Jays v Phillies in Dunedin.
Ricky Romero v Cliff Lee.
Lineups: Phillies: Rollins, Valdez, Francisco, Howard, Ibanez, Mayberry jr., Barfield, Ruiz, Martinez and Lee pitching. This is close to the best line-up that Charlie Manuel can put out today with injuries now to Polanco, Utley and Brown and considering that this group had tough game with Boston cross-town yesterday I am surprised that the Phillies have sent such a strong line-up to Dunedin.
Jays: Davis, Escobar, Bautista, Lind, Hill, Encarnacion, Snider, Rivera and Arencibia with Romero pitching
This is a long awaited game for Jays fans to see Hill back in the line-up; we have been teased with his appearances at batting practice but nothing like the real thing. It is also a strong Jays line-up and possibly the opening Day group although with Bautista at DH today I am sure that will change on April 1st.
Potentially an excellent pitching matchup and I am sure that Lee is determined to match performance yesterday against Boston by his Phillies colleague Halladay. Great crowd, yet another sell-out and more than half in red shirts for the Phillies and a glorious 25C cloudless sky at first pitch. What more could we want?
As so often in baseball, such pre-game hype is never realised and so it was today although Jays hitters did give Phillies a scare in the bottom of the ninth.
But in reality this one was lost before the second out as Romero was awful, and Ricky had given up a 3run home run to Ibanez with only one out in the top of the first. You can’t give Cliff Lee a three run lead and how to beat him. Lee just cruised through the Jays and although he didn’t match Halladay’s eighth inning heroics he did give Phillies the support they needed.
For the Jays Rajai Lewis once again showed his class as he slammed a leadoff triple off the centre field wall and it was left to Bautista to bring him in from third to get one back but that was it until the fourth. Lee started to lose his control and was facing the wrong guy. Juan Rivera.
Rivera had a home run into left and you could see it coming as Lee fell behind 3-0 and you knew he would come back with one down the middle, the question was, would Rivera take or would he be swinging? No doubt at all he has the green light. A beauty of a line drive home run into the left field trees.
The excellent sign to me at least was JP Arencibia who caught two stealing with excellent throws and also had a strong single up the middle, one of the few Jays with a hit today. I saw that as a glimmer perhaps of some confidence back with JP. Alex had given interview with mlb.com which was reported on in local media reaffirming that they would be staying with JP they had made a commitment and would honour that. Perhaps all it does take is that confidence building and I know that many Jays fans hope the same for him.
Other excellent signs today were the bullpen once again, Casey Janssen, Chad Cordero, Marc Rzepczynski, Villanueva and also Henn who had blown the game in Port Charlotte keep the Phillies off the board.
The young hitters also came to life in the bottom of the ninth with four hits and two runs to make it 5-4 and with Charlie Manuel very concerned about reliever Baez unable to close this thing, managed to induce double play with two on deck and one down. McCoy, Thames, and Loewen have consecutive singles to get one back. Budde strikes out but Patterson brings in Thames to make it 5-4 with two on before Jonathan Diaz grounds into double play to end this one.
Close, but not enough today.
Major concerns with Ricky Romero now with two lousy outings back to back after being named Opening Day starter. Is the pressure too much? Is it just a blip? Or is it that finger that he injured in the last game?
Hill did not have a great day and it is obvious that he is not going full out in the field, a couple of plays he would normally swallow up he missed one was a pop up behind first that he just didn’t have any speed running after and another a ground ball into right he was far too late getting there, that is a play he makes 99 times in 100. But to be expected when he is returning from that leg injury, it will take a few games.
The infield did not have a good day today at all with only one great save by Encarnacion at third. Balls were bobbled and there seemed to be no hustling after popups. Escobar on one play running from first on a pop up just ambling along. Yes two were down but errors are made Yunel and you run out every base, we had enough years of Rios doing that type of nonchalant play. I think also the difference we are seeing now with the first team is that lack of speed that all the new younger players had in the first three weeks. We became so accustomed to hustle by every one of them trying to make the team. Don’t swing the lead Yunel or the fans will really be all over you in Toronto. Ditto for Encarnacion although that lazy half asleep performance appears to be his norm and today he gets the benefit with that great play at third.
The other negative today aimed at Jose Bautista, as he popped up in the first he used some language that he will regret as he ran to first. Jays fans behind the dugout responded immediately and let him know and the rest of the team that this team has a lot to live up to. He was very fortunate that that did not happen in Toronto. Sure he was frustrated but there were many, many, young children behind that dugout this afternoon, role model and leader Jose or is too much?
Even though Jays have ten hits, Jays runners in scoring position was another awful 2-11. Meantime Phillies also with ten hits show the Jays how it is done by going 3-6. These are signs that the Jays may not yet be ready to compete with the big boys.
Hello old Jays friends: Chris Woodward makes a cameo appearance earning some cheers from the fans around the dugout. Pinch hitting for Bautista he also gets a single.
The other friend was the old guy throwing out the first pitch, yes Pat Gillick looking very fit and trim.
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