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Saturday, December 13, 2008

Matt Clement a gamble that could pay off for Jays

One time at a ratfested Goodwills, I took a gamble on a Deep Sands of Time 45 (I thought it might be a psychdrip missing from the “Chocolate Soup For Diabetics” collection)...turned out to be some flat local soul outta Orangeburg. Another quarter wasted...Oh, well.

Others may want to call it a gamble, but not Matt Clement.

Sure, the Toronto Blue Jays are signing a pitcher who has not thrown a pitch in the majors since 2006, and who had a right shoulder that—to paraphrase the doctor who operated on the mess in September 2006—resembled the remnants of a blown car tire. But he says the Jays are only taking a chance.

“It is not like they can take me from where I was at last year and bank on me pitching 35 starts,” Clement said on a conference call with reporters yesterday after signing a minor-league contract with an invitation to compete for a big league job with Toronto at spring training.

“If you want to call it a gamble, I am not going to label it one way or the other ... I don’t think anybody would say it is a concrete, for-sure, slam dunk.”

Repoz Posted: December 13, 2008 at 12:38 PM | 15 comment(s)
  Related News: GeneralFantasy BaseballToronto

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   1. Russlan wants Pedro to be a Met again  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 12:04 PM (#3028359)
2004: Matt Clement a gamble that could pay off for Sox
2007: Matt Clement a gamble that could pay off for Cards
2008: Matt Clement a gamble that could pay off for Jays

Sure, it could but it probably won't.
   2. robinred  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 12:19 PM (#3028368)
This will pay off for the Jays if they are interested in "Thoughtful political posts from a leftist perspective." Otherwise, I don't see Matt helping them.
   3. The Piehole of David Wells, Red Sox Colostomy Bag  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 02:09 PM (#3028430)
It is not like they can take me from where I was at last year and bank on me pitching 35 starts


Um.... Matt... You have NEVER made 35 starts in an MLB season.
   4. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 02:11 PM (#3028431)
He is aware of that.
   5. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 02:12 PM (#3028432)
As soon as I heard this I remembered when the Jays signed 3 or 4 injury-prone and/or washed-up major league veterans to fill out their rotation. Anonymous CBC writer had the same thought.
   6. So Taguchi is My Sensei  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 04:45 PM (#3028474)
Dunedin Jays?
   7. Ryan Jones  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 05:00 PM (#3028481)
Currently, their rotation is Halladay, Litsch, ?, ?, ?, and they apparently don't have a lot of cash for free agents.

They may as well throw minor league invites to anyone willing to listen, and see if they can find something to cover the holes until Janssen and McGowan are healthy enough to start.
   8. ugen64  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 05:01 PM (#3028482)
if there is 1 team in the major leagues that can make this gamble, it's the Blue Jays

after all, what other team has the combination of great starting pitching and very very low expectations for next season? 3rd place would be a massive success for them in the AL East.
   9. 92-93  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 05:25 PM (#3028490)
Currently, their rotation is Halladay, Litsch, ?, ?, ?, and they apparently don't have a lot of cash for free agents


It's Halladay-Litsch-Purcey, and Brett Cecil/Ricky Romero/Casey Janssen/Dustin McGowan/Scott Richmond/Matt Clement will all make starts in the last two spots throughout the season. JP as even said the stretching out of Scott Downs or Brian Tallet is possible. With the Jays stellar D and plenty of arms on deck there's no reason to panic about their pitching.
   10. Crispix Attacks is in the best shape of his life.  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 05:28 PM (#3028491)
They need to bring back the hairless supervillain.
   11. 92-93  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 05:36 PM (#3028499)
He apparently has nothing left after all the injuries, and well, this - Charge Report
   12. 92-93  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 05:40 PM (#3028500)
   13. Lassus  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 05:53 PM (#3028503)
Dunedin Jays?

Having spent time in Dunedin, I don't think I get this.
   14. Good cripple hitter  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 06:46 PM (#3028520)
Having spent time in Dunedin, I don't think I get this.

The Jays' A ball team is the Dunedin Blue Jays.

there's no reason to panic about their pitching.

Maybe panic isn't the right word, but if the fact that the Jays are currently negotiating with Carl Pavano doesn't dim your expectations of the upcoming season, nothing will.
   15. Ryan Jones  Posted: December 13, 2008 at 07:12 PM (#3028526)
Purcey, and Brett Cecil/Ricky Romero/Casey Janssen/Dustin McGowan/Scott Richmond/Matt Clement


Looking at that list, we're talking about a whole bunch of guys who may or may not be healthy, and a wide assortment of mediocre "prospects". While they'll probably be enough to fill up the necessary starts, it's not like any of them represent a reliable solution. As noted by Good Cripple Hitter, it's not that people are panicking, but that the current rotation doesn't even support the illusion that the Jays will be in the race for even a wild-card slot in 2009 - unless, of course, a miracle occurs. At least in previous seasons, people could hold on to the playoff illusion for the first couple months of the season.
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