Toronto Blue Jays Series simulation: Athletics vs. Jays

With the season on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m doing a game by game simulation based on the Blue Jays schedule using the online version of Statis Pro.

For those of you that follow Mike Wilner on Twitter, you’ve probably noticed the simulated season he’s been doing. What he’s been up to lately is very similar to what I’m doing, just that we’re using different games to do it. I have also made an account for the simulations on Instagram that can be followed @jays.simgames.

The Jays kick off their 10 game road trip with a three game series in Oakland.

How Statis Pro Works

Just like a real ball game, you set your lineup by choosing each player’s spot in the batting order, and everything else that comes with managing a ball game. Basically you are the manager.

To play, you have cards that you go through that have a bunch of information on them. Each pitcher has a PB number with the lowest number starting at 2, and the highest number going at 9. For example, Hyun-Jin Ryu has a PB of 2-9 so if you flip a card with a PB of 7, you go based off the stats on his card. If you flip a card and get a PB of 11, you go based on the stats of the batter’s card.

After you flip the first card, you have to flip another card to determine the random number. Let’s say you get the first card of a PB 7 with Ryu pitching and the random number is 38. Ryu’s card may have a strikeout from the numbers 22-46, meaning if you get a PB 7 and a random number of 38, Ryu struck out whoever he faced.

Let’s say Ryu is pitching and he’s facing J.D. Martinez of the Red Sox. You flip the first card and get a PB of 10 and you flip the next card and get a random number of 26. Martinez’s card may have a double to centrefield as 24-26, meaning if you get a PB of 10 and a random number of 26, Martinez got a double off Ryu.

Game 38

Starting pitchers 

Blue Jays: Matt Shoemaker
Athletics: A.J. Puk

Lineups 

Blue Jays

Bichette SS
Panik 2B
Grichuk RF
Tellez 1B
Hernandez DH
Biggio CF
Drury 3B
Jansen C
Fisher LF

Athletics

Semien SS
Piscotty RF
Chapman 3B
Olson 1B
Davis DH
Pinder LF
Laureano CF
Murphy C
Kemp 2B

Game recap 

In the bottom of the 3rd, Jansen got ejected for arguing balls and strikes. In the 6th, Piscotty hit a home run for the only run of the game.

Final score: Athletics 1 Blue Jays 0

Key stats (Athletics)

Puk: 7.2 IP 7 K 4 H 0 BB 0 ER W

Piscotty: 2 for 4 with a HR

Key stats (Blue Jays)

Bichette: 2 for 4 with a double

Game 39

Starting pitchers 

Blue Jays: Chase Anderson
Athletics: Mike Fiers

Lineups 

Blue Jays

Bichette SS
Biggio CF
Grichuk RF
Tellez 1B
Hernandez DH
Shaw 3B
Jansen C
Panik 2B
McKinney LF

Athletics

Laureano CF
Semien SS
Chapman 3B
Olson 1B
Davis DH
Piscotty RF
Brown LF
Murphy C
Kemp 2B

Game recap

The Jays scored two runs in the 2nd in which Shaw started off the inning with a homer and Jansen came home on a McKinney double. The Jays put up three in the 4th as well as three more in the 5th with Shaw started it off with another homer. They also scored in the 6th with a Jansen single scoring Hernandez. Starting with one out in the 4th, Anderson retired 12 straight batters. In the 8th, Murphy hit a home run and the A’s put up another run in the 9th.

Final score: Blue Jays 9 Athletics 2

Key stats (Blue Jays)

Anderson: 9 IP 9 K 5 H 1 BB 1 ER 1 HR CG W

Bichette: 2 for 6 with 2 doubles

Biggio: 2 for 3 with a double and 2 walks

Shaw: 3 for 5 with a double and 2 HR

Panik: 3 for 5 with a double

Key stats (Athletics)

Fiers: 3.2IP 2K 10H 0BB 2ER L

Olson: 2 for 4 with a double

Murphy: 2 for 3 with a HR

Game 40

Starting pitchers 

Blue Jays: Trent Thornton
Athletics: Sean Manaea

Lineups 

Blue Jays

Bichette SS
Panik 2B
Grichuk RF
Tellez DH
Hernandez LF
Biggio CF
Jansen C
Drury 3B
Alford CF

Athletics

Laureano CF
Semien SS
Chapman 3B
Olson 1B
Davis DH
Canha LF
Piscotty RF
Pinder 2B
Allen C

Game recap

In the 7th, Semien tripled home Allen and ended up scoring on a passed ball. To start off the bottom half of the 8th, Olson went deep. At one point during the game, Manaea retired 16 consecutive batters.

Final score: Athletics 3 Blue Jays 0

Key stats (Athletics) 

Manaea: 8 IP 12 K 1 H 1 BB 0 ER W

Semien: 1 for 3 with a triple and a walk

Olson: 1 for 4 with a HR

Davis: 2 for 4 with 2 doubles

Allen: 1 for 3 with a double

Key stats (Blue Jays)

Panik: 2 for 3 with a walk

Blue Jays simulation record: 25-15

With a 25-15 record after 40 games, where do you think the Jays would be in AL East? How do you think a record of 25-15 would compare with other teams? Let me know in the comments