Among my friends, my animosity for J.P Arencibia is well-known. It’s not that I dislike him as a person, I’m sure he’s a great guy; it’s just that he’s not very good at baseball. And seeing as how he plays for my favourite team, this is a bit of a problem for me. So I decided I was going to share my feelings on J.P. Arencibia and his overall lack of being good at baseball, but then my Blue Jays blogging brethren at Bluebird Banter beat me to it, and did a fine job with it. So could I let my grudge go, could I be at peace knowing there were others pushing the anti-Arencibia rhetoric? Absolutely not. But instead of just beating the J.P. sucks and this is why drum, I’ve decided to take a look at how J.P’s prodigious strikeout rate and utter disdain for walks looks in a historic context.

Before I get to that however, I will do J.P. the service of waxing poetically about him as a Toronto Blue Jay. Arencibia is representative of the dichotomy that is Toronto Blue Jays fans, he’s adored (generally by the more casual observer) and is the target of the wrath of those of us that put a great deal of emphasis on the little things, like production . J.P. seems like an affable enough guy, interacting with fans on Twitter, endearing himself to the media, hitting home runs, being a good-looking dude – but these are (mostly) things that do nothing to help the Toronto Blue Jays. These non-baseball related qualities that have made J.P. one of the least deserving “stars” in baseball cover up one major problem that I’ve already mentioned, Arencibia is not very good.

This brings us to now, and what I am labelling as JP’s historically inept 2013. Just how awful he has been is going largely unnoticed by a far too many Blue Jays fans for my liking. “Historically inept” is just hyperbole you say? Well yeah, but it’s also true. Through 42 games so far this season (not including Wednesday’s game) Arencibia has struck out 54 times, while walking just twice. His K:BB ratio is 27:1. You should pause here for a second to let that sink in. Arencibia is only walking once for every 27(!) times he’s struck out.

That sounds bad…but how bad is it really? Well let’s take a look! For ease of comparison’s sake I’m going to project those numbers over 130 games, approximately what J.P. will (unfortunately) end up playing this year. At his current pace he will strike out 167 times, and walk just 6 times.

Not once, ever, in the history of baseball has a player struck out over 100 times without walking at least 10. NEVER! In fact, only 14 times in the history of the game has a player struck out over 100 times and walked less than 20 times!

If we look at the current Zips projections, Arencibia is expected to finish the season with 155 strike outs and 20 walks. If we give him the benefit of the doubt (can he really increase his walk rate 5 fold for the rest of the season though?) he still merits inclusion on our list of 14, JP’s projected K:BB ratio would actually rank second, his 7.75:1 squeaks in just behind Juan Encarnacion’s ugly 8.07:1

Table via Baseball-Reference’s Play Index

Looking at this table makes Arencibia’s early season escapades that much more unbelievable. The worst ever K:BB ratio is currently held by Juan Encranacion at just over 8:1 and J.P. is currently sporting a rate of 27:1? Yikes.

I am fully aware that strikeouts and walks don’t mean everything, but the sheer ridiculous ratio that J.P. currently sports, combined with his lowly triple slash of .224/.239/.462 (even that buoyed by his ridiculous and unsustainable April power surge), make for one ugly hole in the line up.

What does this all mean for Mr. Arencibia? Well not much. The Blue Jays traded catcher of the future (and likely present given J.P.’s struggles) Travis D’Arnaud to the New York Mets as a part of the R.A. Dickey deal, and the next generation of Blue Jays catching prospects are seemingly a few years away. The Blue Jays did receive Josh Thole in the Dickey deal, and he’s currently raking for AAA Buffalo hitting .336/.411/.496 plus he has experience catching the Knuckleball.

But alas, it seems like the Blue Jays are committed to Henry Blanco as Dickey’s personal catcher, and just as committed (I wish I knew why) to Arencibia as the catcher every other day. So for the near future we will have to stick to our day dreaming of catching platoon in Toronto, and hope that the prodigious patience of teammates Edwin Encarnacion and Jose Bautista (not to mention the sudden resurrection of patience in Adam Lind) somehow rub off on Aaron Cibia.

But in the meantime…who wants to see some dingers?

GIF compliments of me, cause I made it.

May 17, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus (28) fields a ball during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Yankees won 5-0. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

And so the roller coaster ride continues…

Mark Buehrle (1-3, 6.33 ERA) vs. Jeremy Hellickson (2-2, 5.82 ERA) 4:37 PM/EST (???)

The last time these two starters faced off I initiated the first of many “Glimmer of Hope” editions here at Jays Journal. That game Buehrle was hammered early and often, giving up seven runs in just his first three frames. Hellickson pitched five shaky yet effective innings allowing 6 hits, 4 walks and 3 earned runs on 101 pitches. Hellickson left with a 7-3 lead after being up 7-0 at one point but didn’t factor in the decision thanks to the “kids don’t try this at home” combination of Fernando Rodney, Joe Maddon and J.P. Arencibia. The Blue Jays amazingly came back that game down seven runs on the road for the unbelievable 8-7 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field.

Since that glorious evening the Jays have continued to give us brief glimpses of hope… only to promptly fall flat on their face or play the Yankees (or both). At least we don’t have to worry about the latter for awhile. But when will this team start to look like the Greatest Show On AstroTurf Gameday Grass?

Take for example Buehrle. For the most part he has been terrible this year and even before this season started doubts were raised about his ability to pitch in the AL East. Soft-tossing lefties generally don’t hold up well in what is probably the toughest division for pitchers in baseball. Many people (myself included) had written him off. But then his next start after the aforementioned shellacking he looked like Mark Buehrle, circa 2005. It was a vintage performance. And as the encore to his inconsistencies, the last time Buehrle took to the hill he allowed five runs but didn’t give up a dinger in the sandbox that is Yankee Stadium, which had been his problem all year. I still have no idea what to expect from this guy… and it’s maddening.

One thing that is for certain is that the Blue Jays need better pitching – the only staff with a worse ERA is the Houston Astros. Ditto for base on balls percentage (FanGraphs). This makeshift rotation continues to struggle – Ramon Ortiz was shelled last night and the only surprising thing about it was that it didn’t happen earlier. The Blue Jays’ bats almost had another come from behind win last night but it wasn’t enough this time around. The offensive ranks continue to improve but generally awful pitching (omit R.A. Dickey and Casey Janssen) has dug this team into a hole too many times.

Join the Jays Journal staff for live updates every half-inning for this strange 4:37 PM start time. We would be more than happy to hear some of your thoughts on the Blue Jays thus far so get typing in that comment section!

News & Notes:

Jose Bautista has hit .400 his last 8 games against Tampa… Rays are 10-3 their last 13 including 4 of 5 on this road trip… Toronto has lost 7 of last 10 home matchups against the Tampa Bay… Evan Longoria extended his hitting streak to 15 games last night and is hitting .400 with 3 HR and 14 RBI during this stretch… He’s also batting .512 with 16 RBIs in a 10-game hitting streak against the Jays… Hellickson is 1-1 with a 7.71 ERA his last 5 starts (ESPN)… Blue Jays enter today 10 games back in AL East and 7 games out of Wildcard.

Blue Jays Starting Lineup:

.@bluejays lineup(4:37pm start) Gose-LFBautista-RFEncarnacion-DHLind-1BArencibia-CLawrie-3BRasmus-CFIzturis-2BKawasaki-SSBuehrle-P

— Blue Jays-Official(@BlueJays) May 22, 2013

Tampa Bay Rays Starting Lineup:

#Rays lineup: Jennings CF, Roberts 3B, Zobrist 2B, Longoria DH, Loney 1B, Rodriguez RF, Johnson LF, Molina C, Escobar SS, Hellickson P

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 22, 2013

The @bluejays have now given up 56 HRs this season, 10 by former Blue Jays. Nearly 20%.

— Toronto Blue Jays(@BlueJaysFacts) May 21, 2013

Per Sportsnet’s stats doctor, Adam Bell: The #Bluejays are 14-0 when scoring five or more runs. Record when scoring four runs or less: 4-26.

— Arash Madani (@ArashMadani) May 21, 2013

Evan Longoria, batting .385 during a career-high 13-game hit streak, is 17 for 33 (.515) in his past 8 games vs. the #BlueJays. #Rays

— STATS LLC (@STATS_MLB) May 20, 2013

1992-1993:  Glory Daze

I call this the glory daze because they were the greatest years in Blue Jays history, but happened when I was too young to really appreciate how awesome they were or what was happening. I know I cheered the Blue Jays and I remember hearing the Brave’s fans cheers blaring through our 13″ TV in ’92 and that ’93 implanted “Whoop there it is” in my head. But I also remember running around like crazy with my friend when we won. I know as a six year old I got the bottom pennant and as a seven year old the top one. I had a ball with all the autographs on it, which I can only hope and assume was fake as I lost that puppy long ago. I also remember having a decent amount of the Mc-Blue Jays cards, and when playing baseball with my friends outside I would always be one of of Roberto Alomar, Joe Carter, or Dave Winfield…. oh and my mom really liked John Olerud That’s the extent of my early Jay’s fandom.

 1998??:The Thin Red Line

After the World Series years a combination of the players strike and an as of yet unresolved man crush on Doug Gilmour pulled me away from the Blue Jays. However there was one occasion in this era that I went to a game, for all I know it may have been my first Blue Jays game as I have no prior memories of the Sky Dome. Anyways I don’t know exactly what year it was I know I got a program and Shaw Green was on the cover and that Carlos Delgado was on the team but besides that I was pretty oblivious. My most clear memory from the game actually involves a piece of licorice. I attended the game with students from the school my mom taught at, there was also other teachers there one of whom my mom was fairly good friends with. She gave me one piece of licorice as she munched away on a very hefty bag of it all to herself. I watched enviously for some time, this woman had a mean sour look to her but my young mind rationalized, she was friends with my mom she must be nice.

I finally built up the courage and piped up and asked for another piece and got a very stern reply that no further licorice would be reaching my mouth, crushed I resumed watching the game and that was that, essentially my only Blue Jays memory for a very long period of time.

2006: No Clever Subtitle, but Troy Glaus looks a lot like Matthew Perry

At this point in my life I’m not even sure how I would classify myself I was 19 had been working at McDonalds for 4 years and hadn’t cut my hair in 2 of those years. It was safe to say I needed guidance. It was in this dark point in my life that I saw the light of the Sun. In our break room every day we had several copies of the Toronto Sun, with the new content the paper having an incredibly blatant right wing biased I began to read the sports on break to pass the time.

The Leafs were in the early stages of their 9 years of no playoffs and the Blue Jays played every day providing me with fresh things to read about. I got to read about how Josh Towers and Casey Janssen were going to be the stalwarts to fill out the rotation behind Roy Halladay and once the oft injured A.J. Burnett and Gustavo Chacin returned we would be unstoppable.

While those bold prophecies never did come true it planted the seed in me and a couple days after getting my license in July some friends and I went on a road trip to a game. We left at 12:15 from Waterloo and made it by the second inning. The Jays shellacked the Yankees 13 – 5 and Jeremy Accardo made his debut on the “sinking ship” that was the Jays in that game. I had found my love

From that point on I have lived and breathed Jay’s ever since, from the agonizing 9th inning balk by Jeremy Accardo at Yankee stadium to the elation of Greg Zaun’s walk off Grand Slam against the Raysthe team has taken me through many highs and lows. They were there for me on a rainy night, there on a warm Sunday afternoon to drift off too while digesting a hearty breakfast and the remainder of Saturday night’s beverages. Whether I was watching the game on TV on the couch, listening on the radio while out in the car, or just constantly refreshing game logs and box scores while at work the Blue Jays have become a part of what makes me tick.

Hopefully reading about my journey with the Jay’s can bring up some of your own fond memories of the team, and you can cling to those memories instead of the memories of Ramon Ortiz still starting for the Jays.

May 15, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A general view of the Rogers Centre prior a game between the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

If you’re a 9-to-5er like me, you know that any weekday afternoon game is your worst nightmare. Not only do you miss watching your favourite team play, but you don’t have a game to look forward to when you get home.

Since the Toronto Blue Jays are playing at a very bizarre 4:37 PM time today, I thought it would be a good opportunity to share some tips and tricks on how to keep track of the game without your boss finding out.

First off, it’s good to get a sense of your options.

MLB Gameday (via MLB.com) is your best buddy as you get live, detailed updates that include a pitch tracker and video highlights. However, if any of your co-workers catch a glimpse of the computer screen, the video game-like graphics will be tough to argue your way out of.

Paying for an entire season’s worth of access to Blue Jays radio coverage via MLB.com might not seem worth it for only a dozen or so afternoon weekday games, but it’s certainly worth considering. Last year, I shelled out $19.99 for the privilege. Would I do it again? Probably not. Hard to justify when you’re likely already paying for a cable package.

Speaking of which, if you have Rogers you can register for Rogers Anyplace TV on your smart phone. Pop some earphones into the phone and viola! Suddenly, you’re ‘transcribing’ some ‘audio’ from a ‘conference’ for a ‘client’.  Just make sure to cover the screen and look like your listening intently every time someone passes your desk.

If you don’t have a smartphone, and your office job does not allow you to navigate the internet as you please, then you better pray that the nearest bathroom has some traces of WiFi to follow the game via Twitter. Helpful tip: stretch your legs every now and then. Dead giveaway if your legs fall asleep and you’re limping all the way back to your desk.

Now that you’re all set up, here are the steps to ensure that you don’t get busted and you remain in line for that promotion you so obviously deserve.

STEP ONE – PLAN AHEAD

When you arrive at the office in the morning, start casually dropping how ‘today is going to be one of those days’. Don’t stick around to chit chat with anyone and pace around the office furiously. Looking stressed gives everyone the impression that you are busy and working hard. Refilling coffee at inordinate times and swearing under your breath can help drive this home.

Consider even getting a jump on this ruse by telling everyone the day before how much you are NOT looking forward to the next day. Most people assume that no one would put this level of thought into procrastination so your co-workers are bound to believe you.

STEP TWO – PREP YOUR WORK STATION

Put yourself in other people’s shoes and try to get a sense of their vantage point when they pass your desk. If you’re watching MLB Gameday or streaming the game live, you’ll want to ensure that no one catches a glimpse or it’s game over.

Tilting your computer screen ever so slightly can allow you to watch what you please without causing your co-workers to be suspicious. Too much of a tilt and they’ll be very very suspicious of your secrecy.

For some people (myself included), having a computer screen that is out of public view is a luxury. Ditch the earphones and listen very carefully for people walking your way. Have another tab available on your browser so you can quickly link back to it should anyone walk past.

Sitting really close to your computer will at least allow your head to partially block the screen. Bad for your eyes?  Yes. Good for your career…uh, debatable. Maybe good in the short term at least.

STEP THREE – PLAN FOR GETTING BUSTED

The tips above are certainly not fool proof and you may very well get caught.

If your boss comes snooping along and you think he/she may have caught a glimpse, it’s time to shut down and bail. You’ll need to have some well thought out excuses in stock.

In more extreme cases, you might have to think of long lost pets and conjure up a few salty tears. It may even be time to feign a nervous breakdown.

One good backup plan is to have a half eaten sandwich around at all times. “What? It’s my lunch break!”

FINAL THOUGHTS

Enjoy the game this afternoon weekday warriors! Nothing quite beats the muffled excitement of a Jose Bautista home run from the comfort of your cubicle.

As someone who is experienced in these matters, I know firsthand that there are few things in this world more satisfying than dutifully watching a live box score and being rewarded accordingly for your patience and dedication.

And next time, consider taking a sick day. Sometimes it’s just not worth the stress.

Have any tips and tricks for watching the game at work? Let us know in the comments section below or tell us on Twitter @JaysJournal @donnieberaskow

Despite another rocky start for Ricky Romero, the bats were in gear as the Buffalo Bisons defeated the Charlotte Knights with a walk-off single by Andy LaRoche in the tenth inning to win 8-7. Ricky Romero lasted five innings on Tuesday night and only surrendered four hits but still walked six in giving up four runs. Dustin McGowan had his first rough outing on the comeback trail, getting only one out but giving up two hits and two walks, allowing three runs. Thad Weber made his Bisons debut after being picked up on waivers. He allowed two of McGowan’s inherited runners to score but continued to pitch two and two-thirds innings without giving up any runs of his own.

Andy LaRoche had another big game beyond singling in the winning run in the tenth. He also contributed with two doubles and drove in four runs. Mauro Gomez and Jim Negrych contributed with three hits apiece (Negrych is now hitting .394) while Josh Thole and Ryan Langerhans had two each. Catcher Mike Nickeas hit a double in a one for four game to raise his batting average to .113

Hitting:

Mike McCoy – 1/4, BB, SB
Jim Negrych – 3/5, R, 2B, RBI, K, PO, CS
Moises Sierra – 0/5, 2 K, OF Asst.
Josh Thole – 2/4, 2 R, RBI, K
Mauro Gomez – 3/5, 2 R, RBI, 2 K
Ryan Langerhans – 2/5, R, 3B, RBI, K
Andy LaRoche – 3/5, 2 2B, 4 RBI, K
Eugenio Velez – 0/4, 2 K
Mike Nickeas – 1/4, R, 2B, PB

Sept. 19, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ricky Romero (24) pitches against the New York Yankees during the second inning at Yankee Stadium. Yanks won 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Pitching:

Ricky Romero – 5 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 6 BB, 2 K
Juan Perez – 1 IP, 1 H, 1 K
Dustin McGowan – 1/3 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 BB
Thad Weber – 2 2/3 IP, 3 H, 1 BB, 2 K
Neil Wagner – W, 1 IP, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game:  Andy LaRoche

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (23-23)

The Fisher Cats couldn’t come back to win their fifth in a row and ended up taking the loss 5-3 to the Portland Sea Dogs. Starter Deck McGuire gave up nine hits and three walks in his six-plus innings and ended up being charged with four runs on the night. Tyson Brummett relieved McGuire with two runners on in the seventh but allowed both to score before giving up a run of his own. The bats were quiet, with only six hits for the team on Tuesday night. Clint Robinson had two (including a triple) while Brad Glenn and Kevin Pillar each hit a double and Pillar added an outfield assist, throwing out Red Sox prospect Xander Bogaerts at home to save a run (and end the inning) in the fifth. Brian Van Kirk had the ignominious honour of the Golden Sombrero, striking out four times.

Roster Notes: RHP Fernandeo Hernandez was activated from the DL and then released while OF Ricardo Nanita was promoted to Buffalo.

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 1/5, 2B, OF Asst.
Kevin Nolan – 0/4, K
Ryan Schimpf – 0/3, R, BB, 2 K
Clint Robinson – 2/3, R, 3B, RBI, BB
Brad Glenn –1/4, 2B, RBI, K
Adam Loewen – 0/2, R, 2 BB, K, SB
Brian Van Kirk – 0/4, 4 K
Sean Ochinko – 1/4, RBI, K
Amadeo Zazueta – 1/4, 2B, K

Pitching:

Deck McGuire – L, 6 IP, 9 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K, 1 HR
Tyson Brummett – 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Clint Robinson

Dunedin Blue Jays (25-17)

The Dunedin Blue Jays dropped an afternoon game 5-3 to the St. Lucie Mets on Tuesday. Two errors assessed to third baseman Andy Burns ended up giving the Mets the runs they needed to take the game from the D-Jays. Casey Lawrence didn’t have his best start, going five and two-thirds innings, giving all five runs (only three were earned) on six hits and a walk while striking out four. Tyler Ybarra and John Anderson came on to provide three and third innings of scoreless relief, keeping the Blue Jays in the game. The Dunedin hitters were mostly stymied by the Mets pitching, only getting six hits including a single and a double from center fielder Jonathan Jones who also drove in a run and stole a base. Andy Burns finished oh for three but drove in another run with a sacrifice fly and Jon Berti managed to steal his twenty-first base for the Blue Jays.

Roster Notes: The Dunedin Blue Jays put catcher Derrick Chung on the disabled list and assigned catcher Chris Schaeffer from extended Spring Training to take his place. Pitcher Shawn Griffith was also activated from the DL.

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 1/4, K, SB
Jonathan Jones – 2/4, R, 2B, RBI, SB
Andy Burns – 0/3, RBI, K, 2 E
Marcus Knecht – 1/4
K.C. Hobson – 0/4, K
Mike Crouse – 0/3, BB, 2 K, PO, CS
Pierce Rankin – 0/3, R, BB, K
Nick Baligod – 1/4, 2B
Shane Opitz – 1/3, R, BB, K

Pitching:

Casey Lawrence – 5 2/3 IP, 6 H, 5 R (3 ER), 1 BB, 4 K
Tyler Ybarra – 2 1/3 IP, 1 BB, 3 K
John Anderson – 1 IP

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Tyler Ybarra

Lansing Lugnuts (19-23)

The Lansing Lugnuts continued their hot streak, defeating the Lake County Captains with a four-run eighth inning to cap an 8-5 victory. Starter Taylor Cole went five innings and struggled, giving up seven hits and four walks but the bullpen, which has been a real strength lately, stepped in to finish the game with four strong innings, giving up only one unearned run. Dalton Pompey continues to be cold at the top of the batting order but Gustavo Pierre has been very hot, bumping his batting average to .290 by going three for four with two doubles and five RBI. Chris Hawkins, who has been sliding of late, got off the schneid with a two-for-three game including a key RBI double in the eighth.

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey – 0/5, K
Dwight Smith, Jr. – 0/4, R, K, SB
Christian Lopes – 1/2, 2 R, 2 BB
Kevin Patterson – 2/4, R
Carlos Ramirez – 0/1, R
Gustavo Pierre – 3/4, R, 2 2B, 5 RBI, SB, CS, E
Kellen Sweeney  -  0/3, R, BB
Chris Hawkins – 2/3, R, 2B, RBI, BB, SB
Seth Conner – 0/4, RBI
Emilio Guerrero – 1/4, RBI, K, CS

Pitching:

Taylor Cole – 5 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 1 K
Justin Jackson – 2 IP, 1 H, 1 R (0 ER), 2 K
Tucker Donahue – W, 1 IP, 1 BB, 1 K
Wil Browning – S, 1 IP, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Gustavo Pierre

If you like what you’ve seen by Jay Blue, read his work and listen to his podcast on Blue Jays from Away and follow him on Twitter: @Jaysfromaway.

While he wasn’t yet the efficient , strike throwing machine of last season, Dickey managed to get through 8 innings (albeit with 120 pitches) giving up just 4 hits and walking 4 more. Dickey induced 15 swinging misses (a season high). Anytime you have a pitch moving in ways that makes Ben Zobrist look silly while trying to lay down a bunt, it’s probably a good sign.

As usual this GIF comes compliments of http://www.gamereax.com

Check out this story over on GameReax for more Dickey GIF fun-ness!

News & Notes

Ricky Romero starts tonight for AAA Buffalo, and the Bisons manager had some things today about the lefty’s struggles

Romero makes third Buffalo start tonight. @bnharrington talked to coach Bob Stanley about RR’s “big rut.” blogs.buffalonews.com/insidepitch/20…

— John Lott (@LottOnBaseball) May 21, 2013

  Josh Johnson has started his rehab assignment, which means staff ace Ramon Ortiz may be short-lived for the Jays roster.

Josh Johnson tonight in rehab start for Dunedin #BlueJays: 3IP/3H/1R/0BB/5K. Run scored in 2nd inning on 1B/SB/1B. — John Lott (@LottOnBaseball) May 21, 2013

Line Ups

Tonight’s @bluejays lineup:Cabrera-LFBautista-RFEncarnacion-1BLind-DHArencibia-CLawrie-3BRasmus-CFBonifacio-2BKawasaki-SSOrtiz-P

— Blue Jays-Official(@BlueJays) May 21, 2013

#Rays lineup in TOR: Jennings CF, Joyce RF, Zobrist 2B, Longoria 3B, Loney 1B, Scott DH, Johnson LF, Lobaton C, Escobar SS, Cobb P

— Tampa Bay Rays (@RaysBaseball) May 21, 2013

Question of the Day

Game Updates

I’ll be updating as the game goes along, as per usual if you have anything insightful to say (or anything at all I suppose) join me in the comments section below. Have some weird Disqus/commenting related phobia? Never fear! You can also hit me up on the Twitter machine at @travisb31, maybe throw a little #jaysjournal on there too just for fun, and I’ll embed any good ones I see…you’ll be famous!

May 1, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (2) gets back to second base on an overthrow to Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Maicer Izturis (3) in the first inning at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

That type of performance got me thinking, a scary thought I know, but true nonetheless. As impressive a span as that has been for Cano over the course of just half a season, where does it rank among the top single-season performances by batters against the Blue Jays.

Over the years, the Blue Jays have been torched by Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, Jim Rice, Cecil Fielder, and Ken Griffey Jr. just to name a few. However great the seasons put forth by these luminaries of the bat, they do not rank among the greatest single-season victimizers of the Blue Jays.

5.) David Ortiz – Boston Red Sox – 2005

Ortiz hit a mighty .301 with 7 home runs, 9 doubles, 21 RBI, and a 1.119 OPS against Toronto during the Red Sox run to the World Series in 2004. However, he topped that in 2005, when he equalled those 7 home runs, set an opponents record with 24 RBI, posted a 1.164 OPS, knocked out 25 hits, and scored 13 runs in the process.

4.) Robin Yount – Milwaukee Brewers – 1978

Hall-of-Famer Robin Yount remains one of the most under-rated players in the history of the game, but his 1978 performance against the Blue Jays was not. The Jays struggled to get Yount out at all that season, as the then shortstop set an opponents mark with a .473 batting average, placed 6th in hits, 7th in OPS, and 4th in on-base percentage.

3.) Bobby Grich – California Angels – 1979

One year after Yount tortured the Toronto Blue Jays, Bobby Grich stamped his name into the official team killer list.In 1979, Grich would set the opponents standard for OPS (1.520) and slugging percentage (1.000) , while placing second in batting average (.455), tied for third in home runs (7), and tied for ninth in RBI (18) . Oh, and he did that in just 12 contests.

2.) Chris Davis – Baltimore Orioles – 2012

2012 was the year Chris Davis put his name back on the map. Unfortunately, he also used that season to tattoo the ball off of Blue Jays pitching. His 9 home runs in 2012 ties Manny Ramirez for the most ever in a single-season against Toronto. His 1.365 OPS that season also ranks 5th all-time by an opposing batter.

1.) Jacoby Ellsbury – Boston Red Sox – 2011

During Ellsbury’s surprising 2011 campaign, the Boston center fielder was consistently ripping the ball off of every pitcher in his path. That was especially true that season against Toronto, where Ellsbury hit an astounding .420 with a 1.225 OPS in 87 plate appearances against the Blue Jays that season. That season ranks as the single-season high of 34 hits and 62 total bases by an opposing batter against the Blue Jays, and also set a opponents record of 22 runs scored.

February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Gose (8) during spring training against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The Blue Jays had no new injuries and Gose doesn’t have an open position on the team so it seemed like a strange move.

According to Gibby the Jays called Gose up for a couple reasons.

To be a late inning defensive replacement in left field to give Melky and his sore hamstrings some time off his feet and to be a pinch runner.

With Rajai Davis still on the DL the Jays needed someone to do those things. Gose’s call up might be a sign the Jays expect Rajai to take longer to get back then they thought. Gose will probably go back to the minors when Rajai gets back.

Usually you wouldn’t want one of your top prospects coming to the big leagues if they’re not going to get every day at bats. But with the Blue Jays already on the outside of the playoff race looking in desperate times call for desperate measures.

It could also mean the Jays may not think so highly of Gose anymore so they don’t mind messing with his development.

The funny thing is before the season if you knew Gose was going to be in the big leagues in May the obvious solution would have been put him in right field and let Bautista and Edwin split time at 1st base and DH. But Adam freaking Lind is actually hitting to well to take him out of the lineup.

Gose is also a left handed hitter that struggles against lefties even more than Rasmus so his presence isn’t going to change the Jays bizarre combination against lefties of Rasmus in center, Bonifacio in left field and Melky at DH.

If Rasmus absolutely needs to be pinch hit for with a right handed hitter because a tough left handed reliever comes into the game Gose can take over for Rasmus at center field. And he’ll be an upgrade to!

You’d also have to imagine Gose will get the odd start in center field every now and then.

You’d probably be lying if you said you didn’t think Gose might be here because the leach for Rasmus is getting shorter. But it’s hard to imagine him doing enough to impress in the limited at bats he’ll get to steal the center field job.

Or maybe the Jays are thinking Gose could have enough success while he is in the big leagues to increase his trade value. Obviously he wouldn’t be able to increase his trade value by much in limited big league at bats but he could increase it enough to be an added piece to a trade.

However long Gose is in the big leagues his defense, base running and hopefully hitting should be fun to watch.

The Charlotte Knights pitching held the Buffalo Bisons to only six hits in a 5-1 loss for the Herd on Monday. Starter Dave Bush struck out seven in his six innings but was plagued by the home run, giving up two to account for part of the four runs he gave up. It was a quiet night for the offence with only Mauro Gomez tallying more than one hit. Jim Negrych went oh for four with two strikeouts, bringing his batting average back under .390. In the loss, former Blue Jay Lars Anderson (at least for Spring Training) hit a home run off of Bush.

Roster Notes: The Blue Jays recalled Anthony Gose to the major league squad and optioned Mickey Storey out to Buffalo. Additionally, the Jays claimed pitcher Thad Weber off waivers and optioned him to Buffalo.

Hitting:

Eugenio Velez – 1/4, K, SB
Jim Negrych – 0/4, 2 K
Moises Sierra – 1/4, 2B, K
Luis Jimenez – 0/3
Mauro Gomez –2/4, R, K
Josh Thole – 0/3, BB, K
Andy LaRoche – 1/4
Ryan Langerhans – 0/3, BB
Ryan Goins – 1/3, RBI, BB, K

Pitching:

Dave Bush – L, 6 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 7 K, 2 HR
Buddy Carlyle – 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 3 K, 1 HR
Mickey Storey – 1 IP, 2 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game:  Mauro Gomez

New Hampshire Fisher Cats (23-22)

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats jumped above the .500 mark on Monday night thanks to a strong start from Marcus Walden and a two-home-run game from Ryan Schimpf in a 7-3 win over the Portland Sea Dogs. Walden, the Eastern League Pitcher of the Week, wasn’t quite as good as he was in his last two starts but was very solid, giving up only three runs (two earned) in his six innings of work. Joel Carreno managed to get out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the eighth inning and struck out all five batters he faced to nail down his fifth save of the season. Schimpf had the only two-hit game of the night for the Fisher Cats with both hits leaving the park, driving in five of the team’s seven runs. Schimpf now leads the Eastern League with eleven home runs.

Marc Hulet of Fangraphs attended the Fisher Cats game against the Trenton Thunder last week and you can read what he wrote about pitcher Sean Nolin and outfielder Kevin Pillar.

Hitting:

Kevin Pillar – 0/5, R, 2 K, OF Asst.
Ricardo Nanita – 1/3, 3 R, 2 BB, K
Ryan Schimpf – 2/4, 2 R, 2 HR, 5 RBI, BB, K
Clint Robinson – 1/4, R, 2B, BB, K
Brad Glenn – 1/4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K
Adam Loewen – 1/4, BB
Sean Ochinko – 1/3, K
Jack Murphy – 0/1
John Tolisano – 0/4, K
Amadeo Zazueta – 1/4

Pitching:

Marcus Walden – W, 6 IP, 8 H, 3 R (2 ER), 2 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Evan Crawford – 1 1/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K
Joel Carreno – S, 1 2/3 IP, 5 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Ryan Schimpf

Dunedin Blue Jays (25-16)

The Dunedin Blue Jays won in walk-off fashion to take a 4-3 win over the St. Lucie Mets. Andy Burns was the hero with an RBI single with runners on the corners to score Peter Mooney and win the game in the bottom of the ninth. The big news was the appearance of Toronto Blue Jay Josh Johnson in Dunedin on a rehab assignment. He pitched the first three innings of the game, giving up one run on three hits while striking out five. Eric Brown, fresh off the DL, pitched the next two and two-thirds shutout innings. Another concerning event was catcher Derrick Chung leaving the game early for an unspecified reason. He was replaced by Pierce Rankin who ended up going two for four.  Matt Newman also had two hits while Jon Berti, K.C. Hobson and Mike Crouse each had a double.

Roster Notes: Top prospect Aaron Sanchez was put on the 7-day DL and Eric Brown was activated.

Hitting:

Jon Berti – 1/2, 2B, BB
Matt Newman – 2/5, 2B, K
Andy Burns – 1/4, 2 RBI, K
Jon Talley – 1/4, R, 2 K
Marcus Knecht – 0/4, 2 K
K.C. Hobson – 1/3, 2B, BB, K
Mike Crouse – 1/4, 2B, RBI, 3 K
Pierce Rankin – 0/2, BB, 2 K
Peter Mooney – 1/3, R, BB, K

Apr 21, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Josh Johnson (55) pitches to the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Pitching:

Josh Johnson – 3 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 K
Eric Brown – 2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB
Tony Davis – 1 1/3 IP, 2 K
Ajay Meyer – 1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 3 K
Danny Barnes – BS, W, 1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Josh Johnson

Lansing Lugnuts (18-23)

The Lugnuts swept their series against the Great Lakes Loons with a walk-off 4-3 victory in ten innings on Monday night. In the Lugnuts’ case, it was a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch by Carlos Ramirez that scored Dwight Smith, Jr. to take the victory. While he didn’t get the “W,” starter Alonzo Gonzalez pitched one of his best games of the year, going six and a third innings and giving up two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out two. Christian Lopes, who had been slumping lately, broke out in a big way, going four for five, hitting a triple and a home run on Monday night. That was part of the thirteen-hit attack for the Lugnuts but they were only able to convert that into four runs. Dwight Smith, Jr., Gustavo Pierre and Balbino Fuenmayor each had two hits while Dalton Pompey had a rough night, going oh for five with three strikeouts. Smith’s two-for-five night brings his batting average up over .300 (to .301) while Christian Lopes is now hitting .319.

Hitting:

Dalton Pompey – 0/5, 3 K
Dwight Smith, Jr. – 2/4, R
Christian Lopes – 4/5, 2 R, 3B, HR, RBI
Kevin Patterson – 0/3, RBI, BB
Carlos Ramirez – 1/4, RBI, 3 K, CS
Kellen Sweeney – 1/4, E
Gustavo Pierre – 2/4, R, SB
Balbino Fuenmayor – 2/4
Seth Conner – 1/4, RBI

Pitching:

Alonzo Gonzalez – 6 1/3 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 HR
Griffin Murphy – 1 2/3 IP, 3 H, 2 K
Arik Sikula – W, 2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K

Jay Blue’s Player of the Game: Christian Lopes

If you like what you’ve seen by Jay Blue, read his work and listen to his podcast on Blue Jays from Away and follow him on Twitter: @Jaysfromaway.

February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Gose (8) at bat against the New York Yankees during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

In a corresponding move, the team has optioned right-hander Mickey Storey back to Buffalo.

The 22-year-old Gose will be getting his second taste of Major League action, after appearing in 56 games with the Blue Jays in 2012. During that cup of coffee, the speedy outfielder hit .223 with a .622 OPS and 15 stolen bases in 189 plate appearances.

Gose created quite a stir in Spring Training, where he hit .267 and had an .804 OPS. However, he has thus far struggled a bit at Triple-A Buffalo, where he was hitting a measily .227 with 41 strike-outs in 183 plate appearances at the top of the Bisons’ order.

At the present time, the recall of Gose looks like it is more of a result of needing a bigger bench, especially with Melky Cabrera still nursing sore hamstrings. However, one would have to assume that the Blue Jays don’t want Gose to stay up for long if he is not going to get consistent at bats either.

Still, it is finally good to say that we are no longer rocking the 8-man bullpen and have some badly needed bench depth. Additionally, Gose’s presence will help interject some excitement into a fan base that badly needs something new to cling to.