Friday March 20, 2009. Jays v Rays at Dunedin.
Lineups: Rays: Jason Bartlett, Rays MVP, Crawford, Kapler, Pena, Navarro, Richard, Ensberg, Sadler, Adam Kennedy and Matt Garza pitching.
Jays: Adams, Bautista (playing at SS) Rios, Wells, Millar, Lane, Barajas, Emaus, Ahrens, and Brad Mills pitching.
Rays were in town to give Jays a big test today. The Jays big guys were back in the lineup Alex, Barajas and Vernon making his first appearance of the Spring.
But none of these guys were the stars today. Nor Overbay, Rolen or Hill.
This was a show by that very deep organization that JP has put together and it was very impressive today.
Jays were losing this one after one third of first inning on a two run hr by Crawford, his first of the spring, and losing 4-1 in the fifth.
This looked like a romp for the Rays behind a strong Garza, but a funny thing happened.
The game changed big-time, with a five run fifth for the Jays to go ahead 6-4 and then an eight run sixth inning to put this one away.
Shoffit added another with HR to CF in the eighth and Jays explode in this one to win15-4.
Mills went five innings six hits four runs all earned one walk and four strikeouts and hit Navarro. Two of those runs however were in the first five minutes of the game and he settled down to give a good outing. Jays need starters…
News on Janssen and his very short outing yesterday was that he would be examined today to determine cause of his tightness.
Rays Nieman had a horrible time but was not supported in the field with series of terrible fielding plays which should have resulted in errors by the scorer was definitely generous today.
Before today Nieman’s era was minuscule 0.82 in four games and eleven innings, five hits, one run and three walks.
Today his line was 2/3 of an inning, faced 12 batters, seven hits, nine runs all earned, three walks and now has an era of 7.71.
Frasor, Camp, League and Carson just closed the Rays bats down. Two hitters over the minimum in their four innings.
Both Camp and Carlson still have eras of 0.00 this spring. Camp in four innings and Carlson three.
Jays had sixteen hits today and from thirteen different players.
Eamus his third double, Millar his second double, Lane his fifth, and Barrett his third. Adams had a triple. The only HR was Shoffit, this was nickel and dime baseball with clutch hitting up and down the bench.
Rays by comparison had eight hits but four of them by Crawford and Ensberg.
Jays had rbis from Emaus, Bautista, Millar, now 9 on the spring, Lane now 12 and an average of .378, Nielsen, Phillips, Shoffit and Barrett.
Miller, Lane, Phillips and Shoffit two hits each and Barrett cleared three off the bases with his hit.
Rios had one hit but Vernon (DH) was hitless in his first two at bats and grounded into double play. Cito says that Vernon may play three innings in the field this weekend.
Lane now has seventeen hits and twelve rbis in forty five at bats and pushed his average even higher to .357.
Barrett still trying for that backup role made a perfect throw catching Johnson at second stealing and had a three rbi game but has only pushed his average to .200.
Emaus continued to show a strong bat and good hands at 2B. He has outperformed Aaron with his bat this spring.
But despite the great win today there remain questions about the team
Leadoff has still not been decided. Will Scutaro take it when he returns? Neither Adams nor Inglett are good choices. Adams is headed to AAA Vegas and Inglett may not make the team either with so much competition.
My leadoff plug right now is for Rios. He has done it before and successfully, he is taking many walks, is not hitting for power and if he does find his power, that is not a bad spot to showcase it. Plus it gives Jays that running game when he is on base. Hill is a good number two. Millar can take the number three spot with Vernon cleanup.
My big concern is that we have seen excellent hitting (38 of the 95 Jays rbis this spring) from Lane, Emaus, Snider and Campbell, three if not all them may not even be in Toronto in April.
BUT we have yet to see similar production from Rolen, Overbay, Rios, and Wells who will be the heart of the order. Injureis and other excuses but this is the A team on Opening Day...
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