Game Thread: Mariners @ Blue Jays

[evilRyu]

well the Mariners had a big 4-run inning, and the Jays couldn't overcome the deficit......

At least they took 2/3, but somehow, that doesn't seem like it's enough..

Off to the Rays, game thread will be up in a few hours (unless someone beats me to it)

[Schad]

K I'm puzzled. You have a man on second with a leadoff double with nobody out. Mcdonald comes to the plate and flies out, Eickstein pops out (what a suprise!) and the same with Rios. Why not sacrifice a bunt to move Mench to 3rd and try to score a run that way?? I don't get it.

Teams should never sacrifice that early in the game (especially against a mediocre pitcher), no matter how hard they are struggling to score runs, and regardless of the player at the plate. Mench also runs like a fortress and Eckstein hits a ball 300 feet once every three years (that's in human years...dunno what that converts to in Scrappy years), making it on the whole a losing proposition.

[Peteros]

The Jays made Washburn look like a Cy young today.

Why never Schandenfreude? I just don't understand this type of approach by MLB teams. So what if it's early in the game. This could have been a big inning for the Jays, and a momentum builder for the rest of the game. So what if it's a mediocre pitcher. If you give yourself a chance to score a run, you try to do so with the right approach. The most logical approach in this case would have been a sacrifice to third, especially with Mcdonald coming to the plate and batting .209

What does he do? Flies out, and kills any momentum.

That's how I see it.

Anyone else agree with me?

[Schad]

The Jays made Washburn look like a Cy young today.

Why never Schandenfreude? I just don't understand this type of approach by MLB teams. So what if it's early in the game. This could have been a big inning for the Jays, and a momentum builder for the rest of the game. So what if it's a mediocre pitcher. If you give yourself a chance to score a run, you try to do so with the right approach. The most logical approach in this case would have been a sacrifice to third, especially with Mcdonald coming to the plate and batting .209

What does he do? Flies out, and kills any momentum.

That's how I see it.

Anyone else agree with me?

I see the exact opposite. You can't build a big inning by giving up an out in the hopes of taking a 1-0 lead that early in the game, and the gain in momentum (if one exists) is negligible.

Also, the advantage of bunting the guy to third is the fact that he can score on a ground ball or deep fly, which he can't from second. A single will end in the runner scoring most of the time whether he's one second anyway (either on the hit or 1-3 no outs), so it's not a factor in this equation. However, with Mench doing the running, the number of scenarios that end in success are smaller...there's no doubt that the infield would play back and Eckstein hits a tonne of slow rollers, but he would really need to chop one into the dirt or deep to the middle infielders to score Mench, as it would be insane to run on contact in that scenario.

So you're basically counting on a deep fly ball or a ball hacked into the turf, just to take a 1-0 lead when in all likelihood the teams will combine for 5-10 runs. Over the course of a season (and typically game-to-game) it's a losing proposition.

[Peteros]

It's not negligible. Putting up a run puts the pressure on the opposing pitcher and team to catch up, even though it's one run, and/or makes it a little easier to catch up if your behind.

Having a runner on third, gives you many chances to score. Not only on a fly ball or base hit, but also on a wild pitch or balk which is rare, but it happens.

Your arguement about getting a single with the runner is second is moot. Look who's coming to the plate? Now tell me would you rather have him swinging away, or sacrificing the runner over? Eckstein does hit a ton of slow rollers, but again I'd take my chances with him with a runner on 3rd than on 2nd.

Also how do you know the teams will combine for 5-10 runs? It could end up being a low scoring game. This looked to be the case early in the game. Washburn was pitching well, and the Jays needed to find a way to manufacture runs.