Yeah yeah yeah, we know. We shouldn't get too excited over beating up on a bunch of minor league arms in Boston.(And on that note: Were we the only ones who were relieved that this Michael Bowden cat is still in Boston's system and wasn't part of a Halladay trade? Seriously, all those internet based scouting analysts really don't know nuthin' 'bout nuthin' in the end, do they?)
But come on. Isn't it a stitch to watch Aaron Hill and José Bautista and Rod Barajas send dingers into Boston's night time skyline? Why must people try to ruin this for us?
Praise the rain
Thankfully for Jays fans, the rains came pouring down exactly at the point where Casey Janssen had begun to hand the game back to the Red Sox. Watching Janssen walk two and give up a double to that little rat-faced elf Dustin Pedroia, we could feel a big BoSox turnaround coming on like a freight train (even with the six-run lead.)
Given Cito's dubious handling of the bullpen, we could have seen him leaving Janssen in to burnish his .940 OPS against. Yikes.
Everybody loves Janssen because he's plucky as all get out, but dude needs to be far away from the Jays' pitching staff next season if they are going to have a shot at...well...nevermind.
You are correct. He's terrible.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be so quick to trash Bowden though. I think he'll be okay in the end.
I was thinking the same last night - that the rain came just at the right time but then thought "No no, I'm just indulging in bad thoughts. No one else could be thinking that..."
ReplyDeleteYeah, there's always a bit of a learning curve for guys who've been blowing away double-A hitters with 90 mph fastballs and changeups up in the zone.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that I saw what the appeal of Bowden is, but I'll reserve judgment.
So Boston hasn't clinched yet...I take it a Boston win or a Texas loss is all they need. So I still have a reason to care.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking that last night: I miss Casey Janssen, circa 2007. He just ain't the same anymore. It must be Arnsberg's fault.
ReplyDeleteAnytime we can beat up on the BoSox, it's a good night.
JoBau and Rod certainly look like they're playing for a contract, eh? Just to make J.P. Ricciardi's life even more difficult. If JoBau re-signs, I'm not sure what Drew is going to do.
"Everybody loves Janssen because he's plucky as all get out, but dude needs to be far away from the Jays' pitching staff next season if they are going to have a shot at..."
ReplyDeleteI second that emotion.
I was getting sick of 'When Janssen comes back we'll be all right.' No. Just, No. He has nifty stuff, but zero idea of when to throw it. He needs for GM-to-be-named-later to sit him down at the end of the season and tell him he is spending next year in Vegas with no consideration for promotion until 2011, even if everyone on the depth chart have their arms fall off. No Show For You! Come Back One Year!
ReplyDeleteJanssen looks like he's intense out there on the mound, which is what makes people like him.
ReplyDeleteBut it makes us think that he's an overly demonstrative nimrod.
Yeah, I said nimrod.
Is nimrod still an insult?
ReplyDeleteBowden of course would be a throw-in if anything in any package for Roy but I get your point.
ReplyDeleteHis delivery looks extremely hard to replicate and repeat time and again, I don't like his mechanics.
While Bowden won't be a future frontline starter, and probably won't be a part of the future Boston rotation, he's a serviceable arm. I imagine he'd be a #3 to #5 starter for a lot of teams right now. He doesn't have electric stuff, but he has pitched decently in the minors, and it's not like he's doing it with an 85-mph fastball.
ReplyDeleteI liked Janssen because he was good out of the bullpen in '07. I remembered that he was decidedly mediocre as a starter in '06 and wondered why he was handed a rotation spot when he was healthy this season.
ReplyDelete"While Bowden won't be a future frontline starter, and probably won't be a part of the future Boston rotation, he's a serviceable arm."
ReplyDeleteNah. He's a similar case to Masterson in that he projects as a middle reliever but people claim he can be a mid-rotation starter because Boston's prospects are hyped to high hell.