Send in the Clowns
Did I mention there’s some really excellent soccer being played? The Jays plunged to new depths today when the decidedly mediocre Dave Bush took a no-hitter into the 8th. I guess you could call it a victory that the guy we traded him for, Lyle Overbay, broke it up with a triple, but I was really rooting for Bush if only for tragic/comedic value…such as that provided by Alex Rios, who turned a Prince Fielder double into an inside the park home run by claiming it rolled under the fence and then picking it up off the ground as the umpire was running out to check. (Why even bother claiming the ground rule anyway? It’s Prince @#$@#$ Fielder and you have a cannon…)
A.J. Burnett was also embarrassing and I’m really, really, serious now. He is nowhere near being classified a type A free agent at the end of the year, but will still probably opt out. That would be a disaster, costing the Jays a first round pick.
At least J.P. Ricciardi attempted to provide a little more entertainment than there was on the field last night by claiming that Adam Dunn “doesn’t like baseball that much” (at this point, I sympathize). A recap of the sordid affair, including Dunn’s reply: “I don’t know the clown” is over at BDD.
Wilner also has the following reply to the ‘Lind question’ on his blog:
Ricciardi again answered the question about Adam Lind’s absence from the major league line-up, though he didn’t give a specific reason, other than he likes Wilkerson (who led the club in RBIs in May) and that the fans want Lind because they haven’t seen him and therefore he’s the next big thing, and the fans always want the next big thing.
Silly me, I thought it was because after assessing the Jays’ production from left field (OPS: .622) and DH (OPS: .687) this year, and taking into account what is usually a pretty predictable performance drop from AAA to the majors, along with what a small army of scouts have said about Lind’s swing, I came to the reasonable conclusion that a guy with a .916 OPS in the minors could not be any worse that what has been out there or how badly Wilkerson has been hitting for years now. I never realized it was just that I like a new face, even if he’s going to be totally useless until we hand him the left field job full time next season!
Update: Wow, they certainly made me eat my words with some late excitement courtesy of a Joe Inglett grand slam in the ninth. Woo-hoo! Another 1-run loss!! That makes Rios’ boner even more painful! Gaaaaaaaaaaah!
The Mockingbird 
Also, Wilkerson didn’t lead the club in RBIs in May, he was third behind Overbay and Barajas, but I guess he had less time to get them.
Torgen
June 19, 2008 at 5:06 pm
I know – some smartass named Jonathan pointed that out on Wilner’s blog…;)
halejon
June 19, 2008 at 5:16 pm
Even the worst Adam Lind ML projection at fangraphs saw him putting up about a .700 OPS at minimum, but most likely in the .770 range and possibly as high as .850, so I really don’t know what JP’s talking about. This is the beer and tacos scout in him over-riding the rational, progressive baseball executive.
How/where does one find out what designation a potential FA would get, s’il te plait?
JW
johnny was
June 19, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Haha, well put, Tacos and Beer. I know a bunch of those guys, and it’s not an unfair stereotype. I don’t get it though…he’s got smart people around him too. They can’t possibly think Wilkerson hitting for a couple weeks in June means he’s the best option.
There’s no way to know for sure about the Type A/B. You’d have to do what Elias does and rank every starting pitcher by Appearances, Innings pitched, Wins, Winning Percentage, Saves, ERA, WHIP, K’s and K/BB ratio, over the last two years and then assign points in each category and call the top whatever percentage A’s.
I’m just going by the fact that Burnett was not a type A last year, so he has to improve (at least, since pitching is generally a lot better this season) on his 2006 numbers to climb up the rankings. As I pointed out here, if he pitches a full season he’ll improve in Wins/K’s/Appearances/Innings, but is behind in the rest (and falling down the rankings, too).
halejon
June 19, 2008 at 5:30 pm
He’s ignored smart people around him telling him things that would turn out to be good ideas in the past. I’m thinking Tulo.
Torgen
June 19, 2008 at 6:38 pm