Group: User
Level:
Posts: 276
Joined: 12/17/2014
IP-Address: saved
|
OAKLAND – There has been a quiet, building frustration in the Blue Jays clubhouse with Major League Baseballs new replay and challenge system. Lucas Biglia Argentina . After Saturday nights 5-1 loss to Oakland, Torontos third-straight defeat at O.co Coliseum, Jose Bautista blew the lid off the simmering pot. First, the situation: With the Jays trailing 3-1 in the eighth, Jose Bautista was at the plate with two outs and Melky Cabrera on first base. Bautista doubled down the leftfield line off As reliever Luke Gregerson. Third base coach Luis Rivera waved Cabrera around third. Shortstop Jed Lowries relay throw to catcher Derek Norris was on the money and Norris swiped a tag at a sliding Cabrera. Home plate umpire Bill Miller, the man involved in Brett Lawries infamous helmet spiking incident two years ago, called Cabrera out. Manager John Gibbons challenged the play. It was close. The call on the field stood after a two-and-a-half minute review. The inning was over; the Jays wouldnt recover. "I dont really know which replay they were looking at but clearly they must have had a different video feed than the one we had," said Bautista. "Its pretty frustrating for you to battle as a team, keep the game close, for our pitchers to be doing what theyre doing, for us to keep grinding through games and facing some touch pitching and somehow be able to tie the game in the eighth inning, it all goes down the drain because somebody first, initially, made a bad call to begin with and then it gets upheld by God knows who in some room in New York supposedly." Bautista, the gathered media were about to find out, was only getting warmed up. "This whole replay thing has become a joke in my eyes," said Bautista. "I think they should just ban it, they should just get rid of it. I dont really understand the purpose of it but getting the right call on the field is not the purpose. Thats pretty obvious and evident. I dont know what kind of agenda the people that are doing the replays are on, what their plan is, what their purpose is, who theyre looking after. But obviously getting the right call on the field is not what theyre doing." There are those in the organization whove expressed quiet frustration at other challenges and reviews that havent gone the Jays way. Another recent example: Last Wednesday against Milwaukee when Munenori Kawasaki was called out at first base on a groundball to Brewers shortstop Jean Segura. Seguras throw pulled first baseman Jonathan Lucroy off the bag. Lucroy spun and attempted a tag on Kawasaki. The call was upheld despite evidence to the contrary. Baseball is cycling umpires through the so-called replay war room in New York City. When a play is challenged, the on-field umpire is getting on the headset and talking to a colleague. Regardless of what is the reality, the perception is increasing that umpires are watching out for umpires. Count Bautista in that camp. "I feel like there was a chance for Adam Lind to tie the game in the eighth inning (that) was taken away from us," said Bautista. "Man on second, two outs, 3-2 ballgame, we were right in it. Unfortunately some people, I dont know what the right word is, lack of integrity, lack of accountability, or some really good camaraderie that are looking after each other, are not doing what theyre supposed to be doing. Because getting the right call on the field, which is why instant replay was instituted, is not the purpose of whats happening. The best evidence is what happened today." Bautista surely will be fined for his outburst and his comments reflect a growing frustration with the clubs play. The Jays are 9-18 since hitting their season high-water mark of 38-24 on June 6. A six game lead in the American League East has turned into a deficit. Following Saturdays loss, Toronto is a full game back of the Baltimore Orioles for first place. The team is dealing with injuries, the latest suffered by Edwin Encarnacion (story here: http://www.tsn.ca/mlb/story/?id=456550). Brett Lawrie has a fractured right index finger and likely wont be back until August. Bautista is playing with a sore hamstring and Adam Lind is playing with a bruised right foot. REYES ON TRADE MARKET Shortstop Jose Reyes weighed in to TSN.ca about Oaklands acquisition of pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel in Fridays blockbuster trade with the Chicago Cubs. "Its good for Oakland," said Reyes. "They got very good two pitchers. Samardzija, hes been one of the best this year. To go along with what they have, I mean thats huge for them. That means theyre pushing and they want to go all the way." Judging by the package the Athletics sent to Chicago (2012 first round pick, SS Addison Russell; 2013 first round pick, OF Billy McKinney; P Dan Straily and a player to be named later) its clear the Blue Jays couldnt match unless they were willing to part with a young pitcher off their major league roster. Starting pitching may not be Torontos priority, anyway. The staff has held up well through more than a half the season. An infielder, a second baseman or a third baseman, and bullpen help are just as important. "I think he knows what we need," said Reyes. "As a player I need to worry about doing my job. Our GM, hes got a job to do so I dont want to get involved in that and get involved in his decisions. Of course, our front office knows what we need. Its no secret to no one." GIBBONS: BUEHRLES AN ALL-STAR Mark Buehrles skipper thinks his left-hander should be in Minneapolis on July 15 for the All-Star Game. "Yeah he should be an All-Star, no question. No doubt," said manager John Gibbons. Buehrle (10-6) often jokes about luck and how its the determining factor in whether hes successful. After a 10-1 start to his season, Buehrles dropped his last five decisions and is winless in six-straight starts. Look closer, though, and youll see hes still pitching well. Four of Buehrles last six starts, the winless span, have been quality starts (six or more innings, three or fewer earned runs against). Buehrles ERA, in 121 1/3 innings this season, is a stellar 2.60. ITS A CRUEL BUSINESS How is Tommy Milone feeling right now? The As left-hander tossed six innings of shutout ball against the Blue Jays on Friday and had a record of 6-0 with a 2.62 ERA over his last 11 starts dating back to May 9. On Saturday, Milone was optioned to Oaklands Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento to make room on the active roster for newly-acquired starting pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel. Ezequiel Lavezzi Argentina . A week after collecting the Professional Footballers Association trophy, the Uruguay international won the 2014 vote by the Football Writers Association on Monday. Federico Fernandez Argentina Jersey . The game has been rescheduled for Tuesday at 4:05 p.m. Tickets for Monday will be honoured Tuesday. The forecast Monday calls for heavy rain throughout the day.VALENCIA, Spain -- Stephane Mbia scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time for Sevilla to make the Europa League final despite a 3-1 loss at Valencia on Thursday. Valencia looked set to play in the May 14 final in Turin until Mbias dramatic header to secure Sevillas place on away goals, after the two-leg semifinal ended 3-3. Sevilla, which plays for the trophy for the first time since winning a second straight title in 2007, faces Benfica after last years finalist drew 0-0 at Juventus to keep this years final host out by advancing 2-1 overall. "It was very hard, they played so well and it was so hard to win here. But we knew just one goal," a stunned Mbia told Cuatro TV as he was overcome with emotion like players from both teams after the final whistle. "Unbelievable." Valencia started its rally in the 14th when Sofiane Feghoulis left-footed curler took a touch to get past goalkeeper Beto, who pushed Jonas powerful 26th-minute header off the underside of the bar, but it bounced back into goal off the Sevilla goalie. Jeremy Mathieu jumped on a loose ball inside the area to rocket home Valencias third goal into the roof of the net in the 69th as the hosts looked to compplete a second successive comeback at its Mestalla Stadium after rallying from a 3-0 deficit to beat Basel 5-0 to come through the last round. Hugo Campagnaro Jersey. But Valencia was left shocked as Mbia rose to power home in the waning moments to deny Valencia a return to the final 10 years after it last won. No team lasted as long as Sevilla in the competition after the Andalucian side started in the third qualifying round when Malaga and Rayo Vallecano were denied a place by UEFA for financial problems. Sevilla had finished below them in the Spanish standings. "We had few opportunities but we had good ones," Sevilla coach Unai Emery said. "We harnessed the spirit of (Andres) Palop," the former Sevilla keeper whose own late-game heroics helped Sevilla win back-to-back titles in 2006 and 07 when the competition was known as the UEFA Cup. Benfica denied Juventus the chance to play the final at its home stadium as the Portuguese champion gets another chance at the trophy one year after losing to Chelsea. "The rival is the rival, what matters is the final," said Emery, who previously had coached Valencia. "Its a great team, it eliminated Juventus." cheap jerseys wholesale jerseys ' ' '
|
Search 
Calendar 
Gallery
Auctions 
Global 
Top
Members 
Stats
Chat (0) new 
send Password 
Register
