It’s a new day. The sun is shining and the struggling Toronto Blue Jays are in town. The Jays are 4-10 in their last four series (NYY, Bos, Sea, TB). Comforting for the Sox but lets not forget that the Sox are 1-6 in their last two series. A series of scuffling teams. But …
… there is a bright side for the Sox, the Jays are in such a desperate pitching situation (DL for Josh Johnson, horrible injury to JA Happ, and Ricky Romero sent down to AAA) that Ramon Ortiz will take the mound to open the series.
Ramon Ortiz. Remember him? He’s 40. He’s pitched for like a dozen major league teams and has a career ERA of 4.93. I forgot he was still in the majors and was stunned to see he was the starting pitcher tonight.
What’s he been up to?
2012 – Entire year for Yankees AAA team, 13-6 with a 3.45 ERA
2011 – Cubs, he started two games and threw 33 innings of 4.86 ERA
2010 – Dodgers, he again started two games and threw 30 innings of 6.30 ERA
2008-2009 – Pitched in Japan and then jumped around the minors from the Giants to Dodgers to Mets to Rays.
This is the best the Jays can do? After all the off season wheeling and dealing the Jays engaged in they don’t have any depth on the mound? Alex Anthopoulos should be ashamed. No pitching depth and he rehired the mediocre John Gibbons (a 318-326 record as a manager). This is a team I have grown to dislike and I can’t imagine Jays fans are too happy.
This is one game where there is some pressure on the Sox to win. Anytime you see Ramon Ortiz take the mound, you should be rushing to the plate.
Time Begins On Opening Day 