nextyear

I agree, although I prefer to call it smart ball instead of small ball. I think the Blue jays were playing smart ball in May when they were winning so many games. There is definitely an opposite to smart ball, which I will call dumb ball. For example dumb ball is: 1) Swinging for a home run with a man on 3rd and less than 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth or bottom of extra innings when the Blue Jays just need a run to win. Swinging for a home run usually doesn't result in getting a sac fly with hitters such as Gose and Rasmus - it usually results in a strikeout and the man eventually being left at 3rd base. 2) Players getting a green light on a 3 - 0 count and then swinging at a ball out of the strike zone. I can only think of a couple for now, but if I watch a Blue Jays game I can usually spot several examples of dumb ball. There was one real head-shaker when John Farrell was manager - bottom of the ninth and the Blue Jays need 2 runs to tie so he gets the batter to sacrifice a baserunner from 2nd to 3rd (I think I remember it correctly?)

With his speed he should be trying to get on base any way he can but unfortunately he sometimes seems to be swinging for the fences.

I often wonder if George and the Yankees management portrayed on Seinfeld was a fairly accurate portrayal of the Blue Jays management. I have a feeling that it isn't that much different .

When I watched the Baltimore Orioles they all seemed so serious about winning. It seems that a strong desire to win is one of the ingredients of a winning team.

I think the Blue Jays need to focus on players who get upset when they lose: For example, the following players don't seem to like losing and will do almost anything to win: Bautista Cabrera Reyes (I am not sure about Reyes since he has had some clutch hits and some game losing errors, but I think he seems upset when the team loses) Lawrie Kawasaki Encarnacion Goins Navarro Pillar (although I don't think he can do much to help win with his bat, he goes all out on defence. He has the heart just not enough skill for now) Valencia (I think he wants to win but hasn't had enough time with the Jays to show whether he can help or not) Players who seem just as happy whether the Blue Jays win or lose: Gose Lind Rasmus I didn't include the pitchers since most of them are unhappy when they lose.

I think I will shut the game off now. I think I have seen this episode before. I think the Blue Jays come back to tie the game only to lose it in the 10th.

How did Pillar miss that one? It was heading towards his glove (when he dove)

But no hits again. If only Gose and Pillar could hit on a somewhat consistent basis. Remember in May when the Jays were leading the league in homeruns and were close to the top in RBIs? It seems like years ago.

Why does Gose always have a big dopey smile on his face after striking out? I think he needs to learn to look peeved like Goins so that people can take Gose seriously.

Pillar was swinging at those outside pitches in Baltimore. Maybe there is hope for Pillar?

I think Reyes makes too many throwing errors. Even with a good throwing arm Reyes could put a lot of throws in the stands from 3rd.

At one time I would have considered this to be a pitchers duel but after watching the Orioles series I know that it is just two equally inept teams that can't score. PS: I just tuned in for a couple of innings, did Pillar do something worthwhile?

I don't think Gibbons comes close to matching managers like Joe Maddon. However, reading Joe Maddon's life story on Wikipedia Joe Maddon seems to have succeeded through pure perseverance - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Maddon. So there is hope for Gibbons; if he manages the Blue Jays long enough he might become a decent manager. I voted to keep Gibbons even though I don't think he is currently a top notch manager.

It is becoming more and more doubtful that the Blue Jays will have a 0.500 season.

This edition of the Blue Jays is almost unwatchable. Lead off man on in 7 out of 8 innings and one run. Opposing teams have realized that they just need to pitch around the few good hitters and then go after the weak hitters.

Grass.

I am worried about how Bautista grimaces when he stretches his back muscles between swings. I wish the Jays would put in natural turf in the near future.

I wasn't closely watching the game and thought that was the Jays in the field. Thankfully it was the Cubs. Way to score Pillar.

It is good to see the blue Jays playing well. They certainly look loose. With so few fans and the relaxed play it almost seems like a preseason game or early April game. If the Jays could win another 5 straight games like this then people will start believing again, and unfortunately Gibbons will start making more strategic moves.

But trying to field a team to hit lots of home runs has lead to 20 years out of the playoffs for the Blue Jays.

I am puzzled, are you stating a good defensive alignment or are you just not very aware of their fielding abilities?

I wonder if there were people who doubted Bautista when he came to the Blue Jays? Certainly there were lots who doubted Edwin. People should give Valencia a chance. Yeah, Jose.

Not based on fielding.

Nice hitting by Goins.

I haven't seen an error from Valencia since he has been with the Jays. It wouldn't bother me to see Valencia at 3rd and Lawrie at 2nd (and Goins at SS) next year.