Jesse Litsch Called Up: Will Take Doc's Start

asif9t9 · Post #21 » by **asif9t9** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:09 am

The thing about having him in the 9th is....it's because we're desperate to have someone finish the game.

Let's hope Accardo can finish it.

NeverGoingToWin · Post #22 » by **NeverGoingToWin** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:09 am

It is a little disappointing that they took him out with 1 out to go.

NeverGoingToWin · Post #23 » by **NeverGoingToWin** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:14 am

That was a great game to watch.

Andrea>Dirk · Post #24 » by **Andrea>Dirk** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:36 am

I'm impressed.

Post #25 » by **SmallTownJournalist303** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:20 am

The sad thing is, regardless of how well he pitches, it's still a stupid move by management to bring him up. We're not going to be competitive this season, so it still just ends up as one year closer to arbitration when all is said and done.
He was fantastic tonight, though.

-MetA4- · Post #26 » by **-MetA4-** » Wed May 16, 2007 2:41 am

SmallTownJournalist303 wrote:The sad thing is, regardless of how well he pitches, it's still a stupid move by management to bring him up. We're not going to be competitive this season, so it still just ends up as one year closer to arbitration when all is said and done.
He was fantastic tonight, though.

Litsch wont get anywhere near arbitration. He's a guy that would have likely made the rotation at some point next year anyway. This is only a stupid move if JP and company stick to their world and use him just once and send him back down, Litsch was gong to be put on the 40-man roster next year anyways so putting him a year early if he's contributing to the team isn't that bad a move because Litsch isn't the type of pitcher that you're going to need to send back to the minors repeatedly. Option years only really matter when it comes towards pitchers who are extremely raw and cant locate (Rosario, McGowan etc). A guy like Litsch isn't going to need 3 option years to find his stuff because he's always had good command and control of his pitches. Despite what happens this year, looking at our current rotation which is held together by a bunch of "quick fixes" that haven't worked out I'd say theres a pretty good chance Litsch earns a starting job sometime next year anyways.

Post #27 » by **OldNo7** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:18 am

I think Litsch can have the same type of year/role that Janssen had last year.

NeverGoingToWin · Post #28 » by **NeverGoingToWin** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:58 am

http://cbs.sportsline.com/mlb/gamecente ... 15_BAL@TOR

Jesse Litsch did a pretty good impression of Roy Halladay while filling in for the injured Blue Jays ace.

Litsch worked into the ninth inning in his major league debut and Troy Glaus singled in the go-ahead run in the sixth to help Toronto beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 on Tuesday night.

"It's probably the best day of my life," Litsch said. "I never thought it would happen that way but it's a great experience."

Litsch walked Miguel Tejada with two outs in the ninth and Blue Jays manager John Gibbons replaced him with Jeremy Accardo. Litsch got a loud ovation from the Rogers Centre crowd as he left the field and even took a brief curtain call, doffing his cap from the dugout steps as the cheers continued.

"I gave a short one," a glowing Litsch said. "I didn't want to get up to the top step."

Litsch's effort was the longest outing by a Blue Jay in his major league debut.

asif9t9 · Post #29 » by **asif9t9** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:46 am

I think the best thing to do is to keep starting him until teams develop a scouting report.

But I'll hold off on making conclusions about what kind of pitcher he is. It's just one start. Good for him and his dad, too.

Post #30 » by **OldNo7** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:50 am

asif9t9 wrote:I think the best thing to do is to keep starting him until teams develop a scouting report.

But I'll hold off on making conclusions about what kind of pitcher he is. It's just one start. Good for him and his dad, too.

Yeah which is kind of what they did with Janssen last year and he had a lot of immediate success until teams got onto him. Then he was back to AAA briefly and then to the bullpen if I remember correctly?

Peteros · Post #31 » by **Peteros** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:38 pm

I really like this kid's control and composure on the mound. Keeps the ball down. This kid could be the real thing. Let's see how he does on his next start.

y2dan · Post #32 » by **y2dan** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:48 pm

whosthebosh? wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Yeah which is kind of what they did with Janssen last year and he had a lot of immediate success until teams got onto him. Then he was back to AAA briefly and then to the bullpen if I remember correctly?

Don't forget that Janssen had a "back" injury last season and he didn't reveal this to the team (for whatever reason). That was part of the reason he struggled as the season went on...

Holmes · Post #33 » by **Holmes** » Wed May 16, 2007 1:52 pm

As problematic as the Blue Jays management has been, no team should be giving up at the 39 game mark.

They took a chance on a hot mid-level prospect from AA and it paid off. I'd expect us to try and salvage the season after a horrible start.

torontoaces04 · Post #34 » by **torontoaces04** » Wed May 16, 2007 3:58 pm

Well thrown game by the kid. To come up on such short notice and bypassing Syracuse is no easy matter. 8 2/3 with 4 hits speaks for itself. Did the fact that the Orioles, and the Jays for that matter, have never seen him pitch help him? Sure it did, but hopefully it will help him build his confidence and continue to improve.

KJ2940 · Post #35 » by **KJ2940** » Wed May 16, 2007 5:53 pm

Gibbons is an idiot for taking Litch out....he should have let the kid get the complete game, he was still pitching really good and only walked his last batter because he was getting a bit excited...it would have been something to really remember in his first ML start...he's done this to Halladay and i think Burnett a few times this season too...Gibbons needs to be fired!

All in all great job by Litch...if he can keep this up we can have a really solid rotation when Halladay and Chacin come back...especially if we keep Marcum as our 5th starter (who should have been starting over Towers in the first place)

asif9t9 · Post #36 » by **asif9t9** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:52 pm

KJ2940 wrote:Gibbons is an idiot for taking Litch out....he should have let the kid get the complete game, he was still pitching really good and only walked his last batter because he was getting a bit excited...it would have been something to really remember in his first ML start...he's done this to Halladay and i think Burnett a few times this season too...Gibbons needs to be fired!

All in all great job by Litch...if he can keep this up we can have a really solid rotation when Halladay and Chacin come back...especially if we keep Marcum as our 5th starter (who should have been starting over Towers in the first place)

I disagree. I mean, it would have been nice for the kid to get a complete game, but he did walk Tejada and he walked him bad. He was throwing all over the place. A team that has given up is a team that puts cute "complete game" stories ahead of trying to get a single W.

I was surprised they brought him in for the ninth, actually. That showed me how desperate we are. No confidence in the bullpen.

NeverGoingToWin · Post #37 » by **NeverGoingToWin** » Wed May 16, 2007 11:55 pm

http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/news_story/?ID=207942&hubname=

The Toronto Blue Jays are giving the kid another start, and most likely more than that.

Jesse Litsch will return to the mound Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies, manager John Gibbons said Wednesday, a decision that landed veteran Tomo Ohka to the bullpen.

''Ride the wave, baby,'' said Gibbons. ''We liked everything we saw.''

Litsch made an outstanding big-league debut Tuesday, when he fell one out short of a complete game in a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. The initial plan was for the outing to be a one-off with the team not needing a fifth starter again until May 26 in Minnesota, but his performance forced the team's hand.

''He's going to get another start, probably more than one more start,'' said general manager J.P. Ricciardi. ''We'll ride him.''

asif9t9 · Post #38 » by **asif9t9** » Thu May 17, 2007 11:46 am

I don't think they really had much of a choice.

KJ2940 · Post #39 » by **KJ2940** » Fri May 18, 2007 6:42 pm

I disagree. I mean, it would have been nice for the kid to get a complete game, but he did walk Tejada and he walked him bad. He was throwing all over the place. A team that has given up is a team that puts cute "complete game" stories ahead of trying to get a single W.

I was surprised they brought him in for the ninth, actually. That showed me how desperate we are. No confidence in the bullpen.

Ok i respect your opinion man but how many times have we seen one of our starters pitch an excellent game only to have it blown by the bullpen (which almost happened again) and the starter either ends up with an undeserving loss or no decision....when a pitcher is pitching that well I think he deserves a chance to finish the game...I'm sure Litch would have calmed his nerves for the next batter and finished the game..i mean it was just 1 more out!

asif9t9 · Post #40 » by **asif9t9** » Fri May 18, 2007 9:33 pm

You're absolutely right that it was just one more out. And 70% of the time, batters just hit themselves into outs.

I'm torn. I'd rather we had a bullpen we could count on, and we'd bring in a closer for the 9th. Since Gibby did bring in Litsch, I guess he might as well let him finish. But the way he walked Tejada wasn't good. Not even close. One more big hit, and everyone would be wondering why the Jays left some kid out there to flounder by himself.