Simmer Down Jays Fans
Rogers Sportsnet's Scott Carson echoes the same sentiment shared by Jeff Blair from the Globe and Mail that the Johan Santana trade to the National League is good news for the Blue Jays. Well, Blair actually says that it's okay news, but coming from our favourite curmudgeon that's the equivalent of a ticker tape World Series parade.
I can almost see a play shaping up for next year's fringe festival. It's a series of vignettes with Jeff Blair, played by Tom Wilkinson, receiving good news:
Doctor: Congratulations Mr. Blair. It's a girl!
Jeff Blair: Meuh. I've seen better.
Look, I'm as unrealistically excited as the next guy about the Jays chances this coming year, but seriously, let's not start planning our sad attempts at receiving celebratory World Series winning kisses from in-game hostess Jill just because a couple of pitchers won't be pitching for an American League East team next year.
In this case, "good news" for us is actually better news for the Yankees and Red Sox.
Pardon the pun, but the evil empires are in the midst of such an enormous arms race that Santana to the NL is almost preferable to having the all-star join their team. The idea of trading prospects and dropping even more money on luxury tax is only appealing to the Yanks and Sox because it would cock block the other from getting Santana.
The Jays actually play quite well against Santana anyway. Santana's stats against AL East teams over the last three years are as follows:
Toronto 1-3, 7.44 ERA, 1.57 WHIP
Boston 1-1, 2.63 ERA, 1.29 WHIP
New York 2-0, 2.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
Tampa Bay 3-1, 2.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP
As for the imminent Erik Bedard departure from our dear division, Carson points out that it potentially saves the Jays from facing Bedard upwards of six times. Well, it actually saves our main competition as well, and a Bedardless division actually does more for the Yankees and Rays than it does for the Jays.
Bedard's stats against AL East teams over the last three years:
Toronto 2-3, 4.13 ERA, 1.39 WHIP
Boston 3-3, 4.57 ERA, 1.35 WHIP
New York 3-1, 2.85 ERA, 1.12 WHIP
Tampa Bay 9-2, 2.58 ERA, 1.27 WHIP
Posts
8 comments:
What's the lesson here? That while we can mash ace lefties, we have problems hitting shitballers like Steve Trachsel. Great way to build a lineup in a league dominated by RHP.
I seriously don't know how anyone hits Trachsel. He never throws a fastball and takes a minute between each pitch. He lulls guys to sleep.
It's true though, the Jays lineup crushes left-handed pitching and, last year at least, pulls up limp against right handers.
Someone was mentioning V-Dub's splits yesterday, and his success against lefties compared to righties. It's pretty much the same all the way down the predominantly RH order.
Which, of course, was one of the underlying reasons for the Rolen deal.
Anyway, the Bedard thing actually really hurts us in that it gives one of our main Wild Card rivals a stud lefty.
A part of my thinks Seattle will be terrible, but if their "big bats can bounce back" (sounds familiar), they have a solid lineup and a strong rotation. A little scary.
I don't think Richie Sexon is coming back. Hasn't it been two down years in a row for Beltre? And Jose Vidro? All they've really got is Ibanez and Ichiro, and I'd still take our staff over theirs, and our bullpen. But they don't have to play the gruesome twosome nearly as me.
Beltre was decent last year if not exactly great.
.276 26 HR 99 rbi 87 runs
He's a good defender too. If we get those numbers out of Rolen we'll be dancing in the street
The thing with the Bedard trade is that it would help the Mariners now, but also the Orioles clearly win that deal, and thats never a good thing. Adam Jones would be a top 10 prospect in baseball. With Santana, it just means 1 less team to worry about right now (Twins).
It seems that the teams competing with the Jays for a playoff spot are, in decreasing threat, are: New York, and Clevland. I don't see Seattle as much of a threat, the Twins won't do much this year...and this is presuming the the division winners are Angels, Tigers, and Red Sox. There are still some pesky teams, like Texas and Chisox, but bottom line is we'd have to beat out BOTH Cleveland and New York for the Wild Card spot.
Had the Twins been able to keep Santana they'd have had WC chance. Liriano is ready to roll again . . . he's potentially better than Santana.
Post a Comment