The Blue Jays Thread.

[Sylvanfan]

Yeah Frank will be back to number 21 shortly here. For once the Jays are finally piling up some runs against the Rangers pitching. They're also holding the Rangers under 10 which is something the Jays haven't done much to the Rangers. Shawn Marcum didn't have his best stuff today, but managed to do a pretty good job getting his 6 innings in. He's had a pretty impressive run here of late giving the team pretty consistant pitching. Hopefully he's not like a Josh Towers v.2.0 or something like that.

[Machiavelli]

So Litsch and Towers each have another start before a decision has to be made as to who gets sent to triple AAA to make room for Burnett. So who do you think will be bumped out of the rotation?

I have a feeling that Litsch will, because wouldn't Towers have to clear waivers?

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Machiavelli

So Litsch and Towers each have another start before a decision has to be made as to who gets sent to triple AAA to make room for Burnett. So who do you think will be bumped out of the rotation?

I have a feeling that Litsch will, because wouldn't Towers have to clear waivers?

That, or you move one to the pen. Towers would have to pass through waivers, and we're paying his 2.7 or w/e million anyways. Might as well use him, I think he is a better option at this point anyways.

Litsch has been doing it with smoke and mirrors, he really isn't ready for prime time, so he should be sent down.

[ricoFlame]

closed out the rangers with a 4-1 win and the series sweep, mcgowan was solid again...jays have won 8 in a row at home. yankees coming to T.O. tommorow afternoon.

[Sylvanfan]

Well it's pretty standard for the Yankees to come and rough up the Jays and kill any momentum they seem to build up leading into this series. If you look at that series just after the break where the Yankees took 3 of 4 from the Jays where the Jays should have had a split and had a chance to win 3 of those games themselves. Than you look at how they lost 2 of 3 to Chicago and Tampa Bay. Take those three losses and add them to the win column and the Jays would be a respectable 59-51 and have a legitimate shot at the Wild Card. But they seem to always get to this mark and than fade back and put themselves back at square one.

At least they finally beat up on the Rangers for once. Something I don't think they've done for about 6 years.

[ricoFlame]

Jays are currently 5 games back in the wild card race...it's unlikely, but you never know. the tigers have lost a bunch lately making this a bit tighter.


WILD CARD RACE

TEAM W L Pct GB
Seattle 60 48 .556 -
Detroit 61 49 .555 -
NY Yankees 61 50 .550 .5
Minnesota 57 53 .518 4
Toronto 56 54 .509 5
Oakland 53 58 .477 8.5
Baltimore 52 58 .473 9
Chicago Sox 52 59 .468 9.5
Kansas City 48 62 .436 13
Texas 48 63 .432 13.5
Tampa Bay 42 68 .382 19

[flames_1987]

Until the Jays get to within 3 or less I'm not going to put much stock into this team making the post season. Not when a team like this has been so up and down all year, you just never know what your going to get each day

[Machiavelli]

The upcoming ome series against the Yankees is extremely important. If they can somehow manage to sweep the Yanks, the Jays will be in great position in the wild card race.

[Jiggy_12]

5 games out isn't bad...really about on par with what I was expecting at this time of year. I would have figured about 3-5 games back but with a better record. No teams are running away with it.

Still a chance, but we need a few more series sweeps like this one. That is what really helps.

[Caged Great]

The upcoming series is probably the most important one of the year thus far. They need to win at least 2 of the 3 against the Yanks. That would help make up some ground on them. If they can somehow manage to get within 2-3 games by the end of the month, I'll be really happy. Till then, I'm still pretty indifferent. (been let down so many times before)

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by Caged Great

The upcoming series is probably the most important one of the year thus far. They need to win at least 2 of the 3 against the Yanks. That would help make up some ground on them. If they can somehow manage to get within 2-3 games by the end of the month, I'll be really happy. Till then, I'm still pretty indifferent. (been let down so many times before)

it's at home, they're hot at home. expecting 3 for 3 isn't asking too much.

[flames_1987]

Nice to have an afternoon ball game on a monday. Every Yankee batter seems to get a deep count going at every AB. Not hard to see why they've been pounding the crap out of the ball lately.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

WILD CARD RACE

TEAM W L Pct GB
Seattle 60 48 .556 -
Detroit 61 49 .555 -
NY Yankees 61 50 .550 .5
Minnesota 57 53 .518 4
Toronto 56 54 .509 5

The problem is that there are four teams in front of the Jays right now. Even if they did sweep aside the Yankees chances are there are still that many teams in front of them as Minnesota likely takes 2 of 3 in it's next series. Theres just too many teams in front of them for the Jays to over take them all. They'll need to be red hot and they'll need 3 of those teams to fade off at the same time.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

The problem is that there are four teams in front of the Jays right now. Even if they did sweep aside the Yankees chances are there are still that many teams in front of them as Minnesota likely takes 2 of 3 in it's next series. Theres just too many teams in front of them for the Jays to over take them all. They'll need to be red hot and they'll need 3 of those teams to fade off at the same time.

exactly right, that's what makes it such a long-shot. ordinarily, 5 games is totally do-able.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

exactly right, that's what makes it such a long-shot. ordinarily, 5 games is totally do-able.

nah, 5 games is nothing to make up. It only takes a solid couple of weeks and the Jays could be 2 games back. For example if they sweep the Yanks or win the series 2-1. That will gain some ground.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by flambers

nah, 5 games is nothing to make up. It only takes a solid couple of weeks and the Jays could be 2 games back. For example if they sweep the Yanks or win the series 2-1. That will gain some ground.

Well 5 games can be made up on one team easily enough if you get hot....But not against 3 teams who are essentially that far up on them. What are the odds of the Jays going 10-2 and all of those other teams all going 5-7? Much better if it's one team, not three.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

Well 5 games can be made up on one team easily enough if you get hot....But not against 3 teams who are essentially that far up on them. What are the odds of the Jays going 10-2 and all of those other teams all going 5-7? Much better if it's one team, not three.

nah, I disagree in Baseball teams can move up the standings very quickly. The Jays need to go 8-2 and they could cut the games back very quickly.

Seattle 60 48 .556 - (last ten games 6-4) two game losing streak
Detroit 61 49 .555 - (last ten games 1-9) - they are falling fast
NY Yankees 61 50 .550 .5 (last ten games 6-4) 3 game winning streak
Minnesota 57 53 .518 4 (last ten games 6-4) 2 game winning streak
Toronto 56 54 .509 5 (last ten games 6-4) 3 game winning streak

Bottom three teams are gaining big ground on the top two teams

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by flambers

nah, I disagree in Baseball teams can move up the standings very quickly. The Jays need to go 8-2 and they could cut the games back very quickly.

Seattle 60 48 .556 - (last ten games 6-4) two game losing streak
Detroit 61 49 .555 - (last ten games 1-9) - they are falling fast
NY Yankees 61 50 .550 .5 (last ten games 6-4) 3 game winning streak
Minnesota 57 53 .518 4 (last ten games 6-4) 2 game winning streak
Toronto 56 54 .509 5 (last ten games 6-4) 3 game winning streak

Bottom three teams are gaining big ground on the top two teams

true, but the point is that the more teams between you and the playoff spot, the more you depend on certain results from other teams.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by flambers

nah, I disagree in Baseball teams can move up the standings very quickly. The Jays need to go 8-2 and they could cut the games back very quickly.

Seattle 60 48 .556 - (last ten games 6-4) two game losing streak
Detroit 61 49 .555 - (last ten games 1-9) - they are falling fast
NY Yankees 61 50 .550 .5 (last ten games 6-4) 3 game winning streak
Minnesota 57 53 .518 4 (last ten games 6-4) 2 game winning streak
Toronto 56 54 .509 5 (last ten games 6-4) 3 game winning streak

Bottom three teams are gaining big ground on the top two teams

How so? Looks to me like 4 of the 5 teams have the same record and the other team is fading fast. Baseball is a game where if you went 6-4 every 10 games you'd finish with about 97 wins and likely make the playoffs. So inorder to gain 5 games on a team thats going 5-5 every ten games you need to go on a tear of 15-5 just to catch them. Of the 3 teams who are basically in the Wild Card spot...I can only see one of them not playing 500 ball over a 20 game stretch. And I'll send you $50 via pay pal if the Jays are 15-5 in their next 20 games regardless of what the other teams do.

[ricoFlame]

Originally Posted by Sylvanfan

And I'll send you $50 via pay pal if the Jays are 15-5 in their next 20 games regardless of what the other teams do.

i really hope that you have to pay that come september.