Big Sexy gives Jays fits at 44
Ageless Rangers righty even flashes leather at Rogers Centre
Bartolo Colon is barrel-chested. Bartolo Colon is barrel-bellied. Bartolo Colon is barrel — um — chinned. Everything kind of jiggle-wiggles. Like his bobblehead doll from a couple of years ago, during his Mets phase — but one from among 11 teams for whom the native Dominican has pitched now into a 21st season — which not only bobbled up top but wobbled around the middle. Which is maybe a bit cruel, cartoonish. Because Colon doesn’t much like cracks about his heft, 280plus pounds distributed on a five-foot-11 frame.
On Saturday afternoon, the Big Sexy — a moniker which the Michelin Moundsman has patented — barrel-housed through the Blue Jays batting lineup, spotting sinkers and slider-changeups with remarkable control, earning his first win of the season, 241st win of his career, 2,473rd and 2,474th strikeouts and passing Vida Blue in the all-time innings column, slotting into No. 88.
“I don’t know who that is,” Colon admitted afterwards, “but I think if I keep passing guys, that’s good.”
It was, indeed, the best part of a mostly eye-glazing day at the sealed-lid ballpark as the Blue Jays continued their sagging descent in the American League East — the 7-4 loss their fourth in a row, which is making a stinker out of this late-April homestand.
And the Texas Rangers, they’re AL duds, bringing up the West Division rear and strafed by early-season injuries. But they’re going to take this series, regardless of what happens in Sunday’s rubber match.
The Big Texy is the oldest man in major-league baseball: 44 years and 393 days when he took the hill Saturday. Made his debut on April 4, 1997.
Let me remind you about 1997: Bill Clinton had just succeeded George Bush the Elder as president of the United States. Titanic won the Academy Award for best picture.
So, that’s the length and breadth of the Bartolo Era — last of the still-active former Montreal Expos a resume footnote.
Would hardly reckon it, his venerable-ness, so swiftly and tirelessly did Colon work, perfect heading into the fourth inning, when Curtis Granderson raked a double that reached the outfield wall.
Kevin Pillar, with one of his two home runs on the afternoon, and Lourdes Gurriel Jr., with his first big-league jack, got a piece of Colon’s ample hide through the seven innings that he pitched, in his third start, with a handful of bullpen appearances thrown in there. Because the Rangers are going with a six-man rotation and Colon, who signed a minor-league contract with Texas in February, isn’t actually guaranteed a darn thing. Though if he continues making mincemeat out of hitters, it’s hard to see how his magnificent baseball c.v. — a Cy Young Award, four all-star games in the mix — can be ripped up.
He’s now won for 11 different franchises and nobody’s done that before either.
“Now I know because you’re telling me. I know that I’m old, but I thank God that I’m still playing and competing.”
He looks like he can pitch forever. And he is adored by his teammates. And a fortnight ago he took a perfect game into the eighth inning against Houston, before giving up a walk and a hit. And he’s endlessly entertaining on the bump, on Saturday showing off the unexpected dexterity of a big — and you’d think un- gainly — man. Yet the snapping quick reaction was on display on a hotshot comebacker off the bat of Pillar in the sixth that put a wow-me smile on Colon’s face.
“The older he gets, the bigger he gets, he just continues to make plays,” marvelled Pillar. “He’s got an unbelievable clock for a guy that’s been in this game. You even saw the ball he tipped off his glove.”
That was another bit of Colon theatre, another comebacker: Kendrys Morales at the plate — he’s now 4-for-31 against Colon — knocking down the ball, seeming to study it on the dirt for a couple of moments and then, totally unrushed, picking it up and throwing a bullet to first.
“He knew the runner, takes his time, throws a strike over there,” continued Pillar. “He’s in a good fielding position. You can’t say that about all pitch- ers.’’
Pretty much gobsmacked Pillar too, did Colon, fielding his laser to the mound.
“There’s obviously frustration. You battle up there, you fight some pitches off, you get a good one, you hit it hard and you expect to get good results out of it.’’
Observed manager John Gibbons, who yet again found himself scrambling for relievers in a seven-man ’pen, sum- moning Roberto Osuna in the ninth with Toronto trailing 6-3, Texas dinging the closer for one more offence-plumping run:
“(Colon’s) been doing that for years. Since he’s not the power guy he used to be, he’s a master at what he does. He picks the plate apart. You look at his velocity, he uses different speeds all the time.
“It’s amazing. You tip your hat to him sometimes.”
When the Jays starting getting wise to Colon’s fastball and sinker, he started dealing sliders and changeups. Nothing fast, but biting the corners.
“I know they hit two home runs off my off-speed, but they were coming good out of my hand as strikes,” said Colon.
The second dinger, to Gurriel Jr. leading off the seventh, was in and out of the second deck in left field.
Meh. Colon could hardly be bothered to look — just a quick glance over his shoulder, saw it was bye-bye, and immediately extended his glove towards the home-plate umpire. Gimme a ball.
Six outs with the slider and the changeup, 21 action plays with the baseball, 10 groundball outs, zero walks.
Yeah, this is Toronto, the Rangers are the visiting team, but golly. One does have to admire legends in the making.
One of the six hits Colon surrendered was a triple by Teoscar Hernandez, who admitted he was in awe of his fellow Dominican, whom he met for the first time Saturday. They chatted for a bit after the Pillar stab.
“He was laughing. He told me that he still had it, something. He does, some pretty good stuff. He’s going to keep going.’’
Colon is now just two wins behind hall of famer Juan Marichal, who leads the Dominican pitching fraternity.
“I’ve been watching him back home since I was a little kid and he was throwing gas,” said Hernandez. “Now, playing against him, hard to believe. He’s a hero.”