Series Thread: Athletics @ Blue Jays (Apr 8-10)

[raps4life~]

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Game #1
Loss (8-9)
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Game #2
Loss (3-6)
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Game #3
Loss (2-3)
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[raps4life~]

whoops didnt see the other one. i had left my "post a thread" thing open cuz i was finding pictures. mods can close this if they want.

[The_Hater]

It would be much nicer to face the A's after Harden goes on his unavoidable DL stint later this summer.

Question: So as of right now, Litsch has been named as Friday's SP vs Texas. Is Gibby going to do the smart thing and skip his 5th starter considering Doc will have his usual 4 days rest or does he go with the bonehead move and start Litsch?

[NeverGoingToWin]

Our starting pitchers are doing really well and I think Gibbons should show Litsch that we have confidence in him.

[Schad]

It would be much nicer to face the A's after Harden goes on his unavoidable DL stint later this summer.

Question: So as of right now, Litsch has been named as Friday's SP vs Texas. Is Gibby going to do the smart thing and skip his 5th starter considering Doc will have his usual 4 days rest or does he go with the bonehead move and start Litsch?

No clue, but that's part of the reason I was hoping Gibbons would pull Halladay after seven innings...prevents Gibbons from being silly (no need to 'save' Halladay for Baltimore), and makes sure that he's not overworked.

Sometimes, I wonder if Gibbons gets too caught up in the "he's a workhorse!" and forgets that he's rode the poor nag too hard season in and season out.

Harden is off to a good start, but he's walking way too many batters at the moment and is still on a pitch limit. Hopefully, the Jays hitters will wait out some pitches in the first few innings and get into the bullpen by the 6th inning.

Gaudin gives up baserunners at a ferocious pace, so the same should probably apply in the second game. I don't know the slightest thing about Eveland, but given our history against unknowns, it's a safe bet that he will throw eight scoreless.

[youreachiteach]

It would be much nicer to face the A's after Harden goes on his unavoidable DL stint later this summer.

Question: So as of right now, Litsch has been named as Friday's SP vs Texas. Is Gibby going to do the smart thing and skip his 5th starter considering Doc will have his usual 4 days rest or does he go with the bonehead move and start Litsch?

The only problem i see with this is that the team is heading into a time when they are playing like 20 games straight--so having an extra day of rest for Doc might not be a bad idea.

I suppose if the team is struggling I would do as you suggest...but if not, I see no reason to skip a turn.

I know people are down on Litsch after houdini act the other day...but he is a bulldog who always seems to come back stronger after a poor outing.

We don't have a lot of depth behind the starters, so skipping a start for our number five is dangerous because it is one more start where Halladay might injure himself, throw too many pitches, get hit with the ball...it just seems safer to let the next guy go and let the chips fall (of course predicated on the notion that Litsch continues to help us win).

[SmallTownJournalist303]

I'll keep this one because it's prettier and already has a few posts in it. But if this does happen in the future, whichever one gets posted first is probably the one that should stay.

[Test of Wills]

I'm looking forward to a sweep...let's hope we get 2 games if anything.
Go Jays Go!

[The_Hater]

Sometimes, I wonder if Gibbons gets too caught up in the "he's a workhorse!" and forgets that he's road the poor nag too hard season in and season out.

From Hardball Times:

A stretch of six starts last May/June averaging 116 pitches kept Burnett from taking his regular turn until mid August, and then Gibbons/Arnsberg left A.J. to throw 809 pitches (also an average of 116 pitches) over his final seven turns.


Gibbons isn't quite Dusty Baker when it comes to burning out his starters but considering we have such a strong bullpen, I don't have a clue why he feels the need to overwork his top starters all the time? Especially 1 week into the season! No wonder they're always getting hurt. And leaving Doc in against Boston was crazy stupid. He was over 100 pitches, the Jays had a decent lead and Doc wasn't exactly throwing a gem anyways. So why leave him in there for another 10-15 pitches? What did it gain?

[asif9t9]

Chad Gaudin. We have to beat these guys. Let's do it for JP!!!!

[risktaker19]

Let's get another sweep. A sweep of sweeps!

[OldNo7]

I'll keep this one because it's prettier and already has a few posts in it. But if this does happen in the future, whichever one gets posted first is probably the one that should stay.

I disagree, its Toronto board tradition that if the team wins its game/series, the threadmaker remains the same.

We do appreciate the efforts of those making them, but lets try to keep tradition going...

[risktaker19]

-= original quote snipped =-



I disagree, its Toronto board tradition that if the team wins its game/series, the threadmaker remains the same.

We do appreciate the efforts of those making them, but lets try to keep tradition going...

So other thread makers are hoping for the Jays to lose this series?
I'm just kidding.

[arrpy]

-= original quote snipped =-



I disagree, its Toronto board tradition that if the team wins its game/series, the threadmaker remains the same.

We do appreciate the efforts of those making them, but lets try to keep tradition going...

Will remember that from now on.

[Michael Bradley]

Gibbons isn't quite Dusty Baker when it comes to burning out his starters but considering we have such a strong bullpen, I don't have a clue why he feels the need to overwork his top starters all the time?

Gibbons was very good with pitch counts in this first two years. It was only in 2007 when it became a problem. When Arnsberg was in Florida, he and the manager at the time had a reputation of overworking starters, so I don't know if it's a case of Arnsberg rubbing off on Gibbons or Gibbons just fearing for his job and overworking the starters to give the team a better chance of winning (in his mind).

I'm assuming that if/when Ryan gets back, and Accardo gets pushed down, that Gibbons may be a bit more comfortable going to the pen earlier. He seems to have lost faith in League and Frasor, but doesn't mind going to Tallet, Downs, and Wolfe late in games. Of course, with the starters starting off so hot the first week, we haven't gotten a firm grasp on Gibbons' bullpen pattern yet.

I actually don't mind if Litsch is used Friday. It's either Litsch Friday or Litsch Saturday, so it's not like we can avoid him starting completely. If it means one more day of rest for Halladay, it's probably a good thing.

[OldNo7]

I would rather see Litsch Friday as well. Extra day of rest for Roy early in the season and keeps the pitching rotation in line instead of throwing Litsch in between Roy and AJ.

[The_Hater]

From Rotoworld:

Rich Harden is slated to start Saturday after being scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday.

[Holmes]

So we up against Chad Gaudin, Lenny DiNardo, and Dana Eveland.

How do you get from running out a rotation of Tim Hudson, Barry Zito and Mark Mulder to Barry Zito, Danny Haren and Joe Blanton, to oft-scratched Rich Harden, Joe Blanton and these 3 bad boys.

Somebody get me that avatar of Lil Wayne counting his money.

[jamaicamon]

havnt been this hungry for jays baseball in a long time, cant wait for the game to start

[stro4swift]

So we up against Chad Gaudin, Lenny DiNardo, and Dana Eveland.

Which means we should really sweep 'em up!

GO JAYS!