Game 15 – Stealing Wins

This is a game you would like to see the Jays win. Sure they had no business drawing even, but thanks to a gift from Broussard they did, and then they had several chances to win and did not take advantage. To make the playoffs, they are going to have to occasionally steal a game they had no business winning. Plus this was another opportunity to take advantage of a LH and the Jays could not mustering only 2 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings against Gabbard.

I don’t have a problem with the way Gibbons handled his bullpen this game. Yes he ran out of relievers but you don’t plan on 14 innings, despite what I heard from several callers during the Jays post game. I’m taking a guess here, but I figure you can count the # of games on one hand that will last longer than 12 innings for the Jays this season. At the time of each move, particularly pulling Tallet after 0.2 IP, and Frasor after 0.1 IP I thought it was the right move, so I’m not going to say now that it was bad just b/c the game went 14.

Hats off to Carlson for coming in and striking out the side with bases loaded in the 11th and then gutting out 2 more innings w/o surrendering a run. He is impressing so far and the only problem is w/B.J. Ryan back they now have 4 lefties in the bullpen, leaving just 3 righties. Yes teams are always saying they want that extra lefty in the bullpen, but that is usually b/c they only have 1 good one. The fact is you are going to face more RH hitters. Of course Ryan is your closer, and Tallet actually did better against RH’s last year so they may not be as bad off. But if there is one place the Jays have depth, it is in the bullpen and should they decide to make a trade I would not be surprised to see a reliever on his way out.

14 innings means there are more stats: Completing what I’m guessing would be a rare feat, Hank Blalock had the hat trick in the Advance department, 1 of each.

Adv: Murphy, Blalock, Hamilton
P-Adv: Tallet (1), Downs (1), Carlson (1)
Adv+: Blalock
P-Adv+: Litsch (1)
NAdv: Blalock
P-NAdv: Ryan (1)
WG: Litsch (1), Wells (1), Hill (3)