The start of the rest of the season. Maybe.

Off day for the Jays and much needed to consolidate as they head out on the road. Yesterday’s finale with the Rangers has bothered me for several reasons. Most of us were prepared for a rough week with the three division leaders in town and a winless home stand was a reality with 13 players on the DL. However, I think not only did they play much better than the results show but that yesterday’s game could have been a whole lot closer. Firstly I don’t think the best lineup was on the field. Gomes is not a catcher, he can catch but he does not catch enough to be playing in there. The failure to block the plate on the throw from Sierra was a clear example. Mathis was on a day off until Cooper pulls out in batting practice with his tight back. But surely if Mathis was pulled in to DH and play, he would have been better in as catcher. He brings experience and would have definitely added to the defensive skills behind the plate including saving that run. In addition he would have handled Alvarez a great deal better with the pitch selection. He would not have been calling first pitch fast balls when it was clear that Rangers were going after them. Even Gomes himself admitted after the game maybe this was not a great idea. Mathis would have also been a calming influence on Alvarez when things were unravelling. Furthermore although he would have been taking a day off, Gomes is sent down after the game and Torrealba is on his way. If Jays management knew that, then surely Mathis with a day off today would have had additional rest when Torrealba is here this week. DH instead of Mathis? this is where we come to the other major concern from yesterday. Many of the Rangers hits yesterday were to centre, and to Rasmus. It was very clear to everyone that Colby was having difficulty. He was not chasing down the fly balls which he usually handles with ease. He was running gingerly and obviously that groin injury is not healed. Surely then the solution was for Colby to DH and to replace him with someone with speed in centre. Hello Antony Gose. If Gose had done nothing but chase down those fly balls to centre the run total would have been much less. His bat did not matter as Colby also had a lousy day with the bat, apart from his last at bat when he made two great swings and which makes me think his timing is back at least. I suggest that with these minor changes this game would have been very, very different. Alvarez was nowhere near as bad as the score suggests. The hits were falling in the gaps but this Jays team has some of the fastest outfielders in the division. Maybe even with those changes the Jays would have still lost the game but I maintain the score would have been a whole lot closer and the players would have approached their at bats a little differently. This brings me to the last point raising much discussion in Toronto today. That is the effort by certain players with the losing streak. Are some of them mailing it in? Certainly the most consistent player who always gives that appearance is Escobar. Taking as few pitches as possible, rarely grinding out an out and with his lack of speed is rarely able to beat out the throw to first. The pained expressions and arguments with the umpires as he strikes out yet again are wearing thin with the fans and maybe it is no coincidence that he is one of the few injury free starters this season. What is he doing or not doing that is different from the others. His glove I like but sorry Yunel, Hechavarria has a much better glove and stronger throw. BUT today maybe we see the start of the return of the injured warriors. If all goes well with the rehabs by the end of the week in Baltimore, Lawrie, Bautista and Morrow could be back in the lineups, with Lind not far behind. Even though it will presumably take a few games to get back to efficiency, add in Torrealba reinforcing the catching position for the first time since Arencibia went down and at least the lineup looks like a major league team as opposed to AAA. The bench will also be a whole lot stronger and the free ride for the opposing teams over the past weeks is over and Jays are going to spoil a lot of playoff dreams for others. Let’s go Blue Jays.