbacks so they will have to make due with what they have for at least today.

The Red Sox have been relatively cold lately, after a hot start they have dropped 7 of their last 9 (ESPN). Edwin Encarnacion still can’t figure out Dempster going a career 1 for 14 (.071) against him (ESPN).

It looks like the Jays are keeping with the same thought process as yesterday with Jose Bautista in the two-hole and Melky Cabrera leading off in what could be the slowest top three hitters in the history of baseball:

The Red Sox official Twitter account looks like they are working hard today in case we have another rain delay so might as well use some of these stats they have on Dempster:

Weather-permitting we have a 1:35 PM start time at Fenway Park. And before you forget go call your mom.

Join us for LIVE updates every half inning to keep up-to-date on today’s action.