Back when he was a languid, left-hander who seemed to become the Incredible Shrinking Man on the mound, the idea that J.A. Happ would be mentioned in the same breath as Roger Clemens was laughable.
But, well, here we are: in these days of launch angles and 20 per-cent of at bats ending with a strikeout, Happ has struck out eight or more batters in five consecutive starts. Clemens had runs of seven and six games like that in 1997 when he won the first of back to back Cy Youngs; A.J. Burnett had seven games in 2007 … and that’s it. Happ’s strikeout to walk ratio is third in the American League at 12.50, a full 4 ½ strikeouts over his career average.
In Happ’s last two starts, he’s struck out nine batters and walked none. Roy Halladay never did that. Neither did Dave Stieb or anybody else to pitch for the Toronto Blue Jays … except Clemens, in May 1997. Suddenly, that sleepy-eyed, soft-spoken demeanour is the sign of a cool, impervious craftsman. A cat burglar.
“He seems to evolve each year, to make little adjustments that make him more of a complete pitcher,” Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker said Sunday. “He’s elevating the fastball; he’s elevating it in different locations – out, in – he’s sinking the ball and changing speeds effectively. I mean, it (changing speeds) is not a big part of his game but it’s enough to keep them off balance.
“But it’s his fastball. He’s not just letting it go through the zone. He’s really locating it.”
Happ threw 99 pitches in his bullpen-saving, seven-inning outing, wrapping it up with a nine-pitch seventh. That drew a sigh of relief from Walker, who needed length more than strikeouts from his starter. He got both, but as Walker said later: “We want our starters to force some early, weak contact. What we’ve been doing is allowing hard contact and getting more strikeouts. I’d like to see that balance out a bit.”
It is remarkable that the Blue Jays will have their first winning April since John Farrell managed the team in 2012. This was, after all, supposed to be the teams strength but it’s only Happ and in some ways Aaron Sanchez who has pitched to their pedigree. Don’t worry about Marcus Stroman; his stuff’s been electric and I’m ready to chalk up his shaky start to a muddled spring. Marco Estrada I worry about; Jaime Garcia’s OK as a fifth starter. But Happ’s been money and as I’ve said on several occasions: if I’m the Jays front office I’m talking to him about a two or three-year deal and keeping him away from free agency. Guy knows his way around the AL East? Offers dependability and adaptability. Right now. I’m getting it done right now.
NOW TWEET THIS
In which we remind you how good LeBron is without going deep … make an early Betts on AL MVP … salute the blue side of Manchester (dammit!) … deal with a pressing issue … “and the Te-Oscar goes to” … and wonder about a brave, new world of athletics.
• The NBA has had awe-inspiring post-season performers, but the Cavaliers LeBron James is the only player in NBA history to rank in the top 10 in post-season points, assists and rebounds #triplethreat
• Mookie Betts is my early AL MVP: nine of his 12 career multi-HR games have come as a lead-off hitter, trailing Soriano (19); Anderson (14); Bobby Bonds (13); Damon (12); Henderson (11) and Biggio (10) all-time. Betts is 25 #impressive
• More Betts: he is the first AL player to score 29 runs before May 1 since 1900. Bryce Harper (32 runs in 2007) and Maple Ridge, B.C.’s Larry Walker (29 runs in 23 games in 1997) are the only NL players to do so #canadiancontent
• MLS is yet another soccer league struggling with VAR (video assistant referee.) What rubbish. Restrict the damned thing’s use to plays in the penalty area and disputed goals and explain the result to the crowd. That’s it. It’s 2018 #getitright
• First sign that renovations are soon to begin at the Rogers Centre: the Jays will begin the process this season of turning the pressbox into premium seating and have told media not involved in TV or radio play by play that they will be relocated in 2018 #milennialareas
• Gut call: Russell Martin spends less time catching and more in the infield in 2019 while making $20 million in the final year of his deal. He’s an athlete, and it’s as a utility player that his career might be extended #versatility
• How dominant have Manchester City been in attack? They have two players with at least 10 goals and 10 assists (Leroy Sane and Raheem Sterling.) No other players have done so in the previous 137 years of their history #bluemoon
• It just feels as if Tristan Thompson’s Game 7 renaissance for the Cavaliers against the Pacers has set the stage for him to play a big role against his hometown Raptors, doesn’t it? #timely
• Nice weekend for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts: guarantees the team will win the NL West despite a slow start; loses Yasiel Puig to the DL; pulls rookie of the year Cody Bellinger out of a game for failing to hustle #uneasy
• The IAAF’s difficulty in dealing with Caster Semenya has one doctor saying he believes we will see an ‘intersex’ category in athletics competition within 10 years, according to The Guardian’s Sean Ingle #inevitable
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THE ENDGAME
Got to tell you: I have seen and heard several denials of reports in my career, and it’s been my experience that the more expansive the denial and the more it’s written off as just one of those anonymous media reports, the closer it is to being accurate. So, I’m sorry: the manner with which Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos’ report of a strained relationship between Toronto Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock and star Auston Matthews was dismissed by Babcock, Matthews and general manager Lou Lamoreillo doesn’t quite ring true.
The coach and G.M., in particular, were a little too cute. Now, that doesn’t mean the relationship is irreparable. In fact, it likely means this is nothing other than a young player who desperately wants to be good being frustrated by missing games with injuries and chafing under the thumb of a head-strong coach. In the meantime, what happened to the inevitability of the captain’s ‘C’ being given to Matthews? That would be the ultimate way to shut this down; to bring a finality to a story-line too juicy to let go. That, and something definitive from Brendan Shanahan, who is, I think, the only person who could put this thing to rest.
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