Signal

True. But they do not score a lot of runs late in close games. Jays are very average to below average when it comes to scoring late in games. So while it does not appear on the surface true that the Jays are not clutch because of their batting average with runners on is very strong, it could be argued that yes, they are not clutch because of their inability to manufacture runs late in close games. Personally, I think some of the Jays players might want to consider not always swinging for the fence in some of these circumstances but instead attempting to cut down on their swing and allow the ball to travel and focus on getting solid contact and going the other way with the ball. I suggest this simply because in those close games in the late innings, what they are doing now is not working. IF they were simply average at winning and losing in close games, they would be defending a playoff spot right now instead of having to chase for one.

Jays and Mariners same record. Jays +122 run differential + the Mariners -42 = Montoyo Effect. Jays players have to overcome their opponent and their own manager's head scratching decisions game after game.

There are several teams competing to make the playoff looking to go on a run and if the Jays are to make the playoffs they will have do damage in the series listed above. These are the series where the Jays can make up ground and if ahead gain distance from those competing for the same goal. Jays are a better team than they were before the trade deadline and have to play like it moving forward. The Jays simply have to play better against those teams above .500 and those competing for the prize.

Almost with every game, I become more and more convinced that it is just plain stupid to have anyone on the planet with a tv - better equipped to call strikes and balls than the guy who actually calls strikes and balls. The Ump last night was atrocious. Between Buck's idiotic rants, Montoyo's weird lineup decisions and silly bullpen management and the Umps' incompetence, it is really difficult right now to enjoy watching Jay games. I will confess that I did not watch all of the game. Just could not take it. Buck repeats himself ad nauseum and one of the things he says almost every other game is simply false. When he says that Charlie will play whoever is hot - it is like he is watching another f***ing team. Charlie actually does not do this. He played Biggio game after game after game while he sucked wind until the f***er actually said he could play no more and went on the DL. I mean is that someone who only plays the guy who is playing best while Espinal back then was hitting .300 and making incredible plays in the field? Now, he is stuck with this stupid rotation of the fielders that he will not alter for any reason...even if someone is gettting hot. I may not know a lot about baseball compared to the experts but damn my eyes tell me Gurriel is hot and when you sit him you are taking a valuable bat out of the lineup. It took an injury to get him back into the damn lineup last night. Right now, you have to be an idiot not to include Gurriel into the lineup. Hope Dickerson is not gone for long because I do think his bat will come around and will be a valuable hitter from the left side. I definitely think the Jays have the talent to make the playoffs. But I do think they will have to overcome a manager who is simply one of the worst in the league. And I will no longer watch Jays games with the sound. Just cannot take it. From this point out, I will listen to music while the game is on.

Any news on Stripling?

Romano needs to be used when actually needed and needs to rest given the manner he throws. In a four run game, Hand should have closed the game out and that would have given Romano another day to rest that arm. But Montoyo has to push him and use him in a game he did not have to pitch in and yes, he was not at the top of his game...because Montoya keeps using him when he does not have to. Would not be surprised to see that Montoyo's use of the bullpen cause another arm to go down.

Have to disagree. It is August 9th and there is time for the Jays to take the Division.

Goal has to be taking the Division. P.S. If it were September 9th than I would agree with your post but it is August 9th and the Jays have plenty of time to catch the Rays.

I think Gurriel has a better chance of getting hot than Grichuk. Grichuk has had his hot streak and his contributions were important to the club early on, but think it will be Gurriel who has more of an impact offensively as the season begins to wind down.

On paper that looks like a good lineup today. But then again I thought yesterday's lineup was questionable and look how it did. Hope Ray is on today and finishes the game. That would be sweet.

I think you should ride the hot hand in the pen. Not sure who that will be. Possibly it is Nate. Hell, if I were the manager, right now, Mayza would be the closer. I think he and Cimber have looked good lately. Hell, by the time the playoffs come around who knows, maybe Dolis is that guy. With this particular bullpen, I think the approach has to be that you ride with the horses that are pitching the best at the time. The bullpen carried the team at the beginning of the year and hopefully, who knows, just maybe, they may come around again in September. Right now it looks bleak. But baseball is a weird game. And the Jays do not have that genuine closer, so I think they have to approach it differently, they have to ride who ever is pitching really well at the time. And to say it with any certainty now, is to damn difficult with this bunch of guys. Working this bullpen down the stretch and into the playoffs will take some savvy decision making by the manager. Hope he is up to it.

And who said the Jays could not win a close game.

I agree. I know Dickerson did nothing in the game yesterday, but I thought he looked good at the plate for someone who has not seen MLB pitching in quite awhile. Given Dickerson will primarily be used against right handed pitching and Grichuk against left handers - think that spot in the batting lineup will see improved contribution. And if Gurriel gets hot, and think he will, this lineup will look much longer than it has in the past month moving forward. Who knows, maybe the Jays might be able to scratch out those hard to come by runs in close games and win more of those games moving forward.

Grichuk might look a tad better down the stretch if he is only used when up against left handed pitchers. His numbers are slightly better against left handers.

I loved the fact that Montoyoyo used low leverage arms from the bullpen for low leverage innings. Maybe, just maybe, he will stop using his top three relievers in lopsided games and save them for when he actually needs them in close games and the Jays begin winning those games. I was completely shocked last night, Montoyoyo did absolutely nothing to hurt the Jays in the game or hurt their chances moving forward. If Montoyoyo can move beyond that silly philosophy of let's do everything to win this game and worry about the next game tomorrow, to a more sophisticated approach of realizing that one needs to use the bullpen with the understanding that yes, there is a game tomorrow and it might be a close one and it just might be prudent to keep your high leverage guys sitting till you need them in high leverage situations. If Montoyoyo keeps doing this, then maybe the Jays could go on a run.

Monto'yoyo' is definitely holding this team back. His so-called philosophy of taking care of this game and worry about tomorrow, tomorrow has led to the Jays complete inability to go on a run. Right now, he has three high leverage arms in the bullpen (Cimber, Romano and Mayza) but he will use them in a 5 -0 game so they are not available if needed in a close game or one that heads to extra innings. I cannot count the times he has wasted the little amount of talent he has in the bullpen in a lopsided game only to not have them available in a close game the next day. There are several reasons the Jays do not fair well in close games but this is definitely one of them.

Chatwood has been released by the Jays.

Agree the offense sucked today and really the game should not have even gone to extra innings. Jays have no clue when it comes to manufacturing runs in close games. Their approach at the plate seems to be swing for the fence all of the time. Up against a pitcher who throws junk, like today, they get mauled. Wish more Jays batters were adept at waiting on the pitch and simply slapping the ball the other way and getting on base...or moving players over. That said, I would have liked to have seen Mayza in extra innings today and think a guy like Hand should have been used in the 5 -0 game. But that is just me.

It hurts knowing that Montoya will find ways to misuse his bullpen and cost his team wins.

Montoya never ceases to amaze. By almost every metric this team should have a MUCH better record. But Montoya uses arguably their best reliever in a 5 -0 game so that he is unavailable for a tie game. Jays would be a MUCH better team without Montoya.

Not sure of that, but I must admit I enjoy the games more when he calls the games. In fact, at times when it is Buck and Tabby, I feel compelled to listen to music with the sound down. EDIT: Replied to wrong post. My bad.

Does anyone have any news regarding why Vladdy is not in the lineup?

Players play to win and if the organization does not, then most probably you are going to have some unhappy campers. And unhappy campers may not want to resign. If the organization demonstrates that they believe in the players on the team by supporting them with some moves, then players like Ray and other free agents are more likely to sign. If you go into free agency with the reputation of an organization that is always looking to the future collecting prospects, you will probably have a more difficult time trying to sign top tier talent that wants to win now.

No, but Kimbrel would look good in a Jays uniform.

I agree it is not the year to trade top prospects. This last move is one where the Jays traded away a redundant prospect at a position of great depth for a pitcher that is a rental but one that Walker may be able to work with and get him back on track. If so, he may become another story like Ray, who decides to resign with the Jays and gets his career back on track. If the experiment does not work, well what did they lose? I like Atkins approach thus far, he is trying to add pieces that will contribute beyond this year and this last trade is more of getting a much needed arm for the bullpen while giving Walker some time to work with him to see if he can get him back on track.