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Rain gives Blue Jays extra day to ponder

ROBERT MACLEOD

From Monday's Globe and Mail

Latest comment posted at 4:39 PM EDT 12/05/08

Toronto and Cleveland will play a doubleheader on Monday ...Read the full article

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  1. sometimes serious from Canada writes: It was a good day. The Jays didn't lose today!
  2. Two Creeks from Canada writes: they have alot to think about!!
  3. Donald Redhorse from United States writes: The Blue Jays problem is GIBBONS.
    He can't manage pitchers.
    He can't stand anyone with ideas other than his...like several players now scattered through the league especially with the Cubs!
    He has no sense of humour!
    He is about as friendly as a knuckle ball.
    And he has to go!
    Redhorse
  4. Ryan Hickman from Canada writes: What is there to ponder?

    Everyone knows that the team's hitting woes are reason this team is sitting in the american league east basement.

    The starting pitching has been brilliant (save for Mcgowan's last start), but with little to no run support, pitchers will begin to feel the pressure of having to throw a shut out every outing.

    i've had a couple of years to ponder why j.p. and gibbons are employed. i've pondered long and hard and my pondering hasn't changed...both need to go!
  5. Scenic Sask! from Canada writes: It's a sorry situation when the Jay's best strategy for today is to pray for rain.....maybe they will be twice as lucky as yesterday!
  6. Cole H. from Toronto, Canada writes: Donald Redhorse - the problem is Gibbons & his management of the pitching staff? Uhhhh, really??
  7. Donald Redhorse from Tampa, United States writes: Perhaps Cole H has a solution as he sounds about as smart as Gibbons. There are several reasons I mentioned and one of them is Gibbons and his pitcher management.
    Connie Mack said to win you need two to hit the ball, two to make the double play, and two to pitch. The BJs have that but they also have Gibbons.
    As to sarcasim that, like Coles, is another Gibons habit.
    Most fools can see a problem. Only a wise person can offer a cure.I have done so!
    Redhorse
  8. THE LAKEMAN from N.S., Canada writes: I too have been wondering what the hell is troubling the jays and after arriving at several conclusions I have decided it is their mental attitude toward playing winning ball. In other words, the talent is there but the chemistry is not, the drive to win is lacking. Now, different management may be able to shake them out of it especially if you had a hard nose manager like a Sparky Anderson of the past but one thing for sure the current Manager and G.M. are doing nothing for this team except making irrational changes. One may want to rethink the offering of longterm contracts; lets face it when a man knows he will be making millions of dollars whether he produces or not for the next 6 or 7 years it must remove a lot of the desire to play hard unless you are a very special person. I think we need a complete change in management with new blood from outside and then if things don't improve start trading the players away. We all realize the team is not much good for anything the way they are playing now!
  9. Cole H. from Toronto, Canada writes: Redhorse, there have been times I've questioned pitching moves but by in large John Gibbons goes by the book when deciding when to make a pitching change. He looks at what the statistics have proven to be the most favourable scenario for the Jays & most often goes with that. Otherwise he talks to his pitchers & to Brad Arnsberg, who seems to have a very good handle on the staff.

    Obviously, statistics aren't always going to be 100% accurate 100% per cent of the time but I can't fault him with his pitching management this year. Most nights we've seen Jays starters get into the 7th or 8th inning right? From there you may have to bring in a lefty specialist for a tough lefty batter (so you'll get Downs/Carlsson/Tallet). After that you're looking at 2-3 batters for Camp/Accardo/Frasor & Ryan in the 9th if things haven't blown up.
    Where exactly is the problem?
    The only problem I can see might be if a pitcher doesn't get their job done - Gibby isn't a relief pitcher last I checked.
  10. Cole H. from Toronto, Canada writes: Also Redhorse, you're sure the problem is bullpen management, Gibby's perceived lack of humour, personality & not...oh I dunno, poor situational hitting?
  11. Scenic Sask! from Canada writes: Cole H. - I can fault him on his pitching decisions. His decision to put Accardo in at a critical points, just to see Jeremy struggle, again and again, shows that Gibbons is making a moves based on last years stats, which are not viable this year (due to injury in Accardo's case it turns out).
  12. Donald Redhorse from Tampa, United States writes: COLE H
    Statistics guiding Gibbions?
    Well gas that because it aint working.
    As to personality or the lack thereof it sure has an affect/effect and Gibbons is known as having a uniquw ATTITUDE.
  13. Donald Redhorse from Tampa, United States writes: Cole H
    So statistics say Gibbons is right? Well gas that because the won-loss statistic says he's wrong with a lot of talent on the team.
    As to personality, or the lack therof, a good one will influence the effect/affect of statistics. Getting rid of Johnson et al raises the question too.
    Gibbons is, or should be on the way out. Just watch.
    Redhorse...ps I rode the busses and Giobbons is Bush League.
  14. Cole H. from Toronto, Canada writes: He should be using Accardo in low leverage situations, given his struggles but when exactly have those low leverage situations been? For the most part the Jays have been playing in very tight ballgames (a 12-0 shellacking excluding). If the choice is to not use Accardo whatsoever, then send him to the minors to work things out. I believe the Jays have 1 option remaining on Accardo. The decision to send Accardo down rests with both J.P. & Gibby.

    Like I said, I've scratched my head at times too. Why Frasor is constantly in the doghouse eludes me...but as I said, Gibby goes by the book - maybe sometimes to a fault but the bullpen is not the source of this teams woes.
  15. Ryan Hickman from Canada writes: I'll throw this out there and see what people think. Mench and Wilkerson have joined the club and will undoubtably spell Wells while he's out with the broken wrist. Over the weekend Jim Edmonds was released from the Padres. He was hitting under the Mendoza line at the time but do the Jays perhaps take a flyer on him??

    Part of me says go for it and the other says it's not worth the time. He would provide some additional balance to a right handed favoured line up. However if he can't hit (and hit in the clutch) then this team will be no better off with him in the line up. His numbers now show he may be done...

    Thoughts?
  16. Scenic Sask! from Canada writes: It is the tight situations I was referring to.
    Accardo doesn't need to be sent down, he needs to be fixed, 15 days on the DL is a start, hopefully the problem will be found. Last year it was scary to the opposition to see Accardo warming in the bullpen, this year it has been Jays' fans that have been scared by him.
  17. Cole H. from Toronto, Canada writes: I haven't seen Edmonds this year but I did read a quote the other day that alluded to a huge decline in bat speed - the quote basically said it looked like he was swinging his bat underwater.
  18. Ryan Hickman from Canada writes: Cole, agree with the bullpen not being the source of concern for the team. Accardo has struggled this year when he's been out there. I am not sure if this recent injury hasn't been something that's been bothering him all year?? Perhaps the solution for him is to go down to the minors to rehab and find his sinker. The only draw back then becomes the support he was giving Ryan in back to back situations. Downs has shown he might be able to do the job.
  19. Jimmy Maybe from Toronto, Canada writes: What we need is more ex-Jays. Jose Cruz Jr. is probably available or perhaps Jr. Felix is still in shape and itching to get back at it.
  20. Andrew Berthoff from Toronto, Canada writes: Sadly, Jim Edmonds' problems are most likely a result of playing too hard: post-concussion syndrome. In addition to his hitting woes, he's had problems tracking fly balls.

    I haven't heard many people looking back to those horrific two months of the 2007 season when the Jays couldn't buy a clutch run. In September they improved a bit, but that spell was what sunk Mickey Brantley. It's an almost identical period of zero hitting this year, even we've been assured since spring that they no longer sit back awaiting the three-run homer.

    I don't think I'm alone when I see the whole-nuther-level of intensity that Scott Rolen has. The only bright side of Wells going down is that it may provide a leadership role for Rolen. If the team rallies around and learns from his example, there may be hope.

    But I do think that the same lack of hitting has carried over from 2007. The batting coaches are different. The batters are still talented. This team needs leadership and intensity. If it can't come from the manager, then I hope it can come from someone like Scott Rolen.
  21. A Realist from Canada writes: Some fans think firing a manager and GM is going to solve a problem. Just what the Jays need - a Leaf fans' solution to a team playing poorly.

    As far as saying Gibbbons has no personality - how would a fan know his personality. You've spent some time with him have you?
  22. Ryan Hickman from Canada writes: All batters take great pride in their hitting so I'm not sure that it's because they aren't focused enough.

    It's a weird situation where you find an entire team struggling at the plate. I am sure the focus is there during at bats. I think this is a pressure problem. The longer this team goes not being able to hit with runners on, the more it will get into their collective heads and cause them added grief. Baseball as they say is 90% mental. I honestly think that is the problem right now. I think they just need a couple of games where the entire lineup pounds out some hits and you're see things change around. Unfortunately for the Jays, despite it only being May, it may already be too late.
  23. Larry Coulter from Canada writes: Don't the BJ's have a new batting coach this year? I notice little to no mention on this aspect in the various comments. Opportunity?
  24. Cole H. from Toronto, Canada writes: Ugly stat du jour:
    Jays are averaging 2.8 runs the past 23 games.
  25. A Realist from Canada writes: There are a lot of ugly Jays stats - how about BA with RISP? They're barely hitting Eckstein's weight.

    If Ricciardi was supposed to focus on player development, why do we have to sign retreads like Stewart/Mench/Wilkerson to START!?

    Except for Hill, he has not drafted a single position player that has made a meaningful impact on the team.
  26. Scenic Sask! from Canada writes: .............and they're batting a dismal .200 with RISP! No hits when needed. Is it all just bad luck?
  27. Cole H. from Toronto, Canada writes: On the topic of player development, I think I mentioned it the other day but Travis Snider seems to be improving in AA. He's hit a few bombs of late & appears to be making good adjustments after a slow start. He and Brett Cecil (LH pitcher in AA) sound very, very promising & Justin Jackson (shortstop drafted last year) is getting great reviews in A ball.
    I don't think we'll see these guys at all this year but we'll be hearing lots about them soon enough.
  28. A Realist from Canada writes: Cole - those guys you mention are only one or two years removed from being drafted and still aren't sure things. My comment was based on JP's first 3-4 drafts. Hill is a keeper, and Lind, arguably, is going to be okay, but when the Jays needed someone to step in to play the OF, they had to resort to signing scrap heap players. That says a lot about the Jays farm system.

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