Tag Archives: Brian Tallet

Opening the Dome

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Holy frig. I haven’t been this excited to go to the Dome since I was wee lad on vacation in Toronto in 1992. Home opener, baby!

Ian’s done up a nice little post over on the Blue Jay Hunter that sums up the feelings of a number of Jays bloggers on the Home Opener. There are a few cynical, amateur night comments, a few sentimental sappy things and a lousy simile from yours truly.

I expect that in a few years, or maybe as soon as tomorrow, I’ll be all about the cynical approach. But right now, I’m psyched. Life has conspired to make this the first Home Opener I’ll be able to attend, and I plan to make full use of the opportunity. Most may treat it as “a bar with a field” tonight and I’m fine with that. Party time!

I’ll be putting the game first, but I won’t be ignoring the festivities. Although with Brian Tallet starting — unless he can surprise me like he did last week — I may focus a little more on the festivities than I probably should.

And surprise me he might, taking a quick look at his stats, he hasn’t been awful against Chicago in his career: 3.54 ERA, 1.328 WHIP, 8 K/9, and the Pale Sox have only hit for a .234 average against him.

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R.I.P., optimism

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If you’ve read either of the pre-season Jays’ round tables I’ve participated in, you know that I had what many might consider to be unrealistically high hopes for the upcoming season. In both, I predicted the Jays to finish with a record of 80-82. Most win totals predicted were well below the number I threw out there, but with all the potential power in the lineup and a belief that the pitching would come together as it always seems to, I was feeling optimistic.

Funny how much one little announcement can completely change your opinion.

I like Brian Tallet. With his goofy facial hairs and ridiculous hats, how could you not have a soft spot for him? The problem is that as much as I like Brian Tallet, I like the idea of the Jays winning more.

I truly believe that Tallet could help the Jays win. I think he’s useful out of the ‘pen and spot starting when needed. You might even be able to convince me that seeing him as the No. 5 starter to open the season wouldn’t be so bad. In fact, that’s where I (and, I think, most) expected him to be. “Your No. 5 starter, Wolverine!”

But then the Jays announced the rotation.

Brian Tallet, Toronto’s No. 2 starter.

All the optimism drains from my system.

Then I see that the oh-so-clever Cito is playing jokes on people today. Just look at the hilarious lineup card he posted before the Jays’ loss to the Yankees earlier today.

Maybe the rotation he announced was another poor attempt at humour?

Sadly, it doesn’t look like we’re so lucky.

All we can do now is hope that the reasoning behind it has, well, some reason to it. Tao’s got a thought that makes the move seem a little less crazy. So does the @TheSouthpawWR.

I’m really pulling for one of these guys to be right. That would mean that Cito’s only mostly (instead of completely) running roughshod over this team.

Either way though, the 80-win prediction does seem rather stupid right now.

The Toronto Blue Jays are no longer a team to be trifled with

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Yesterday was a good day for me in terms of being a Blue Jays fan. Everyone knows about the brawl (JOHNNY MAC PUNCHED GIRARDI IN THE FACE!!!), but on top of (and earlier than) that, Jeff Blair on Prime Time Sports talking about his article that includes quotes from Nadir Mohamed.

It must be noted that Blair didn’t actually speak to Mohamed himself  — the quotes were pulled from an interview another Globe staffer did with him — but Blair and McCown ended their talk by raising the possibility that a $130-million payroll for next year doesn’t seem to be out of the realm of possibility now.

Far-fetched, I know, but it got my hopes up.

And then there was the brawl and my spirit was lifted even higher.

There are only 17 games left. 75% of this season’s been a severe pain to watch, but once the off-season rolls around, I know I’m going to miss it. I’m going to make the best of the time that’s left and enjoy this team while I can.

As for tonight, if I’m Brian Tallet, I drill a Yankee in the 1st and send a message to the league: “The Toronto Blue Jays are no longer a team to be trifled with.”

Let me just put a stamp on this

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Started living life again during the long weekend and forgot to post something here, so here’s a shitty roundup sort of thing for your enjoyment!

The Drunks try to end The Summer of Tallet

In this great post, Stoeten of the Drunks puts together an interesting argument as to why Brian Tallet, despite rocking in the starting role, may be headed back to the bullpen before long. (Spoiler: It’s because Jesse Carlsson ain’t been so hot lately.) I love what Tallet’s been doing in the rotation so far, but if moving him to the ‘pen is best for the team, then I’m all for it.

The real question is, what will The Tao and his Moustache Riders think of this theory?

Don’t doubt the Arnsberg

Before the series against the White Sox, it seemed to be a popular kind of thing to say “Robert Ray is going to be demoted” and also to say “Scott Richmond has been figured out and should be sent to the bullpen/Las Vegas.”

If you said those things, you’d be wrong on both counts (and not just because Rob Ray wants to go by Bobby now).

Basically all you have to do is look at their starts against the Pale Hose to know that Captain Canada (7 IP, 7 K, 5 hits, 1 BB 0 ER) and Robert Rob Bobby Ray (8 IP, 3 K, 3 hits, 1 BB, 0 ER) are going to be around for a while yet.

Rolen being Rolen


Hello Kevin Millar!

A man named Andrew made it through to Jays Talk the other night. You can hear him at the 37:40 mark. Definitely worth a listen. If you don’t know why, read this post by the Drunks, specifically the No. 1 item.

Closing thoughts

We just passed the quarter mark of the season, the Jays are in first (regardless of what happens in Boston) and things are great. So good in fact, that Voodoo Joe hasn’t enacted any whammies yet. Thanks, Joe! This won’t be forgotten!

Reduce, reuse, recycle

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edward-buzacheroOK, so maybe they’re not reducing, but the Jays certainly are reusing and recycling.

The team signed Edward (Bubbie) Buzachero to a minor league deal yesterday and he’ll go play some AA ball in New Hampshire.

Bubbie’s being reused and recycled because he’s been with the Jays before. Drafted in the 23rd round in 2002, Bubbie spent four seasons in the Jays system before heading to the Indians (in the trade that brought Brian Tallet to Toronto) for another three years of farm labour. Over those seven seasons, Bubbie went 25-24 with a 3.47 ERA and a WHIP of 1.301.

Bubbie started this season with Gary Carter’s (yes, that Gary Carter) Long Island Ducks in the Atlantic League. Bubbie is so far the king of small sample sizes, giving up “no runs and just two hits in three and one-third innings of work.”

But no matter, I support any movie that brings in a good nickname like Bubbie. And with the magic the Jays’ pitching coaches have worked on some other castaways, Bubbie might be dominating Major League hitters and battling various injuries before you know it.