Is it too early to vent a little?

[moochman]

It was certainly nerve racking to see Jones walk out there the very next night after his implosion for the save opp. He actually recorded some outs that time and even escaped without giving up a run. Of course it was far from dominant since he still allowed two runners to reach base. Zumaya's 3 inning save yesterday was very impressive, however.

And Polanco: his OBP now stands at .298

Funny how the glare of success reveals so many cracks, eh? Jones is a total mirage. If you look at batting average against this guy, >.300 before the lastest implosions in Toronto, it reveals a guy who doesn't have the stuff to get away with bad pitches and doesn't have the control to not throw those pitches often. Z did look great, I think he is ready. Leyland, however will rely on Jones until he once again blows a couple.

I have a very bad feeling on why Jones is sucking so much, as opposed to last season. Last year he had a 95 MPH fastball. We have a fast gun, but he doesn't touch 95. I think there is a real possibility that he may have been juicing last season. Think about it. Aging veteran trying to hold on for one more contract suddenly discovers a 95 MPH fastball and save 40 games. Out of nowhere. Gets his contract, loses speed of his heater and looks like a spent pitcher. I would be stunned if he didn't suck again, maybe two times in a row, and comes down with some kind of injury. I hope I am wrong, but it looks way too fishy too me.

How in the heck did we win with that line-up? It's games like that that make you wonder if there isn't some kind of magical season taking place here. Gomez? Santiago? Career AAA players. Shelton, Guillen slumping. Robertson looking like last year model against a team that rips apart lefties? What that heck is going on.

I wish you wouldn't have pointed out Polanco's OBP. Now when I look at him I think why in the heck can't a guy who is so hard to throw a ball past not taking more pitches and walking. He should be hitting 8 or 9th.

V scares me tonight. The DRays are starting to hit.

[mcqfesijiba]

2 word venting:
TODD JONES

[moochman]

2 word venting:
TODD JONES

I hate Gas Can Jones as much as anyone, but he wasn't at fault as much as you'd think. A couple days ago Gas Can came in and Leyland left him in for 2 innings. He got lit up. So why the heck did Leyland, after escaping with one inning with no damage did he trot Batting Practice Jones back out there? It was all to predictable.

And should have never have happened. In the first inning Henderson was so awful that he even walked Polanco. So Pudge bails him out by swinging at anything that was close to his area code. Instead of based loaded we have an easy out and slumping Maggs to come up and swing at first pitches as if he were playing slow pitch softball. The Tigers had so many bad ABs that I am really concerned that they will fade and come down hard. You simply cannot have Polanco, Pudge, Maggs, Monroe, Thames, Shelton and Inge flailing away at so many bad pitches.

OMG, that is 7 out of 9 hitters. And it's not as if Guillen is trying to go deep into counts.

Weren't you a bit surprised that Leyland didn't pinch hit for Monroe in the 9th? He looks awful, worse than Shelton in fact. I can't believe that we wouldn't have stood a better chance with Infante or catcher who'snameescapesme. Really getting upset over the terrible approaches at the plate.

They are playing with fire that Kerosine Jones can't put out.

[mcqfesijiba]

Just a couple of days prior, Jones miraculously pitched 2 scoreless innings. All I can guess is Leyland thought that Jones was starting to get on a roll with 4 consecutive scoreless innings and in extra inning games, you can't get only one inning out of your relievers. Looks like Jones is going to get a whole lot of time to work himself through these recent struggles, maybe a little too much time. Even though it's not what I want to see (or most of us for that matter), I fully expect to see Jones come out for the next save opp and give us another ride on the roller coaster. Wheeeeeee!

And not really a complaint since I don't expect the world of him, but Granderson is really having problems vs lefties. He often looks foolish against them. In fact, he looks almost as bad vs lefties as Craig Monroe looks against EVERYBODY.

[moochman]

And not really a complaint since I don't expect the world of him, but Granderson is really having problems vs lefties. He often looks foolish against them. In fact, he looks almost as bad vs lefties as Craig Monroe looks against EVERYBODY.

I swear I think I read where Monroe is hitting .087 for June
That and his lack of plate discipline equal a pitcher playing OF.

I don't have a problem with Granderson against lefties, just against him batting lead-off against them. He should be hitting at the bottom of the order. He is still learning and impresses me more weekly. Too bad he can't throw.

I don't see Kerosine Jones being in a rut because he looks just like he used too: Hittable. .340 ave against is not going to work. If you think about it when he comes into a game with no outs he will face an average of 4 hitters. That almost guarantees that if he inheirited any runners that he will allow a run. And that doesn't count walks, or hit batters *cough*Baldelli, or errors. Then factor in that he can't bail himself out with Ks. He only has 7 Ks.

No, he has to go. I can think of no scenario where he shouldn't be demoted to long relief. The Brewers did it with Kolb, promoting Turnbow. That seems to have worked out okay.

What are they going to do about Shelton? I think he may have to go to Toledo to work things out. He looks totally lost. And we have nobody else to play 1B. Bring that lefty back and let him try, methinks, while Shelton tries to figure it out.