Much bigger let down than I thought it would be. But before you get into the “What the hell happened?†talk, please, allow me in my infinite wisdom to explain the causes of this catastrophe. And I’m going to go from back to front, because that’s that order of the degree of these problems.Â
Game 3:Blue Jays 5,
Rockies 0Â
Easy to explain, we ran into a guy when he was on, and when a pitcher is on there ain’t much you can do. A few things to remark on in this game:
1. Baker in the 9th hit a hanging curve to ruin a no-hitter, which helps the psyche of a team. And it will help the psyche of Baker who hit terribly in this series, and was one of the key factors in losing game 2.
2. The no-hitter actually ended in the 1st with Taveras lead off hit (it was called a ground out to SS but replays show him beating the throw to the bag). When the refs blow the first call of the game, I always expect a blowout, either the team who suffered the bad call comes back hard to destroy the favored team (as a way of evening the karma in the universe) or the bad luck continues all day long.
3. I’ve commented on how much better Josh Fogg is in the top half of the strike zone verses the bottom half of the strike zone. In two innings of shutout baseball, Fogg Ked two batters with high fastballs. In the 3rd, Fogg let Wells (who is one of my favorite AL players, we need to get him to Denver somehow) work him to a full count. Wells went yard on a low fast ball to score 3. The next batter, Fogg struck out with a high slider. In the 4th, Frank Thomas took a first pitch low and outside change-up to the second deck. Now I know you can’t throw high every time, and I know player like Frank Thomas will kill you on first pitches, but someone in that coaching staff has to see what I see, or someone in that coaching staff is getting paid to much.
4. In the 3rd, one batter before the homerun, Fogg hit the batter with a pitch. I always have a hard time believing any hit batsmen in the majors is accidental, 49 out of 50 times it’s intentional. After the hit batsmen I yell at the TV, “What are you doing Fogg?â€, to which my friend, the illustrious Ian, remarks, “He deserved it.â€Â I reply, “With the bases empty and two outs he deserved it. With no outs and a runner on first, go for the out.†I don’t have to tell how different the score would have looked if they had gotten the out (or possibly a double play).
Lastly, McGowen pitched beautifully. If I were Hurdle, I’d tell everyone the shrug this one off. 9 to 10 times a year you’re going to catch a pitcher on his day and there’s nothing you can do about it. As I recalled Fogg had a day like that against the Yankees.
Game 2:Blue Jays 11,
Rockies 6
This game was poorly officiated, and if that’s anything it’s an understatement. Blue was against us the entire way. Cook would throw a pitch an inch off the plate that would called a ball, while Taubenheim would throw a pitch 3 inches off that would called a strike. And it wasn’t like it was just at key at bats or certain situations; it was every single plate appearance on both sides. Torrealba was catching so he had a front row view, and by the 4th inning he had had enough. Two outs, no one on base, Torrealba strikes out on a called strike so far left of the plate it made Hillary Clinton praise the embargo of Cuba and Torrealba lost it. He was ejected and Hurdle almost got ejected to. In my opinion, Hurdle should have gotten himself thrown out; it would have lit a fire under the players, but I won’t split hairs. You’ve already lost a catcher; I can see why you wouldn’t want to lose a coach too. Taveras was called out when he was safe (again). Aaron Cook was continually force to throw fastballs and change ups because the counts always unfavored him (leading to two homeruns and an awful lot of baserunners). Even with all this the Rocks were still in it. Tulo homered on a first pitch fastball. Hawpe doubled in a pair. Taveras (who is not known for his arm strength) gunned down Frank Thomas at home.  Holiday (who is known for his arm strength) gunned down Frank Thomas trying to stretch a single into a double. And lastly, the Jays handed us three runs in the 6th with three strait walks and error. But then came an error on us that lost the game. In the Jays 6th, one out, no one on, Aaron walked Zaun on four strait pitches. Next batter, the Jays try a hit-and-run. Aaron’s sinker got a ground ball to Tulo who is forced to throw to first because of the hit-and-run, and Baker misses the catch. The next batter Wells grounded out, and that would have ended the inning; but the free base runner kept the inning alive, two runs score, and the game ended. If I were Hurdle, I would remind my team that games like this come along every once in a while. Sometime the officials line up against you, and good teams overcome bad play calling, but errors are in excusable.
Game 3:Blue Jays 9,
Rockies 8
Unfortunately, there is no excuse for blowing a 2 run 10th inning lead. In fact, there’s very little excuse for blowing a 3 run 5th inning lead. We stared out pretty good. In the 1st Tulo walked, stole second, and scored from second on a Helton hit. Helton, Atkins, and Hawpe, put together three strait singles for a run in the 3rd. Iannetta single, Taveras bunted aboard and moved Iannetta to second and then a pair of fielder’s choice ground outs scored one in the 4th. Mind you, I like these kind of runs the best, just consistent good play to work people around the bases. In the 5th, Hawpe hit a 2 run homerun off the restaurant in center field (Happy Birthday Brad Hawpe), and Taveras cashed a hit batesmen, with a triple (the ball didn’t even get to the warning tract [Dear God Taveras is fast]). Â
But even with all that, the Blue Jays just wouldn’t go away. Rois homered in the 1st on a hanging slider. Lind and Wells each homered in the 3rd on poorly located fastballs (thank you very much Hirsh). It wasn’t until the 5th Hurdle pulled him, with one out Hirsh went walk, single, walk to load the bases. Bucholtz did well to only allow two 2 runs with three inherited runners. The Jays tied it with a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly in the 7th. It didn’t hurt to have great pitching too. The Jays bullpen Ked 11 of 17 batters (11 of 13 out) between the 6th and 10th.Â
In the 10th though, Tulo became the hero. He sent a first pitch fastball over the left field wall to pull ahead by two. Fuentes came on for an easy close. He got the first man out via pop out. But then gave up 3 soft singles to load the bases. McDonald (the Blue Jays worse starter) hit another soft single to left 1 run scored. The runner on second tried for home and Holiday went for the out. This was the first mistake. The runner was Hill. Hill’s quick. You should allow him to score, hold the other runners at second and first, and try to beat them again in later innings. But I understand the throw and I can’t hold it against him. Hill scored. The runner on first who advanced to second on the hit, tried advances to third on Holiday’s unwise throw. Rookie catcher Iannetta saw a chance for an out and throws to third. This mistake I can’t forgive. There’s already been one mistake on the play don’t chance another one. Iannetta’s throw went right past Atkins, and the runner made the turn to gingerly score the game winning run. If I were Hurdle, I’d pound this one into there heads. Don’t take chances with outs in extra innings, home or on the road. Trust you’re pitching staff to get the outs. And pitching staff, get outs! That’s why you’re there! Soft singles, hell, base runners in late innings will burn you. Don’t let them reach first via anything other than base on balls and do not let them reach second period.
Next Series:@ Cubs 35-39Â
I wish it got easier for the Rocks but the Cubbies been winning lately. The first game is Jeff Francis vs. Jason Marquis. This one should be killer. Best pitcher vs. Best pitcher. I’ve got to go with the home pitcher. Game 2: Rodrigo Lopez vs. Ted Lilly. Lilly is a strike-out pitcher who can’t strike people out.  Lopez should take it. Game 3: Jason Hirsh vs. Carlos Zambrano. Zambrano has been on again—off again this year so Jason got a shot. A small shot. Derrick Lee, Daryle Ward, and Alfonso Soriano have been killin’ it, and they’re all wicked fast. I think this series comes don’t to whether out not we can hit their Pitching.
Prediction:Cubs 2-1
