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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vla ...
<p class="has-text-align-none">I love this quote from Eric Lauer (<a href="h ...
<p class="has-text-align-none">I love this quote from Eric Lauer (<a href="h ...
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><feed	xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"	xmlns:thr="http://purl.org/syndication/thread/1.0"	xml:lang="en-US"	>	<title type="text">Bluebird Banter</title>	<subtitle type="text">Your best source for quality Toronto Blue Jays news, rumors, analysis, stats and scores from the fan perspective.</subtitle> 	<updated>2025-10-31T04:24:31+00:00</updated> 	<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" />	<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/rss/index.xml</id>	<link rel="self" type="application/atom+xml" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/rss/index.xml" /> 			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Happy Birthday Fred McGriff]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/birthdays/59560/happy-birthday-fred-mcgriff" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59560</id>			<updated>2025-10-31T00:24:31-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-31T08:12:00-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays Birthdays" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Fred McGriff turns 62 today. McGriff was born in Tampa, Florida. The Yankees drafted him in the 9th round of the 1981 amateur draft. Don Mattingly blocked his way to the majors for the Yankees. The Jays acquired McGriff, Dave Collins, Mike Morgan, and cash in exchange for Dale Murray and Tom Dodd. That trade […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/gettyimages-1900508813.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Fred McGriff</strong> turns 62 today.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">McGriff was born in <strong>Tampa, Florida</strong>. The <strong>Yankees</strong> drafted him in the 9th round of the 1981 amateur draft. <strong>Don Mattingly</strong> blocked his way to the majors for the Yankees. The Jays acquired McGriff, <strong>Dave Collins</strong>, <strong>Mike Morgan,</strong> and cash in exchange for<strong> Dale Murray</strong> and <strong>Tom Dodd</strong>. That trade worked out. Pat Gullick had the golden touch.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">In 1986, Fred was up for three games in May. In 1987, he began the season with the team and gradually assumed the DH role from <strong>Rance Mulliniks</strong>. He hit .247/.376/.505 with 20 homers and 60 walks in just 295 at-bats, a pretty good rookie season. After the season, <strong>Willie Upshaw</strong> was sold to <strong>Cleveland</strong> to make room for Fred at first base.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">McGriff’s first season as a first baseman was great. He hit .282/.376/.552 with 34 home runs and 79 walks, 100 runs, and 82 RBI. He received <strong>MVP</strong> votes. He was second in the AL in slugging %, 4th in OPS, and 2nd in home runs.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Fred had an equally outstanding season in 1989, hitting .269/.399/.525 with a league-leading 36 homers and finishing second with 119 walks. He was also 4th in the league in on-base percentage, 2nd in slugging average, and 1st in OPS. Fred hit the first home run ever in Skydome on June 5. Fred won the <strong>Silver Slugger</strong> award for the best AL bat at first base and came in 6th in the MVP vote. Robin<strong> Yount </strong>won the prize, and Jays’ teammate <strong>George Bell </strong>came 4th in the voting. In 1989, the Jays came in first in the AL East, but we lost out to the A’s in 5 games. McGriff didn’t have a good series, hitting just .143 with no extra-base hits and no walks.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">In 1990, Fred had his third consecutive terrific season, hitting .300/.400/.530 with 35 home runs. Three seasons with 34, 36, and 35 home runs can’t ask for anything more consistent than that. He came in 10th in MVP voting. He finished 2nd in the league in on-base percentage and 4th in slugging average and homers.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">McGriff was a terrific first baseman for us, but one minor criticism was that he never drove in 100 runs for us, despite hitting 35 home runs in three consecutive years. People say one of those stupid things when they want to complain about someone but can’t find a reason.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">On December 5, 1990, <strong>Pat Gillick</strong> traded Fred to the <strong>Padres</strong> with <strong>Tony Fernandez for</strong> <strong>Joe Carter,</strong> and <strong>Roberto Alomar</strong>. After the trade, McGriff drove in 100+ runs eight times. It worked out for us since we won two <strong>World Series</strong> three seasons after the transaction.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Fred went to <strong>Atlanta</strong> for 4.5 seasons after spending 4 seasons in San Diego, where he won a World Series ring. Then he played for<strong> the Tampa Bay Rays</strong>, the <strong>Chicago</strong> <strong>Cubs</strong>, the <strong>LA</strong> <strong>Dodgers</strong>, and Tampa Bay again, where he retired after a 19-year career and 493 home runs. His career hitting line is .284/.377/.509 in 2460 games.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Fred was one of those guys I just loved. I tried to swing the bat as he did. He played good defence and was a very likable guy. I was sad when we traded him. I remember telling a friend that we had traded a Hall of Famer. Little did I know that one of the guys we got back would be inducted into the Hall of Fame.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He is finally in the Hall of Fame, elected unanimously by the Contemporary Era Committee.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Fred is married and has two children, Erick and Ericka. He works in the Braves’ front office.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Happy birthday, Fred. I hope it is a good one.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Other former Jays with a birthday today:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><li><strong>David Dellucci</strong> turns 52. You might not remember, but he played eight games for us in 2009, hitting .040/.172/.080. That was the end of his 13-year MLB career. He played 1099 games and hit .256/.338/.435 with 101 home runs for the <strong>Diamondbacks</strong>, Cleveland,<strong> Rangers</strong>, <strong>Phillies</strong>, Yankees, <strong>Orioles</strong>, and Jays.</li>   <li><strong>Steve Trachsel</strong> turns 55 today. In a doomed effort to make the playoffs, we traded for him and <strong>Mark Guthrie </strong>at the 2000 trade deadline. Steve would make 11 starts and put up a 2-5 record with a 5.29 ERA in 11 starts. He had a fine career, playing for 16 seasons. Steve had a 143-159 record, a 4.39 ERA in 420 games, and 417 starts. He took so much time between pitches that you had time to read a book.</li>   <li><strong>Dave Freisleben</strong> turns 74 today. He was a right-handed pitcher who had a six-year MLB career, the last of which was with the Jays. He pitched in 42 games, with 2 starts, for us, with a 4.95 ERA. He played in 202 games and 121 starts in his career, with a 4.30 ERA, mostly with the Padres. I don’t remember him at all.</li>   <li><strong>Javy Guerra </strong>turns 40 today. Javy was another right-handed reliever. We signed him as a minor league free agent before the 2019 season. He pitched in 11 games with a 3.86 ERA and was then designated for assignment, so Ryan Feierabend could be added to the roster to make a start. Ryan pitched in one more game and was sent away (an 11.12 ERA will cause that). Javy pitched 3 innings the day before he was DFAed. He wasn’t great, but Feierabend wasn’t either. Guerra played 11 seasons in the MLB, with a 3.98 ERA in 272 games.</li></ul>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Thoughts on the Blue Jays’ Game 5 win]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/opinions/59547/it-wasnt-a-dream-more-on-game-five" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59547</id>			<updated>2025-10-30T12:27:35-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-30T12:17:50-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays Opinions" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[The first thing my wife said to me this morning was, ‘It wasn’t a dream.‘ She knows me. One of my first thoughts this morning was ‘That was the sort of World Series start we should have had from Roy Halladay”. If, you know, we had a front office that could have surrounded him with […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-27450993.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none">The first thing my wife said to me this morning was, ‘It wasn’t a dream.‘ She knows me. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">One of my first thoughts this morning was ‘That was the sort of World Series start we should have had from Roy Halladay”. If, you know, we had a front office that could have surrounded him with a decent team. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">I love games where there is no drama. After the two home runs, on the first three pitches, I really felt calm. I thought, we’ve got this one. Two games in a row of calm, which I guess makes up for the 18 innings of absolute nerves frayed for every moment. I always say I like games where the recap is written before the final pitch. I was in the press box for some Triple-A games when I was much younger, doing little AP recaps. The ‘real’ reporters hated late-game heroics. They wanted to have the game story done as quickly as possible. I recall the reporter from one of the papers sleeping through three or four innings, and then asking me if anything interesting had happened. Of course, at 18, it was all interesting to me. I was just happy to be there. I was watching like I was a scout, thinking about which of these guys had a chance to be good in the majors.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">There are many great notes from the game. Ian Hunter pointed out that, by Game Score, Trey Yesavage now has the number two and three best playoff starts in Blue Jays’ history (Dave Stieb pitched eight innings, of three hit ball, with eight strikeouts in the ALCS in 1985.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">It was the first time the top two in the order homered in a World Series game. It would be interesting to know how many times someone homered on the first pitch of a World Series game. I’m pretty sure they didn’t record stuff like that in the ‘old days’. Apparently, Derek Jeter did that in 2000.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And, of course:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><li>No rookie had ever struck out 12 in a World Series game.</li>   <li>No pitcher had ever struck 12 without a walk in a World Series game.</li>   <li>No pitcher has ever made 5 playoff starts in their first 8 MLB appearances.</li>   <li>No rookie has ever had had two 10+ strikeout games in the playoffs.</li>   <li>Yesavage is just the second pitcher to have 10 strikeouts in the first five innings of a World Series start, Sandy Koufax was the other and he was at the park.</li>   <li>And he is the first to have his first two MLB 10 strikeout games in the playoffs.</li></ul> <p class="has-text-align-none">And I’m sure a dozen other firsts.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And Vlad has a dozen or so records or near records:</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is having a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/postseason?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#postseason</a> for the ages. <br><br>8 HR (most in Jays playoff history)<br>15 RBI (single-season Jays playoff record)<br>27 Hits (2nd all time)<br>39 times on base (2nd all time)<br>1.337 OPS (4th all time)<br><br>Worth every penny. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WANTITALL?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WANTITALL</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WorldSeries?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WorldSeries</a> <a href="https://t.co/TPlW5wNhUu">pic.twitter.com/TPlW5wNhUu</a></p>— Daniele Franceschi (@Daniele_Media) <a href="https://twitter.com/Daniele_Media/status/1983900386940404127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote></div></figure> <p class="has-text-align-none">The best part is that the Vlad Trolls we had in GameThreads for some of the season have disappeared. Maybe they’ve gone off to complain about random Leaf players. I never understand the point of being a troll. I generally figure that their life is terrible, and they want to try to make other people’s lives terrible.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">Dan wasn’t ready for the game to start and Davis homered. Great call though. He wasn’t alone. I was just getting comfortable, and we are ahead.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">🗣️ "GONE!! The first pitch of the ball game!"<br><br>Inside the PxP booth in LA as <a href="https://twitter.com/DannySpxp?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DannySpxp</a> and Buck Martinez call Davis Schneider and Vladdy Jr. going back-to-back to start Game 5 🎙️ <a href="https://t.co/cn9Omz6oVk">pic.twitter.com/cn9Omz6oVk</a></p>— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sportsnet/status/1983927109639659915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote></div></figure> <p class="has-text-align-none"></p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Max Scherzer may not have been the best pitcher on our staff this year, but he’s been more fun than anyone.</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you're a pending free agent, how can you not look at this and think "I want to be a part of that team"? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WantItAll?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WantItAll</a> <a href="https://t.co/OO1d8VutYV">pic.twitter.com/OO1d8VutYV</a></p>— Jenn Smith (@Baseball_Jenn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Baseball_Jenn/status/1983926021213614437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 30, 2025</a></blockquote></div></figure> <p class="has-text-align-none">Even plate umpire Alan Porter had a very good day:</p><img src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/ump_1d8b92.png?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" /><p class="has-text-align-none"></p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Just one more win Jays. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none"></p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Happy Birthday Marco Scutaro]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/birthdays/59539/59539" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59539</id>			<updated>2025-10-30T10:32:29-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-30T07:54:00-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays Birthdays" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Marco Scutaro turns 50 today (sorry Marco, but it only gets worse from here). Many of my favourite Jays have birthdays in October. We picked up Scutaro in trade from the A’s back in November of 2007. In the post about the trade achnegy said: I am not surprised at who this trade partner is […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-2747111.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Marco Scutaro</strong> turns 50 today (sorry Marco, but it only gets worse from here). Many of my favourite Jays have birthdays in October.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">We picked up Scutaro in trade from the <strong>A’s</strong> back in November of 2007. <a href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/2007/11/18/14106/129">In the post about the trade achnegy said</a>:</p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none">I am not surprised at who this trade partner is as it’s again the Oakland A’s, <strong>JP Riccardi’s </strong>old boss.</p></blockquote> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Scutaro</strong> is a light-hitting SS who many compared to John McDonald. However, Scutaro does have some power, hitting 7 home runs last season, but bats a career average of .259. Scutaro is arbitration-eligible and will make somewhere around $2 million. He has a good chance of starting, as he is a slight upgrade <em>with the bat</em> at SS. He can give whoever days off as well. They also make a very good platoon option with <strong>McDonald</strong> hitting well against lefties in 49 games with an .818 OPS and a .329 BA. Over his career (.257/.306.645), he is considerably better against southpaws.</p></blockquote> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none">The prospects we gave up on never made my top 20. <strong>Kristian Bell</strong> and <strong>Graham Godfrey</strong> are two 23-year-old pitchers in A ball.</p></blockquote> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none">Kristian Bell is the type of arm that seems expendable. Bell has struggled with his control and seems a bit too hittable with a career WHIP of 1.43 in A ball.</p></blockquote> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none">Godfrey had a 3.98 ERA for Lansing and didn’t light anything on fire in his professional debut. Solid numbers, but had a high hit rate and K rate that wasn’t anything special.</p></blockquote> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none">Overall, another decent move by Riccardi, I would say. Scutaro is a cheap option (I was hoping for a Crosby trade) and is slightly better than McDonald with the stick. The players we gave up were expendable, as all had many questions about them and were down in A-ball. The likelihood they make it to the show is slim. This is a salary dump for Oakland, and utility players aren’t hard to come by when it comes to minor leaguers anyway.</p></blockquote> <p class="has-text-align-none">Kristian Bell never made it to the majors (but was terrific in The Good Place). Godfrey appeared in 10 games over two seasons with the A’s</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">It was a good trade, but JP oversold it, saying Marco was our 2008 MVP a year later. I politely disagreed:</p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none">JP said Scoot was our team MVP. This should be added to our reasons for firing JP. If you have little understanding of winning baseball, you think a guy whose OP+ is 86 is your MVP, then you have no business running a team. Frig….putting aside that Doc is the team MVP, offensively, who comes in front of him? Hmmmm, <strong>Wells</strong>,<strong> Rios</strong>, <strong>Overbay</strong>,<strong> Inglett</strong>, <strong>Rolen</strong>, <strong>Lind</strong>,<strong> Barajas</strong>.</p></blockquote> <p class="has-text-align-none">Marco hit .267/.341/.356 in 145 games, mostly at shortstop in his first season with the Jays. But while JP may have been wrong about him being MVP, I was wrong about him, too.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And if he hits at the top of the order more than a few times next year, well, then you’ll know we haven’t learned anything from this season.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">In 2009, he hit .282/.379/.409. He was great at short and as our leadoff hitter, and he became one of my favourite players.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Marco was a lot of fun to watch. I remember him (when noticing the camera was on him) kissing his bat after a home run.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And there was this:</p><img src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/MarcoScutaro2.webp?quality=90&strip=all&crop=6,0,88,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" /><p class="has-text-align-none">Jose Bautista pulled off the same trick a few years later.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He only played 2 seasons for the Jays, signing with the <strong>Red Sox</strong> after the 2009 season. After that, he went to the <strong>Rockies</strong> and the <strong>Giants</strong>, picking up a <strong>World Series</strong> ring (there is a terrific GIF of him standing in the rain after the win):</p><img src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/marco2.webp?quality=90&strip=all&crop=4.6590909090909,0,90.681818181818,100" alt="" title="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" /><p class="has-text-align-none">Marco had a 13-season MLB career, hitting .277/.341/.388 in 1391 games. He had his two best seasons with the Jays, with bWARs of 4.5 and 5.5 and a career bWAR of 22.1.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Happy birthday Marco. I hope it is a good one.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">Also, having a birthday today, former Jays pitcher<strong> Joe Johnson </strong>turns 64.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Joe came in a trade from the Braves in July of 1986, with <strong>Jim Acker</strong> going to Atlanta. He had a perfect finish to the 1986 season, 7-2, with a 3.89 in 16 games 15 starts for us. But, unfortunately, 1987 wasn’t as good. He had a 5.13 ERA in 14 starts before being sent to the minors.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">After the season, we lost him in the <strong>Rule 5</strong> draft, and he never pitched in the majors again.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Happy birthday, Joe.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Joe Panik</strong> is 35 today.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Joe was with the Blue Jays in 2020 and the first half of 2021. He played 83 games and hit .235/.318/.325 with 3 home runs.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">But the best thing he did for us was bring Adam Cimber and Corey Dickerson when we traded Joe to the Marlins. It seemed a significant return for an ageing utility player.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He’s retired now.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Happy Birthday, Joe.</p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Trey Yesevage amazing, Blue Jays Beat Dodgers]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/game-recaps/59535/blue-jays-game-5-score-trey-yesevage" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59535</id>			<updated>2025-10-30T06:26:02-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-29T23:16:51-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays Game Recaps" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Blue Jays 6 Dodger 1 WHAT A GREAT GAME. You know it is going to be a good day when the first and third pitch your team sees leave the yard. Davis Schneider hit the first pitch of the game over the left field wall. Just his second hit of the World Series byt was […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-27450636.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Blue Jays 6 Dodger 1</strong></p> <p class="has-text-align-none">WHAT A GREAT GAME.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">You know it is going to be a good day when the first and third pitch your team sees leave the yard.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Davis Schneider hit the first pitch of the game over the left field wall. Just his second hit of the World Series byt was it ever an important one. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And Vladimir Guerrero hit the second pitch he saw over the left field wall, just a little further than Schneider’s (394 feet (Vlad), 373 feet (Davis). </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">After that it was the Trey Yesavage show. 12 strikeouts (a World Series rookie record)! He gave up just four hits, and no walks. The run against him came on a <s>Freddie Freeman</s> Enrique Hernández home run (Traitor). Dan tells us that he is the first pitcher in the World Series to strike out 12 without giving up a walk.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He went seven inning, 104 pitches. The last one a double play ball, right after Buck said ‘Get a double play, so you can walk off the field with your team.’ A great suggestion Buck. </p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">After the two home runs, Blake Snell pitched a pretty good game himself. The Jays got another run in the fourth. Daulton Varsho lined one to right field and our old friend Teoscar Hernandez dove and missed it, turning a singled into a triple (really should have been a single and a two-base error, but official scorers are dumb. Ernie Clement followed that with a sac fly.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">We got two more in the seventh. Addison Barger singled and move to second on a Snell wild pitch (wild pitcher were a thing for the Dodgers). IKF ground out to third after trying and failing to bunt. Andrés Giménez walked (and Snell had another wild pitch to move Addison to third). Snell (staying the game, I couldn’t understand it) struck out Schneider .</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">The Dodgers brought Edgardo Henriquez, who walked Vlad and then gave up a single to Bo Bichette, making it 5-1.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And we got one more in the eighth. Clement started the inning with a single and went to second on yet another wild pitch (you’d think the Dodger pitchers were the 22-year-olds intimidated by being in the World Series). Barger ground out to second, moving Clement to third. And IKF singled through the drawn-in infield. It was good for IKF to have a moment, cause he’s had a rough series. </p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">Seranthony Domínguez rode in on his royal stallion to pitch the eighth. Well, he walked to the mound, but very royally. He went ground out, strikeout, and then a walk. Then Ohtani ground one hard, but right to Vlad who mad a nice pickup and tapped the bag. Nice play Vlad.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Jeff Hoffman came in for the ninth. He gave up a single, then got a fly out. Freddie Freeman struck out. And then Teoscar Hernandez struck out. </p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">In the nice place catagory, Addison Barger made a very good play in right field, making a diving (ish) catch on a hard hit liner. And we had a nice 6-4-3 double play in that seventh inning, to end the inning (and the day) for Trey Yesavage. Clement to IKF to Vlad, very nicely turned at a pretty big moment.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Jays of the Day:</strong> Yesavage (.286 WPA), Vlad (.127) and Barger (.103). And I’m giving one to Davis for the first-pitch home run. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">No one had the number for the ‘Other Award’.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">Game Six is Friday. Kevin Gausman vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Jays win and we are World Series Champs. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none"></p> <p class="has-text-align-none"></p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Game Five GameThread: Jays @ Dodgers]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/toronto-blue-jay-gamethreads/59532/game-five-gamethread-jays-dodgers" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59532</id>			<updated>2025-10-29T19:17:04-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-29T19:43:00-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays GameThreads" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Just Win. The lineup, sans Springer. I was hopeful he’d be able to play. He could pinch hit or pinch run, but I’d say pinch hitting is far more likely. Davis Schneider leads off and plays left field against the lefty. Schneider is 1 for 10 in the ALCS and World Series. But Barger stays […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-27442426.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none">Just Win.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">The lineup, sans Springer. I was hopeful he’d be able to play. He could pinch hit or pinch run, but I’d say pinch hitting is far more likely. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Davis Schneider leads off and plays left field against the lefty. Schneider is 1 for 10 in the ALCS and World Series. But Barger stays in the lineup. I was afraid we would see Straw out there. </p> <div class="pane sports_data_widget lineup clearfix"><h3>Today’s Lineups</h3><div class="lineup"><table cellspacing="0" class="zebra"><thead><tr><th align="left">BLUE JAYS</th><th align="left">DODGERS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Davis Schneider – LF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Shohei Ohtani – DH</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Vladimir Guerrero – 1B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Will Smith – C</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Bo Bichette – DH</td><td class="td-first td-name">Mookie Betts – SS</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Alejandro Kirk – C</td><td class="td-first td-name">Freddie Freeman – 1B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Daulton Varsho – CF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Teoscar Hernandez – RF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Ernie Clement – 3B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Tommy Edman – 2B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Addison Barger – RF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Max Muncy – 3B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Isiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Enrique Hernandez – CF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Andres Gimenez – SS</td><td class="td-first td-name">Alex Call – LF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name"></td><td class="td-first td-name"></td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Trey Yesavage – RHP</td><td class="td-first td-name">Blake Snell – LHP</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>  <p class="has-text-align-none">We scored five runs off Blake Snell in Game One, let’s double that tonight. </p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[No Springer In Tonight’s Lineup]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/news/59528/no-springer-in-tonights-lineup" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59528</id>			<updated>2025-10-29T18:31:55-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-29T18:31:55-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays News" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[I hoped Springer would play. Apparently, he did batting practice, ran on the field, and seemed pretty good, but they decided to have him sit and hope to play on Friday. Davis Schneider leads off and plays left field. Bo Bichette is DH. And the Dodgers have shuffled their lineup, trying to find some offense. […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-27434242.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none">I hoped Springer would play. Apparently, he did batting practice, ran on the field, and seemed pretty good, but they decided to have him sit and hope to play on Friday. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Davis Schneider leads off and plays left field. Bo Bichette is DH. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And the Dodgers have shuffled their lineup, trying to find some offense. </p> <div class="pane sports_data_widget lineup clearfix"><h3>Today’s Lineups</h3><div class="lineup"><table cellspacing="0" class="zebra"><thead><tr><th align="left">BLUE JAYS</th><th align="left">DODGERS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Davis Schneider – LF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Shohei Ohtani – DH</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Vladimir Guerrero – 1B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Will Smith – C</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Bo Bichette – DH</td><td class="td-first td-name">Mookie Betts – SS</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Alejandro Kirk – C</td><td class="td-first td-name">Freddie Freeman – 1B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Daulton Varsho – CF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Teoscar Hernandez – RF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Ernie Clement – 3B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Tommy Edman – 2B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Addison Barger – RF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Max Muncy – 3B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Isiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Enrique Hernandez – CF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Andres Gimenez – SS</td><td class="td-first td-name">Alex Call – LF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name"></td><td class="td-first td-name"></td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Trey Yesavage – RHP</td><td class="td-first td-name">Blake Snell – LHP</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>  <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">The team says that, even though Chris Bassitt pitched the last two days, he is available today. As is Louis Varland (let’s face it, if we play two  games a day, and Varland had pitched twice in the last two days, he’d be available tonight. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And it is the playoff, everybody is available. </p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">The World Series is doing great business in Canada and Japan. I don’t know about the US:</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">U.S., Canada, Japan drive vast World Series viewership for Games 1 and 2 <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BlueJays</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/Dodgers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Dodgers</a> <a href="https://t.co/kDRfp5v6GC">https://t.co/kDRfp5v6GC</a></p>— bob elliott (@elliottbaseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/elliottbaseball/status/1983656470404304973?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2025</a></blockquote></div></figure>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[More On Game Four]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/opinions/59521/more-on-game-four" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59521</id>			<updated>2025-10-29T13:05:48-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-29T13:03:08-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays Opinions" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[You have to like it when a plan comes together. The Jays picked up Shane Bieber hoping that he would be a piece of the rotation if we make it to the playoffs. Now he’s made four playoff starts. The first one wasn’t good, but, since then two wins, and a 3.00 ERA. Last night […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-27442363.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none">You have to like it when a plan comes together. The Jays picked up Shane Bieber hoping that he would be a piece of the rotation if we make it to the playoffs. Now he’s made four playoff starts. The first one wasn’t good, but, since then two wins, and a 3.00 ERA. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Last night was terrific. He didn’t even intentionally walk Shohei Ohtani (and was robbed on ball four in the first inning, or he would have had three strikeouts of the guy who Buck told us walked on water. I felt like he and Dan were being paid for every time they said his name). I love watching guys who get by without the high nineties fastball. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">I love this quote from Eric Lauer (<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6759243/2025/10/29/blue-jays-dodgers-world-series-star-power/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6759243/2025/10/29/blue-jays-dodgers-world-series-star-power/">from the Athletic</a>):</p> <blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow"><p class="has-text-align-none">We get it,” Eric Lauer said. “They’re superstars. They’re huge names in the game. But at some point, it’s like, ‘OK, cool, move on. We’re here too.’</p></blockquote> <p class="has-text-align-none">I wonder if he’ll opt out of his contract, or if he’ll take the $16 million and prove his value. Michael Bradburn, on Twitter, suggested offering him a three-year, $60 million contract, with opt-outs. I don’t know that he would take that. $20 is less than what this year’s Qualifying Offer will be. He’s 30 now, his next contract could be his last ‘big one’. I’d likely offer to bump up his contract for next year to $25 million and tell him to rebuild his value. But that’s an issue for another day. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">5.1 innings, just four hits, three walks and three strikeouts with the one earned run. He seemed to be tired in the sixth (and Daulton Varsho made a very nice catch), but Mason Fluharty came in to save the day. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Chris Bassitt seems to be making the most of this relief role he’s in. I wasn’t sure he was a good candidate for the role, but he’s proving me wrong. That he can go two, three days in a row makes him very useful. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Beyond that, I love seeing Vlad doing so well on the biggest stage in baseball. He has seven home runs in 15 playoff games. He’s been so good that when he doesn’t homer in a game people start saying he’s in a slump. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">And it is great to see Bo Bichette contributing. If this is the last time we see him in a Blue Jays uniform, we’ll owe him for taking a chance on his health to help the team. I wonder if the team will offer him a contract, though I don’t know what they should offer. I like the idea of him playing second. I’m thinking he would accept the idea, but I’m not sure. Maybe another team will offer him a chance to play short. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">It seems like almost everyone on the roster has had their moment to be the stat. Last night, Nathan Lukes had a couple of hits from the lead-off spot. Clement had a pair of hits and drove in two. Barger could have taken the rest of the World Series off, after hitting that grand slam, but he’s still getting us a couple of hits a game (he’s hitting .429 in the World Series). </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Arden has some Blue Jays facts:</p> <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WS.4 facts<br><br>🔘 The only ball the Dodgers hit harder than 100-mph came in the ninth inning <br><br>🔘 Teams have scored 4+ runs in an inning 21 times this postseason — 9 of them by the Blue Jays<br><br>🔘 Shohei Ohtani got the majority of his outs on pitches up & over the plate: <a href="https://t.co/wgUllPGRbU">pic.twitter.com/wgUllPGRbU</a></p>— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) <a href="https://twitter.com/ArdenZwelling/status/1983370221798011170?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 29, 2025</a></blockquote></div></figure> <p class="has-text-align-none">Tonight, Trey Yesavage tries to put us within a game of being World Series winners. </p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Happy Birthday Jesse Barfield and R.A. Dickey]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/birthdays/59517/happy-birthday-jesse-barfield-and-r-a-dickey" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59517</id>			<updated>2025-10-29T00:27:10-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-29T08:23:00-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays Birthdays" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Jesse Barfield turns 66 today. Jesse Barfield was one of my favourite players. He was a 9th-round pick in the 1977 amateur draft, the first year the Blue Jays (and the Mariners) participated. MLB gave them the last two choices of each round (the big-hearted folks they are). Jesse made it up to the majors […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/gettyimages-528530496.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Jesse Barfield</strong> turns 66 today.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Jesse Barfield was one of my favourite players.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He was a 9th-round pick in the 1977 amateur draft, the first year the <strong>Blue Jays</strong> (and the <strong>Mariners</strong>) participated. MLB gave them the last two choices of each round (the big-hearted folks they are).</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Jesse made it up to the majors in 1981 and spent nine years with the Jays. He’s near the top of the franchise leaderboards in several categories:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><li>4th in bWAR among position players, 29.5</li>   <li>2nd in defensive WAR, 9.5 (behind Tony Fernandez)</li>   <li>11th in slugging average, .483</li>   <li>11th in games played, 1032</li>   <li>8th in home runs, 179 (Vlad passed him this year)</li>   <li>10th in RBI, 527 (Vlad passed him this year)</li></ul> <p class="has-text-align-none">He had a great bat and was a terrific defensive player with a strong, accurate arm in right field and terrific range. He could have been a great center fielder. There are many great little stories about Jesse’s arm, such as how he could stand at the plate and throw the ball over the center-field wall. I remember seeing him catch a line drive on a bounce, throw to first, and get the batter out. Barfield led the A.L. in assists three years in a row (1985 to 87), which was more memorable because teams didn’t run on Barfield’s arm. He also had eight outfield double plays in 1985 (and 21 from 1985-1987), better than most teams would get in a season.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Jesse, <strong>Lloyd Moseby</strong>, and <strong>George Bell </strong>played together for several seasons and were easily the best outfield we’ve ever had. Jesse won two<strong> Gold Gloves</strong> and one <strong>Silver Slugger </strong>and made the <strong>All-Star</strong> team once as a Blue Jay.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">There are many people to whom I owe a debt for my baseball fandom. The outfield of Bell, Moseby, and Barfield is up high on the list. Watching them become the best outfield in baseball helped me get deeper into baseball. I compared them to other ‘great’ outfields of the past. Not the best of all time (the <strong>Tigers </strong>had <strong>Ty Cobb</strong>, <strong>Sam Crawford</strong>, and <strong>Bobby Veach, who</strong> were, most likely, the best of all time), but I think that Bell, Moseby, and Barfield would rank in the top 10 outfields of all time.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">The Jays traded Barfield to the Yankees in 1989 for <strong>Al Leiter</strong>. It was one of those heartbreaking trades that left us miserably disappointed.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">I got a signed ball from him in Cooperstown when we were there for Roy Halladay’s induction. He looked the same as he did when he played.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Jesse has been pretty active on Twitter (or whatever it is called): @JesseBarfield29</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Happy birthday, Jesse. I hope it is a good one.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>R.A. Dickey</strong> turns 51.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">As I’m sure you remember, R.A. Dickey was picked up in trade, along with catchers <strong>Mike Nickeas</strong> and <strong>Josh Thole</strong>, from the <strong>Mets</strong> for <strong>Wuilmer Becerra</strong>, <strong>John Buck</strong>, <strong>Travis d’Arnaud</strong>, and <strong>Noah Syndergaard</strong>.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Alex wanted an Ace to lead us to the playoffs. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out how he had hoped. He was a Blue Jay for four seasons, going 49-52 with a 4.03 in 131 games and 130 starts.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He was a slow starter during his time with the Jays. In 2013, he had a 4.80 ERA in the first half and a 3.57 ERA in the second half. In 2014, he had a 3.82 ERA in the first half and 3.57 in the second half. In 2016, he was 5.28 in the first half and 3.56 in the second. 2015 was the outlier, with 3.11 in the first half and 4.83 in the second.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">We did make it to the playoffs in 2015 and 2016. R.A. made a couple of playoff starts in 2015. One was good, 4.2 innings with just 1 run allowed when <strong>Gibby </strong>pulled him for <strong>David Price</strong>. And one was bad, going just 1.2 innings and allowing 5 runs in a loss against the Royals.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He appears on our franchise pitching lists. He’s:</p> <ul class="wp-block-list"><li>Tied for 14th in wins (Jose Berrios passed him this year)</li>   <li>12th in innings pitched.</li>   <li>18th in strikeouts (Berrios passed him this year)</li>   <li>12th in starts.</li></ul> <p class="has-text-align-none">The Jays’ fanbase didn’t love him, mainly because they oversold him. He won the <strong>Cy Young in </strong>his last season with the Mets, and we thought we were getting the guy who would lead us to the World Series. It wasn’t his fault we had overly high hopes for him.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">R.A. seemed like a great guy. He seemed to enjoy his time with the Jays, at least publicly. He wasn’t your average baseball player. He had fun interviewing the media, enjoying confusing them with big words and keeping them guessing. For us nerds, it was fun seeing a nerd on our team.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Dickey pitched for the Braves in 2017, going 10-10 with a 4.26 ERA in 31 starts.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He played 15 seasons and had a 120-118 record with a 4.04 ERA in 300 starts and 100 relief appearances. His best season was in 2012 when he went 20-6 with a 2.73 ERA.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Happy birthday, R.A. I hope it is a good one.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">It’s also<strong> Dana Eveland’s</strong> 42nd birthday today. In 2010, Dana made 9 starts for us, posting a 6.45 ERA.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">He played in 11 MLB seasons, starting 61 games and playing 187 games. He had a 20-28 record and a 5.46 ERA.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Happy birthday to you, Dana</p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>Tom Mullie</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Jays Win 6-2, We’re Going Back to Toronto]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/game-recaps/59514/jays-win-6-2-were-going-back-to-toronto" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59514</id>			<updated>2025-10-28T23:15:45-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-28T23:15:45-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays Game Recaps" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Tonight was game four, but actually the fifth complete nine innings of baseball in this series. The Jays didn’t look as tired as I feel, though, with a convincing win thanks to solid pitching and steady offence up and down the lineup. Eight of the nine starters reached base and they outhit LA 11-6. The […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-27441121.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none">Tonight was game four, but actually the fifth complete nine innings of baseball in this series. The Jays didn’t look as tired as I feel, though, with a convincing win thanks to solid pitching and steady offence up and down the lineup. Eight of the nine starters reached base and they outhit LA 11-6. The win ensures that the World Series will be decided at the Rogers Centre.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">The Jays got some traffic on the bases in the first, with Bo Bichette working a two out walk and Addison Barger hitting a soft liner up the third base line for a single, but Shohei Ohtani got Alejandro Kirk to pop up to strand the runners. The bottom of the order was less threatening in the second, going down in order on seven pitches. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Shane Bieber worked around a walk to Ohtani, getting a couple of soft fly outs and a ground out. He got into trouble in the second, walking Max Muncy with one out and giving up a single to Tommy Edman that moved Muncy to third. That set up an Enrique Hernandez sac fly to cash Muncy and stake the Dodgers to a 1-0 lead. Andy Pages flew out to the track, stopping the bleeding there. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">The Jays struck back in the third. Nathan Lukes reached with a well hit one out single. Vlad launched a hung slider into the left field bleachers for his seventh home run of the playoffs to flip the score to 2-1 Toronto. Bieber posted a solid bounce back inning, working around a Freddie Freeman fly ball single to preserve the new lead.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">The pitchers settled into a duel at that point. Ohtani struck out the side in the fourth. Bieber wasn’t quite as sharp, issuing a walk to Edman but retiring the other three batters. In the fifth, Nathan Lukes hit a ground ball single with two outs. Vlad hit a liner to centre, but it was well within range for Pages, who made the catch to end the inning. Bieber retired the side in order, including freezing Ohtani with a curveball on the outside black.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Ohtani again retired the side in the sixth, but Bieber ran out of gas. He gave up a hard grounder up the line to Freddie Freeman that Vlad was just able to get his glove on, knocking it down and preventing extra bases, then a line drive to centre by Will Smith that required Daulton Varsho to make a great read to get to. John Schneider came out to the mound at that point to check in on his starter. Bieber convinced the skipper to give him one more batter, but Teoscar Hernandez reached on a soft liner just over second baseman Andres Gimenez’ head. That was the end of the Biebs’ night. It was an uncharacteristically wild game from Bieber, with three walks in 5.1 innings, but he held the Dodgers to just one run on four hits so you have to call it good work. Given last night’s strain on the bullpen, it’s unfortunate that he couldn’t go deeper. Mason Fluharty took over, getting a can of corn from Max Muncy and punching Edman out on three pitches to get out of the jam.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">The Jays offence woke back up in the seventh. Daulton Varsho lined a leadoff single and Ernie Clement followed with a double off the wall in left-centre to put two in scoring position and knock Ohtani out of the game. Andres Gimenez won an eight pitch battle with reliever Anthony Banda, hitting a soft line single to left to score Varsho and extend the lead to two. Isiah Kiner-Felefa lined out to third, and Gimenez was called out diving back to first to tag up. Fortunately the Jays were able to challenge and the call was overturned, leaving men on the corners with one out. Ty France got the call to hit for Nathan Lukes against the lefty Banda. He grounded out, but it was enough to bring Clement home and make it 4-1. Banda intentionally walked Guerrero and was lifted for Blake Treinen. Bo Bichette lined Treinen’s second pitch over the left fielder’s head to score Gimenez and move Vlad to third. It would normally have been a double, but Bo still isn’t really running and so stopped at first. Addison Barger followed with another single, this time on a hard grounder through the hole, cashing Vlad and widening the gap to five. Kirk his another liner, but this one was finally right at Teoscar Hernandez to end the inning.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Chris Bassit took over with the Jays now up 6-1 and worked a smooth 1-2-3 inning, getting a couple of ground outs and a strikeout. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Ernie Clement narrowly beat the throw to first with a headfirst slide to record an infield single off new reliever Jack Dreyer with one out in the eighth. Andres Gimenez was hit by a pitch and Kiner-Falefa grounded out, advancing the runners. Myles Straw, who came in defensively for France in the previous inning, struck out to prevent them from extending the lead. Bassitt returned in the bottom half. Mookie Betts reached on a soft line single just over Gimenez’ head, but Bassitt struck Freeman out and then got a double play ball from Will Smith to send it to the ninth.</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Vlad lofted a soft line single to right to lead the inning off. Bo grounded to first to advance him to scoring position, but Barger struck out and, after an intentional walk of Kirk, so did Varsho. That left it to Louis Varland to close it out with a five run lead. Not normally especially stressful, but in the World Series with your team down nothing is easy. Hernandez walked and Muncy lined a double off the right field wall to put men on the corners. He got Edman to ground out, scoring Teoscar but getting a key first out. He got Enrique Hernandez swinging for the second. At that point there was a weird interlude. The Jays became concerned that Muncy at second was relaying their signs, and Varland deliberately stepped off three times to intentionally balk Muncy to third. When he eventually delivered a pitch, Alex Call lined it to left where Myles Straw made the catch to end the game. </p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none"><strong>Jays of the Day: </strong>Bieber (0.118), Fluharty (0.155), Vlad (0.166)</p> <p class="has-text-align-none">Nobody wins the other award.</p> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <p class="has-text-align-none">It’s a repeat of Game 1 tomorrow as the Jays attempt to retake the lead in the series. Hopefully with the same result. Trey Yesavage will face off against Blake Snell. First pitch goes at 8:00pm ET. I’ll see you there after a good night’s sleep.</p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>			<entry>						<author>				<name>tom dakers</name>			</author>						<title type="html"><![CDATA[Game 4 GameThread: Jays @ Dodgers]]></title>			<link rel="alternate" type="text/html" href="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/toronto-blue-jay-gamethreads/59512/game-4-gamethread-jays-dodgers" />			<id>https://www.bluebirdbanter.com/?p=59512</id>			<updated>2025-10-28T19:03:22-04:00</updated>			<published>2025-10-28T19:44:00-04:00</published>			<category scheme="https://www.bluebirdbanter.com" term="Toronto Blue Jays GameThreads" />							<summary type="html"><![CDATA[Well, I don’t think they can go 18 innings today. I’m sure I can’t go 18 today. A win would be a good thing. They are in tough against Shohei Ohtani Today’s Lineups BLUE JAYS DODGERS Nathan Lukes – LF Shohei Ohtani – DH Vladimir Guerrero – 1B Mookie Betts – SS Bo Bichette – […]]]></summary>										<content type="html">											<![CDATA[ 						<figure> <img alt="" data-caption="" data-portal-copyright="" data-has-syndication-rights="1" src="https://platform.bluebirdbanter.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/41/2025/10/imagn-27428013.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&crop=0,0,100,100" />	<figcaption>		</figcaption></figure><p class="has-text-align-none">Well, I don’t think they can go 18 innings today. I’m sure I can’t go 18 today. </p> <p class="has-text-align-none">A win would be a good thing. They are in tough against Shohei Ohtani</p> <div class="pane sports_data_widget lineup clearfix"><h3>Today’s Lineups</h3><div class="lineup"><table cellspacing="0" class="zebra"><thead><tr><th align="left">BLUE JAYS</th><th align="left">DODGERS</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Nathan Lukes – LF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Shohei Ohtani – DH</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Vladimir Guerrero – 1B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Mookie Betts – SS</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Bo Bichette – DH</td><td class="td-first td-name">Freddie Freeman – 1B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Addison Barger – RF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Will Smith – C</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Alejandro Kirk – C</td><td class="td-first td-name">Teoscar Hernandez – RF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Daulton Varsho – CF</td><td class="td-first td-name">Max Muncy – 3B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Ernie Clement – 3B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Tommy Edman – 2B</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Andres Gimenez – SS</td><td class="td-first td-name">Enrique Hernandez – LF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Isiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B</td><td class="td-first td-name">Andy Pages – CF</td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name"></td><td class="td-first td-name"></td></tr><tr><td class="td-last td-name">Shane Bieber – RHP</td><td class="td-first td-name">Shohei Ohtani – RHP</td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>  <p class="has-text-align-none">Go Jays Go</p>						]]>									</content>								</entry>	</feed> If you would like to create a banner that links to this page (i.e. this validation result), do the following:
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