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A Blue Jays Win – Bluebird Banter

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Blue Jays 2 Red Sox 1

Another game we made a ton of mistakes. Just some:

Rowdy Tellez thrown out, I guess, stealing in the third inning.

Travis Shaw thrown out at the plate by 15 feet?

Cavan has a ground ball go right through his legs for a 2-base error in the seventh.

The bottom of the sixth was a strange thing. J.D. Martinez hits an easy ground ball to short but Bo Bichette threw high to first for an error. Next batter, Xander Bogaerts hits into an easy double play, Bo to Cavan Biggio but Cavan bounced it to second (this throw should be easy). Rowdy tried to corral it, but bobbled it, so we only got one out. Mitch Moreland singled to center, putting runners on the corners (I was sure Grichuk was going to throw to third to let the batter go to second, but it was one of the few moments we didn’t screw up). Next was a hard grounder, just over Kay, Cavan made a nice flip to Bo who spun and threw a strike to first for a double play.

It seemed to be a night where if we hit the ball hard, it found a glove, but if we hit something softly it found a hole. For example, in the seventh, Grichuk barely touched a ball, swinging bunt, but the third baseman couldn’t get to it quick enough, a single. Then Rowdy pulled one down the right field line, but Kevin Pillar made an amazing catch, running into the wall. Next Biggio crushes one, I said ‘it’s out’, but it was hit into that stupid ‘triangle’ in center and caught

Bo followed, hitting another to center, but this one went off the wall and we finally scored. Unfortunately, after a Travis Shaw walk, Teoscar Hernandez struck out.

We went ahead in the top of the eighth. Lourdes led off with a walk. Vlad popped out on a full count pitch (they sent Lourdes, I hated the idea, I worry that it would distract Vlad). Randal dropped one in front of Pillar in right, giving us runners on the corners. Rowdy hit a very soft grounder, I thought it was an inning ending double play, but it was hit too soft and second baseman Jose Peraza went to first, allowing the run to score. Looking at the play again, I think Randal was in the throwing lane, between Peraza and second base.

We had something called a ‘lead’.


We had very good pitching:

  • Chase Anderson, making his first start of the season, had a couple of bad moments, but for the most part he was pretty good. He went 3 innings, allowed 1 hit, 2 walks (unfortunately all to start the second inning, so they added up to a run) with 1 strikeout. First time out, he was limited pitch count, and came out after 45 pitches.
  • Wilmer Font had a tough time, giving up a hit and a walk, to start the inning and then got 2 outs.
  • Anthony Kay came in with 2 out and 2 on in the fourth and got out of the inning. Then he pitched 3 more scoreless innings, despite 2 errors made behind him. Could really have been 3 errors, there was a ground ball to Rowdy and Kay was a bit slow getting to first and came up a little short of the bag, but they called that a hit. In total, 3.1 innings, 2 hits and 3 strikeouts. Nice to see him pitch 3.2 innings. He got the win.
  • Jordan Romano gave up a walk, but got 2 strikeouts in the eight. Fourth hold for Romano.
  • Anthony Bass got the save on a clean inning, but he scared me, giving up a long fly to right on which Hernandez made a good running catch at the track. It was only a few feet short of a game tying homer. Save number 3 for Bass.

We had 9 hits. 2 each for Bo, Vlad and Grichuk. 1 each for Shaw, Hernandez and Gurriel.

Only 1 extra base hit, a double by Bichette. We had more hard contact that we’ve seen for most of the season. I’m hoping it is a positive sign.

Vlad is looking better. He’s hit .353/.450/.588 in the last 5 games. There has been some luck in there, but he has looked better.

And Bo and Cavan have had some better at bats too.


Jays of the Day: Kay (.251 WPA), Bass (.235), Bo (.221, but also an error), Romano (.157) and Grichuk (.131).

Suckage: Biggio (-.169, 0 for 4, walk plus the error through the legs, and a bad throw on a potential double play), Teoscar (-.146, 1 for 5, but a couple of nice catches), and Vlad (-.132, 2 for 4, but a couple of outs when we need a hit). I think Rivera deserves a suckage for sending Shaw in the second inning.

Tomorrow is an earlier game, 1:30 Eastern.

We had 698 comments in the thread. I led us to victory.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

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LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

___

AP cricket:

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

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Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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