It’s never a good day when you lose 321 points on your batting average. An 0-for-3 will do that to you, and the Jays’ rookie catcher looked a lot less Ruthian on Sunday than he did on Opening Night. Still, J.P. Arencibia smacked the ball hard and gave the fans a charge in the ninth inning when his rope headed toward the seats in leftfield at the Dome. With Travis Snider on first and the Jays down 4-2, it appeared off the bat that Arencibia had tied the game, but his bid for a third home run died in the glove of Delmon Young, who tracked down the liner at the wall.
The Daily J.P. Arencibia to Cooperstown Watch, Day 3: Rope burn
The Daily J.P. Arencibia to Cooperstown Watch, Day 2: Call him Johnny Bench
Well, that’s one way to protect your .750 average.
J.P. Arencibia gave way to Jose Molina on Day 2 of the Blue Jays’ season and watched his fellow catcher launch a home run, go 2-for-3 and guide Kyle Drabek to his first Major League victory.
Drabek went seven innings, threw 101 pitches and fanned seven as the Jays again won impressively, 6-1, on Saturday. The key piece in the Roy Halladay deal walked three and surrendered just one hit in his fourth career start.
Molina and Drabek worked closely during spring training, so it’s not a surprise manager John Farrell would have them form the battery. Arencibia Nation can count on their hero being back in the lineup Sunday, where he could actually pad his lofty numbers from opening night against the mediocre Nick Blackburn, who posted a 5.42 ERA last season.