Boxscore Breakdown #41: What to make of Shoe? – Blue Jays 8, Angels 4

I don’t know what to make of Matt Shoemaker anymore. He’s either dominant or gets dominated. There is no in between. One start the opposition can barely touch him, the next he can’t locate his fastballs and is leaving non-splitting splitters directly down the middle of the plate. Every time I want to give up on him, he pitches a gem. Every time I think he’s fixed, he goes and craps the bed like he did in this game. I’m sure the Angels are in the same predicament and I am not sure how much longer they are going to want to stay on this rollercoaster.

Blue Jays 8, Angels 4

Run Expectancy Rundown
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1xe6uDXV62KqRw835UE8C3-7v-zogb-RQHL87SXS1raU/pubchart” query=”oid=1976391661&format=interactive” width=”623″ height=”389″ /] David Freese‘s weird season continues. He still isn’t hitting for average. He still isn’t walking as much as he used to. Yet he had another big day from a power perspective. He’s never hit for power like this in his career, but he’s also never made this many outs. I can’t tell if he needs to be benched or showered in accolades. Also deserving of accolades, at least in this game, was Marc Krauss for his big homer which made everyone (and by everyone I mean me) look stupid for complaining about him batting second. I am still right, but he made me look stupid for one moment. Speaking of looking stupid, Collin Cowgill and Matt Joyce both looked pretty lost against Dickey’s knuckler.

[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1xe6uDXV62KqRw835UE8C3-7v-zogb-RQHL87SXS1raU/pubchart” query=”oid=1154832181&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”341″ /] The heat is going to be on Shoemaker for giving up two more homers, but the real problem was that he couldn’t get guys like Ryan Goins and Steve Tolleson out. Guys like Encarnacion are going to get you at some point, you just need to make sure there is nobody on base when it happens. Shoe didn’t do that.

Starting Pitcher Scores
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1xe6uDXV62KqRw835UE8C3-7v-zogb-RQHL87SXS1raU/pubchart” query=”oid=161400381&format=interactive” width=”584″ height=”293″ /] Shoemaker wasn’t good, but he wasn’t a disaster. I’d give him credit for using so few pitches, but I kind of think that is part of the problem. Pounding the strike zone is only a good thing when you aren’t pounding the strike zone belt-high and down-the-middle. R.A. Dickey had his knuckleball working and when that happens, there isn’t much an opposing lineup can do.

Bullpen Battle
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1xe6uDXV62KqRw835UE8C3-7v-zogb-RQHL87SXS1raU/pubchart” query=”oid=1141913419&format=interactive” width=”620″ height=”315″ /] The Jays didn’t need the pen, but the Angels did. Vinnie Pestano let both his inherited runners scored but they scored on a sac fly and an infield single, so it isn’t like he was a disaster. Still, he hasn’t done anything good in weeks and at some point pretty soon his roster spot is going to be on the line.

Game Flow
[googleapps domain=”docs” dir=”spreadsheets/d/1xe6uDXV62KqRw835UE8C3-7v-zogb-RQHL87SXS1raU/pubchart” query=”oid=41272350&format=interactive” width=”619″ height=”315″ /] Ah, yes, the old two steps down into certain doom.

Halo A-Hole

Be good or be bad. Just make up your mind. I can’t take this emotional yo-yoing anymore.