Game #95: Blue Jays at Yankees pregame
Toronto (45-49) at New York (48-44)
at 1:05 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium
Today’s lineups:
BLUE JAYS
Alex Rios, RF
Matt Stairs, LF
Vernon Wells, CF
Troy Glaus, 3B
Frank Thomas, DH
Aaron Hill, 2B
Gregg Zaun, C
Howie Clark, 1B
John McDonald, SS
PITCHING: RHP Dustin McGowan (5-5)
YANKEES
Johnny Damon, DH
Derek Jeter, SS
Bobby Abreu, RF
Alex Rodriguez, 3B
Hideki Matsui, LF
Melky Cabrera, CF
Robinson Cano, 2B
Andy Phillips, 1B
Wil Nieves, C
PITCHING: RHP Chieng-Mien Wang (10-4)
NOTES: 1B Lyle Overbay became light-headed and passed out in his hotel room on Thursday morning. He showed up to the park with scrapes on his forehead and nose after falling and hitting a chair, and was kept out of the lineup as a precaution. Overbay met with a local doctor and he didn’t suffer a concussion and was deemed OK. Overbay said a similar accident happened to him roughly 10 years ago. … LF Reed Johnson was given a day off. … Toronto manager John Gibbons said LHP Scott Downs was not available out of the bullpen for Thursday’s game.
AL EAST STANDINGS
entering Thursday
1. Boston 56-38 (–)
2. New York 48-44 (7)
3. Toronto 45-49 (11)
4. Baltimore 42-52 (14)
5. Tampa Bay 37-56 (18.5)
AL WILD CARD RACE
entering Thursday
1. Cleveland 55-39 (–)
2. Seattle 53-39 (1)
3. Minnesota 49-45 (6)
4. New York 48-44 (6)
5. Toronto 45-49 (10)
6. Oakland 45-50 (10.5)
Major League Bastian 
When I came on this site it was the first time I ever posted,It was all baseball talk and it was fun I’m not very good with a computor I type with one finger,I read this site for a long time before I posted,Then along came a poster who was ignorant gsumner took care of him no loss,
now take bosoxbrian he insults our team our GM our manager and all of us he is an instagator he is on the boston site and the new york site and manny more,He has more than one e-mail address,He will use one or more of them to back himself up,
What gets me is the rest of you or most of you blame gsumner for the trash talk and all he is trying to do is get rid of him so you can talk clean baseball,Tell me why a boston fan comes on our site and trash talks us and most of you accept this I thought you people were smarter than this,I for one would rather have gsumner than bosox,gsumner is a jays fan bosox is not,
Now for baseball.The jays need a catcher with an arm I dont care how nice or cheap zaun is they need an arm,I like johnny mac but we need a shortstop who can hit also we need beddard if AJ comes back and stays of the dl our pitchen will be good,Thomas was brought here to fill the stands didin’t work,Trade Thomas keep stairs,It would be a mistake to trade glaus he’s lame but game,I like johnson but trade him his back might not hold up.Why are we hanging on to john ford griffon put him in a trade package.
I’d rather have someone who insults our team than someone who viciously attacks and intimidates/threatens people into leaving just because they disagree with him.
On baseball, yeah we need a catcher.
If we want Stairs for next year we can always resign him.
Thomas is unmoveable unless we eat his salary, same with AJ.
Ha, great line “lame but game”, fantastic.
I agree on Johnson, but only if we can find a lead-off hitter (Aaron Hill could get another shot).
As for Griffon, that ship has sailed. He’s in his late 20’s, he’s a career minor leaguer. He therefore has no value to anyone else.
Too bad, seemed like a good guy.
robertlee,I kind of thought you would be the first guy on If only to speak against gsumner which was not called for bosox will be next,Please lets stick to baseball.
gsumner how do you like the way the game has gone so far and anyone else.
I AM NOT BOSOX!
Give me one good reason you think we’re the same person.
We both think JP’s an idiot. Oh WOW that’s a unique opinion.
Neither of us think gsumner knows what he’s talking about.
I guess gsumner is just soooo smart that it’s only possible for 1 person in the entire world to be dumb enough to disagree with him huh.
Do you honestly think it was acceptable for him to post that info about that guys company? just because the guy told gsumner he’s a idiot and wouldn’t appologize?
And he’s threatened me that “I’m going to get it” if I don’t appologize for diasagreeing with him.
pfff.
Ok you’re the one who brought up everything other than baseball.
I posted in response to you.
You want to stick to baseball, TAKE YOU OWN ADVICE.
Don’t anybody bring up this nonsense about me being someone I’m not and I’ll stick to baseball, nothing more – nothing less.
robertlee,I never said any thing about you being bosox even if you were I don’t care you talk good baseball,so please don’t jump to conclusions,
What do you think of this game well pitched so far,not on TV out west just fan 90.
You mentioned bosox having more than one email, I’m the one gsumner has accused of being bosox.
Whatever.
AARON HILL WITH A CLUTCH HIT!
and then
GREGG ZAUN WITH ANOTHER CLUTCH HIT!!!
and then
SOMEONE ELSE WITH ANOTHER ONE (i was distracted)
I’m watching on digital, but listening to the fan because I cant stand the Yankee comentators.
McGowan struggled with his command but gutted out a really good game.
Oh, correction.
there wasn’t a third big hit.
It was Hill with a 2 run triple and then Zaun with a single.
duh.
I disagree with the Fan guys.
Gibby needs to show total faith in his guy, or the struggles will continue.
I think it has to be Accardo’s to lose.
Where I live I cant buy the baseball package last year I lived in Regina where I did have it,I turn the sound off for I can’t stand jamie or tabler.
Yeah, I don’t really like our TV guys either.
One guy I did like when he was in for a couple days was Sam Cozintinno, I though he did a good job in the booth.
Atleast relative to the rest of them.
Allright, Blue Jays win!
Clutch hitting, and pitching.
If they could bring focus and intensity everyday, I think they’d be a lot better than they are. One of the many reasons I don’t like Gibby.
3 straight hits with men in scoring position.
That’s the story of the game in my opinion.
Ok, so apparently I wasn’t watching the game very closly,
Hill’s triple was only 1 rbi.
Sam Cozintinno talks like a blue jay fan the rest of them except fletcher talk like idiots.On fan 90 I like allan but jerry I can take or leave.
Now for gibby will JP fire him or praise him????.
Oh, I don’t doubt JP will praise Gibby.
Right up until the day after the season is over when he fires him.
I don’t mind the Yankees commentators at all. I watched the last few innings of the game and they seem to call it pretty well with little bias, same with any other game i’ve seen with them. I prefer listening to them over Jamie Campbell, nothing against the guy but he just doesn’t seem to fit. I do like Pat Tabler, Jim Hughson and dislike Rance Mulliniks and Fletcher. Best ever though has to go Dan Shulman (sp?) and Buck Martiniz hands down.
Why is Wells still in the 3rd spot? that frustrated me today, either put him at the lead-off spot or the 6th and don’t put him back untill next year or untill they are officially elminated from a playoff spot.
Yeah, Wells should be leading off.
What is with the glitches on mlb.com today?
Personal preference on the comentators I guess. But you’re right Shulman is the best.
Beats me I’ve had to reboot and sign in four times today is it them our my computor.
Wells in leadoff I like but Wells or JP dosen’t,I dont think gibby would care.
It’s them.
I noticed during the game that the mlb.com home page got stuck with the Jays/Yanks game being in the bottom of seventh but it was actually the top of the ninth.
I think Wells is ok with batting 1st (he made comment before Reed coming back, that Reed could hit 2nd).
I think JP’s making the call.
What now Seattle is in town and they wont roll over easy “BUT” Jessie Lsytch is in town,This kid is great another win for sure count on it.If anyone thinks Posada will make a good fit I don’t think so to old.Even though he says he will leave the yankees if they don’t offer him enough money I don’t think he will ever leave.
i personally like wells in the #3 hole. he has the perfect mold for someone in that spot. just a plain good hitter, will put some balls out of the park but not a slugger. he is in a slump right now but you have to show faith in your guy. he is our franchise player now after that big contract and he will eventually raise his average. moving him around all the time will make it worse.
Wells is a typical three hole hitter.most times but right now he is slumping they should have left him in leadoff until they got home what could it have hurt at least he was hitting the ball.
HOW ABOUT McGOWAN:”WOW”And I was one of those guys that was screaming to trade him while he still had some value,he sure has some now,I mean to the team.
It was sure nice to see Hill come up with a big hit.
I see that alot of you guys want to trade Thomas. I think you guys miss the point that even though he is not living up to our expectations, but he still is doing much better than our last year DHs. With already over 14 homers, which is higher than what we had that year in that spot, with almost a half of a year to go.
My reason for trading thomas is the money I think stairs can do the same job and use the money to pay a good catcher with an arm can call a good game and hit 270-280 that may cost more than 9 mil,but it’s a start or add some and get a good shortstop with power.Thomas may have 14 homers but he’s slower than molasses in Jan.in Canada I might add lol.
My reason for trading thomas is the money I think stairs can do the same job and use the money to pay a good catcher with an arm can call a good game and hit 270-280 that may cost more than 9 mil,but it’s a start or add some and get a good shortstop with power.Thomas may have 14 homers but he’s slower than molasses in Jan.in Canada I might add. lol.
Two postings I win
Kind of a dead night Jays played this afternoon boston rained out yankees must have the night off,
anybody out there who thinks the jays still have a chance for the playoffs like dumb me.
What kind of moves do any of you think they have to make to contend or do all of you think it’s to late,I say a shortstop with power but who.
If this team started to hit they can beat the best of them,why is it that all of these big bats go flat so often this year it makes no sence.
garry
Believe it or not Toronto played the Yankees and beat them, Boston lost too which is nice. Minnesota also lost, so we can try and chase down three teams at once. I think a shortstop/second baseman with speed(something we lack) and good OBP numbers would be better than power(something we shouldnt be lacking). What do you all think of Luis Castillo? FA next year, Min spending lots of cash soon on Nathan and johan, its an interesting idea. The only problem I see is Hills transition to ss.
I’d like to see the Jays get Wilson Betemit from the Dodgers to be a long-term solution at short. (Long term meaning three years of arbitration-eligibility.) We’d obviously have to offer Matt Stairs, since we’d only have him until the end of the year anyways, he’d mostly be riding the bench for us, and the Dodgers need his power bat. Considering Stairs’ low salary we may not need to toss in a lagniappe. The Dodgers wouldn’t trade Betemit to the Yankees for Proctor, which isn’t surprising considering the Dodgers already have a pretty good bullpen. Hopefully the power bat would be more enticing.
I don’t think Wilson Betemit would be that much of an improvement to this team. He is only batting just over 230, and he has yet to steal a base this year. To bad Jose Reyes wasn’t a free agent next year.
Hey guys I just heard what I thought was intersting. They say that in these next 11 games that the bluejays play, if they don’t go 7-4 (which will bring them back to .500), Gibbons will be fired. What do you guys think about that?
I belive if Santos can stay healthy we may see him is Sept.He has power I dont know about speed,But what we need to combat speed is a catcher with an arm,even if they hire a pitchen coach that can teach these pitchers to be quicker to home plate Zaun is to slow at the best of times,JP tried to address this last winter but he signed a flake then he had no choice but to hore Zaunfor a little more money,as it turns out the other guy flopped anyway.
To fire gibby now would be a mistake all we would get is gibby number two Whitt wait until the end of the season and look for a good manager,Ifor one am tired of catchers for manager,my choice would be Cito Gaston but would he work under JP????.
If Jose Reyes wanted to come to Toronto that would be a good thing,Luis Castillo would also be a good thing.
Look at Molina now 40 pounds less,he comes here to fat yes I said fat I have some extra pounds myself,What I am trying to say if he had been lighter he would have played better and still been here.
Thomas to much money for his bat the thrill is over he has his 500 homers trade him.
Yikes I mean to hire Zaun SO SORRY.
Betemit’s BA isn’t impressive, but his OBP and SLG are great.
torgen,on Wilson Betemit I’m not sure he would be a good fit in toronto even though he is a switch hitter has A good OBP his power is better this year his AVE is only 238 not good and where would you play him,So far he only sizes up to be a utilty player,Thats only my opinion.
You’d play Betemit at Short. The Dodgers have only used him at third this year, but he played some short with the Braves and he weighs less than Hill, so it’s not like he doesn’t have a middle infielder’s build.
Batting average doesn’t measure anything that OBP doesn’t measure better. Do you think the A’s care that Cust only hits .260?
You seem to like this player a lot,okay tell us how you would get him here,And remember you can’t just throw him in at short maybe a month in -AAA-ball at short.They want glaus we need glaus,Also the yankees are looking at Glaus to play first,your turn.
Am I the only one who thinks we need a catcher with an arm.,stolen bases are hurting this team big time.
When JP took over this team he said he didin’t belive in stealing a base it was not the way to go anymore,But he forgot to tell the other teams close to “90”against us this year already,Zaun says I dont care about the runners I care about the quality pitch only,This guy has to go the reason is obvious.
As noted, Betemit has some experience at short, but if he needs more playing time the fall/winter leagues are an option.
I already said we offer Stairs because they need a power bat and he’s cheap. If they want a utility guy as a throw-in we have a few options. It’s not like we’re asking for their top 3B prospect, Andy LaRoche. If they’re not interested then we don’t deal.
I’m not sure where you got that Glaus to NY as a first baseman thing, but it sounds blatantly preposterous–like the kind of thing a NY tabloid would come up with on a slow news day.
torgen.
that might not be a bad deal,in 57 games at short he has 9 errors in 95 games Toronto has 10 errors,Give this kid some time in fall/winter leagues and if he can bring up his BA he could be okay,
What do the rest of you think.
I like Betimit, but I like him at SS not 3B.
Typically you’d want more than 20 HR from 3B and that’s about all he’ll hit.
Overall a Glaus for Betimit and Billingsly (or another young pitcher) deal would be a good trade.
Or Stairs for Betimit straight up.
I agree on the points bout Betimit’s avg not mattering, he gets on base and has a good slg %.
But I looked him up and he weighs 230lbs so he might need to lose a little to play SS everyday.
Also, with a 360 on base % he could be a lead-off hitter if we traded Reed Johnson, to open up left field for Adam Lind.
torgen Liked him for short as did I,torgen also liked the Stairs deal.
Bases loaded no outs one run in same old same old.
THE KID HAS A NAME.
That’s Batista for you, walk the bases loaded on 12 pitches 1 inning, 3up 3down on 8 pitches in another.
I say keep johnson he’s a hard nosed player to hard to come by his hit by pitch count is to good.
Use Lind for trade bait he has a lot of value I like him but he can hrlp the team better as trade bait.
I’m also fine with that. Only concern is Johnson’s health (back).
I’s hard to watch this team play ball,I think I’m going to go watch paint dry.
The Dodgers have a couple of young OF’s but if Lind (with Glaus) is what it takes to get Betimit AND Billingsly then I’d definitly do that.
Curtis Thigpen could be converted to 3B, and our first pick this year Aerens(sp?) is said to be a future 3B (when he matures physically).
I was going by Rotoworld’s data that said he was 190. MLB.com says he’s 230.
Ha.
Yeah, it’s true.
As the old saying goes “Speed thrills”.
Sadly the Jays have none (or just don’t use it).
I wonder what Arnsberg says when he goes out to the mound hey kid get out of this inning and I’ll buy the beer,I know what Gibbons said you may have cost me my job.Anyway we might still WIN lol.
A HUSTLE PLAY!!
Good job Rios.
Batista what in the catfish hunter is going on here,When he left Toronto I danced a jig,now look at him it makes me sick.This team is not and I dont think will play for Gibbons,Does it have anything to do with “hildy” the ship is sinking or “Lilly” big fight in the tunnel,Sometimes these things carry over.
I don’t know if it’s about that stuff, but I do think it has a tonne to do with his lack of intensity.
The manager is supposed to set the tone, and the tone he sets is a frequescy so low only dogs can hear it.
He looks worried tonight but it could be anything,”WOW” now thats fire but Hill still went down swinging.
If we lose this three game set I’ll give up for this year.To bad so sad.
I think that the way to solve the scoring problems might be to put the only three guys that are hitting consistantly (Hill, Rios, Glaus) back to back and move Reed down the lineup for now until he regains his stroke. Im not sure if we should lead off Vernon or not, but it worked before. At least we have that bullpen, its as deep as any in baseball right now. Good thing the Yankees are getting shalacked now too (by Tampa no less).
What was Gibby thinking by pinch hitting Stairs for Clayton instead of Zaun. If Stairs hits a homer for Zaun, Phillips plays catcher. If he hit it in Claytons position, he would have had to play either 2b, ss, or 3b. It makes no sense what gibbons does sometimes.
Will it make sense if he picks up his last paycheck tonight,Who would you like to see in as manager,Is their anybody out there that can do the job,Mabey “CITO”.any one,Mabey some of you still think they should keep Gibbons.
I’ve said this before, but it was a while ago.
I don’t think Cito would ever work for a clown like Riccardi.
On the line-up.
How about:
Wells,
Hill,
Rios,
Glaus,
Thomas,
Overbay,
Zaun,
McDonald
Johnson.
khoenig: Gibbons had already been ejected. Blame Whitt for that one.
Garry: Gibbons thought Butterfield would make a good manager, but if we’re not trusting Gibbons’ opinions then maybe he wouldn’t. My impression is that Cito is better with veterans, and we have a bunch of young guys (including pitchers), so maybe he wouldn’t be a good fit.
Thats right blame Whitt Not Gibbons.And to think if gibbons goes it might be whitt”HELP
I’m getting right sick and effing tired of Jays unable to get men home from scoring position. I read Rios had a double, but neither Wells nor Glaus could bring him home. Gibbons says everyone is trying to be the hero, so here’s an idea: work as a team. Use Wells to bunt and move him ahead. Suicide squeeze and get Rios home. Jeez, it’s at least an idea. The pitchers have got to be getting frustrated at the hitters, so try and manufacture runs. The team doesn’t need more intensity, they need creativity. Right now, they’re about as unpredictable as gravity.
Howie Clark could have played.
Robert: Howie Clark had already been used.
Oh, my bad.
That was dumb. What the **** were they thinking?
Bases loaded 0 outs 1 run scores how many times has that happend this year.
Get Cito use Butterfield to help with the young players.
I just heard on sports net that Phillips has been released.
I assume this means either Fasano is coming up as the back-up or Thigpen coming up to split time with Zaun.
I can’t imagine Thigpen would be brought up to back-up but maybe as a platoon.
Sorry to repeat myself but, Cito wont come.
And Riccardi wouldn’t ever hire hime.
Cito’s got an aggressive personallity, Riccardi would find it hard to control him.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/article.jsp?content=20070720_220057_5076
It’s Thigpen they’re bringing up. (It’s at the bottom of the article).
I hope we bring up Fasano. He seems to work well with our pitchers outside of game situations. Of course he’s a butcher at the plate anywhere but AAA, but Zaun has been too.
Maybe we should make Fasano our manager. At least he’s been a good enough catcher to have stuck around in the majors for years, unlike Gibbons who only had 57 career plate appearances.
I already know Cito wont come just wishfull thinking,Phillips gone no loss,They will probably bring up Fasano to bad I would like to see Thigpen show his stuff.
Read my last post again.
Anybody else think that the team bringing up Thigpen means that he’ll be in some kind of platoon with Zaun and that it’s a clear sign that the team is playing for next year?
I expect Lind will be next.