Game 34 – 1st Pitch Hitting

For the 4th time in 4 games, it was Percival coming out of the TB bullpen to pick up the save against the Jays. For a guy who was retired he is certainly pitching well (and not just against the Jays).

I’m not sure if this is some kind of karma, but the game after Gibbons uses McDonald as a defensive replacement not only does 1 SS leave injured, but 2 leave hurt. Based on McDonald’s reaction it doesn’t look like he’ll be back soon so I guess that puts an end to the defensive replacement discussion, for now.

Nice to see Burnett throw some good curveballs and rack up the K’s (10 in total), its just too bad he also gave up 9 hits and 5 runs. And the 5th run came from none other than the newest Blue Jay killer, Eric Hinske, who homered in the 6th providing what ended up being a huge insurance run.

Whose the tall lanky LH coming out of the Jays pen? Oh wait, that’s just Brian Tallet making his 1st appearance since Apr. 24, a span of 11 days consisting of 10 games in which he did not pitch. He didn’t show much rust, as he just walked the 2 hitters in 2 innings.

The Jays showed some improvement going 2 for 6 w/RISP and they even had 2 SF’s. However, neither hit actually drove in a run. The Jays had their chance in the 6th, but Scutaro failed to be the 3rd different player to get a hit out of the 9 spot for the Jays.

I’m not one to really get on players for swinging at 1st pitches and I don’t blame Scutaro for it on that AB in the 6th. The fact is the 1st pitch may be the best pitch you see so why not swing. Unless you’re really trying to drive up the pitch count of the pitcher or you are giving a runner a chance to steal, the whole point of an AB is get yourself into a situation where you can get a pitch to hit hard. If the pitcher throws you a 1st pitch you think you can drive then swing away. Sometimes it looks really bad like when you pop it up or hit into a DP, but other times you get a hit or even a HR. Even sometimes when hitters are ahead 2-0, 3-1 they still pop it up or hit into a DP. Now I’m no professional hitter, but I think the key in those situations whether it be the 1st pitch, or when you are ahead in the count is to look for a specific type of pitch or a pitch in a certain location, if it is not there you just take it for a strike (or ball), if it is then you take a hack.

Lets check the stats:
NAdv: Bartlett, Rios (7), Hill (2)
P-NAdv: Sonnanstine 2, Burnett (4)
WG: Bartlett