Monday, May 27, 2019

#54 - Toronto Blue Jays (21-32) at Tampa Bay Rays (31-19)

No, not going to let you forget this, Tommy...

Monday, May 27, 2019 | 1:10 pm
Tropicana Field | Tampa, Florida

Aaron Sanchez (3-4, 3.79, 1.46) vs. Yonny Chirinos (5-1, 3.20, 0.91)


PREAMBLE:

After salvaging the finale of a series against the Padres with a huge offensive performance, the Blue Jays fly down to their all-time favourite ballpark, The Trop, which was also Charlie Montoyo's old stomping grounds for four seasons under Kevin Cash.  This will be Charlie's first series in Tampa as a visiting manager.

Aaron Sanchez looks to keep the momentum going from his most recent start, a positive outing after breaking a fingernail in the previous start before that.  He'll go up against Yonny Chirinos on the bump.


NOTES:

Fun with names:  Today, we've got a Cole vs. Hamels matchup down in Minute Maid Park.

Today's game is the exact 1/3 mark of the season for the Jays.  You mean, we've still got 2/3 of the way to go with more losing?

The Jays have gone 0-7-1 in their last eight series vs. the Rays since August 2017.  Let's snap that streak of futility.  Make it so.

Jays players wearing Raptors shirts for their flight to Tampa:

Biggio celebrating his big day:

BLUE JAYS HISTORY:

Going to take a different route with today's Blue Jay of the Day ... it's not a former player for the team but it's a guy who has worked with them for ages that I bet the average fan doesn't know.

Today's Jay of the Day is ... Jesús Figueroa!  Who, you say?  He's been with the Jays since 1989, thirty years now with the team.

  • Played in the major leagues briefly with the Chicago Cubs in 1980 after being discovered by super-scout Epy Guerrero
  • Hit .253/.308/.293 with 1 home run, 11 RBI and 2 stolen bases in 115 games
  • Mostly served as a pinch hitter and defensive replacement in the OF
  • Also played 611 games in the minors in nine seasons during the 1980s
  • Joined the Blue Jays as a left-handed batting practice pitcher in 1989 and still holds that role
  • Now the longest-serving member of the Blue Jays team 
  • Goes by the nickname "Figgy" and wears #65
  • 5'11" and 160 lb, but you'd never know it from his eating habits: "Clubhouse manager Kevin Malloy, who has worked for the Blue Jays since 1982, gets the final word here: "Pound for pound, Figgy is the biggest eater I've ever seen come through this clubhouse."
  • Article from 2016 here: "My arm is still good"



LINEUPS:

This is your "Yes, Tampa, I'm calling you guys garbage clowns" game threat.
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