ON THE MARK.

CALLING OUT GIBBONS, BAUTISTA, ESCOBAR AND COLANGELO.

As you may know, I'm not a big fan of Bluejays manager John Gibbons and his "in game" decisions.  Maybe it'll take a few more wins before I feel comfortable with him, but I don't think so.   Yesterday was a perfect example.  R.A. Dickey had thrown 120 pitches through 8 innings and the Jays had a 7-3 lead on Tampa.  So, instead of sending Dickey back out for the 9th, or going with one of  his "lesser" relievers to get the final 3 outs, Gibbons turns to his "closer".   Casey Janssen hadn't pitched in 8 days, but he's also not used to pitching unless the game is on the line. (Read: Save situation).   Like most closers, he's got to be in a game where there's some urgency.  A one or two run lead to protect.  Very little wiggle room.  A situation where every pitch matters.   Instead, he's out there just to get some work in, and ends up throwing 26 pitches, giving up a walk and three hits, including a two run bomb off the bat of Yunel Escobar (more later).        Luckily, the Jays hung on to win, but now if you need Janssen, who's had shoulder problems this year, he may not be as effective.  Suppose you need him to close out tonight's game, or tomorrow afternoon's tilt.  Or both?  Will those 26 pitches in a "non save" situation have a negative effect?   If Gibbons wasn't going to leave Dickey in to get three outs, he should've put in Esmil Rogers or Brad Lincoln or Brett Cecil for the 9th.  If the Rays managed to load the bases, THEN you bring in Janssen for the save.  Very few "closers" come into a game unless it's a "save" situation.  Gibbons should know that.
     Still with the Jays, the booing of Yunel Escobar was well deserved last night.   Every time he was announced, he had to incur the wrath of Jays fans who can't forgive him for the racist-slur-on-the-eyeblack last season.  And when Escobar hit a two run homer in the 9th of Janssen, he took a nice leisurely canter around the bases before finally crossing home plate and giving the exaggerated "safe" sign with both arms.  More boos from the Toronto faithful.     Rays manager Joe Maddon said after the game that he'd have a talk with Escobar.   Maybe a swift kick in the cojones would help too.  By the way, I hadn't heard booing like that from Toronto fans since they targeted poor Larry Murphy on the Leafs blueline some 15 years ago.  That was vicious. 
     I like the fact that Gibbons has moved Melky Cabrera to the leadoff spot because, basically, he has no one else to put there until Jose Reyes comes back (sometime between next week and mid July, depending on your level of optimism and the Jays level of panic).  What I don't like is having Jose Bautista bat in the #2 hole.   Too many times over the past week, Bautista has failed to move Cabrera up a base, which is what a #2 hitter should do, when he's not trying to hit a homerun.   Too many times Bautista has failed to change his approach at the plate; to become more of a go-the-other-way contact hitter in order to move the runner along, rather than the free power hitter that he wants to be every time up.   If you ask me, EE would be a better #2 hitter, as he tends to use the whole field more often than Bautista.   Regardless, if the Jays want to have ANY chance of making the playoffs, they have to get better production out of these two hitters.  Bautista, in particular, needs to step it up.  After hitting 7 homers in April, he only has two dingers in the month of May, and both came in the same game at Boston.  With just 8 doubles and 9 homers, he needs to provide more power.   EE as well.  His 12 homers are great, but he only has five doubles this season.  I expect more power from both.
      Much as I've tried, I just can't seem to get into ANY Stanley Cup playoff series.   Maybe it's the hangover after Round One.  I just don't know.   Maybe it's the fact that I went 2-6 with my first round predictions and I'm afraid to hang my hat on any team for fear that they'll flame out in the second round and then I'll have to change my allegiance (again).  
     Who should play goal for Canada at next year's Sochi Olympics?    Bubba and I were trying to figure this one out.  Marc Andre Fleury,   Roberto Luongo?  Brian Elliot?  Corey Crawford? Mike Smith?  How about Carey Price or even Martin Brodeur?     Not a huge talent pool here.   It seems the best goalies are from other countries.  Lundqvist (Sweden) Craig Anderson (U.S.)  Johnny Quick (U.S.) Antti Niemi (Finland) Rask (Finland) Jimmy Howard (U.S.).   Whatever happened to all those great Canadian goalies?
     Finally, I see whereby Bryan Colangelo got the "Brian Burke treatment" from MLSE.  He's no longer the G.M. of the Raptors but he is the President (but not for long)   In the past five years, the Raptors have gone backwards, and Colangelo was responsible for two huge messes.   Not signing or trading Chris Bosh until it was too late.   And selecting the Primo Pasta man, Andrea Bargnani as the #1 overall pick in 2006.   Oh yes, there was the ill-fated Jermaine ONeal trade, the Hedo Turkoglu debacle, the jettisoning of point guards Jarret Jack, Jose Calderon and Jerryd Bayless, the signing of Linas Kleiza and Landry Fields and the failure to realize that Rudy Gay, while a good player, is not worth anywhere near 18 million dollars a year, and one of the main reasons why Memphis is now in the Western Conference Finals.  Those moves, plus no playoff appearances in five years led to an easy decision by MLSE.   The big question now is:  Who takes over this mess?