Game 15: Texas at Toronto pregame
Walked into the Jays’ clubhouse this afternoon and Alex Rios and Vernon Wells were yucking it up over at Rios’ locker, watching a video clip of a Wells interview that has been making its way around the internet. I’m sure you can find it if you’re really interested.
I’m sure there are some who are going to try to turn this into some sort of controversy — some reporters were even whispering about it and chasing after Wells and Hill today. I mean, sure, it was a tad risky for Wells to say some of the things he said, but c’mon, it was all in good-natured fun and it’s Wells doing his typical deadpan routine.
Hill and Wells are good buddies and it was just a joke. No big deal. I told Wells today I had a good laugh over it and he cracked up. This reminds me of when Frank Thomas slammed a kid with a pillow in a Blue Jays commercial. A lot of people here were up in arms over it. It was all in good fun and some people overreacted. Anyways…
On to other items…
Lineup below look familiar? That’s because it’s the sixth time Cito has used this one this season. It’s a much different feeling than when John Gibbons ran the show, mixing and matching the lineup on a daily basis. The hitters definitely like the lineup stability, and why change it while it’s working?
Gaston was also asked today about leaving Marco Scutaro in at shortstop in close and late situations this season. Last year, John McDonald was turned to as a defensive replacement in late innings. This year, McDonald has been rarely used — mostly as a pinch runner. Cito said last year it was more because David Eckstein was at short.
“I think that was the case last year, when Ecks was here,” said Gaston, who added that he believes Scutaro is underrated defensively. “Scutaro’s a great shortstop, too, so there’s no need to bring in Mac so far to do that. I’m pretty sure that was the only reason I did it last year, when Ecks was at shortstop.”
Today’s lineups:
1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Michael Young, 3B
3. Josh Hamilton, CF
4. Hank Blalock, DH
5. Marlon Byrd, LF
6. Nelson Cruz, RF
7. Chris Davis, 1B
8. Jarod Saltalamacchia, C
9. Elvis Andrus, SS
Starter: RHP Brandon McCarthy (1-0)
TORONTO BLUE JAYS (10-4)
1. Marco Scutaro, SS
2. Aaron Hill, 2B
3. Alex Rios, RF
4. Vernon Wells, CF
5. Adam Lind, DH
6. Scott Rolen, 3B
7. Lyle Overbay, 1B
8. Rod Barajss, C
9. Travis Snider, LF
Starter: RHP Roy Halladay (3-0)
~JB
Major League Bastian 
LOL!!!!!!!!! that vid is awesome!!!!!!!!
Let the guys have fun! People take things too seriously sometimes! Great Video!
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
6 hits in the first game against Oakland, 7 hits over 12 innings in the second game, 5 hits in the third game and only 6 through 7 tonight. Offense seems to be slowing down! Has Wells had a meaningful hit all season? His homers and RBIs always seem to come when the team is way ahead, otherwise he pops up or strikes out. Why does he have normally terrible starts? Because everyone is close to the leaders in April. In June when the Jays are 10 games out, he heats up. He can’t handle the pressure. By the way Rios has had one decent season in the Bigs, like Hinske, Sprague, and many others. He is a rally killer.
CBS) A Tampa-area high school pitcher threw his way into the state record books, pitching a fourth straight no-hitter Monday, reports CBS affiliate WTSP.
Patrick Schuster, a senior at Mitchell high school in New Port Richey, Fla., struck out 17 Pasco batters Monday in the 5-0 victory. He broke a 24-year-old state record held by Ben Webb, who threw three straight no-hitters for Gonzales Tate High School in 1985.
During his streak, Schuster has recorded 60 strikeouts and now has 30 straight hitless innings as the Mustangs wrapped up a regular-season district championship.
After the final strike, an apparent slider that froze freshman Trejon Smith, Schuster pumped his arms in the air as his teammates rushed the mound.
“It hasn’t hit me yet,” said Schuster, according to the Tampa Bay Tribune. “I was trying so hard not to think about it. I told my outfielders the last two innings, ‘Please, just come in. I don’t want to give up a bloop hit. That would be the worst way to end it.’ I’m still on cloud nine right now.”
Schuster is committed to the University of Florida Gators. His time in the national spotlight will continue while he chases the national high school record of six consecutive no-hitters.
didn’t care for vernon wells interview AT ALL, goes along with what i think of him as a player and tonight’s display.
I thought Vernon’s u-tube is extremely poor taste and offensive. Neither of these two guys will be ball players for ever, but this u-tube video now will be.
After watching the US presidential cycle and seeing the harm made of stitching sound and video bites together from u-tube videos, Vernon should know better.
It shows all too well, Vernon’s lack of judgment and maturity and if I was Vernon, I’d make sure it was taken down immediately and apologize to Hill and Cito for his childish attempt at humor.
Lighten up you guys!!! If any of you have acutally been apart of a team sport you will know that ribbing and makeing fun of eachother is what takes place on a team. This is Wells just having fun with a reporter that obviously isn’t to be taken seriously.
You know a team is tight when you can make fun of eachother, if guys are walking around all serious all the time then I would suspect they don’t interact and play around with their teammates enough. Or they simply don’t get along well enough to poke fun at eachother. A tight team is a team that can say anything to eachother including calling the other guy “racist”.
rmatty
I have been part of numerous team sports, including baseball for a long time so make no assumptions without asking the question.
Ribbing is part of the process, no doubt, BUT putting it on u-tube is a whole new dimension and it never goes away. What they say and do in the club house is part of the game and that’s where it should stay.
I, for one, don’t see anything wrong with this video. In fact I think it’s quite funny. It’s nice to see athletes letting loose once in a while and having some fun with each other. There is nothing offensive about it.
Vernon Wells has been in the media for many years now, and I think he knows better than any of us what is appropriate to say in front of the camera, and how far he can push things. Obviously the interview wasn’t very serious to begin with judging by the way the girl was conducting it.
Here’s to a fun tight clubhouse!
I had no problems with it. I thought the best part was as soon as he mentioned that Hill is a racist you can see him trying to hold back a smirk….classic. So what if it’s seen forever, 15 years from now Wells will be retired and no one will give a d@mn anymore. It was made to get a laugh and it did the job in my opinion, in fact i’d like Hill to make one of his own now.
Also, no one seems to be bringing up the fact that the woman used a word that’s considered racist too so why is it just Wells that’s being targeted for the “childish attempt” at humour ?