Sportsnet's Buck Martinez on Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: He can't make another start
Sportsnet broadcaster says he will return to the booth at the end of June after taking regularly scheduled time off.
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Just because you haven’t heard Buck Martinez on the air covering Blue Jays games over the past couple of weeks doesn’t mean that the venerable voice of the team doesn’t have some thoughts.
In fact, he has a few.
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Sportsnet's Buck Martinez on Blue Jays' Bowden Francis: He can't make another start Back to video
First things first: Martinez, who is taking some extended scheduled time off from his regular analyst’s role on the Sportsnet broadcasts, will return for a home stand against the New York Yankees at Rogers Centre starting on June 30.
In the interim, studio analysts Joe Siddall (who called the three weekend games in Minnesota) and Caleb Joseph (who tags in for the St. Louis stop) will take turns filling the air alongside play-by-play voice Dan Shulman.
“I’m taking some scheduled time off,” Martinez told the Toronto Sun on Monday. “But I’ll be back for that homestand (against the Yankees). And then I’ll have a good chunk of July off for my 50th anniversary. My schedule is to do 100 games.”
And with that, the 76-year-old Martinez shifts the conversation to his favourite topic — the Jays — who were scheduled to begin a three-game series against the Cardinals on Monday night, part of their current nine-game, 10-day trip.
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The long-time Jays broadcaster certainly is clear in what he thinks about the Toronto rotation minus Max Scherzer and the alarming struggles of Bowden Francis.
“(The Jays) are playing pretty good, but they can’t start Bowden Francis another start,” Martinez said. “It’s the one thing that’s causing them so many issues. The fourth and fifth spots (in the rotation) have been the issues all season long.
“Unfortunately (Max) Scherzer can’t pitch right now. It’s just the way it is.
“I’d be surprised if they start (Francis) again. He’s just too inconsistent. It just highlights how difficult it is to be a long-term starter in the major leagues. It’s the toughest position in baseball, to be a consistent starter.
“Now hitters have made adjustments and he has to establish that he can throw on both sides of the plate.”
Martinez believes that if the struggles of Francis, combined with the bullpen days for the fifth spot in the rotation continue, the rest of the bullpen will wear down.
“It’s already cost them Yimi Garcia (who is on the injured list with a shoulder issue) and it’s going to cost them someone else,” Martinez said.
The former catcher has been impressed with the Jays recent surge at the plate, which largely has been the reason they’ve gone on a 9-1 run and sit in a three-way tie for the top AL wild-card spot prior to Monday’s action.
“Everything has come together offensively,” Martinez said. “They’ve cut down their strikeouts. They’re more patient. And they’re realizing one or two guys aren’t going to carry the team. They’re getting contributions from everywhere in the order.”
As for his schedule, Martinez’s reduced workload in recent years is designed to be lighter in the middle while focusing on the beginning and end of the season when interest peaks — especially if a playoff push is involved.
His most recent game was at the end of the previous trip, a May 28 game in Texas. He’ll also have an extended absence in July for a well-deserved cruise with his wife Arlene to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary.
FAIR OR FOUL
Martinez isn’t alone from the Sportsnet crew in terms of sharp commentary on the struggles of Francis.
Following the previous start to Sunday’s losing effort in Minnesota — in which he allowed four runs in just 3.1 innings — Francis pitched what appeared to be batting practice to the Phillies, who chased him from the game after blitzing the righty for seven runs in 1.2 innings.
“Teams are sitting all over his stuff,” an animated studio analyst Caleb Joseph said following the Phillies game. “They’re not fooled one bit. Let me tell you this: You’d better find a way to locate or you’re going to keep having outings like this. You don’t get a million chances in this league.”
On radio, Kevin Barker was equally incisive the following day.
“For me, it’s an easy one,” Barker said on Sportsnet 590 of Francis, who has allowed an MLB-high 19 home runs.. “Either he can pitch or he can’t. Right now it’s borderline (that he isn’t) a big leaguer.”
LINEUP SHUFFLE?
Speaking of Barker, nice to see him and sidekick Jeff Blair getting some TV airtime in studio on the weekend alongside host Jamie Campbell.
We’ve always been of the view that Barker, with his big personality and even bigger pull-no-punches opinions has been under-used by Sportsnet.
It would make sense, then, that with Joseph and Siddall taking on more games in the absence of Martinez that we see more of Barker.
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