In the Unlikely Event Drew Hutchison Posts a Sub-5.00 ERA, How Will You React? (Toronto Blue Jays 2016)

And there he goes trying to get another inning out of Grilli. If Gibbons doesn't trust anyone other than Grilli and Osuna, and was prepared to use Osuna for two innings, then why not bring him in to start the eighth?

lol wtf just happened a balk

a balk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Orioles lose, Tigers lose, Mariners losing. And we do that.

The Red Sox tied the game in the most unimpressive way possible (flukey check swing double, walk, double play, balk) but OTOH the Jays were on their way to their most unimpressive big win ever so I guess it's fair.

This is going to be excruciating.

(I actually thought the double play was my first-ever triple play...)

The Jays ... manufactured a run on no hits?? In the ninth inning on the road?

That was a hell of an at-bat by Carrera, who looked completely overmatched against Kimbrel but managed to get the fly ball they needed.

Holy shit they did it.

I feel more exhausted than elated. I am right that we've at least clinched a Wild-Card tiebreaker?

Am I right...

Yes--at the very least, another game after tomorrow. If they win tomorrow, I'm not sure if that clinches one of the two wild cards.

Yes, and if Seattle loses we've clinched a WC.

If so, it'll be interesting to see how they handle tomorrow's game.

Ah no, Detroit would have to play the make up game vs Cleveland on Monday if they win and either BAL or TOR lose tomorrow, so no, nothing is clinched yet and it's all hands on deck tomorrow.

i'd be down for a 4 way tie

I don't know about all the permutations if we lose, but if we can win tomorrow, we guarantee the Wild Card game will be at home against whoever.

Too perfect that we'll be going against Price.

Ominous: hitting Price hard, nothing to show for it.

Jays have two guys in the lineup pretty much every day, Martin and Upton, who are hitting a combined ~.150 since Sept. 1.

God. I love the movement Sanchez gets on his pitches when he's throwing well.

good stuff

Obviously Sanchez won't go more than seven. But this is like a perfect storm right now. When you weigh the game situation, the pitcher (entire rotation has pretty much revolved around him), how crucial the game is, and the state of our bullpen (five blown saves in seven games, set-up guy and closer over-used), I wouldn't want to be Gibbons right now. This is like the mother of guaranteed second-guessing.

feel bad for the kid

"What the fuck?!"

Gotta keep this from getting ugly now.

No idea how we come out of this with a win. I guess they go to Cecil and hope he can last two.

haha that's the spirit

I'm the Bee OK of Canada.

triple play time i can feel it

Thank god for that--Tigers lost 1-0.

this is a great game - despite the sudden lack of stakes it feels like the playoffs

Home field advantage for the WC game and the Boston - Cleveland series is still at stake.

The Red Sox, smartly, seem focused on getting home-field against the Indians; we didn't seem to consider that such a big deal last year.

i've never understood the emphasis. does it really matter?

I think typically teams play better at home.

this article is pretty convincing that it doesn't matter

http://www.hardballtimes.com/home-field-advantage-does-not-exist-in-the-postseason/

among the other evidence: a team with homefield "advantage" only realizes it if a series goes to all 7 games. a best-of 7 series decided in 5 games, for instance, has the non-advantaged team playing more games at home..

Huh.

Well. 54% odds for the home team, in general. Esp in a one-game elimination match, I'll take it.

Just realized after today, Sanchez is the era king!!

Heard on the radio the other day that three Jays may be going in for off-season surgery: Donaldson, Martin, and I forget the third--Travis, I guess.

that a little unnerving.

He will be missed: no Jay past or present ever made 6-inning, 4 runs-given-up starts sound so interesting.

So Donaldson is dodging the off-season surgery.

@DCameronFG
I guessed Morales would get 2/$22M and thought it would be an overpay. 3/$33M seems silly.

looks like the signed lourdes too (sry if that's upthread somewhere)

no, that's brand-new, unexpected news. pretty excited to see how he (Lourdes) turns out.
thinking this commitment to Morales spells the end for EE & Bats in Toronto. but possibly more money for Fowler?!

man, a fowler-pillar-whoever outfield would be prettyyyyyy dope

you guys love keepin this team thread goin eh

EE can still play first -- and they shouldn't bring bats back anyway

EE at 1B full time can work. Morales can be the full time DH.

I like how the Jays are making their moves early before the winter meetings and before the bidding for FAs gets ratcheted up. It worked for them last year too.

stained-glass edwin

http://imgur.com/a/KxGMf