SB Nation - Raul Chavez

Won't You Please Let Me Go: Arbitration for Eligible Jays?

hugo — Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:38:02 -0000

More photos » by Darren Calabrese - AP

I'm not ready to let Jeremy Accardo walk away just yet (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese)

Following up on Tom's post, I figured I'd take a break from my too-long hiatus to put up my views on the arbitration-eligible Jays.

I don't see the point in offering Shawn Camp arbitration. He pitched well for the team last year but there are cheaper alternatives that have more upside. And he's not even a FA after 2010, as far as I know, so there's not really a reason to keep him around for the draft pick (assuming you think he could get there) either.

Jeremy Accardo, I would offer a contract. Obviously Cito doesn't like him, but he has talent and would be a mainstay in a number of MLB bullpens. I would try to trade him. If they can't get anything useful back, I'd see if he can make the big-league bullpen out of spring, which I think he can. If he doesn't make the team, I'd release him then out of fairness to Jeremy or trade him for whatever is out there. Cito might be what we call testa dura, but he does change his mind about players sometimes and an improved attitude (and, more importantly, improved control) on Jeremy's part could give him a new lease on his Jays career.

Jose Bautista has to be non-tendered, in my view. Even if the Jays want to keep him, I think they can non-tender him and retain him for less money. $4 million is way too much for a utility player (which is what he better be) on a non-contending team. I don't see a lot of teams knocking down the door to snatch him up and if someone wants to give him a starting job, more power to him.

Raul Chavez, I'm not sure it matters one way or the other but he did a nice job last season. I'm not a fan of what I consider to be over-catching, but the pitchers didn't seem to mind.

Casey Janssen and Dustin McGowan, I think you absolutely have to offer deals. Neither is going to cost much more than the minimum and while there are huge long-term concerns for both (McGowan if he'll ever pitch again, Janssen if he'll ever be as good as he was), they do both have proven major league success and when you have the chance to get that for close to the minimum, you take it.

Shaun Marcum, Jason Frasor, and Brandon League to me are no-brainers, as is Brian Tallet. Tallet is right on the bubble of being a Type B free agent in 2010, is a useful lefty out of the pen, and shouldn't be too expensive.

Today's title from the incredible song "Age of Consent" by New Order, one of my favorite winter bands.
Stay warm.

Walk Off Wins are Great

Tom Dakers — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 04:42:27 -0000

More photos » by Darren Calabrese - AP

3 months ago: Toronto Blue Jays crowd around Marco Scutaro, left, after he scored the game-winning run on a wild pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning of a baseball game in Toronto on Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese)

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Rays 2 Blue Jays 3

We've lost enough games in walk off style, it is much nicer on this side. That 9th inning was interesting. Down by a run, facing J.P. Howell. John McDonald leading off the inning and Cito lets him hit. Truly a stupid move. Mac gets on base worse than almost anyone that plays professional baseball. And, surprise, he didn't get on. Then Cito pinch hits Rod Barajas for Raul Chavez. Chavez has been hitting better than Rod, but Rod is the streakiest hitter we've ever seen and he did hit a homer just Monday and has 4 hits in his last two game. I'm going to give credit for Cito knowing that. And he hit one out to tie the game, against an excellent closer.

Then Marco Scutaro walked on 4 pitches. Aaron Hill flied out deep, he just missed it. Then Vernon Wells walked on a full count pitch. The ball four pitch looked like a strike to me but then strike two looked like a ball, so it all balanced out, winning run to second. Kevin Millar walked on 5 pitches, good job Kevin. I'm not a fan (no friggin' kidding) but he is smart enough to wait out a pitcher who has shown he has no control. Ruiz got to 2 strikes then Howell bounced a pitch 10 feet in front of the plate, Zaun tried to block it but he really had no chance.

Now I really want to rag on Cito for not pich hitting for Johnny Mac but we won. But still, how do you not pinch hit in that spot? I'm sure John is a great guy. I was very impressed, watching in Seattle, that he and Scoot stayed out taking ground balls longer than anyone else, each game. You would think a guy that only played occasionally wouldn't be the last one out there every day. But still, he can't hit at all, you gotta pinch hit for him there.

Offensively, we didn't do much at all until that 9th inning. We did load the bases in the 2nd inning but Mac struck out and Chavez ground out and we blew that chance. In the 5th Travis Snider lead off the inning by getting brushed by a pitch. Mac was up after him, I thought I hated the sac bunt more than anyone but I'd have had Mac bunt. Cito didn't and Mac popped out. Raul Chavez doubled but Travis couldn't score. A Scutaro pop out and a Hill strike out and that threat ended. We scored in the 6th off a Millar (!) double followed by a Jose Bautista double.

Pitching? Marc Rzepczynski went 5.2 innings of hitless ball, but by then he had thrown over 100 pitches and a single and Gabe Kapler homer and he left the game after 6 innings down by two. Scrabble was really good, he did walk 5 which is what got his pitch count up so high, but he struck out 7. He looks like a keeper. Lots of young pitchers walk too many but if he can keep the hits down he'll be good.

Our pen was great. Jesse Carlson pitched a perfect 7th. Scott Downs gave up a hit and a walk but started a nice DP on a ball hit back to him. And Brandon League gave up two soft hits but struck out the side around them. The guy can't throw anything straight, every pitch he has moves. He got the win.

It was a strange game. Two plate umpires were hurt by balls hitting them. The first, Jerry Crawford, took a pitch dead off the mask. The masks are great but if a ball hits straight on there is only so much force it can absorb. Then later in the game the new plate umpire, Tom Hallion took a ball in the chest. Again the padding is great but you get hit hard enough and it is going to hurt. So we were on to the third plate umpire. I don't think I've ever seen that before, three plate umpires in one game. Having guys changing into plate umpire padding a couple of times during the game made for a long game.

Jays of the Day are Barajas (.466 WPA), Ruiz (.239) and Bautista (.142). Hmmmm let's take that one away from Ruiz, looks like Fangraphs credited Ruiz for the wild pitch. Honorable mention to, oh lots of guys, Scrabble, Downs, Carlson, League, and Millar. Could say Wells too, he took some close pitches to get that walk, but I won't. Suckage Jays are McDonald (-.260 on a 0 for 4, though he made two terrific plays at third in the first inning) and Hill (-.194 for an 0 for 5 game). Snider came close at (-.098) but he did take one for the team to lead off the 5th which could have been a good thing had we scored him.

Anyway, tomorrow the Jays have an off day then we have 3 in Boston. Hopefully we'll win a couple. In other JP Riccardi said the Jays wouldn't be calling up J.P. Arencibia in September. I don't think any of us were expecting he would be called up.

And yep, I'm tired of seeing Millar in the cleanup spot and even more tired of watching him in the field. He did have a good game today, walking twice and hitting a double. But still, enough is enough. Let's go the last 37 games games without seeing that.

That was a sad effort. Rays beat Jays

Tom Dakers — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:46:18 -0000

More photos » by Mike Carlson - AP

I think he looked better with the long hair and unshaven. (AP Photo/Mike Carlson)

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Blue Jays 3 Rays 8

We really do have this ability to make bad pitchers look good. Scott Kazmir came into the game with a 6.50 ERA and we did seem to get to him a bit at the start, but either he settled down or we went to chasing pitches off the plate and we only got 3 runs in 6.1 innings off him, while striking out 7 times. The rest of the way the Rays pen shut us down.

Brian Tallet started well but gave up 4 runs in the 3rd and another in the 5th. In 5.2 innings he gave up 10 hits and 2 walks. not good enough. Josh Roenicke and Brandon League didn't do much better, though in League's case he gave up 4 soft hit ground balls, 2 went thru the infield for hits and 2 were outs. Casey Janssen pitched a perfect 8th and looked good.

Offensively we got 0 fors from our 'cleanup' hitter Kevin Millar, Adam Lind, Jose Bautista and Raul Chavez. Vernon Wells was 1 for 4 but other than the 1 hit he looked terrible. Aaron Hill hit a homer. Randy Ruiz was 2 for 4 and really hustles. I'm sure he's not the most talented player but he really seems to be trying his hardest.

I'd rant more about Millar but I'm tired and let's face it, it isn't getting us anywhere. I've been ranting about him since spring training and he is still here. With my luck he'll out last me. I'm not sure who deserves more scorn, JP for having him on the team or Cito for putting him in as cleanup hitter. If he is even invited to spring training next year I will burn both of them in effigy.

We have no Jays of the Day. Tallet (-.307) and Chavez (-.101) earn the Suckage award.

Tomorrow at 1:30 Eastern the Jays have Marc Rzepczynski (1-3, 4.38) goes against Matt Garza (7-8, 3.80). It's gotta be a better game than today's was.

Who ARE These Guys? - Cubs vs. Pirates Preview, Friday 8/14, 1:20 CT

Al — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:00:11 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

Write your own caption.

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A little over a year ago -- on July 24, 2008, just before last year's trading deadline -- the Pittsburgh Pirates began a trading spree that I think is nearly unprecedented in recent baseball history.

Today, August 14, 2009, as the Pirates come to Wrigley Field for a three-game series, know how many players are left from the 25-man roster on 7/24/2008?

Three. Ryan Doumit, Paul Maholm and Zach Duke. (Four, if you count Matt Capps, who was on the DL on 7/24/2008). All the rest are gone. Some of the players they have acquired or promoted are decent players; Andrew McCutchen is a real talent. Lastings Milledge has some talent, if he could ever actually put a full season together. Some of the pitchers have good arms. But basically, it's a Triple-A visiting team coming to Wrigley Field this weekend. The Cubs took two of three in two series earlier this year from the Pirates, one at Wrigley and one at PNC; this time, they both need to sweep, and should sweep. Aramis Ramirez returns today; that should help.

Courtesy of John Lewis' research on a SABR mailing list to which I subscribe, here's where the departed Pirates went:

LF Jason Bay              traded to Red Sox 2008
CF Nate McLouth           traded to Braves 2009
RF Xavier Nady            traded to Yankees 2008
OF Jason Michaels         free agency 2008
1B Adam LaRoche           traded to Red Sox 2009
2B Freddy Sanchez         traded to Giants 2009
3B Jose Bautista          traded to Blue Jays 2008
SS Jack Wilson            traded to Mariners 2009
1B-3B Doug Mientkiewicz   free agency 2008
2B-SS Luis Rivas          free agency 2008
INF Chris Gomez           free agency 2008
C  Raul Chavez            free agency 2008
P John Van Benschoten     free agency 2008
P Franquelis Osoria       free agency 2008
P Damaso Marte            traded to Yankees 2008
P John Grabow             traded to Cubs 2009
P Sean Burnett            traded to Nationals 2009
P Ian Snell               traded to Mariners 2009
P T.J. Beam               on waivers to Blue Jays 2009
P Denny Bautista          to AAA Indianapolis
P Yoslan Herrera          to AA Altoona
P Tyler Yates             on disabled list

Lewis also notes that:

The Pirates' record was 48-54 (.471) on July 24, 2008. Since then, it is 64-103 (.383).

Today's Starting Pitchers


Randy Wells Cubs	vs.	Charlie Morton Pirates

8-5	W-L	2-5
3.01	ERA	3.81
68	SO	33
25	BB	18
9	HR	4
vs. Pit	--	vs. Cubs

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Randy Wells	8-5	17	17	0	0	0	0	107.2	102	39	36	9	25	68	3.01	1.18

	W-L	G	GS	CG	SHO	SV	BS	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	K	ERA	WHIP
2009 - Charlie Morton	2-5	10	10	0	0	0	0	49.2	53	21	21	4	18	33	3.81	1.43

Charlie Morton will be making his second career start against the Cubs. He started a game for the Braves against the Cubs a year and a day ago on August 13, 2008. He didn't make it out of the third inning. The big blow off him was a home run by Jim Edmonds -- remember him? Geovany Soto hit a two-run double off Morton.

Randy Wells started and defeated the Pirates on July 1 in Pittsburgh, but the Pirates have remade their team since then. Three of the starting eight that day aren't on the Pirates any more.

The Cubs are on WGN today -- that's the only TV; there is no Pirates telecast. For other games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

SB Nation game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Pirates site Bucs Dugout.

Overflow comment threads will post today at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT.

Discuss amongst yourselves.

Long and it didn't end well, no not the Transformers movie. Jays lose to Yankees in extras.

Tom Dakers — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 22:13:18 -0000

More photos » by Kathy Willens - AP

4 months ago: Toronto Blue Jays' Randy Ruiz greets teammates in the dugout after hitting a second inning home run off Yankees starter A.J. Burnett in their baseball game at Yankee Stadium Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2009 in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

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Blue Jays 3 Yankees 4 (11 innings)

We had 14 hits and a homer, how can we have only scored 3 runs? I guess when all the hits but the Randy Ruiz homer were singles, that might have something to do with it. Every starter in the lineup had at least one hit, but we could have used some doubles.

On the good side, Randy Ruiz had 2 hits including his second home run in two games with us. In the game thread we were talking about labels. Ruiz wasn't brought up earlier because he had the label of 'minor league slugger' and that label cost us 4 months of watching Kevin Millar. Now Ruiz might not turn out to be great but the label cost us a chance of finding that out earlier in the season. It is sort of like we were told time and time again that Marco Scutaro was a 'utility infielder' so he couldn't be an everyday short stop. You would think baseball people would be smart enough to look past labels but they don't. I think Torgen suggested that 'reputations are the new inefficiency' meaning that if you picked up players with a 'label' they would come cheap and you could build a good team.

Also on the good side Brandon League pitched 3 very good innings to keep us in the game. Raul Chavez was terrific with 2 hits and a walk, a lot of hustle and picking a runner off first base. I really haven't been a big fan but he has taken a few walks lately and has a terrific arm. And Scoot was 2 for 5 with a walk.

Ricky Romero was good, not great but pitched out of trouble a few times. He did give up a couple of homers, but went 6 innings, with 4 hits and 3 walks against and struck out 5. A Quality start and against the Yankees that isn't bad. Shawn Camp wasn't good, he got thru his first inning of work by luck and a generous strike zone but his second inning he hit ARod and gave up a couple of singles to get the loss. He did pitch 3 innings just a couple of days ago so he maybe was a bit tired.

Romero hit Jeter on the foot in the first inning and Jeter came out of the game a couple of innings later. ARod took one hard off the elbow pad and it looked like it hurt but he stayed in the game. I hope neither is seriously hurt but then if ARod is in a little pain I won't be too sad. A.J. Burnett pitched well but made 3 wild pitches.

Jays of the Day are League (.342 WPA), Chavez (.238 and the picked off batter at first) and Scoot (.111). Lyle Overbay deserves honorable mention for 2 hits and 2 walks. Suckage? Well just about everyone else: Hill (-.270, 2 K's, looked awful at the plate and booting an easy double play play, getting one out but costing us a run in the first), Inglett (-.241, 3 K's), Wells (-.227, 2 K's, with truly the worst at bat you are likely ever to see in the 11th) and Edwin Encarnacion (-.109). Whoops missed Shawn Camp (-.214).

The first inning ball that Hill booted wasn't called an error because 'you can't presume a double play'. On the list of baseball rules I dislike, that is close to the top. Normal effort (which is the usual definition for an error) would have gotten us the double play and Ricky Romero out of the inning without a run against. Encarnacion also had an interesting play that inning, with runners on 2nd and 3rd there was a ground ball to him and he threw home, but Jeter turned back to third and beat out the throw back from Chavez. E5 should have ran towards Jeter before he threw to home. he could have forced Jeter to go towards home and made the play. You have to always be thinking out there on the field.

We start 3 games in Tampa Bay tomorrow Friday and Doc starts in the first game. In other news Cito said he isn't sure he'll be manager after next season.

"I probably want to do something else, as far as going and enjoying my grandkids and my time. I'll be 66, man. I don't think I'm going to be around here until I'm 70 like some of thee guys."

Wasn't a fun game but we had a good time in the thread. Join us tomorrow Friday.

Jays Beat Athletics Behind Cecil, Hill

hugo — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 04:34:29 -0000

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

4 months ago: Toronto Blue Jays' Lyle Overbay, right, is congratulated by third base coach Nick Leyva (16) after Overbay hit a homerun off Oakland Athletics' Trevor Cahill in the second inning of a baseball game Saturday, Aug. 1, 2009, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

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The Blue Jays took a 4th inning lead against the A's and held on for a victory tonight, 6-5!

On the Mound: Brett Cecil ran into problems in the second inning, allowing 4 runs on RBI doubles by Adam Kennedy and Bobby Crosby, but otherwise pitched quite well, going seven innings and blanking the A's other than that second frame. He struck out 3 and walked 1.

At the Plate: Lyle Overbay (2-3 with a walk and home run) started things off with a solo home run in the second inning. Raul Chavez was 2-4 with a double, new guy Edwin Encarnacion (1-4, run scored) got his first hit as a Jay, and Aaron Hill gave the Jays the lead with a 2-out, 3-run home run in the 4th inning. Heck, even Vernon Wells got on the board with a 2-4 day and a run scored.

From the Pen: After Cecil exited, Brandon League continued his excellent string of appearances with a seamless 8th inning. Scott Downs struggled in the 9th, though, and appeared to be hurt when he left the game, before Jason Frasor came on to finish the game, getting the last two outs.

Jays of the Day: Frasor, League, Hill, Overbay, Chavez.

Some Games are Diamonds

Tom Dakers — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 03:04:57 -0000

More photos » by Darren Calabrese - AP

Great picture eh? (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darren Calabrese)

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Indians 6 Blue Jays 10

Boy it is nice to see the bats come to life, 5 home runs in one game. I'd go back through our game to find out but I'd imagine we haven't hit 5 home runs in the last 10 games. Vernon Wells, Aaron Hill, Alex Rios and Marco Scutaro all went deep, Scoot twice. I guess it is no surprise to anyone to learn Marco hasn't hit two homers in a game before and with 8 on the season he only needs one more to match his career high. Even more amazing, Raul Chavez took his first walk of the season. That's the nice thing about baseball you can always see something you've never seen before. We haven't scored double digit runs since the end of May and we haven't hit 5 homers since May 30, 2006.

Ricky Romero pitched 5 very good innings but then in the 6th he gave up a hit, a walk and a homer. He did have some control problems, walking 5 but until the 6th he was able to pitch his way out of trouble. Can't fault him too much for the homer, up by 6 he had to challenge the hitter. We got the 3 runs back in the bottom of the inning. It would have been nice if he could have pitched deeper into the game but a rookie starter is going to some shorter starts. Romero is now 8-4 on the season.

Jays of the Day are Hill (.108 WPA), Rios (.100), Romero (.097) and Scoot (.092 and 2 homers). Vernon gets an honorable mention for the home run that got us on the scoreboard. No Suckage Jays today. Raul Chavez had the worst number (-.027), but he put down the nicest bunt in the 6th after Rios and David Dellucci walked. It was a perfect bunt. Then Scutaro hit his second homer of the day right after, that's the type of small ball I can get behind.

A very nice team effort, every player in the lineup had at least one hit or one walk. The game thread tonight was great fun, I guess a blow out will do that for you. Tomorrow night Mark Rzepczynski (1-1, 2.50) tries for our second series win in a row. Lefty David Huff (4-4, 6.60) starts for the Indians. Gotta love that ERA, maybe we can score 10 again.

Another long day of Doc trade rumors. Today the Tampa Bay Rays were rumored to be interested. Let's face it, every team in baseball would like to get Roy, I'll believe it when it happens.

Indians vs Blue Jays boxscore

Dellucci gets his first hit, we still lose

Tom Dakers — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:08:23 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

5 months ago: Baltimore Orioles center fielder Adam Jones leaps and robs Toronto Blue Jays' Alex Rios of a home run in the fourth inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 12, 2009, in Baltimore. The Orioles won 4-2. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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Blue Jays 2 Orioles 4

Not the way we'd like to go into the break. Those wishing for not a walk off got their way today but it wasn't great fun. David Dellucci got his first hit but Raul Chavez didn't get his first walk.

Marc Rzepczynski did a good job in his second big league start. 6 innings 5 hits, 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, 3 earned. 3 straight left handed rookies start for the Jays and three straight good starts, only one win. Shawn Camp gave up an unearned run in an inning of work, Marco Scutaro made just his 3 error of the year to help it along and Jeremy Accardo pitched a scoreless 8th.

Offensively we just didn't do enough, again. 8 hits, 2 each for Scoot and Vernon Wells. These two and Rolen are about the only hitters having a hot July, Vernon is hitting .372/.400/.581 for July. Yeah, I know, he's been hitting good on the road all year we'll believe it when he gets back to Toronto and gives us a couple of weeks of good hitting. Scoot is hitting .357/.404/.476 for July. O fors from Aaron Hill, Alex Rios and Scott Rolen. Rios did get robbed of a home run by a nice catch from Adam Jones. Hill's at .204 for the month so far. Hope he has a lot of fun at the All Star and comes back slugging.

No Jays of the Day today, Scutaro come closest at .050 WPA. Suckage Jay is Aaron Hill (-.185).

Frustrating times, as Cito said:

"We had a road trip where we scored a lot of runs and couldn't hold them, and then we couldn't score any runs," Gaston said. "We hit one day, didn't pitch one day, then we pitch and didn't hit, so that kind of sums up the road trip we just came off of here."

We gave Cito a lot of credit for the hitting at the start of the season, so I guess the proof will be if he can pull them out of their slump now.

I'm hoping there will be a couple of moves over the All-Star break. I'd like to Travis Snider back. A) he can't hit worse than Dellucci and B) even if he does let's let him learn from Cito and Tenance. Bring him up and play him everyday the rest of the way. The other, let Millar go and bring up Randy Ruiz or Brian Dopirak. Again they couldn't do much worse and Millar isn't going to be here next year (oh please let me be right on one) so we might as well take a look at guys that might be here. Give Millar Rance's job. I'm sure he'd do a great job.

Blue Jays vs Orioles boxscore

Brett Cecil, Scott Downs, and the Jays Cruise Past Orioles, 2-0

hugo — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:53:57 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

Brett Cecil had a great start, but it was also oh so nice to see Scott Downs back in the closer's role for the Jays as they shut out Baltimore, 2-0. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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The Jays got their Baltimore series off to a great start today with a 2-0 win against the Orioles, bringing your heroic azure corvids back to .500.

On the Mound:

Brett Cecil threw a very good 6 scoreless innings, rebounding from a rough one his last time out. Cecil, pitching in his home state of Maryland in front of his family and friends, took "Manly Deeds, Womanly Words" (the absurd state motto) to heart with 5 Ks and 2 walks, giving up just four singles. Cecil looked very good, generally keeping his fastball down and using his slider and change well. He got a strikeout on his curveball which was good to see.

At the Plate:

It was a quiet day for the Jays at the plate against starter Jason Berken and 2 relievers, with most of the damage being done by the bottom of the lineup. Lyle Overbay had a good day at the plate with 2 walks (the team's only two) and a single, Alex Rios was even better with two doubles, and Raul Chavez had an RBI double. Even whipping boy David Dellucci cashed a run with an RBI groundout. Everyone else was quiet, most notably Scott Rolen, who had his 25-game hitting streak snapped.

From the Pen:

Shawn Camp was initially called on to relieve Cecil in the 7th and did not look sharp at all. He gave up a double and walked Cesar Izturis (always a bad move), getting his only out on a Matt Wieters lineout. Jesse Carlson came in and got out of the inning with the lead and the shutout intact - a Brian Roberts long fly to right and an Adam Jones foulout to first. Carlson and Frasor split the 8th without much ado, and then Scott Downs was absolutely filthy in the ninth, carving up the Os with a groundout and two strikeouts - his hook was back in a big way.

It was a quiet day for the offense, but a good efficient win for a team that hasn't had many lately. Two more rookies will go at it tomorrow with Ricky Romero for the Jays and Brad Bergesen, who's been Baltimore's best pitcher, for the O's.

I can’t seem to find my way out of your hunting ground: Jays lose never ending game.

Tom Dakers — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 21:44:59 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

5 months ago: New York Yankees' Mark Teixeira, left, is tagged out attempting to score by Toronto Blue Jays catcher Raul Chavez during the first inning of a baseball game Sunday, July 5, 2009, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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Blue Jays 8 Yankees 10

Ok, all I really want to say about that game is: 18 runs were scored and our DH didn't come close to a hit. Still 0 for as a Jay. You know, JP, let's release him now. I'd much rather watch Ruiz or Dopirak even if they don't hit. At least they would be interesting to watch. Heck you could release David Dellucci and Kevin Millar at the same time and bring them both up. What can it hurt. They can't be worse than 0 for. Dellucci hasn't been good since 2006.

Other than that? Brett Cecil was terrible. B.J. Ryan was worse. He was lucky that Chavez threw out Cano stealing to get him one of the two outs he was on the field for. Add in that anything hit in the air to right seems to go out in that stadium and it wasn't a fun day offensively. Jesse Carlson, Brandon League and Jason Frasor each pitched a good inning.

Joba Chamerlain wasn't any better. And he is a human rain delay. I really do wish umpires would enforce the rules about how long a pitch has to throw the ball, we got 8 runs off him in 3.2 extremely slow innings. But then we couldn't score against Jonathan Albaladejo and Alfredo Aceves in 5.1 innings.

Offensively we got hits from everyone in the lineup except for the DH who shall remain nameless (and if JP has any brains soon jobless). Aarron Hill, Adam Lind, Alex Rios and Raul Chavez each had two hits. Hill and Lind had homers and Chavez had two doubles. And we did come back from down 4-0 to take a 8-4 lead.

Unfortunately, with the extra inning game yesterday game yesterday, Cito didn't have a full bullpen today and had to try to get inning out of Cecil. And in Cecil's defense, the home run he gave up was one of those Yankee Stadium wind blown ones. And he had to try to get some outs from BJ, which was a disaster. Even Dirk Hayhurst couldn't get us quality outs.

Jays of the Day are Alex Rios (.180 WPA), Marco Scutaro (.136), Aaron Hill (.109) and Lind (.099), I'm going to give one to Chavez as well, for the 2 doubles, the caught stealing and tagging out Mark Teixeira (with an empty glove, the ball in his other hand). Suckage Jays are Cecil (-.425), Ryan (.289), Dellucci (-.201) and Wells (-.099). Scott Rolen came close to suckage numbers despite getting a hit to extend his hitting streak to 22.

Tomorrow at 1:00 Eastern we have Ricky Romero trying to end the slide against Andy Pettitte. Hopefully it won't be a never inning game like today's. I'm sure this is what hell will be like for me, a never ending game with Rance Mulliniks doing color commentary and BJ Ryan pitching.

Thanks to Torgen for the post title from Tori Amos song 'I Can't See New York'.