Second Half starts off with a thud

[johnson]

Nothing like striking out 17 times in front of your home fans to lose to the worst team in the AL to kick off the second half!

The Jays are back. The ones we've known for like the past 12 years.

Dickey has no chance against the elite pitchers in the league and that's usually who he is squared off with.

AA needs to make a move before the deadline if he wants to have a chance at the playoffs. What they have now will not get it done. He should be fired promptly after Game 162 if they miss the postseason again.

 

[MrDoc420]

We're hanging on by a thin thread right now. The O's are killing lately and the playing well.

Our only hope of a playoff berth is if Hutch and Stroman kill it the 2nd half, and Dickey needs to give us solid, quality starts.

 

[johnson]

The entire AL East is on fire now. The next few series are going to be huge. This 4-set with Boston could be a disaster and then it's off to play in NY where they never win. Their next ten games are against division opponents. Predictions on how far we'll be out first after that stretch is over?

Glad to see they finally sent Santos down. He's been garbage all year.

 

[johnson]

Okay, so now I'm impressed again. I shudder to post this because everytime I say something glowing they seem to go into an immediate tailspin, lol.

But in the second half they now have three straight series wins over Texas, Boston and NY (in NY). Couldn't ask for much more than that, esp considering the injuries.

 

[MrDoc420]

Good call. I don't wanna say anything and jinx it either, but they are playing better the past couple weeks.

Gotta stay on pace. The O's are playing great ball right now, and of course, the Rays won't just die. They're coming off a 9 game streak which put them right back in it.

 

[johnson]

Someone has to cool off the Orioles. I'd say the Angels and Mariners coming to town could do it, but they just slaughtered them both on the road so I'm not seeing it.

Is AA going to make anything happen before the deadline? I know he's not used to the team needing to do anything around this time since he's never compiled a team good enough until now, but let's try to act like you've been there before and make some moves.

 

[MrDoc420]

I really, really wish they'd have gone after Jeff Samardzija. Are there any talks of putting that Sanchez kid into the rotation? If nothing else, I really think we have something in Marcus Stroman. That guy has filthy stuff, and has overall pitched really well, save for one outing where he got lit up.

Where did Sanchez come from? I don't follow the farm teams all that closely, but he's getting really high praise from what I've read.

 

[johnson]

I've heard they may want to limit innings for Sanchez so they are avoiding putting him in the rotation.

At this point, I'm not sure there's room for him. Buehrle and Dickey are locked into their slots til the end of the year. Stroman has earned a permanent spot and barring a complete collapse in the next few weeks should be there too. Hutch was terrible for a long time and I thought he might be in line to get dumped from the rotation, but he probably saved himself winning in NY and pitching fairly well. Happ, for a 5th starter, has actually been pretty good.

So while landing a guy like Samardzija would surely unseat Hutch or Happ, I'm not sure I'd put an untested rookie in there just yet.

Can't really deny I'm enjoying the Jays kicking the crap out of Boston all year this year so far.

 

[MrDoc420]

Stroman with another killer start.

 

[johnson]

If you had to pitch someone in a one-game playoff right now, who would it be?

 

[MrDoc420]

I'd have to say Stroman. Buehrle has been mediocre at best since his 10-1 start (I called that one), and Dickey has been up and down all year too.

If I have to put a guy out there today, it's Stroman. When he's on, his slider and curve are ridiculous......and he can pound it in at 95 MPH when needed too.

 

[MrDoc420]

Hopefully we stay playing well, and don't get caught in a one game playoff LOL

 

[MrDoc420]

See......I talked a little shit about Buehrle and he throws a good game.

Remind me to do this every 3rd day

 

[MrDoc420]

Jesus, now we lose 3 out of 4 to the worst team in baseball after going on a nice little run to pull within' a game of 1st. Stroman was ass today.

Very frustrating.

 

[johnson]

Really Jays? Losing 3 in a row to Houston? Look at their lineup. After Altuve, it's basically a AAA caliber slew of hitters. They just made Feldman look like Clayton Kershaw. Awful.

I'd normally say this is a bad thing since Baltimore and Detroit are next, but knowing them, they probably win those series and get their arses kicked in by the Twins and Rangers or something.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Jesus, now we lose 3 out of 4 to the worst team in baseball after going on a nice little run to pull within' a game of 1st. Stroman was ass today.

Very frustrating.

I think the Rangers are actually the worst team, but your point stands.

 

[johnson]

Coach Gibbons with more second half brilliance. With two on, two out in the bottom of the ninth, and you have a guy on your bench hitting .194 with RISP and .143 in late inning pressure situations...DUH...get your helmet on buddy, you're pinch hitting!

It wasn't his fault about the blown save though. If you are a real closer and you get to face the bottom of the Tigers order and do anything but get at least 2 easy outs, you suck. If you can't do that, and you allow back to back HRs to the 8 and 9 hitters...that's Ricky Romero bad.

"Maybe next year" (the Jays motto)

 

[MrDoc420]

Yah....this choke job, coupled with wins by everybody else we're competing with, I think is very telling.

Not that any of us are all that shocked, I guess. Sucks ass.

 

[johnson]

There is really no excuse for allowing 17 runs in two games to a team that regularly goes an entire series struggling to muster up two runs. Cannot afford to get swept.

Happ and Hutch just pitched like the #4 and #5 starters we thought they were at the beginning of the year. Dickey is next up. Aces stop slumps. That's what Dickey is supposed to be. We shall see...

 

[MrDoc420]

Meh. The inconsistency of our SP is gonna be our downfall.

One week Happ and Hutch pitch great, and the next they're garbage. So has been our starters all year really. You can't have this flaky crap and expect to make the postseason. Just won't happen.