AaronGleeman.com

I watched the game in my dorm room and chatted with a couple of Canadians, Craig Burley and Kent Williams, from the Batter's Box, one of my favorite websites and the place for all things Blue Jays-related.

Enjoy...

[PRE-GAME]

Kent: Who calls the Twins games on TV?

Aaron: Dick Bremer and Bert Blyleven.

Kent: Not bad; we have a moronic play by play guy.

Kent: And a platoon of Cerutti and Candiotti.

Aaron: Is Candiotti doing today's game too?

Kent: Probably; he gets about 30 of 120 cuz JC wants to cut back.

Aaron: I actually like our guys, but I suspect outsiders would think they suck.

Kent: There's only been about two decent Canadian baseball announcers.

Aaron: Who?

Kent: Dan Shulman, now with ESPN.

Aaron: Yeah, he is awesome.

Aaron: On radio especially.

Kent: Dave Van Horne, Expos.

Aaron: Hmmm, I don't think I know him.

Kent: Knows the game, good company.

Aaron: But Shulman is great and I like him, because he doesn't feel the need to wear a rug on his head like Marv Albert!



Kent: Ha! Don Chevrier (now retired) was a good partner with Kubek years ago

Kent: But I hated Tony.

Kent: Arrogant SOB.

Aaron: Didn't kubek do national games too?

Kent: I think for NBC.

[THE BROADCASTS BEGIN]

Kent: Yup, the knuckleballer's up in the booth.

Aaron: Blyleven is wearing a shirt that says "You know, today is my birthday."

Aaron: That's all he has been talking about this week.

Kent: Loved that curve.

Aaron: "Brad Radke is the Twins' stopper" – Dick Bremer.

Kent: By default.

Aaron: I guess...

Kent: Candiotti has a face for radio.



Aaron: Buck Martinez is doing Orioles games now, I guess they couldn't have him back in Toronto after they canned him as manager...

Kent: Buck got a raw deal all around; he never should have taken the manager job.

Kent: He was an icon up here

Aaron: He has a bad voice, but I think he's a decent announcer.

Kent: He improved so much from a terrible start.

Aaron: He worked with Shulman, right?

Kent: They were great together.

Kent: Dan can call a pitch - sets up the analyst well.

Aaron: Did you know we painted the turf? See the checkerboard pattern?

Kent: Why?

Aaron: Cause it is falling apart and this hides it a little bit, I guess.

Kent: Mohr in CF?????

Aaron: Sunday after a night game; maybe Torii is banged up from that layout last night.

Kent: Good point.

Aaron: No Guzman, no Hunter, no Jones.

Kent: But isn't Dustan a bit immobile?

Aaron: He's not awful out there. I'd rather stick Kielty there, but I am basically the #1 Kielty supporter in the universe.

[FIRST PITCH]

Kent: Stewart is a great 2 strike hitter and a very tough out.

Aaron: Career .302 hitter...not bad.

Kent: Routine F8. Still a decent AB.

Kent: Nice eye, Cat.

Aaron: Frank Catalanotto looks like he's about 13 years old.

Kent: Hitting machine. If he stays healthy this is an amazing lineup.

Aaron: Vernon Wells has really impressed me this series, defensively especially.

Kent: Look at Wells - he exudes confidence; it's a menacing stance.

Aaron: Low and outside is getting called a strike today apparently.

Aaron: Yeah, the Jays have a lot of "crouch" stances.

Kent: Larry Vanover behind the plate, sets up way inside, almost behind the hitter.

[WELLS GROUNDS TO SHORTSTOP, BUT TWINS CAN'T TURN THE DOUBLE-PLAY]

Aaron: Bremer just said "Rivas is the best pivotman in the league..."

Kent: Everybody's good at something...

Aaron: Imagine if Luis was actually a good player, they would never stop complimenting him.

Aaron: That is actually his best skill - turning the double play.

Kent: Carlos is seeing the ball better; they booed him at home in game two.

Aaron: Wells seems like he should steal more bases.

Kent: It's an organizational red light.

[DELGADO HITS A 2-RUN HOMER TO DEAD CENTER]

Aaron: Oh boy.

Kent: Bye! A no doubter

Aaron: We are getting destroyed by homers in this series.

Kent: Pitch could not have been more down the middle.

Aaron: Yeah, that was bad.

Kent: No movement.

Kent: [Josh] Phelps still has trouble identifying off speed stuff.

Kent: He puts the fastball swing on changeups; it's his only weakness.

Aaron: Would you call him a "mistake hitter"?

Kent: Not at all. He can catch up to any #1 in any location.

Kent: And he can hit a hanging curve 500 feet.

Aaron: Yeah, he has massive power.

Kent: But I'd bet on Jamie Moyer against him... slop and guile.

[BOTTOM OF THE 1ST, 2-0 BLUE JAYS]

Aaron: Did you know Lidle was signed by the Twins in 1991?

Kent: No. He's a late bloomer for sure.

Kent: I sat right behind the plate for his first start. Lidle has a deceptive heater for a little guy.

Aaron: He was good aside from the 3 HRs in the first start, right?

Kent: Very good; he tried a 2 1 change to Posada, who guessed right. Then tried the same trick against Giambi. Twice

Aaron: That's interesting that all 3 would be off the same pitch.

Kent: Maybe he was tipping it, because they were fastball counts.

Aaron: He was 2 7 in the first half last year.

Kent: Same in 2001, a slow starter.

Aaron: He was unhittable late in the year though.

Kent: Hall of Fame August: 5 0, 0.20 ERA.

Kent: Don't let GOMEZ back into an at bat!

[GOMEZ STRIKES OUT ON A 2-2 CURVEBALL]

Kent: WOW! That was the pitch I wanted on 0 2.

Aaron: Great breaking ball...Gomez looked silly on that.

Kent: I talked to Lidle at the open practice.

Aaron: Nice guy?

Kent: Very. He said he was mixed up last spring; tried to add a new pitch and lost command of the old ones. Then scrapped the new one in June

[KOSKIE SINGLES TO CENTER]

Kent: Koskie didn't try to kill that, nice 2 strike hitting.

Aaron: Yeah, he's really a very good hitter, very streaky though.

Kent: I guess you really like your other Canadian - down on the farm.

Aaron: Morneau? Yeah, I'd like to see some power development, but he's gonna be a good hitter.

Kent: Cuddyer was taking all the way on 2 0.

Kent: That last pitch broke like a screwball. Right in on his fists.

Aaron: He should've taken a hack at the 2 0.

Kent: Tie game if he does; it did nothing.

Aaron: The one time a Twins hitter takes a pitch all year!

Kent: Ha!

Aaron: I've never seen a team more likely to swing on a 3 1 pitch.

[TOP OF THE 2ND, 2-0 BLUE JAYS - HINSKE AT THE PLATE]

Kent: Here's the only Jay who's still not in a groove.

Aaron: Yeah, he looked bad in his AB last night.

Kent: He's a streaky hitter; had some 5 HR weeks where he hit .500 and some like this one.

Aaron: The fact that they have to call Mientkiewicz a "Former Gold Glove winner" is idiotic...he should've won the award last year.

Kent: He should win it every year.

[CRAIG ENTERS THE ROOM]

Kent: Hey Craig.

Aaron:Hey Craig.

Craig: Let me just say this...we have angered the gods here in Southern Ontario.

Craig: This weather is an obvious sign that we have transgressed His law.

Aaron: That's for booing our anthem!

Craig: The situation seems to demand a sacrifice. I would like to propose Doug Creek...

Kent: Second that.

Craig: Doug Creek it is then.

Aaron: Agreed

Aaron: I am willing to offer up Lui....nevermind.

Craig: I spent two hours this morning chopping my car out of two feet of solid ice. Never in my life have I ever shovelled my car out with an axe.

Craig: Mientfhgwgads makes every play.

[HUDSON GROUNDS A HOT SHOT TO MIENTKIEWICZ, BLUE JAYS GO DOWN 1-2-3]

Kent: Lidle using off speed stuff on Mientkiewicz.

Craig: That was a splitter!?

Aaron: We seriously need to start hitting...I'm getting worried.

Kent: Craig, you missed a gorgeous curve earlier.

Aaron: Yeah, to Gomez.

Craig: You know something... when Lidle is working and hitting his spots he has similar abilities to Halladay. Good control, keeps the ball down, gets ground balls.

Aaron: Lidle is definitely a solid #2 guy.

[MOHR STRIKES OUT ON AN 0-2 CURVEBALL]

Craig: He's hitting his spots now.

Craig: Terrible call I thought. That was a couple inches off the plate.

Aaron: The ump is a little more pitcher friendly today.

Craig: once you start hitting the glove, you get the close ones.

Aaron: I'd rather have an ump call close ones strikes than start squeezing like last night.

Craig: Exactly. Get the players swinging, get some balls in play.

Craig: Lidle's location against the Yankees was awful....

Kent: He threw about six bad pitches and got punished. Credit their hitters.

Craig: Exactly. The Yankees are the epitome of patience in action.

Aaron: They wait for crush pitches and then crush them.

Aaron: Hey, the White Sox aren't beating Detroit yet!

Craig: Have the Tigers scored a run?

Kent: This year?

Aaron: 0 0 right now, or do you mean this season?

Aaron: Damn, he beat me to it!

[CHRIS WOODWARD SINGLES TO BEGIN THE 3RD]

Kent: Baby! Woody's back!

Kent: Just took that little bleeder last night.

Craig: He's simplified...he's hitting down on the ball and using the turf.

Kent: Somebody tell Eric [Hinske]... he wants to break his slump with a 5 run HR.

Craig: And if you ever needed a lesson on why statistics don't show players as being streaky...that was an example. When guys struggle, they change approaches and make alterations, a constant process...which acts to counteract the fact that hitters are actually streaky to some degree.

Kent: If there's anything in your head - anything - your hitting suffers. It has to be reflexive, like Stewart.

[STEWART SINGLES. 1ST AND 2ND, NO OUTS]

Aaron: Uh oh.

Craig: Again, through the infield.

Aaron: We need a popup here bad.

[CATALANOTTO SINGLES. BASES LOADED, NO OUTS]

Kent: Cat is amazing.

Craig: big boppers coming up.

Aaron: Can we start this game over?

Aaron: Bremer said we made some sort of roster move, but they won't say who/what - I am guessing Fetters to the DL.

Kent: Sac fly here; he'll overswing. Single up the middle is called for.

Craig: Since Coach is offering predictions, I just have to say that what Aaron did last night was absolutely amazing.

Aaron: Yes, it was! 🙂

Craig: Before Phelps came up in the 11th, Aaron called "Phelps homerun to left center."

Aaron: And, unfortunately, I was right.

Kent: Like Ruth in '32.

Kent: Good for Vernon; laid off Radke's pitch to go 3 2.

[VERNON WELLS DRAWS A WALK. 3-0 BLUE JAYS, BASES STILL LOADED, NO OUTS]

Aaron: Geez, Radke walks in a run!

Kent: RBI BB - the new Wells!

Craig: And now Carlos comes up with the bases loaded.

Aaron: If he hits this out, I am leaving.

[DELGADO SINGLES PAST CHRIS GOMEZ, 5-0 BLUE JAYS]

Craig: That was a nice shot by Delgado. Ate up Gomez.

Aaron: ugh!

Craig: Delgado hit that *HARD*.

Kent: Ugly; Guzman turns two.

Aaron: I doubt it.

Kent: Or goes home for the lead guy.

Aaron: Guzzy probably "olés" that.

Kent: Oh yeah, the famous playoff play.

Craig: Yeah Gomez is a better defender really than Guzman. He looked bad there though.

Craig: Nice chance for Hinske to break out.

Kent: Hinske hit it hard last time.

Craig: Nice high fastball.

Aaron: 89 MPH heat!

Kent: Good spot, up and away.

Aaron: Crap, Chicago is up 1 0.

Craig: That's over then.

[HINSKE STRIKES OUT ON HIGH FASTBALLS]

Aaron: Well, that was a bad at bat…or good pitching.

Kent: Same place, K.

Kent: "A ball or two off the plate; good pitcher's pitch" Candiotti

Craig: He's a knuckleballer, everything was off the plate.

Aaron: Yeah, didn't he just throw it down the middle and let it dance?

Kent: He mixed in a "fastball" when you least expected it.

Aaron: Or a "straightball" at least.

Craig: Radke just missed the call that Lidle got.

[MYERS SINGLES TO LEFT FIELD, 6-0 BLUE JAYS]

Kent: God I love Myers!

Craig: Yeah, it's nice to have a left-handed catcher who hits. It's not like he's Fabregas or anything either...

Aaron: I can hear a phone ringing in the bullpen…

Kent: He hit the pitch Hinske couldn’t, to the only place on the field you can hit that pitch.

[BOTTOM OF THE 3RD, BLUE JAYS UP 6-0]

Kent: I'll say Aquilino [Lopez] gets a couple innings. Hasn't been used much, but Tosca brought Trever Miller into a tough spot.

Craig: We may have picked a dog to do this thing! 6 0 in the middle of the third.

Aaron: Yeah, last night would've been the game to do it

Kent: Damn! I just realized I own Radke [on my fantasy team].

Aaron: So does Delgado, apparently.

[PIERZYNSKI GROUNDS OUT]

Craig: Everything is on the ground.

Craig: Another close call for Lidle, 0-1.

Aaron: My man Luis will get a knock here.

[RIVAS GROUNDS TO THIRD BASE]

Kent: Nice smooth throw from Hinske; that's a relief. He's lost the double clutch.

Aaron: Bremer and Blyleven are already in "time kill" mode they are discussing taxes.

Craig: Yeah Aquilino Lopez should get an outing here if Lidle keeps the big lead, that will be fun.

[JACQUE JONES STRIKES OUT TO END THE 3RD, 6-0 BLUE JAYS]

Kent: There's that screwbally thing again. Didn't use that at all vs. Yanks.

Craig: That's the knuckle curve, isn't it?

Kent: Maybe, but it breaks the "wrong" way. Great 2 strike pitch.

Craig: Wilhelm had a knuckle curve that broke like a screwball...according to Wilhelm.

Aaron: We go to New York for 3 and Toronto for 3 after this...it could get ugly.

Kent: Just get into the Yankees bullpen.

Aaron: We might wanna try to just score some runs first.

Aaron: Yep, Fetters on DL...and Juan Rincon called up. I told you they don't know Grant Balfour exists!

Kent: Rincon had awesome spring numbers.

Aaron: He's very hittable...I wish they'd give Balfour a shot.

[SHANNON STEWART DOUBLES, WOODWARD TO THIRD BASE]

Craig: Big knock, he really does look like a batting titlist.

Aaron: I'd say Brad is just about done.

[CATALANOTTO DOUBLES OFF THE BAGGY IN DEEP RIGHT FIELD]

Aaron: Cat bangs one off the baggy!

Kent: Off the baggy...HR anywhere else.

Aaron: He's done.

Kent: Cat has two swings - the gentle, inside out one most of the time, and that one.

[JUAN RINCON ENTERS THE GAME FOR RADKE]

Aaron: Ladies and gentlemen...Juan Rincon!

Kent: Craig, you should try to make Thursday night’s game – Doc [Halladay] & Pedro.

Craig: That's the due date.

Aaron: Yeah, he's gonna be busy for a while.

Kent: Your priorities are all messed up.

Craig: It's not my fault...well it is, but still...

Kent: It's your wife's production, based on your idea.

Craig: Directed by the OB.

Aaron: Yeah, good job! Right in the middle of baseball season! For scheduling purposes, I think future babies should be conceived on opening day.

[WELLS GROUNDER TO SHORT, CATALANOTTO HUSTLES TO THIRD BASE]

Craig: Ah, productive outs. That was good baserunning by Cat.

Kent: Cat does nothing wrong out there; he always has a plan.

Aaron: "This is not a Brad Radke day" Blyleven

Aaron: They are saying Radke got screwed up because he had an extra day between starts. Now he’s at the end of the dugout, working on his nails.

Aaron: Delgado doesn't get cheated up there.

Kent: Carlos tried to hit it out of the building.

Craig: Massive cut, little dolly grounder to the pitcher.

Aaron: I like how Rincon looked him back to 3rd, like he's gonna sprint for home up 8 0 in the 4th.

Craig: Aaron, call another home run for Phelps will you?

Aaron: No! Never again!

Kent: Nice movement on that slider.

[PHELPS STRIKES OUT]

Kent: Straight change is Josh's weakness.

Aaron: If he faces Phelps every at bat, Rincon could have a nice year.

Craig: It's that long swing of his, takes a long time to get started so he has to swing early.

Kent: So far, he can't seem to pick up the off speed stuff. It's the only adjustment he needs to make.

Aaron: It's too bad they let Radke start the 4th.

Aaron: Detroit scored! 1 1!

Kent: How's my boy Josh Stewart doing?

Aaron: 6 hits through 4 innings.

Kent: I needed a $1 pitcher...

Aaron: I will be shocked if his ERA is below 5.00 this year (if he stays in the rotation) I mean, he allowed a run to Detroit, how good could he be?

Kent: I'm hoping he becomes their Santana.

Aaron: He has a better chance of becoming the Santana.



Craig: Black Magic Pitcher.

Aaron: Helton took Schilling deep in Coors. 3 run shot.

Kent: Glass slipper broke for Rodrigo Lopez vs. BoSox

Aaron: Yep, 9 1 in the 6th...Nomar just went deep.

[BOTTOM OF THE 4TH. CATCHER GREG MYERS GETS HIT WITH A BALL UNDER HIS NECK GUARD]

Kent: OW!

Craig: I thought it was a tip…just a ball in the dirt.

Kent: Right in the throat.

Craig: I'd put Huck in and get him looked at. Soft tissue, dangerous area...

Aaron: Yeah, that could be serious.

Craig: He looks like he's OK...he's wincing but not in obvious pain.

Aaron: That's a tough mother.

Kent: He'll have a flap on that mask next time.

Craig: What is with Mientkiewicz's batting helmet? That's disgusting with the rosin and pine tar.

Aaron: He wants to be Craig Biggio when he grows up. I like it, goes with his overall theme no batting gloves and all that

Kent: Did you ever see the time Yeager was kneeling in the on deck circle and a bat splinter stuck into his neck?

Craig: Coach, thanks for reminding me. That was gross, but not nearly as scary as Clint Malarchuk.

Kent: *Wince* I was there, it was at the Murph. We were a bit tipsy and in the upper deck, so it took a while to believe what I was seeing.

Aaron: only 50 pitches for Lidle, he's cruising.

Craig: That was a nice swing by Cuddyer. You can see why he kills AAA pitching.

[CUDDYER TRIPLES OFF THE BAGGY IN RIGHT FIELD]

[TOP OF THE FIFTH]

Aaron: Hinske is looking pretty bad.

Craig: Yeah, he is struggling badly with everything.

Aaron: For Twins fans reading this...Javy Valentin just hit a homer against the Yankees.

Craig: Gary Knotts is shutting down the White Sox so far. 1 1.

Aaron: Amazing.

Craig: Myers goes to 3 2...he really does force a lot of pitches.

Aaron: You know, Rincon really looks great.

Craig: He does!

Kent: They just showed the Valentin blast. 5 second hang time.

Kent: I hate Clemens.

Craig: You're just jealous because Rob Dibble likes his butt more.

Aaron: Ha!

Kent: In my twisted mind, he caused Jeter's injury...by head hunting Phelps

Aaron: Uh....

Kent: Karma. I never claimed to be logical...

Aaron: Griffey is out at least 6 weeks according to ESPN.com.

Craig: Gotta be more.

Kent: They were taunting him in his own park.

Craig: They hate him now. It's really passionate now.

Aaron: He needs to a) go somewhere else and b) stop playing centerfield.

Craig: First base. He MUST play first base.

Aaron: Or DH. If he's running and stopping and starting and diving...it's gonna be trouble.

Craig: Well at first he doesn't take the pounding... and it's not as if Cincy has an elite first baseman.

[KIELTY SINGLES TO LEAD OFF THE BOTTOM OF THE 5TH]

Aaron: BOBBY!

Kent: So is Lidle on a pitch count?

Aaron: I bet he goes 6.

Craig: I would think they'd like to get him out after 90.

Kent: I leave him in until they score, but that's me.

Aaron: Then we rock Lopez for 9 runs in the 7th!

[PIERZYNSKI GROUNDS INTO A DOUBLE-PLAY]

Aaron: Wow, nice DP.

Kent: Un freaking believable.

Craig: Very nice double play...good stop by Woodward, backhand flip to Hudson, great *HARD* throw by Hudson to get Pierzynski.

Kent: I yelled "no" when Hudson threw it, thought he had no chance. A.J. runs like me.

Craig: Woodward had to get down in a hurry, it was a shot right by the bag.

Kent: I want to see the replay; I think Orlando was surprised he had a chance to turn two.

Aaron: I'm sick of playing non Detroit teams.

Aaron: Our announcers are in serious chatter mode right now.

Kent: Candiotti is trying hard, but there's nobody in the booth with him who knows anything about baseball.

[RINCON STRIKES OUT STEWART AND CATALANOTTO BACK-TO-BACK]

Craig: Well I'm terrifically impressed with Juan Rincon.

Aaron: yeah, me too...forget everything I ever said about him.

Kent: Yeah, he overpowered Cat.

Aaron: We might wanna think about scoring a run at some point.

Craig: But that would break the shutout. You can't break the shutout!

Aaron: Good point.

Kent: Save the runs for New York.

Aaron: Uh oh, the White Sox have the bases juiced.

Craig: Alan Trammell is going for 0 162.

Kent: Higginson and Young hitting .056 in the 3 4 spots.

Craig: I was saying to Aaron yesterday that after yesterday's game, their 3 4 5 6 hitters were hitting .056, .056, .077, .083.

Aaron: Their whole team was at like .111.

Craig: That's the heart of their order.

Kent: With bad D, except at 1B.

Aaron: Kingsale isnt bad in CF, or Higginson in RF. But otherwise, yeah

Kent: Higgy doesn't care any more, just cashes the cheques.

Aaron: For our American readers: Checks 🙂

Craig: Pena, Higginson, and Kingsale...none of those guys are good defenders, though. They're OK.

[BOTTOM OF THE 6TH. JONES LINES A DOUBLE DOWN THE LEFT FIELD LINE]

Aaron: There we go. We've got em right where we want em now...

Kent: Lidle is getting every pitch over and Myers is mixing them up beautifully. Even the double was just good hitting on a perfect pitch.

[CHRIS GOMEZ SINGLES TO LEFT, 8-1 BLUE JAYS]

Craig: Nice seeing eye single.

Kent: Nice LF arm.

Aaron: How did Stewart ever get an "AV" arm in LF for Diamond-Mind?

Kent: A rainbow 150 foot lob

Aaron: I always thought his arm was horrendous.

Kent: It's an old football injury. It's the worst I've ever seen.

[KOSKIE FLIES OUT TO DEEP CENTER FIELD]

Aaron: Freaking Wells!

Kent: Routine.

Craig: Great running catch, got a good jump on the ball and coasted to the track.

Aaron: I am so sick of Wells right now.

Kent: He doesn't even have the decency to breathe hard after that.

Aaron: Kent and I were discussing if we'd do a Torii for Vernon trade.

Kent: If the salaries were the same it's close.

Craig: Yeah but they're not. The Jays wouldn't. No way.

Aaron: I said I would do it if I got Vernon's $3 mill a year salary.

Craig: Vernon is on a five year deal...Hunter's salary goes nuclear next year. Vernon has a much higher upside as well.

Kent: So what CF would you trade Wells for?

Craig: Not Beltran.

Kent: None of the older guys really.

Aaron: Hunter and Wells are very similar players.

Craig: I agree Aaron, they are VERY similar.

Aaron: Wells basically did last year (at 23) what Torii did in 2001 (at 25).

Aaron: I love Torii, but I really like Wells too.

Craig: I would trade him for Andruw Jones I think. I'd think hard about it anyway.

Aaron: If you're drafting CFs right now, I bet Vernon Wells would go near the very top.

[JAYS GO DOWN 1-2-3 IN THE 7TH]

Aaron: Seriously, Juan Rincon looks unhittable.

Kent: 6 K's for Rincon.

Craig: Rincon is really flinging it.

Kent: OK, no need to use Lidle any more. Bring on Lopez (our Rincon). Just 83 pitches, but why extend him?

Craig: It's April, I’d rather have him go 80 now than 100.

Kent: Yeah, and keep this memory for next time instead of maybe a poor inning.

Aaron: Vernon's #1 comp according to Prospectus' PECOTA thingy is Rondell White.

Kent: PECOTA doesn't consider durability, I guess.

Craig: Rondell White was a dynamite player.

Aaron: This is ridiculous Prospectus projects Vernon to be worth 2.5, 3.0, 2.8, 2.5 and 2.4 Wins Above Replacement from 2003 2007.

Aaron: He was worth 3.7 LAST YEAR!

Aaron: So a 23 year old is gonna be worth 20 30% less than he was in his first season for his next 5 years?!

Craig: Well it may be his comp list Aaron...Rondell declined at 24-25, for one.

Aaron: Still...

[LIDLE COMES OUT TO START THE BOTTOM OF THE 7TH]

Kent: Lidle won that argument, if there was one.

Craig: The pen is up now.

Aaron: I think it's a mistake letting Lidle start this inning, regardless of what happens.

[MIENTKIEWICZ WALKS]

Kent: First walk of the year.

Aaron: Blyleven says he'll get a tattoo if we win this game.

Aaron: Bremer is unwilling to shave his head.

Kent: Hey, they're more entertaining than our two stiffs.

[KIELTY SINGLES TO CENTER, RUNNERS ON 1ST AND 2ND]

Aaron: BOBBY!

Kent: Good hitting.

Aaron: Now they are simply saying that Blyleven will get a tattoo if Bremer shaves his head, regardless of the game.

Kent: I first guessed it, and I hate it when I'm right. I suppose you need practice getting out of jams.

Aaron: Tomorrow's Yankees game has been called off.

Craig: Why!?

Aaron: Snow, I guess.

Kent: Ice storm?

Craig: Apparently. I guess New York has angered the gods as well. So you get a doubleheader on Tuesday! No, I guess Tuesday there was a scheduled off day.

Kent: Lidle has a little steam left, but the control's fading.

Craig: He can't find the glove.

Aaron: It doesn't matter, we aren't gonna walk anyway

Craig: In there hackin'!

Aaron: Holy s@$%, Detroit took a 2 1 lead!!

Craig: Two errors and a wild pitch?

Aaron: Let's see...double, walk, single. All with 2 outs.

Aaron: Blyleven just predicted a "base hit or a double here."

Kent: No chance of a triple! 🙂

Aaron: A.J. had some triples last year!

Aaron: 6 triples last year! HA!

Kent: Cory's got him set up for the curve inside.

[PIERZYNSKI FOULS OFF AN INSIDE CURVE DOWN THE LINE]

Kent: See?

Craig: Yup and he nearly got that double!

Kent: Good job to foul that one off - 11 pitch AB!

[PIERZYNSKI TAPS BACK TO LIDLE. RIVAS GROUNDS OUT]

Aaron: Luis!

Kent: Hinske almost threw it away.

Craig: It's 12 2 Red Sox in the bottom of the 9th.

Aaron: I think maybe their bullpen can hold that, if Chad Fox doesn't come in.

Kent: Or Mendoza.

Kent: 6 RBI for Hillenbrand.

Craig: Rincon has thrown 46 pitches in four innings, 35 strikes. Very very impressive. Good location, good movement, and a live fastball.

Aaron: Yeah, he looks way better than I remembered him looking at any point last year.

Craig: Four innings down with only 46 pitches is impressive, even when trailing.

Craig: Hey! Expos win! Expos win!

Kent: 17 hits and they roughed up Benitez.

Craig: Liefer won it with a 3 run shot.

Aaron: What a bargain, all they had to give up for him was Bartolo Colon (or Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Grady Sizemore)

Craig: Yeah but they also got a sore armed 40 year old pitcher!

Kent: 45.

[BLUE JAYS GO DOWN 1-2-3 AGAIN]

Craig: Rincon is auditioning for a job, eh?

Aaron: Fetters must feel like a bigger, sweatier, Wally Pipp right now.

Aaron: CBS.Sportsline’s game tracker thing is showing J.C. Romero in his 5th inning of work!

Craig: Nice! And he went 2.2 yesterday too! 🙂

Aaron: Yeah, rubber arm.

[BOTTOM OF THE 8TH, 8-1 BLUE JAYS]

Craig: It's Trever Miller.

Kent: What does he have against Lopez? By the time he gets into a game, he'll be rusty.

Aaron: Bonds got the day off today, it looks like.

Aaron: SFs lineup included: Neifi, Pedro Feliz, Ruben Rivera, Yorvit Torrealba.

Kent: Still better than Milwaukee's.

Aaron: San Fran is up 5 0.

Craig: Lopez might get the ninth, but Jones is up this inning. So Miller's the natural choice.

Aaron: Don't they know Jacque Jones destroys lefties now?

[JONES SINGLES]

Craig: A massive 140 foot single!

Kent: Tosca loves his L L matchups.

Aaron: Jacque is 3 8 with 2 doubles against lefties this year! Ah, the beauty of sample sizes.

[GOMEZ SINGLES]

Aaron: The wheels are in motion now boys, watch out.

Craig: Hocking is hanging on by his fingernails in this at-bat.

Aaron: Hocking takes more called 3rd strikes than anyone, ever.

[HOCKING TAKES A CALLED THIRD STRIKE]

Craig: So, Clemens won #295 today.

Kent: I hope he breaks his arm.

Aaron: The Tigers now have Steve Sparks in to try to close the game!

Aaron: And he just blew the lead...2 2. That was quick.

[MILLER WALKS CUDDYER TO LOAD THE BASES WITH 1 OUT]

Kent: Love those Twins fans; they're noiser now than Jays fans when we're winning.

[MIENTKIEWICZ GROUNDS INTO A DOUBLE-PLAY]

Aaron: That'll shut em up.

Craig: Good turn by Hudson, he knew he was going to have to step lively.

Kent: Carlos [Delgado] leads MLB in pulling his foot off the bag too soon.

Craig: He's actually quite good at pulling in errant throws, he just comes off the bag a lot.

Aaron: Seriously, why would trammell bring in Sparks in the 8th of a 2 1 game, when he has Franklyn German and Matt Anderson?

Kent: He used German already I think.

Aaron: Well, whaddya know, CBS.Sportsline screws up again!

Kent: The best live game data is from STATS.com but I don't play their game any more so it's not free. Loved it last year; 30 seconds behind the pitch.

Aaron: Josh Stewart: 7 hits, 1 run, 1 walk, 1 K.

Kent: I'll take it.

[WELLS GROUNDS OUT TO MIENTKIEWICZ TO END THE TOP OF THE 9TH]

Kent: That's the best 1B in the game by a mile. The Mark Grace comparison is an insult to Minky.

Aaron: You gotta love a manager of an 0 5 team [The Tigers] with a 2 1 lead that is unwilling to bring in his "closer" for more than 1 inning, so he uses a knuckleballer.

Aaron: If he saves Anderson for 9th inning leads, he may not pitch the whole year.

Kent: Trammell will age 15 years this season.

Aaron: 3 2 White Sox

Aaron: And with that, the Twins and ChiSox are tied in the standings.

[DOUG LINTON ENTERS THE GAME FOR THE BLUE JAYS]

Aaron: Linton!

Kent: I linked to an article from the Syracuse paper that had a good view of Linton's signing.

Kent: They said Doug will tell other six year guys what a fair shake he got, and influence others to sign in the future.

Craig: Why do I get the feeling that Tosca is reluctant to use Lopez?

Kent: Me too.

Aaron: Yeah, if you're not gonna use him here...

[KIELTY GROUNDS OUT FOR THE FIRST OUT]

Aaron: bobby. 🙁

Craig: Mohr's had a nothing game.

Aaron: 5 2 White Sox (F@#&$* Tigers)

Craig: Admittedly, they handed you guys three wins as well.

Craig: Mohr singles! See how that works? I badmouth a guy, and he comes up.

[PIERZYNSKI GROUNDS OUT TO HUDSON]

Kent: Nice range by the Dawg.

Aaron: Now that's a second baseman!

Craig: Does Rivas get to that, Aaron? Maybe?

Aaron: HA!!!!!!

Aaron: My mom just IMed me and said, "Twins Suck."

Craig: The final out is at the plate.

Craig: I've got my broom here...

Kent: Here, Luis, hit this…

Craig: Terrible, terrible swing, two feet outside in the dirt.

Aaron: He stinks!

[RIVAS TAKES A CALLED THIRD STRIKE TO END THE GAME]

Aaron: Good take! HAHAHA.

Craig: Takes the third strike…

Kent: Guessing all the way.

Craig: Jays 8, Twins 1. Well guys, it's too bad we couldn't have had a better game for which to do this.

Kent: I had fun

Aaron: Yeah, maybe we'll do it another time and have a closer game – or at least a Twins blowout win. It was fun though.

Craig: Great fun. Time for curling! *Women's* curling!

Aaron: You crazy Canadians.

[THE END]

Toronto 8

Minnesota 1

W: Lidle (1-1)

L: Radke (1-1)

HR: Delgado (2)

Boxscore

Game Recap

Today's picks:

No picks today - nothing catches my eye.