LIVE Game Thread: Toronto Blue Jays (13-24) @ Boston Red Sox (22-14)

May 10, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Ramon Ortiz (34) pitches against Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (left) during the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

After watching last nights futility of… well… pretty much everything that’s important to winning a baseball game, I decided to take my seat at the bar and get myself ready for what could possibly be another very long afternoon of watch Toronto Blue Jays baseball.  In case you missed last nights debauchery for Boston Red Sox fans everywhere, to sum it all up: the Blue Jays fell flat on their face.

So how do you win ballgames?  GOOD PITCHING, FIELDING, AND HITTING!

Start with the pitching.  39 year old Ramon Ortiz filled in for a suddenly depleted Jays rotation.  How do you pitch well?  YOU DON’T WALK THE OPPOSING TEAM’S HITTERS!  Ortiz walked 5 Sox hitters over 5 innings.  Combine that with the 4 hits he also gave up, you have to wonder how Ortiz only gave up 1 run.  You have to wonder how Toronto General Hospital wasn’t filled with Jays fans suffering through massive amounts of anxiety and stress.  This was just the beginning.

2.) If the pitching performance didn’t trigger your acid reflux, then the fielding was sure to make you vomit.  How wild was Ortiz last night?  Well, you can tack 1 wild pitch and 1 throwing error onto the 5 walks.  I also hate running on a bus on Macier Izturis, since he was technically last night’s “hero,” but in his very limited playing time, he now has 4 errors on the season.  That ties him with fellow part time player Emilio Bonifacio for the team lead.  So why would Izturis be the “hero” for the game?

3.) Izturis was the ONLY BLUE JAYS PLAYER TO GET A HIT against Jon Lester last night!  Are you ****ing kidding me?  Lester was perfect going into the 5th when he gave up his lone hit of the night.  This is the same Lester that he been hit hard in his last 3 previous starts.  His worst start in that stretch came against TORONTO!  Lester has been walking batters (11 in his last 17.2 IP), yet our boys in blue couldn’t muster 1… single… free pass… to first base.  If you think this is the low point, you would be mistaken.

This afternoon, the Dirk Hayhurst anointed “cheater” Clay Buchholz, toes the mound.  I would imagine he’s a bit angry.  He’s still pitching lights out.  He’s the current Red Sox staff “Ace.”  The Blue Jays are sending out tough minded lefty, Mark Buehrle.  Buehrle’s got to be tough minded right?  Especially the way he’s been getting destroyed by AL East teams.  If you don’t think it’s been bad, let me show you his 2013 stat line against AL East opponents:

25 IP 30 H 20 R 19 ER 6 BB 16 K 9 HRA 6.84 ERA .291 BAA 

The Jays went 1-3 in those Buehrle starts.  Tonight’s match-up is essentially the equivalent of Prince Edward Island… trying to take over control of all of Canada.  It’s not going to be pretty.  Have your strong alcoholic beverage of choice ready.  I know I will!

News and Notes

Optioned RHP Michael Schwimer to Buffalo