Smoaked: Blue Jays Split Opening Series with Yankees
Though the series started roughly, the Blue Jays are likely quite satisfied to split the series with the Yankees.
Rookie manager Aaron Boone's decision to walk Josh Donaldson to face Justin Smoak with the bases loaded was amusing, not just because of the hilarious Dave Robertson reaction (see how he collapses in on himself like Smoak had whacked him in the tummy with a two by four) and hilarious online fan reaction.
A lesson managers have to learn is that they have to be the one to make the decisions and the buck stops with them. You don't look at your pitcher and let him make the call. It's a little odd Aaron Boone doesn't know that.
Aaron Boone made his legacy with a walk off homerun off Tim Wakefield in the 2003 ALCS. Grady Little famously let Pedro Martinez make the call to stay in Game 7 after the Yankees started to square up. The Red Sox ended up blowing the lead, the game and the series. Boone had the opportunity to be a Yankees legend and Grady Little hasn't managed since.
Smoak's heroics erased a small spot of bother in the third inning Marcus Stroman's otherwise solid start.
Also solid has been the bullpen, since giving up 3 runs in the Opening Day loss. Stroman took a moment to give them props:
The bullpen held the very scary Yankee lineup scoreless over 9.1 innings.
The starting pitching was decent, though it would be preferable for them to go deeper into games.
The bullpen, save the first day, has been great. They will become less great if the starters don't go deeper into games. There is time to balance this out.
The Jays may need another bat in this lineup. The bats got going later in the game, but early on, a village was left on base and the Yankees wiggled out of trouble. Though Solarte has been fine at third and in the lineup, Josh Donaldson at DH sits Morales.
Solarte is the best. (GIF courtesy of GIF Empress @atedaryl)
Chicago White Sox roll into town next. Win some baseball games.