Jamie Moyer’s Notebook: Seattle Mariners vs. Toronto Blue Jays May 23, 2015

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Seattle Mariners (19-22) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (19-25) 10:07 AM PST

Pitching Matchup: James Paxton LHP (2-2 3.59 ERA) vs. Mark Buehrle (5-3 5.36 ERA)

Paxton: The Canadian lefty has been untouchable lately, and is working on 20 consecutive scoreless innings, the longest current streak in baseball. However, Paxton was rocked in his one career start against Toronto, giving up eight earned runs in 2.2 innings last September.

Buehrle: He has been knocked around more than he is used to thus far in 2015 after a fantastic 2014 season. Robinson Cano (.310/.355/.690 in 29 at-bats) and Willie Bloomquist (.455/.478/.682 in 40 at-bats) have dominated Buehrle in their careers, although Nelson Cruz is just 1-19 against the 36 year-old.

Lineups: 

May 22, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners right fielder Nelson Cruz (23) reacts after crossing homeplate after hitting a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Mariners 

1. Rickie Weeks LF

2. Willie Bloomquist RF

3. Robinson Cano 2B

4. Nelson Cruz DH

5. Kyle Seager 3B

6. Justin Ruggiano CF

7. Logan Morrison 1B

8. Mike Zunino C

9. Chris Taylor SS

Notes: Given his aforementioned success against Buehrle, it’s too surprising to see Willie not only in the game, but in the two spot. 20-44 with eight doubles and a triple is no fluke. Nothing really out of the ordinary except for the massive overhaul from yesterday that we’ve come to expect. It’s a luxury to have a pair of lefties like Seth Smith and Brad Miller available to pinch hit late in the game.

Toronto Blue Jays

1. Josh Donaldson 3B  

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2. Jose Bautista DH

3. Edwin Encarnacion 1B

4. Russell Martin C

5. Danny Valencia LF

6. Chris Colabello RF

7. Kevin Pillar CF

8. Steven Tolleson 2B

9. Ryan Goins SS

Notes: Josh Donaldson is back in the lineup after conveniently getting the day off against Felix Hernandez yesterday. Can’t say that Donaldson and Bautista at the top makes any sense to me with Colabello (.435), Tolleson (.350) and Valencia (.349) all getting on base at solid clips.

3 Things to Watch For:

1. Paxton’s ERA Continues Plummeting 

Toronto’s righty-heavy lineup doesn’t appear like a good matchup for James, and it wasn’t in 2014. But when he gets into the zone like he is now, it doesn’t really matter who he’s playing. I expect a quality start from JP.

May 8, 2015; Seattle, WA, USA; Seattle Mariners second baseman Robinson Cano (22) hits an RBI double to tie the score at 3-3 against the Oakland Athletics in the seventh inning at Safeco Field. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Buchanan-USA TODAY Sports

2. Cano Does Cano Things

It’s no secret that Robbie has struggled this year, relative to what we expect from him. As I mentioned earlier, he has had field days against Buehrle in the past, look for it to happen again. At least 4 total bases for Cano.

3. Ack Attack Smack

I went 2-3 with my predictions yesterday, so I can afford to swing for the fences with this one. Dustin Ackley will send an eighth inning, pinch-hit home run to right on a 1-0 fastball.

Last Game’s Predictions:

1. Stoppers Gonna Stop–Hit

Felix Hernandez allowed just six base runners and one run in 7.0 innings of work. He also struck out eight Blue Jays and looked dominant against the highest scoring team in baseball. The three-run lead he left the game with was barely enough for Fernando Rodney, but it was enough.

2. Castillo Lights A Fire Under Zunino–Hit 

Mike hit an RBI double in the fourth, and looked much better at the plate, even when he was getting outs. He saw 22 pitches in four at bats and drew a walk. Let’s hope his improvement continues.

3. Seager Gets His Redemption–Out

Seager had a decent game, going 1-3 with a walk and a pair of tough plays defensively, but not quite enough to make up for Wednesday’s mistake.

Outs: 19     Hits: 14     Batting Average: .432

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