Braves 2, Blue Jays 0: Run Support King Ricky Romero At It Again

This is Ricky Romero's run support face.

"I’m sure those guys are not trying to get out," Ricky Romero said after last night's game. "They’re all trying. I’m not singling anyone out or anything like that. We’re all trying." What if they're not, though? What if everybody else is just coasting? I think we have to at least entertain the possibility. Adam Lind has been tremendous, Jose Bautista has fallen off but is still obviously going hard to the fullest out there, but who knows? Maybe everybody else is just jerks. The only guy who kind of actually actively looks like he's not trying is Yunel Escobar, but I firmly believe he is in fact trying but lacks the gene that makes it look like you're trying even when you are. On that note, I am entirely pleased with Alex Anthopolous' decision to extend Escobar for two seasons at $5 million a year with a couple of club options at the same rate. This is entirely sensible, and I like it. The eighth-best shortstop in either league this year according to Wins Above Replacement, he has been excellent. 


Last night's game, however, was not excellent, and was, on the contrary, a butt. Tim Hudson threw a two-hitter, and I hated it.


EDIT: Somehow I neglected to mention that both runs came on A TWO-RUN SHOT BY TIM HUDSON IN THE SEVENTH INNING GOD DAMN IT I HATE THE NATIONAL LEAGUE WHERE SHIT LIKE THIS IS EVEN POSSIBLE.


KS

Blue Jays 8, Royals 5: SMOKE

Adam Lind: more coy than you might expect.

The first inning of last night's game against the Royals was just outstanding. Yunel Escobar led off the game with a single, which is not a surprise or anything, in that Escobar has been quietly excellent so far this season, so I'm not trying to make a big thing about Escobar getting on to start the game as thoughtthat's some sort of rarity. No. He is good; and I like him. But then, with Corey Patterson at the plate, Escobar ran. His plan? To steal second base, I think. But he achieved so much more. 


In a series of events that I'm not sure I have witnessed since little league -- when it happened pretty much every game, especially, though not exclusively, when I was catching -- Matt Treanor's throw to second skipped over the bag and rolled into centre. Escobar took off for third, and Melky Cabrera was like we'll see about this! and gunned it to third, except the throw was horrible, and it went to the screen, and Escobar scored on a stolen base and two throwing errors. Seriously: this is probably the single most common source of runs in little league baseball. Took me back, man. Took me back.


From there, all that was needed were home runs from Adam Lind and J. P. Arencibia (tenth of the season for both), and a strangely effective outing from Kyle Drabek despite allowing nine hits and a mere three walks over five and a third. He did not strike anybody out. He did, however, throw four -- four! -- wild pitches. This Kyle Drabek, ladies and gentlemen, is a character.


KS

Orioles 5, Blue Jays 3 and Blue Jays 7, Orioles 4: OK Then.

Jose Bautista flashes the drinky drinky sign on his way into third.

Ricky Romero wasn't terrible or anything on Saturday, but generally speaking when you give up a grand slam you will lose. I don't have numbers on that though I assume that they both exist and confirm my previous statement. It was kind of galling for Kevin Gregg to get the save on Saturday, but he nearly blew it, so I nearly liked it. Totally liked: Corey Patterson had a home run and two bunt singles in the same game. Isn't that wild? 


This afternoon's 7-4 win was more like the kind of shellacking I had in mind for all three games, but you take it as it comes, I guess. Adam Lind is back off the DL, as you may have noticed, and hit a pair of solo shots to go with Yunel Escobar's three-run home run. And do you know who pitched ably into the seventh and picked up his second straight win? Jo-Jo!  


And so that's two out of three on the weekend in Baltimore, which one can't be mad at. Next up: Kansas City, who everybody assures me will be good in 2013, which, you will note, is totally not this week.


KS

Blue Jays 8, Orioles 4: Big Fun In Baltimore

J. P. Arencibia: proponent of big fun.

The two early unearned runs were pretty boss, but J. P. Arencibia's fifth-inning grand slam was definitely last night's highlight in terms of overall awesomeness. Carlos Villanueva pitched well in his third start since leaving the bullpen, Perez, Frasor, and Rzepcynski took it the rest of the way, et voila. Also, it seems we have reached the point where Jose Bautista gets intentionally walked in the third inning, and, I mean, I get it -- .360/.504/.766/1.270, 20 HR, 5.0 WAR -- but it is nevertheless remarkable.

Also remarkable: both that Yunel Escobar is having such a great year, and that I have totally failed to say anything about it. The line on Escobar has always been that he is at least something of a jackhole, and I am not here to dispute that; instead, I am here to point out that his .300/.382/.449/.831 line and reasonable defense at short has him positioned as the seventh-best player in the American League this year by WAR (2.2). Did you have any idea? I didn't, and I follow the exploits of both Escobar and his bros on a daily basis.  


Finally, it is perhaps worth noting that Camden Yards is still the best looking ballpark ever.


KS