Biagini, Smith are no ordinary Joes
Despite the human drama and the real dugout emotion that gripped the Blue Jays after they beat the Angels in 13 innings in Game 1 of their road trip Friday night, don’t expect any carryover or momentum.
The roster news didn’t get any better for the Jays in terms of injuries and 25-man machinations. Casey Lawrence was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki was placed on the 10-day disabled list with tightness in his right hamstring. And because of the recent, extended bullpen use, right-hander Leonel Campos was recalled from the Bisons to supply a fresh arm, while righty Danny Barnes was optioned to Triple-A.
One of the reasons the Blue Jays are off to the worst start in franchise history is that, for the entire month, manager John Gibbons has been learning about the roster miscalculations of spring training.
He found that Devon Travis was not ready to assume the leadoff spot. He lost Josh Donaldson to three right calf strains and, finally, a spot on the DL. He has lived with Jose Bautista’s early season slump. Bautista showed a glimmer, hitting his first home run Friday night, but Gibbons knows he must ride that out.
Then there is the bullpen. On the eve of opening day, Roberto Osuna turned himself in as having cervical spasms and was replaced by Jason Grilli. But Grilli has struggled, which is not to say that he’s done as an effective reliever. But while Gibbons was finding out, the Jays were losing.
“Bullpens kind of evolve,” Gibbons said. “Usually you let things play out the way you anticipate, then you have to adjust. You give guys opportunities. Unfortunately we got off to such a slow start. Sometimes you’ve got a little breathing room. The thing we’ve got to be conscious of with those guys down there is their workload. You want to make sure they get enough rest. We’ve got some older guys.”
One man opening eyes in the bullpen is former Rule 5 pick Joe Biagini, with his talent and grit. Entering with the bases loaded in a game they were desperate to win, nobody out and a three-run lead thanks to Bautista’s bomb, he peered over the ledge and did not blink, saving an 8-7 victory, the team’s biggest win.
“Biagini’s so good right now,” Gibbons said. “He’s got the hard sinking fastball, the great curveball that he’ got pretty good command of. He can get some strikeouts and groundballs.”
Sometimes we forget that the players on major-league teams are just big talented kids. The day after his Friday tightrope walk over the heart of the Angels order, Biagini had time to reflect on what he accomplished, saving Ryan Tepera’s first big-league win and teammates Aaron Loup, Justin Smoak and Chris Coghlan.
“I’m really grateful to get the opportunity to play in games like that,” the flaky Biagini said. “Not only just be on the team, with a pair of pants and a uniform and stuff, but to actually be trusted with those opportunities.
“I try and remind myself of how I need to remember this for the rest of my life. Just to be able to come in, in the 13th inning, bases loaded and try to pitch, try to get out of it. What an experience. How many people get to experience something like that, regardless of how it ends up. I think when I have that kind of perspective in the back of my mind it actually helps me relax and just focus and try to attack.”
Right-hander Joe Smith has also stepped up and delivered quality outings. The veteran played for the Angels from 2014-16 and was asked to enter on Friday in a tie game in the ninth to face his old friends. The 33year-old never forgets to enjoy the moment and have some fun while getting the job done.
“That was probably one of the most fun times I’ve had on the mound,” Smith said of facing Mike Trout and Albert Pujols. “Being over there with those guys and knowing how they compete day in and day out, I’ve got a lot of respect for all of them. Obviously getting to face Albert and Mike, I mean I’m probably the only idiot that says I love to face them. I love those guys. I know how they compete and I know how I compete, so it just makes it that much more fun.”
Trout hit a deep flyball, hauled in on the warning track in right-centre field by Bautista. As Trout trotted back to the third base dugout, they spoke.
“He told me, he said ‘Really. Threetwo slider.’” Smith smiled. “I said, ‘Yeah, your bat was already broken or you would have hit it out.’ ”
Gibbons spoke earlier about the need to use his relievers judiciously, not burn them out too soon. Biagini, who was definitely not available on Saturday, is on pace to make 95 appearances and throw 124 innings. He was supposed to have Friday off but ended up on centre stage in the 13th inning.
“It’s funny how it happened,” Biagini said. “(Bullpen coach Dane Johnson) was like, ‘OK, just start playing catch. Keep it low.’ All right.
“So I just started playing catch. A couple of (Angels) got on and it was like, ‘OK, medium, medium well.’ So it was a little step and it just kept elevating. Then you could tell on his face when he got the call and it was, ‘Get it hot.’
Two pitchers that aren’t quite ready to get back in games are J.A. Happ and Aaron Sanchez. Sanchez was with the team in Anaheim, about an hour from his Barstow hometown. Battling a blister with a re-shaped fingernail, Gibbons was not set to put a finger on his return to the rotation. As for Happ, he was still feeling left elbow soreness so he has backed off his throwing, with no date set for resumption.