Big blow to the Blue Jays
Russell Martin’s injury highlights the value he offers behind the plate
ROB LONGLEY
TAMPA, Fla. — With so many injuriesinthispainful(inmorewaysthan one) Blue Jays season, the absence of catcher Russell Martin looms as one of the most significant.
It certainly feels that way after Sunday’s 10th inning collapse in Chicago where both closer Roberto Osuna and catcher Raffy Lopez struggled, leading to a three-run Cubs inning and a 6-5 walk off win.
Martin, of course, is renowned for his ability in handling his pitching staff, one of the Canadian-born catcher’s more under-rated skills. He’s particularly adept at managing Osuna, a rapport that has helped the 22-year-old become one of the better closers in the game.
On Sunday, Lopez struggled both in blocking a couple of wayward Osuna offerings, a big part of the disaster of an inning. But he may not have managed the pitcher as well as Martin would, as evidenced by a visit to the mound from manager John Gibbons to try to snap Osuna back into focus.
It didn’t help that Osuna was throwing balls in the dirt and that his fastball has lost some zip, but with a two-run lead and a chance to salvage at least one win against the World Series champs, it shouldn’t have happened.
“He just has good stuff,” Lopez said of Osuna, who he was catching for just the third time. “You just have to be ready like any other pitcher. They’re going to spin some in the dirt, try to get (hitters) to chase.
“It was definitely a tough inning. A block has to be made and I just have to make a better throw to first.”
Meanwhile, there is no timetable for a return of Martin, who has been on the DL since Aug. 12 with an oblique strain. The veteran catcher recently went to Florida to help rehab the injury.
The Wrigley experience
Turns out Jays fans weren’t the only ones who marked this past weekend on their calendars to take advantage of a rare opportunity to see the team at historic Wrigley.
Several players did the same thing. For veterans such as Kevin Pillar (who had six hits in three games), Justin Smoak and Josh Donaldson, it was their first visit to the ballpark that is best visited to be appreciated.
“It was definitely something when the schedule came out I was excited to get an opportunity to come here and play them,” said Pillar, whose RBI in the 10th on Sunday should have stood up as the winning run. “With them winning the World Series last year makes it even more special.
“It was just an amazing weekend for me, personally, being able to go out there and play the way I feel like I should play every day and to be able to do it in front of a lot of fans that travelled a long way and in front of my family that made the trip out here is something I’ll always remember.”
For Donaldson, the Wrigley experience had added meaning. Selected by the Cubs in the first round of the 2007 draft, this was his first opportunity to play at the Friendly Confines.
It will certainly be a comedown for the Jays when they visit Tampa’s sterile Tropicana Field for a threegame series vs. the Rays starting on Tuesday.
Quick hits
The Jays’ road record has been miserable of late as they’ve dropped four in a row and are 5-13 in their past 18 away from the Rogers Centre … Can spot starter Chris Rowley get a second win against Tampa’s Chris Archer, who always pitches the Jays tough? That’s the matchup for Tuesday’s opener as manager John Gibbons gave Marcus Stroman (Wednesday) and J.A. Happ (Thursday) an extra day of rest … While the Jays have been their own worst enemies, they have been in a number of close contests. Their 15 extra-innings are tied for the most in all of baseball and they have a 5-10 record in those contests.