Jays vets get day of rest ahead of crucial series with Baltimore Orioles
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons was as comfortable with his decision to flip- flop Marco Estrada and R.A. Dickey — having Dickey start on shorter rest Wednesday — after the game as he was before the game, an 8- 4 loss to the San Diego Padres.
“We didn’t get the result we wanted but I have no doubts about it,” said Gibbons. “There were a lot of reasons we did it. It didn’t work out but I don’t regret it.
“I tip my hat ( to Dickey). I appreciate him doing that for us.”
From Dickey’s standpoint, the short rest was a nonissue.
“Not at all,” said t he knuckleballer, who lasted only three- plus innings and 73 pitches in his previous start on Saturday.
“You pitch when they ask you to pitch and that’s one of the things I feel like I can give a team is to come back on short rest and maybe help another guy out. Today they asked me to do that and I was happy to do it and I could do it physically.”
The move allowed the Jay s to give Estrada’s troublesome lower back more time to rest before he pitches on Friday against the Baltimore Orioles. It also allowed Gibbons to give catcher Russell Martin back- toback days of rest for the knee he injured when he slipped in the shower last weekend. He will be back behind the plate Friday night.
Since Josh Thole is Dickey’s personal catcher, Martin was one of several regulars who got the day off Wednesday as Gibbons took the opportunity of a day game before a day off to give some of his stars a chance to recharge their batteries before Friday’s big series against the Orioles.
Jose Bautista, fresh from the disabled list, was the DH, while Ezequiel Carrera started in right field. Newcomer Melvin Upton Jr. started in left field so Michael Saunders could get the day off and super sub Darwin Barney started at shortstop in Troy Tulowitzki’s place. Barney’s productivity at the plate and his versatility in the field has been a godsend to the manager.
“He can play anywhere on the infield,” said Gibbons. “We knew that. He hasn’t played a lot of outfield but he looks good out there. He’s our third catcher and the way it’s stacked right now, in a pinch he’d be the guy to go play first base.”
Upton got his first hit as a Blue Jay and scored a run in Toronto’s three-run uprising in the sixth inning.
KEEPING TABS
Gibbons said that general manager Ross Atkins consults with him constantly as he tries to seek a way to improve the team ahead of the non- waiver trade deadline on Monday.
“He’s exploring everything ,” said Gibbons .“I would say probably his priority is a starter but if a reliever falls in his lap, he could go that way too.”
It would not be a surprise if Atkins is put off by the sticker shock he is experiencing as other teams dangle ordinary talent and want extraordinary talent in return. It’s all a matter of supply and demand.
Atkins said on Tuesday he is still in contact with between six and 10 teams who have serious interest in making a deal that includes some quality pitching.
When Atkins asks Gibbons his opinions, he responds with full candour.
“I basically comment on performance issues,” he said. “Everybody has different opinions but if I think a guy is better than what we’ve got, or vice versa, I’ll say so.”