By Matt Antaya / @selfcynic
With only 23 games remaining in the season, most Blue Jays fans know the chances for their third-place club are dwindling.
However, the ball players themselves seem unwilling to go quietly, as demonstrated by their three-game sweep in Tampa Bay this week. It had been seven years since the Blue Jays had won a series at Tropicana Field – and they had never swept a series there.
The team is getting hot, and hopefully it’s not too late.
The Jays welcomed 10 new faces to their bench this week. While nine of these players represent their September call-ups, the addition of John Mayberry Jr. came via a trade with the Philadelphia Phillies for a minor league infielder. The 30-year-old Mayberry, it is believed, will platoon with Adam Lind, spending time at first-base and DH – though he’s also a capable outfielder should the need arise.
Among the call-ups, Brandon Morrow has joined the bullpen following months of rehab for a torn ligament in his throwing hand. Veteran catcher George Kottaras, who caught knuckleballer Tim Wakefield early in his career, will give manager John Gibbons options beyond Josh Thole when dealing with R.A. Dickey starts. First baseman Dan Johnson provides another potent left-handed bat off the bench. And as we predicted last week, top prospects Daniel Norris and Mississauga-born Dalton Pompey were also promoted – proud to be Canadian.
As has been the theme these past weeks, the Jays must win. And though a playoff spot is still mathematically possible, the Jays have to also hope for subpar performances by their rivals for the wild card – namely Seattle, Detroit, and New York.
The Jays are in Boston for three games this weekend, and will send Drew Hutchison, J.A. Happ, and R.A. Dickey to the mound, respectively. Though Boston is currently last place in the AL East, the Jays managed to win only one of three games when the Red Sox were in Toronto two weeks ago. The story has to be different this time at Fenway Park; winning is the only option.
Insider Stuff
Center fielder Colby Rasmus will enter free agency this offseason, and most Blue Jays watchers agree he is unlikely to return to Toronto next year. Though Rasmus seems to have enjoyed his time here, the fact is the skillful 28-year-old will fetch a price the Jays are unwilling to pay. For years now, the Jays’ management has refused to sign contracts beyond 5 years – and a power-hitting center fielder like Rasmus will most likely locate to a team willing to give him a 7-year deal or more.
As such, the Jays announced this week that young prospects Anthony Gose and Kevin Pillar would see lots of playing time in centerfield, with Rasmus mostly serving a role off the bench. This made official what most already knew: the Jays are essentially holding try-outs for next year.
Many have pointed out that with the Jays still in contention for a wild card spot, they should be playing their best and not previewing prospects for next year. For the most part, Gose and Pillar have performed as well as Rasmus – and some would say Gose is the better defender of the trio. But as shown by his 10th inning, game-winning home run on Thursday, Rasmus has the ability to be a game changer.
Buzzword of the Week: Beat The Rap
The term ‘beat the rap’ applies to a batter who, with a runner on first and less than two outs, hits an infield groundball that has the potential to result in a double play. If the batter can hustle to first base and prevent the double play, he is said to have ‘beat the rap’. Essentially, he did a bad thing but managed to get away with it.
The term is borrowed from outside of baseball where an alleged criminal is said to ‘beat the rap’ if he manages to avoid being punished – the word ‘rap’ being slang for reprimand.
So what have you learned?
The Jays managed to sweep the Rays at Tropicana Field, something they’ve never before done. There are 10 new faces on the team as September allows teams’ rosters to expand up to 40 men. Center fielder Colby Rasmus may see fewer starts as the Jays audition next year’s potentials. Hopefully the Jays can show some hustle these last 23 games and ‘beat the rap’ – that is, capture one of the AL wild card playoff spots.
We suggest you catch a couple more games before the season is over, and we’ll meet you back here next Friday, tickets in hand, for the best damn (and only) ball club north of the border.
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