Game of the Week: July 26: TOR @ BOS

[Commissioner Erick]

Toronto Blue Jays (64-34) @ Boston Red Sox (65-37)


TOR: Isaiah Harris (4-2, 3.65)
BOS: Luis Espinoza (9-8, 3.96)


The Boston Red Sox may be the best team in baseball, but also may find themselves relegated to a win-or-go-home Wild Card Game that could leave them shy of the ALDS. It makes their matchup with the division-leading Toronto Blue Jays that much more important. Boston has the talent, and is having a good July, but they’re stuck behind a Toronto Blue Jays team playing good baseball.

Toronto, for their part, is in the middle of its most important stretch of the season. Their schedule the final six weeks is exceptionally easy, but they’re in the midst of 20 straight games against current playoff teams. They split their first six games last week against the Red Sox and Mets, but missed a chance to put more distance than themselves and Boston. If Toronto can survive this stretch, and especially if they can put distance between themselves and Boston, they’ll be in a golden position when the calendar heads into crunch time.


Questions for the GMs:


For Aaron Dunham, trade deadline is fast approaching. Any last minute conversations being had to upgrade your team down the stretch?

Your 12th in average, but first in home runs. Is that a conscious strategy you employed in team building to sacrifice average for power?

You’ve recently turned to young Isaiah Harris, and he’s held his own. Why did you call up the rookie in the middle of the stretch run?

For Mike Ball, Juan Alaniz will miss the rest of the year. How will you replace him on the roster?

Mark Patterson is only hitting .244 and isn’t showing the same success he’s shown in the past. Are you confident in him being your DH the rest of the season?

Toronto hits a lot of homers, but doesn’t hit for a high average. Does that impact who pitches or who plays the field for you today?


TRIVIA: With what team did current Blue Jay Andres Gimenez win his only career Platinum Stick with?

[Commissioner Erick]

TRIVIA 1: Ben correctly guessed San Francisco

[Commissioner Erick]

Red Sox 5 - Blue Jays 3


WP: L. Morales (2-0)
LP: I. Harris (4-3)


Baseball fans saw a good contest between the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays.

The Toronto Blue Jays got a superb performance from catcher Jake Turnbull. Still, it wasn't enough to beat Boston. The Red Sox won the game, 5-3. Turnbull was 2 for 3 with a home run and a double, while scoring 2 runs. Boston pitcher Luis Morales got the win, upping his record to 2-0. Isaiah Harris got the loss. Steve Hartman got the save, his 21st in 27 chances.

In the bottom of the seventh, Boston third baseman Alan Medina hit a run-scoring single to center field. The clutch hit made it, 4-3, Red Sox.

"We'll hit the hot tub in good spirits tonight," said Medina.

With the win, Boston raised its record to 66-37.


Questions for the GMs:


For Aaron Dunham, Jake Turnbull had another good game with two hits and two runs scored, plus a homer. He's having a solid year and his history is littered with awards from the DAHL. any thought about batting him higher than ninth in the future?

You have a good bullpen do you feel you left Harris in too long?

You made a recent trade for Ron Dahl. Why did you make a move to acquire him?

For Mike Ball, how come you bumped Luis Espinoza for Gengis Khan today?

Doug Rothenberg had another nice day with two hits. You've recently found something with him atop your lineup haven't you?

Josh Butler isn't a high-strikeout pitcher, but he had eight in just 4.1 innings. With Toronto's power, plus their contact issues, do you feel like you can get away with a pitcher with worse stuff but more movement against them?


TRIVIA: Who are the only two pitchers to throw multiple postseason Complete Games?

[Mike RedSox]

For Mike Ball, Juan Alaniz will miss the rest of the year. How will you replace him on the roster?

Well, that's a tough one, he's so important for for this team...  For now we'll move Murillo into 5th spot, and try to figure out something off waivers or my minor leagues.

Mark Patterson is only hitting .244 and isn’t showing the same success he’s shown in the past. Are you confident in him being your DH the rest of the season?

Yeah, he's a get hot kinda guy, I think he'll have a few streaks and his numbers will be ok by years end.

Toronto hits a lot of homers, but doesn’t hit for a high average. Does that impact who pitches or who plays the field for you today?

It does not.

For Mike Ball, how come you bumped Luis Espinoza for Gengis Khan today?

Well, this was mostly a rest thing, I think Espinoza was showing some fatigue.

Doug Rothenberg had another nice day with two hits. You've recently found something with him atop your lineup haven't you?

Yes, I had actually just grabbed him as a defensive backup, but he's show the ability to get on base really well against righties, obviously I'm really happy with him.

Josh Butler isn't a high-strikeout pitcher, but he had eight in just 4.1 innings. With Toronto's power, plus their contact issues, do you feel like you can get away with a pitcher with worse stuff but more movement against them?

I don't try to do matchups against specific teams, it's just not enough value, but I do have Butler's hook pretty high so I'm ok with him going through any lineup a couple times, but not 3.  He only through 78 pitches.

[torontogm]

For Aaron Dunham, trade deadline is fast approaching. Any last minute conversations being had to upgrade your team down the stretch?

Yes, nothing big but we traded for a CF depth rental in Dahl.

Your 12th in average, but first in home runs. Is that a conscious strategy you employed in team building to sacrifice average for power?

Not a conscious strategy regarding average and power. However, I do value plate discipline (high walks, low K) and power. I think these types of guys are naturally going to have lower BABIP. So... maybe I did? I'd love to see more hits but I guess I can't have everything.

You’ve recently turned to young Isaiah Harris, and he’s held his own. Why did you call up the rookie in the middle of the stretch run?

Do you mean Fred Ramsey? Our #2 prospect (#20 overall) got the call a couple of weeks ago and looks good. We hope he can be a mainstay in the rotation for years to come. Bottom line: we felt like he was ready, and every game counts in the race vs. Boston.

Isaiah Harris is a promising rookie in his own right. We don't have as high of expectations for him and he has been on the big league squad in order to eat innings and we felt like he was the most developed before the season began.

[torontogm]

Jake Turnbull had another good game with two hits and two runs scored, plus a homer. He's having a solid year and his history is littered with awards from the DAHL. any thought about batting him higher than ninth in the future?

We feel comfortable with him as a super-backup to Mosso, and we don't control where AI places him when he subs in. We're happy with his production, but don't need our catchers to blow us away with their hitting.

You have a good bullpen do you feel you left Harris in too long?

In-game pitching strategy is the manager's decision and I support him.

You made a recent trade for Ron Dahl. Why did you make a move to acquire him?

We have a fairly deep roster. I did not feel like giving up a lot of spec capital and end up cutting a still decent player. However CF has been one of our weaker positions this season. Dahl provides additional depth at the position and another good baserunner on a team that needs to run a little better. He's a strict rental, and Dai was likely to get nontendered this offseason.

[Commissioner Erick]

TRIVIA 2: Zigmo correctly guessed Madison Bumgarner. Nobody guessed Dallas Keuchel.