Game #32! Toronto Blue Jays (17-14) vs Umps (21-8)

 

Wed, May 11 • 12:35 PM EDT

At Joke Stadium

Jose Berrios (2-1, 5.34 ERA, 20 SO) vs Jameson Tallion (2-1, 2.84 ERA, 21 SO)

Game #10 - New York Yankees (4-5) at Toronto Blue Jays (4-5) - Monday April 12 @ 7:07pm EST

 New York Yankees (SP Gerrit Cole)

vs. Toronto Blue Jays (SP Robbie Ray)

Good afternoon baseball fans and welcome to Harlans Point Stadium, where the Toronto Blue Jays begin their home schedule after a long layoff due to the pandemic of 1918.  The visiting Yankees, having only changed their name a few years back (they are the formerly hated Highlanders) will be trying to avenge the series win the Jays took in the first week of the season.

Excitement abounds to see the wonders in store at newly renovated Harlans Point Stadium - I have obtained an unreleased photo showing some of the new features:

Moving on to some history, let's take a look back at the first great Highlanders star, Hal Chase.  Chase was almost unanimously  regarded as one of the greatest 1st basemen of his generation and even of all time.  In true Yankee fashion, though, he was a degenerate scumbag, cheater, and a gambler.  He was widely known to gamble on his own games and was believed to have regularly thrown games due to his ongoing affliction.  I imagine being one of the greatest fielding 1st basemen of all time and then throwing games on purpose makes it sort of obvious.  Perhaps this wasn't the smartest approach but I suppose there was no real way to stop his nefarious behaviour in the early part of the century.

Hal Chase - First in a long line of Yankee Scumbags!

It wasn't known at the time but Chase couldn't help himself, as he was the first in a long, long line of degenerate, Yankee scum!

Scuttlebutt

The Jays started the year with a series victory over the Yankees, proving that they would be a playoff team.  They then scuffled a bit, proving that they would not make the cut.  However, the last game against the Angels, where the Jays scored 15, proved that they will not only break offensive records but will be a modern day Murderers Row, despite missing several key pieces.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has started the year on fire, hitting .379 with a .538 slugging percentage and an OPS of 1.159.  He's taking walks, scorching the ball (often up the middle or to right) and has shown vastly improved defensive play at first base.  He is also noticeably quicker on the base paths, having reportedly dropped 40 pounds over the winter.  He's playing at the level we all thought he would and if he can keep up anything close to it he'll become the superstar we thought he would be.

Robbie Ray has been cleared to play and will reportedly make his season debut Monday.  He showed increased velocity this spring and was highly effective. His signing took a lot of heat in these parts but if he can be a serviceable starter all will be forgiven.  The great news that relates to his return is that failed starter Tanner Roarke will move to the bullpen, where he can hopefully either improve or else provide mop-up duty in games that are already a lost cause (Dabbles would say all of them are!)

If Pearson can get healthy and come back to have a solid year then the rotation will be shaping up nicely and this squad could content for the postseason.

Rougned Odor was inexplicably claimed by the Yankees and immediately went on to drive home the winning run in extra innings.  I firmly believe that this will be the pinnacle of his Yankees career and the club will quickly tire of his poor attitude and poor play!

Let's Play Ball!

#92 - Toronto Blue Jays (34-57) at New York Yankees (57-31)

Friday, July 12, 2019 | 7:05 pm

Yankee Stadium | Bronx, New York

Aaron Sanchez (3-12, 6.16, 1.75) vs. Domingo German (10-2, 3.67, 1.09)

PREAMBLE:

After a record-smashing performance by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the Home Run Derby the other day, the Blue Jays start the second half of the season with a three-game set in New York City to face the Yankees.  Hopefully the all-star break helped to cool off the Yankees as they were red-hot before the break, going 16-4 in their final 20 games.

Aaron Sanchez takes the longest losing streak (11) since Ricky Romero's 13 straight losses in 2012 into tonight's start against the Yankees.  He'll look to avoid setting a club record for losses in a season, which is 18 (Jerry Garvin 1977 and Phil Huffman 1979) as he faces Domingo German.  German is a career 0-2, 3.86 against the Jays in three appearances.

#80 - Toronto Blue Jays (29-50) at New York Yankees (50-28)

Tuesday, June 25, 2019 | 7:05 pm

Yankmee Stadium | Bronx, N.Y.

Clayton Richard (0-3, 7.46, 1.74) vs. Chad Green (1-2, 6.75, 1.62)

PREAMBLE:

The Blue Jays look to even up the series against the Yankees after losing 10-8, making it a close game with six late runs to send a few heart palpitations through the Yankee faithful in the stands.

Clayton Richard continues to look for his first win as a Blue Jay, and first anywhere since almost a calendar year ago (winless in 17 starts since last June 27th).  He'll face an opener, Chad Green (or maybe it's Nestor Cortes Jr. or David Hale), for the Yankees.

#79 - Toronto Blue Jays (29-49) at New York Yankees (49-28)

"It's hard to be humble?"  ::barf::

Monday, June 24, 2019 | 7:05 pm

Yankee Stadium | Bronx, N.Y.

Aaron "Three-Finger" Sanchez (3-9, 5.49, 1.67) vs. CC Sabathia (4-4, 4.14, 1.37)

PREAMBLE:

After a successful trip to Boston, where the Blue Jays took two out of three and could (should?) very easily have ended up with a sweep, the Jays head to New York to take on the home run-hungry Yankees.  The Jays' offence might be slowly emerging from its deep slumber; they've scored at least 5 runs in 5 straight games, 7 of their last 8, and 9 of their last 12 -- most of that done without Vlad being a significant contributor with his hand injury.

On the hill, Aaron Sanchez looks to rescue what is rapidly becoming another lost season.  He'll face CC Sabathia, who is quietly going through a retirement tour in his final MLB season.  CC got his 250th major-league win in his last start and is a career 18-12, 3.65 ERA in 35 career starts vs. the Jays.

#89 - New York Crybabies (57-29) at Toronto Blue Jays (41-47)

Sunday, July 8, 2018 | 1:07 pm

Rogers Centre | Toronto, ON

Domingo German (2-4, 5.37, 1.27) vs. Ryan Borucki (0-1, 2.77, 1.23

PREAMBLE:

This was the one that was supposed to be aired in prime-time, right?  Before the Yankees whined endlessly about the schedule requiring a night game before flying off to LOL-land for a doubleheader?  Yup.  Crush 'em, Jays.  Make them use up their entire bullpen.

The Yankees won yesterday's game by an 8-5 score, meaning today is the rubber match of the three-game series.  Ryan Borucki goes onto the hill for the Blue Jays to attempt to bring about a series win while going up against Domingo German. 

#88 - New York Villains (56-29) at Toronto Blue Jays (41-46)

Saturday, July 7, 2018 | 4:07 pm

Rogers Centre | Toronto, ON

Luis Severino (13-2, 1.98, 0.95) vs. J.A. Happ (10-4, 4.03, 1.11)

PREAMBLE:

This game has easily the best pitching matchup of the three-game series, pitting current Yankee Luis Severino against future Yankee J.A. Happ.

The Blue Jays won the opener of the series 6-2 with a three-run shot by Justin Smoak emphatically capping a bat-around 2nd inning.

Will Happ display the form that will want to make the Yankees open up their entire farm system for him, or will they leave town unimpressed with his performance?  *weighs which outcome is more desirable for the Jays*

#87 - New York Villains (56-28) at Toronto Blue Jays (40-46)

Friday, July 6, 2018 | 7:07 pm

Rogers Centre | Toronto, ON

Sonny Gray (5-6, 5.44, 1.51) vs. Sam Gaviglio (2-2, 3.96, 1.20)

PREAMBLE:

One New York team (the Yankees) comes into town just as another New York team (the Mets) leaves.  I hope each of the Mets farted into their assigned cubicle to leave a welcoming bon mot for the Yankees players.

It's a battle of the SGs as Sonny Gray faces Sam Gaviglio to kick off a three-game series at the Rogers Centre.