Monday 16 April 2012

Kevin Gregg, ladies and gents


Kevin Gregg makes me feel better about like 90% of life's problems.  If  you were watching hockey instead of baseball, the Jays scored 7 runs in the 6th inning last night, most of which after Kevin Gregg came in to the game, turning the game from a 1-run defecit to a complete runaway.  Kyle Drabek was excellent for his second straight start, mostly due to pitching against Baltimore, but also not walking a bunch of guys the way he did last year.  Edwin Encarnacion had 2 hits and a walk in 5 plate appearances, including the homerun the started the whole rally, and he'll get the day's Zaunhead.

I'd like to touch a bit more on Kevin Gregg's hilarious outing and general shittiness.  Gregg entered the ball game after the Edwin homer, where the O's had a 26.4% chance of winning the game, according to Fangraphs.  A 1-run deficit isn't the end of the world, so that 26% is well within reach with a few innings left in the game.  Gregg entered the game, and immediately allowed Jeff Mathis, the worst hitter ever, to reach on a single, scoring Ben Francisco.  Yunel Escobar and Kelly Johnson hit back-to-back RBI doubles, before Jose Bautista walked.  Edwin Encarnacion then walked to load the bases, and Brett Lawrie was hit by a pitch, scoring a run.  Ben Francisco finally grounded out for Gregg's first out, and a standing ovation from trolling Jays' fans.  Overall, Gregg subtracted 25.4% from the Orioles chances of winning, for a massive meltdown, helping the Jays more than any of their own players.  I feel like I should give him the Zaunhead.

The Jays offered Gregg arbitration after the 2010 season, which he turned down, in order to sign a multi-year deal with the Orioles, where he signed for 2 years and $10MM, plus a $6MM club option for next season.  Gregg was a type-B free agent, by virtue of getting saves, probably, and was worth a compensation pick in last year's draft.  The Jays chose Dwight Smith Jr. with that pick, and it would only be fitting that he becomes a superstar.

Anyway, it's an offday today, before the Rays come to town.  They're pretty busy getting destroyed by the injury plagued Red Sox, who have scored 31 runs so far in that series.  Probably a pretty good time to play the Rays.

Stuff
Speaking of the Red Sox, Bobby Valentine said this about his starting third baseman:
I don't think he's as physically or emotionally into the game as he has been in the past for some reason. But [on Saturday] it seemed, you know, he's seeing the ball well, got those two walks, got his on-base percentage up higher than his batting average, which is always a good thing, and he'll move on from there.
 Are you serious?  Why would you say that?  In Boston, of all places.  Bobby being Bobby.

The Dodgers got a triple play last night, helping them move to 9-1 on the season, mostly thanks to playing the San Diego Padres  in 6 of those games.  This one is in .gif form.

Nowhere Plans' baseball power rankings are up.  I think this is going to be a weekly thing, but maybe not.

Finally, Giants' closer Brian Wilson appears to be out for the season with elbow issues.  He'll probably be going for Tommy John, again.

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