Baseball Guru
07-09-2001, 04:33 PM
Jul. 9, 2001. 11:28 AM
By Richard Griffin
The Blue Jays need to do better than a mere 4-3 each seven-day period the rest of the way in 2001 to convince themselves that a salary dump by the trade deadline would be inappropriate.
The Jays, this past week, lost their holiday Monday game to the Red Sox, then travelled to Tampa where they took two of three from the pitiful Devil Rays, returning home to capture two of three from the Expos.
The Jays evened their season series against the Expos at 3-3, taking advantage of the designated hitter rule being in effect at an AL park. They had lost two of three in Montreal in June, with Brad Fullmer sitting on the bench and the pitchers hitting.
After three days off, the Jays open up again in Philadelphia (3) and in New York against the Mets (4). In a bizarre piece of scheduling, the Jays return home for two games against the Red Sox, July 18-19 before heading back to New York, this time against the Yankees (4) and on to Boston (3) for the third time in three months. After that they're done with the BoSox (19 games) for the year.
THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE:
The Blue Jays begin play on Thursday with a 42-46 record in third place, 11 games behind the first place Yankees.
To win 88 games, the mark posted by Tim Johnson's '98 Jays and the club's top win total since the World Series years, the Jays would have to go 46-28 in the second half. To win 90, they would need 48 wins in their remaining 74 games, a .649 win percentage.
Take note that the average win total by wild-card teams since the concept was introduced to the game, has been 94 victories.
If Gord Ash has to make his decisions on whether he thinks they can compete for a playoff spot: "Man overboard!"
By Richard Griffin
The Blue Jays need to do better than a mere 4-3 each seven-day period the rest of the way in 2001 to convince themselves that a salary dump by the trade deadline would be inappropriate.
The Jays, this past week, lost their holiday Monday game to the Red Sox, then travelled to Tampa where they took two of three from the pitiful Devil Rays, returning home to capture two of three from the Expos.
The Jays evened their season series against the Expos at 3-3, taking advantage of the designated hitter rule being in effect at an AL park. They had lost two of three in Montreal in June, with Brad Fullmer sitting on the bench and the pitchers hitting.
After three days off, the Jays open up again in Philadelphia (3) and in New York against the Mets (4). In a bizarre piece of scheduling, the Jays return home for two games against the Red Sox, July 18-19 before heading back to New York, this time against the Yankees (4) and on to Boston (3) for the third time in three months. After that they're done with the BoSox (19 games) for the year.
THE NUMBERS DON'T LIE:
The Blue Jays begin play on Thursday with a 42-46 record in third place, 11 games behind the first place Yankees.
To win 88 games, the mark posted by Tim Johnson's '98 Jays and the club's top win total since the World Series years, the Jays would have to go 46-28 in the second half. To win 90, they would need 48 wins in their remaining 74 games, a .649 win percentage.
Take note that the average win total by wild-card teams since the concept was introduced to the game, has been 94 victories.
If Gord Ash has to make his decisions on whether he thinks they can compete for a playoff spot: "Man overboard!"