Sept. 7-9: Blue Jays vs. Red Sox Series Thread

[Antithesis]

Toronto Blue Jays (78-58, conquering Kings of the universe) vs. Boston Red Sox Sux (64-72, the Canucks of MLB)

Probable Starters:

Monday @11:30 Mountain Time: TOR: Mark Buehrle, 14-6, 3.53 ERA; BOS: Rick Porcello, 6-12, 5.21 ERA
Tuesday @5:00 Mountain Time: TOR: R.A. Dickey, 10-10, 4.09 ERA; BOS: Henry Owens, 2-2, 5.87 ERA
Wednesday @5:00 Mountain Time: TOR: Drew Hutchison, 13-3, 5.07 ERA; BOS: Joe Kelly, 9-6, 4.84 ERA

I hate the Red Sox so much. Their fans are the worst. Their players are the worst. I know calling them the Canucks of MLB isn't quite right but, man. The Red Sox are the worst. I hope that the Jays just beat the tar out of them this weekend because they're the worst but also as punishment for rolling over completely to the Yankees recently.

Looking forward to watching the Jays RH power hitters hit over the Green Monster ... with the way they've been hitting there might be some gaudy numbers and that's cool with me.

If you're into this sort of thing, FanGraphs continues to list the Jays' odds of winning the AL East at about 70%. They have the odds of them being in the playoffs at 99.9% which is terrific and exciting and ... I don't really want them to win a Wild Card spot. Amazing how picky about that I have become after two decades, but there it is.

Stats Time!

Over his career, current Red Sox hitters have the following stats vs. Mark Buehrle: 196 AB, 58 H, 5 HR, 26 K, 0.296 AVG, 0.330 OBP, 0.490 SLG, 0.820 OPS
Over his career, current Red Sox hitters have the following stats vs. R.A. Dickey: 223 AB, 60 H, 7 HR, 40 K, 0.269 AVG, 0.309 OBP, 0.444 SLG, 0.753 OPS
Over his career, current Red Sox hitters have the following stats vs. Drew Hutchison: 95 AB, 33 H, 3 HR, 14 K, 0.347 AVG, 0.402 OBP, 0.516 SLG, 0.918 OPS

Over their careers, current Blue Jays hitters have the following stats vs. Rick Porcello: 173 AB, 53 H, 6 HR, 25 K, 0.306 AVG, 0.358 OBP, 0.491 SLG, 0.850 OPS
Over their careers, current Blue Jays hitters have the following stats vs. Henry Owens: NO AVAILABLE STATISTICS
Over their careers, current Blue Jays hitters have the following stats vs. Joe Kelly: 83 AB, 22 H, 4 HR, 18 K, 0.265 AVG, 0.386 OBP, 0.470 SLG, 0.856 OPS

OK!

BLUE JAYS!

LETS!

PLAY!

BALL!

[Violator]

Go sox

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Porcello has been on fire since coming back from the DL. Watch out for him today, he could single-handedly stifle the Jays offense. I'd like to call a guaranteed win tomorrow for Dickey, but he still gives up a fair amount of homers and Fenway is also a ballpark with some areas that the ball can get out easily. Then you have Hutch's awful numbers against the Red Sox as well as his awful road numbers against Joe Kelly's adequate numbers. I wouldn't be shocked to see the Jays drop 2 out of 3 against a team that has been 7-3 in its last 10 games (although 3 of those were against the Phillies).

After hearing my Sox fan cousin tell me today that Pedroia is the best 2nd baseman of all time, I really hope the Jays tear the Red Sox a new one starting today. I agree with the OP: Worst fans anywhere, even worse than Yankees fans.

[SportsJunky]

Originally Posted by Violator

Go sox

A Red Sox fan and a Canucks fan? Welcome! Its been a tough year for you.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

If you're into this sort of thing, FanGraphs continues to list the Jays' odds of winning the AL East at about 70%. They have the odds of them being in the playoffs at 99.9% which is terrific and exciting and ... I don't really want them to win a Wild Card spot. Amazing how picky about that I have become after two decades, but there it is.

Yeah, playoffs is no longer an issue. The only acceptable outcome at this point is winning the division.

For anyone interested, here is what needs to happen for the Jays to miss the playoffs entirely (no 1-game tiebreaker), assuming they go 13-13 the rest of the way:

NY finishes 16-11 or better, AND

Texas finishes at least 21-6 AND Houston finishes at least 17-8, AND

Minnesota finishes at least 22-4 OR LAA finishes at least 23-3

If one of those teams did one game poorer, it would mean a tiebreaker for the Jays.

If the Jays did worse than 13-13, adjust these numbers down equivalently.

As for the division, if the jays finish 15-11, NY would have to go 19-8 to win.

If the Jays take 4 out of 7 against NY and go 10-9 against the rest of the field, NY would have to go 14-6 against others to win.

[Blaster86]

Originally Posted by Violator

Go sox

You seem lost.

[MyFlamesFirst]

Predicting a big game from tulo. Something like 3 for 5 with 3 rbis.

[Yoho]

Unreal!

[Skaloper]

Looks like the Into was correct! So much for that Green Monster.

Josh Donaldson HR!

[GirlySports]

Woooo!

[Cali Panthers Fan]

JD! MVP! Even Jerry Remy from the Red Sox broadcast called him the MVP this year.

Unreal. Best trade ever.

[Antithesis]

Yet another first inning HR for the MVP. He's going to have fun with the Green Monster.

[Antithesis]

Uh oh. Goins limping on the way to first.

[Skaloper]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

Uh oh. Goins limping on the way to first.

Didn't look good.

[Lil Pedro]

I thought that check swing call was garbage by the ump

[Antithesis]

Originally Posted by Lil Pedro

I thought that check swing call was garbage by the ump

I'd say it was borderline for sure; the bigger problem for me was the ump beaking at Martin as he was walking off the field. That's not OK.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

I know Buehrle always gives up a fair amount of hits in a game, but he looks like he's struggling a little. I hope the bullpen is ready today.

Edit: oh dear god, Loup is up.

[KelVarnsen]

Buherle getting hit a lot.

[Antithesis]

Hopefully he can scratch and claw to keep things close - still only at 40 pitches.

Then Ortiz hits one off the monster - thought for sure they had him at second base there.

Jays have hit Porcello in the past so it's far from over at this point.

[Cali Panthers Fan]

Not many easy outs for Buehrle. Looks like he's struggling with control. Still, if anyone can gut out a few more innings it's Buehrle.