Defensive Substition in 8th: Why?

[Hendy15]

Ok, maybe this has been discussed in the game thread, but I can't keep up with 63 pages of madness. Hopefully KJ is not injured, as I haven't heard anything. I like to think I know something about baseball and strategy, but I don't get this one. Either way, Omar turned a nice DP.

So... Jays down 5-2 at the time, I believe Kelly was slotted to be the 6th batter in the ninth, should we get a rally going. Omar comes in for defense (i assume) in the bottom of the 8th to replace KJ. Do you risk taking out a very good bat for a great defender when you are down? If we are up I can understand, but what is we get a nice rally going and need a big hit for the win? A Pinch hitter perhaps? Nevertheless, while Omar is a good upgrade over Kelly at second, I would rather have Kelly batting than ANY pinch hitter we have. Turns out it didn't matter, but would like to discuss.

So, don't want to rant, but why do you see this happening? I was not a fan of it, but Omar did turn a hell of a double, so maybe I don't know sh*t. I'd like to hear from some of the better baseball minds out there and hear some opinions.

[Raptor_Guy]

Yea it was baffling, I imagine it was just to get Vizquel a bit of time in the field, but I don't get it. It's true, what if the Jays had a rally going and it was Omar up at the plate with the bases loaded instead of Kelly Johnson.

[Randle McMurphy]

Didn't make sense.

[Hendy15]

OK, so I'm not alone here. With the lead, for sure...

As I said, hopefully not an injury. KJ struck out to start the top of the 8th. Maybe he felt something. Just looked it up and he struck out swinging. Don't want to make something out of nothing, but I just don't see any reason to make a defensive substitution in bottom of the 8th while trailing. I was wathching the american feed and missed all the post game. Any speculation or comments on the Jays broadcast side?

**EDIT** and I agree Omar should get some reps, but don't see that as the situation...

[pinklemo]

are we gonna discuss this non-issue? yeah it was a bit weird, but at the end of the day we dont have all the information that management has. And we has fans may never know whats going on in the clubhouse. He might have pulled something, or has an illness?

[vaff87]

It clearly wasn't made for better defense. If it was, it's a subsitution we would have seen already this year. So either KJ suffered a mild injury, got sick, or Farrell thought the Jays were already out of the game or something.

[Attonitus]

You are reading far too much out of a harmless move. Maybe too give KJ some rest going from a night to day game combined with Omar not having played in a while, not to mention the fact the game was all but over.