The following entry is a guest post by Ontario resident Craig Ballard. You can read more from Craig on his blog by clicking here.
The 2011 season for YOUR TORONTO BLUE JAYS is here. The time for optimism is now, I understand that. All MLB fans have their favorite teams tied for 1st place in their division, and as a back-up tied for the Wild Card too. For some that optimism/euphoria/excitement will end just as quickly as Jim Halpert's tenure as Manager for Dunder-Mifflin. For others, there will be an unexpected lightning-in-a-bottle season. And for some remaining squads, it will be a season of organizational development. Where do the 2011 Jays look like they will be?
Personally, I see it as a season for development. I mentioned before that I understand the excitement about this time of year, but if you are someone who thinks the Jays will make the playoffs in 2011 then we are just not on the same page. We can surely enjoy the season together, but we have clashing points of view.
I would inquire, "If 2011 was targeted as the year to start making your playoff runs (yes, runs - plural) then why trade Doc? Why trade Marcum? Why let Scott Downs, John Buck, Lyle Overbay go? To a lesser extent why let Kevin Gregg go as well?" Some may say why trade the offensive production Vernon Wells would have given you too? I personally would say that getting out from underneath Wells' contract was a win under any circumstances.
For me the word of 2011 Toronto Blue Jays is Development. But, questions are bountiful. I am watching to see how 23-year-old Kyle Drabek will develop in his first full MLB season. Will Brett Cecil continue to progress? Cecil took a good chunk off of his rookie season ERA in year #2, but a high hits total, and a brutal spring have me in wait-and-see mode for Cecil's 2011 and beyond. Will Brandon Morrow develop the arm strength and stamina to not have to end 2012 early like '10 and '11 (Morrow will be shut down at about 185 innings this season)? Will Morrow build a solid rapport with rookie catcher J.P. Arencibia? Jose Molina is the personal catcher for Morrow currently, but as Arencibia is the catcher of the future, ideally the team and its fans should want those two to develop their chemistry/rhythm as a battery. Will Adam Lind develop into a legit first baseman in terms of production? Will Travis Snider show the skill he has and get his MLB career going?!?!
The Snider inquiry is a big one. I am sure I am not the only one, but I have not given up on Snider. MEGA potential, but at 23 this .248 career hitter has to get it going soon. He has 19 career HR's and he surely needs more than that this season alone (and going forward).
All of the players mentioned will be asked to be major contributors to this organization in 2012 and beyond so as fans we are hoping for their development.
Truly, I believe that AA will have the Jays in perennial playoff contention from 2013 going forward, but if guys use 2011 to accelerate their development then we may see something special as soon as 2012 (as The ENVY say "fingers crossed").
Another story that may unfold a tad in 2011 is what will the double-play duo look like for the Jays after this season? Will it be the current duo of YEScobar and Aaron Hill? Will it be Adeiny Hechavarria and Hill? Will it be YEScobar and Brett Lawrie? Will it be Hechavarria and Lawrie? What about Alfredo Griffin and Damaso Garcia? If you get rebound seasons from YEScobar and/or Hill I think either one of them could become easy trade bate.
Actually, I feel that way about the entire roster (except perhaps Jose Bautista, due to his recent contract). We have seen that AA wants to have young, high-upside players, with controllable contracts. He has brought Drabek, Lawrie, Anthony Gose, Morrow, and YEScobar into the organization. He traded Marcum and SS Alex Gonzalez when they had their most value. I think AA will make a trade(s) this season that will be along those lines. Selling high to get a return asset that is young, high-upside, controllable contract, looks to be AA's modus operandi.
Of course, speaking of development, we will watch rookie manager John Farrell and his progression, especially his influence on this young pitching staff.
Any way you slice it, the stat of the season for the 2011 Jays is that this is the 23rd season for the Jays in the SkyDome/Rogers Centre. Is it just me or did that shock you too? Does not seem like 23 years to me. Time surely flies.
“I won’t be open to it after the hearing,” said Bautista following a workout at the Jays spring training facility.
“After the hearing, I believe we will notify the team that (a
long-term deal) is not going to be a possibility, unless it’s in that
window they have from the end of the season until the free agency period
begins.”
It’s a crapshoot for both sides. By season’s end, Bautista’s value
could be through the roof or plummet back into the real world.
Bautista contends the reason he will close off negotiations is that
he doesn’t want any distractions for himself or for the team. Nobody
should read into this decision that Bautista wants to play anywhere else
but Toronto. He made that clear.
“My desire is to play in Toronto long term but, after the hearing, or
during the season, I have come to the conclusion that it’s probably not
the best thing for me to be negotiating any type of deal,” he said. “I
want to focus on the game and trying to win ballgames.
“If I’m in that type of negotiation, it’s going to shift my focus
from what I need to worry about and that’s baseball. I don’t want my
mind to be elsewhere when I come to the ballpark to help my team win.”
I'll start off with the elephant in the room. I have said it before and I'll say it again, there is no way - if I'm Jose Bautista - that I sign any contract extension of any length for any amount. As an athlete all you can ask for is an opportunity to show how good you can be. J-Bau was given that last season for the first time in his career. And he will be given that again in 2011. I think he easily wins the arb case tomorrow and doesn't talk extension until that small five day window after the World Series ends.
I’ve updated the 2011 CAIRO projections to version 0.6 and have
uploaded them to the site. They can be downloaded at the link below: Cairo_2011_v0.6.zip
I’ve basically just updated rosters again and fixed a few issues. I’ve also added a projected standings page.
TM
W
L
RS
RA
Div
WC
PL
W+/-
RS+/-
RA+/-
Red Sox
96.2
65.8
831
687
45.6%
17.6%
63.2%
7.2
13
-57
Yankees
92.1
69.9
821
726
28.8%
19.4%
48.2%
-2.9
-38
33
Rays
87.9
74.1
737
663
17.3%
14.6%
31.9%
-8.1
-65
14
Blue Jays
77.2
84.8
709
738
4.2%
5.0%
9.2%
-7.8
-46
10
Orioles
76.9
85.1
739
788
4.2%
4.8%
9.0%
10.9
126
3
Here is the first of many predictions with respect to standings. 77 wins sounds about right to me.
Four games will be nationally televised on Rogers Sportsnet, four
games on bluejays.com while eight games can be heard on Sportsnet Radio
Fan 590, with an additional two games being available on the Blue Jays
network of stations. Specific details are below:
Feb. 26 -- vs. Detroit Tigers -- 1:05 (FAN 590)
Feb. 27 -- at Detroit Tigers --- 1:05 (FAN 590)
March 2 -- vs. Tampa Bay Rays -- 1:05 (Bluejays.com)
March 5 -- vs. Detroit Tigers -- 1:05 (Jays Radio Network)
March 6 -- at Pittsburgh Pirates -- 1:05 (SNET/FAN 590)
March 11 -- vs. NY Yankees -- 1:05 (Bluejays.com)
March 12 -- vs. Pittsburgh Pirates -- 1:05 (FAN 590)
March 13 -- vs. Tampa Bay Rays -- 1:05 (SNET-1/Jays Radio Network)
March 15 -- vs. Philadelphia Phillies -- 1:05 (Bluejays.com)
March 19 -- at NY Yankees -- 1:05 (FAN 590)
March 20 -- vs. Minnesota Twins -- 1:05 (FAN 590)
March 23 -- at NY Yankees -- 7:05 (SNET)
March 24 -- vs. Atlanta Braves -- 1:05 (Bluejays.com)
March 26 -- at Philadelphia Phillies -- 1:05 (FAN 590)
March 27 -- vs. Baltimore Orioles -- 1:05 (FAN 590)
March 30 -- vs. Tampa Bay Rays -- 4:10 (SNET)
Anybody know WTF the Jays Radio Network is and whether or not I have to pay the cheap bastards @ Rogers to get it?
When talking about the A.L.'s top rookies, don't leave out Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia.
He heads into spring training with a starting job to be won. He's doing what he can to make sure he's ready.
"J.P. has been here since Jan. 3," said Blue Jays TV play-by-play man
Buck Martinez, who resides in Dunedin, Fla., the Jays' spring home.
I'm so happy that we will actually have a Rookie of the Year candidate this season. Go get em J.P.
Toronto also is asking Lind to learn to play first base after
serving primarily as a DH the past two seasons. Regaining your batting
stroke while learning a new position doesn't make for a stress-free
spring.
"Sometimes you can make a drastic change and it can affect your
hitting," Blue Jays hitting coach Dwayne Murphy says. "I hope it
doesn't. I don't think it will."
The 11 games Lind played at first base last season were the only
times he has played anywhere but the outfield or DH in his professional
career, other than one game at first base in the minors. General manager
Alex Anthopoulos prefers to have Lind take over for Lyle Overbay, who
signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as a free agent, in the field because
it will give the club needed flexibility at the DH spot.
Murphy doesn't believe Lind, 27, will have much trouble at the plate.
"He didn't have the year he wanted, but look at the numbers he put
up— 23-72. So it wasn't like he had what I would consider a bad year,"
Murphy says.
Drabek has the stuff to be a big league starter. He throws five pitches,
although he didn't use his change-up against right-handed batters in
his three September 2010 starts for the Blue Jays.
With the
exception of the Jays, each AL East team figures to have at least four
left-handed and switch-hitting batters in their lineup most days. Even
with the righty-heavy Jays included, the AL East is tied for the highest
rate of switch- and left-handed hitters with the NL East. On the other
end of the spectrum is the NL Central—coincidentally Dotel’s home for
most of the 2010 season—with more than 70 percent of the expected
starters batting right-handed.
I found this article particularly insightful. Take a second and check it out.
Spring training and the 2011 regular season are just around the corner,
which means it's time to take stock of the top potential future stars in
the minor leagues.
Below are the Top 100 prospects in baseball right now, based upon my
years of experience in the industry as a scout and talent evaluator.
In order to be eligible for the list, the player must be part of a major
league organization and still considered a rookie (fewer than 130
at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the major leagues and fewer than 45
days on an active roster, excluding September call-ups).
Your Toronto Blue Jays had 5 of the top 100 on this list.
As spring approaches, baseball fans' minds turn to the possibilities of
the season to come. Which teams will emerge victorious? Which players
will rise above the rest? And which rookies will capture our fancies?
As much as baseball fans appreciate the game's history, they also look forward to the future stars.
My list of baseball's top 50 prospects was compiled based on my
personal scouting of the players along with input from all 30 teams
including GMs, scouting directors and other evaluators in the game.
With that, let's take a look at the top players of the future going into the 2011 season.
And we had 4 of the top 50 on this one. Kyle Drabek at number 5 overall!
Jimenez hit .305/.347/.435 last year in 70 games for Low-A
Lansing, with 17 steals in 21 attempts, 18 walks, and 56 strikeouts.
He's got impatience issues but Midwest League sources seemed to think he
has a good chance to keep hitting at higher levels. His defense is also
intriguing: he caught 51% of runners and didn't give up an excessive
number of passed balls or errors. I gave him a Grade C in the book, but
with the notation that he could take a big step forward in 2011. Looking
at him again right now, you can make a really good case for a Grade C+
and that is how I would rate him today, though of course it is too late
to change the book grade. He was drafted in the ninth round in 2008 from
high school in Puerto Rico.
Don't sleep on A.J. when discussing our depth at the catcher position. Cannon of an arm, great wheels and he can hit.Look for him to start at High A and push d'Arnaud all year.
Lind, Hill and Rivera all performed below their career norms in 2010 —
just as Wells did in 2009. As long as one of them reverts to the mean —
like Wells last year — Bautista should be suitably protected. If that
doesn’t happen, Bautista might lead the majors in walks, not home runs.
Either way, Bautista acknowledges that he won’t see the same (hittable)
pitches that he did in 2010. By now, opposing managers and pitchers are
well aware of the data, at Baseball-Reference.com and elsewhere, that
says 52 of Bautista’s 54 home runs were to left or left-center.
“It’s going to be a challenge,” Bautista said. “I don’t expect them to
try to get me out the same way they did last year. I can’t try to hit
home runs to left field if they throw it down-and-away.
“The good thing is that the changes I made (before last year) weren’t
about hitting the ball out to left. I was just trying to get ready
earlier, so my swing was on time. It was all about driving the ball
more. If 85 percent of the pitches I see are outside, hopefully I can
hit a lot of hard balls to right.”
I know what you’re thinking: He’s going to overswing. Actually, I don’t think he will. The guy drew 100 walks last year, second-most in the American League.
“The most impressive thing about Jose’s season was the pitches he didn’t
swing at; he had an unbelievable eye,” Hill said. “I think Jose will
have another big year. He’s obviously going to have big expectations,
but he’s been very good at just focusing on the task at hand.”
Man I can't wait for baseball season! It's going to be a lot of fun watching pitchers not let Bautista beat them this year. Somebody, anybody, needs to get hot early in order to give our opponent something else to think about.
Is it hyperbole? Probably, but it might be fitting that Scioscia invoked
baseball history, because last year’s Angels outfield was historically
awful. It became a sore subject for fans, pitchers, coaches and,
especially, one keenly interested observer.
“I’m not trying to be disrespectful to any players, but we really
had a lot of problems in right field and left field last year,” Angels
owner Arte Moreno said recently. “There were balls
falling short, over their heads, in the gaps … Torii [Hunter] was
running everywhere and, to be a good hitter, you’ve got to have your
legs.”
The ultimate zone rating data -- which seems to be as good as any defensive measure -- suggest that Juan Rivera (minus 4.9) was well below average as a left fielder, Hunter (minus 3.8) was well below average as a center fielder and Bobby Abreu (minus 6.2) was a borderline disaster in right.
Juan Rivera can't play LF - let alone RF - according to his old teams OWNER. Consider yourself warned.
A pair of Canadians who less than two years ago looked to be on the path to the big leagues will not be among them.
In 2009, the Toronto Blue Jays selected University of Kentucky pitcher
James Paxton of Ladner, B.C., 37th overall in baseball’s June amateur
draft.
It was the highest the Blue Jays had ever taken a homegrown prospect since Canadian players were included in the draft in 1985.
Just 31 picks later, Toronto selected Newmarket high school pitcher Jake Eliopoulos with a second-round choice.
No general manager, scouting director or player would suggest 20
months is any kind of time frame to evaluate a baseball draft pick given
development often takes four to six years.
But nearly two years later, both Paxton and Eliopoulos are unsigned and waiting to take the next step in their baseball careers.
Each pitcher took a different path to their current place in a kind of baseball purgatory.
Yet another update on The Paxton Affair. Shoulda just signed the fucking contract James.
In that 2010 draft last June, the Mariners picked Paxton -- who is
from Ladner, British Columbia -- in the fourth round (132nd overall).
Many scouting analysts felt it was a shrewd sleeper pick by Seattle, and
that the Mariners had stolen a potential first-round talent. Yet here
it is Jan. 31, and Paxton still hasn't signed. Because he is no longer
in college, Paxton was not subject to the Aug. 16 signing deadline. The
Mariners thus own his rights until the week before the 2011 draft in
June -- but Zduriencik is hoping it doesn't get that far.
"There has been a conversation or two over the course of the
winter,'' he said. "It will be an interesting one, because here's a guy
who lives just an hour and a half up the road, and there's a point in
time he needs to get his career moving. You know, he's missed time in
pro ball. I couldn't think of a better scenario for him and his family
(than) to drive right down the road and play for the Seattle Mariners.
"As we move forward and we get closer, we'll see what happens. I
would hope there's a motivating factor on his part to try to get
something moving. Scott (Boras) and I have had a few discussions here
and there over the winter, but we haven't had any lately."
This one is from the Seattle perspective. Total waste of a perfectly good 4th rounder right there guys.
Not every team buys into this type of program. Teams such as the
Nationals, Orioles and Mets have had below average results for the
studied period. (There are no accurate records of injuries before 1997.)
Some teams, like the Blue Jays, show solid results, but have had
difficulty over the past three years keeping pitchers healthy. In 2009,
the Jays were a bit better than average overall, but broken down by
pitchers and position players, there was a huge divide. The team
couldn't seem to keep pitchers healthy at any level. There was no
pattern. The injuries happened to different body parts. They happened at
different levels. They happened to starters and relievers. They
happened to American and Latin players. There was no pattern, just
flukish results. The Jays stabilized to a more normal level with pitcher
injuries in 2010, but while teams like the Mets improved over a
horrendous '09 campaign that reached historic injury levels, they only
made it back to below-average. How bad can it be? The Orioles lost over
$30 million more than average over the last 10 years. The Nationals were
worse, but they had that whole Montreal situation in there that I can't
fairly adjust for.
At the time, manager Cito Gaston was burdened with most of the blame.
The 66-year-old was set to retire at the end of the season, and he was
accused of sacrificing the long-term benefit of the club in order to
finish his career with the best possible team on the field.
Anthopoulos said while he understands the criticism the organization
received, the move was made because of the promise that was given to
Buck.
"When we give our word to someone ... that's part of our brand,"
Anthopoulos said. "When I'm negotiating with an agent or I'm trying to
recruit a player, and we have to tell them something, whether it's good
or bad news, they know that we're going to honour our word and we're
going to be straight shooters.
"People in the game are starting to realize that the way the Toronto
Blue Jays operate, they're men of their word and they keep to their
commitment."
In keeping with the same train of thought, this helps explain why Boy Wonder dealt Napoli away. I'm guessing he promised E5 full time at bats and Napoli had some trade value.
Check out the size of the bat Bryce Harper
is swinging in the first half this video, which was posted to YouTube
this week. It's a 36-inch, 47-ounce Marucci, custom made for the 2010
No. 1 draft pick.
If you're not familiar with bat sizes, that's like swinging a tree trunk. Most major-leaguers use bats
between 32-34 inches and 30-34 ounces. Many years ago, sluggers would
sometimes use heavy bats, notably Babe Ruth, who reportedly started his
career using a 54-ouncer but in his prime was at about 40. I held one on
the 54-ouncers in a Hall of Fame exhibit, and it's tough to imagine
swinging it with any speed.
Heavier bats hit the ball farther (look here
for more than you ever wanted to know on the subject), but it's a
tradeoff for bat speed. Even though players are bigger than ever now,
most sacrifice bat size for the confidence they can catch up to a
100-mph fastball -- and be assured Harper would look a lot different
taking those hacks against Aroldis Chapman
than in a BP setting. I asssume the monster bat is just for show and
the 34-ounce models shown later in the video are his game bats.
(Also, in case you were curious, the bible verse Harper has engraved on
his bats, Luke 1:37, reads "With God nothing shall be impossible.")
We here at 1BlueJaysWay regularly bring our readers exclusive interviews and features with various minor league players and team personnel, during the season. We've browsed through our best Q&A's from 2010 to bring you the best 1BJW interview quotes of the year.
Check out the list below, and click each link to check out the best interviews we were lucky enough to bring you over the past year.
-Eric Thames on which teammate he feels deserves more recognition..."Darin Mastroianni is a stud. He's a machine. He plays pretty much every day. He goes balls out every day!"
-Chad Jenkins on pitching to wooden bats compared to aluminum..."I mean, I still like, I guess, I still hear those noises, in bed sometimes those pings"
-Zach Stewart on pitching in New Hampshire's cold April weather..."The few games we've played there so far, it's been really cold. We didn't have a ton of fans show up yet, but I guess it's been better than you could expect because we had 2 or 3 games in a row when it was in the 30's and 40's and it was sleeting and stuff. We didn't even want to be there, so I am sure the fans didn't want to be there."
-Travis d'Arnaud on how he spends his off-season..."(The) off-season for me is a way for me to fall in love with baseball more and more as each year goes. It's because I don't get to play baseball for a few months and it drives me crazy."
-Kyle Drabek, in August, on his estimated time of arrival for the big leagues..."I feel like I'm ready. All my pitches are where I want them. It's up to (the Blue Jays). If they have a plan for me...I'll be ready for whenever I get the call."
-Tom Filer on pitching in Toronto..."Toronto, when I was there, it was a fever pitch. Back in the 80's through the early 90's, that place was sold out every night. I love that town. The eclectic sampling of people you come across, it was really neat..."
-Adam Loewen, a former MLB pitcher, on taking a second journey through the minors- this time, as an outfielder..."I always said to myself, if my arm blew out, or if I had a serious career threatening injury, that I'd want to come back as a hitter."
-Sal Fasano on facing Randy Johnson during his playing days..."I went 0 for my first like 12 against him with like 11 punchouts. I think the first time I made contact we had a party."
-Jake Marisnick on silencing the haters..."Yeah I mean, ah, I wasn't, didn't swing to well in high school and ah, or my senior year and ah, I mean people were talking but I mean it's baseball. Slumps happen. You are not always hitting the ball great, you are not always hitting the ball bad. I mean, you go through a lot of things and ah, I mean things worked out."
-Ryan Goins on facing guys with arm side run with sink..."He threw it, like, middle away where I wanted it and I was like 'I gotta swing', so and I hit it and I was like 'oh goodness'."
-Drew Hutchison on what he did between being drafted and signing a pro contract..."Ah, you know just hung out you know ah, all summer and ah, I played all summer and then, you know, we were able to come to terms at the end of the summer and, you know...just, it was pretty.....it was cool."
-Michael Crouse on being drafted..."So for it to be the Toronto Blue Jays, a Canadian team, being me from Canada, it was a great feeling."
-Justin Jackson on who he would like to meet in the game..."If I had to go with anybody else I'd like to meet probably Pujols, talk a little hitting with him. See if he can give me a few tips."
-A.J. Jimenez on converting from the OF to catcher and what was the most difficult part of the transition..."Ah, I mean it's the tough one you get tired quickly, I mean everything is harder than other positions."
-Kevin Ahrens on what he did this past off-season..."It was real awkward 'cause one day in December it actually snowed in Houston and I built a little miniature snowman out there and it was just, you know, one of the funnest times I've had."
-Darin Mastroianni on his favorite ballplayer growing up..."I was a New York boy, so Derek Jeter. How do you not like Jeter growing up in New York?" (We still love him anyway)
-Luis Rivera on who should have been the Eastern League Most Valuable Player..."I know (Trenton) has Laird as the MVP, but for me Eric Thames should be the MVP! He hit 27 homers, had 104 RBI, batted .290. He had huge numbers!"
And a bonus 5 interviews for ya from the 2009 season in Lansing, that we debuted on the site in 2010, just cuz we can!
-Matt Daly on closing out a game in front of the home crowd..."Even when you hear them cheering and stuff, you know, you kinda, it kinda feeds in your head that, that they are kinda with you and stuff."
-Joel Carreno on how he is feeling on the mound..."I'm feel berry good. Berry, berry good."
-Mike McDade on what the team does during rain delays to pass the time..."Playing cards, talking, just messing around, fooling around a little bit, just trying to stay loose with each other, listen to some music, maybe eat a sandwich or something. That's pretty much it."
-Henderson Alvarez's translator on how he got a pro contract..."His first try out with Toronto Blue Jay, so he throw 88 - 89, um he lie to the scout (about his age?), so he sign him that day."
-Mel Queen on pitching to Henry Aaron..."So, I told the catcher I'm gonna pitch him inside, the manager said 'no'. Anyways to make a long story short I pitched, threw him fastballs inside the next three times up and struck him out all three times."
1BlueJaysWay recently had the opportunity to connect with a legend of broadcasting, live on The Heaven Hotline. Our very own minor league expert Jay spoke with Radio Hall of Fame member Harry Caray, who called baseball games for decades in Chicago.
Harry chimed in with his thoughts on some Toronto prospects, Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay and more. Check out the media player below to listen to the full interview.
MiLB.com: What did you learn from your three starts in the Major Leagues this season?
Drabek: Just little things here and there from the players. When I got called up, I tried to learn as much as I could so I could take whatever I learned and take it into next year. The way you handle yourself on the mound is a big part of the game. You have to be able to stay calm out there to help yourself throughout the game.
MiLB.com: What's the biggest difference that you noticed between the Eastern League and the Majors?
Drabek: From [Class A Advanced] to Double-A, I thought it was a big jump in how good the hitters were and how tight the strike zone got. But in the Majors it gets a little bit tighter and the hitters are that little bit better. The hitters are the biggest thing, though. They are all pretty much amazing, that is why they are up there.
Nice interview with Kyle Drabek. Seems like he will be given every opportunity to win a job next spring. The only thing that could hold him back is the dreaded service time.
Villanueva's overall whiff rate of .324 ranked 7th in the majors among pitchers with at least 200 opposing plate appearances. The slider is elite, and the change doesn't look bad, either. There were a ton of liners, particularly off of the fastball, which is not good news. What's particularly interesting is that, as you can by the pitch percentages, Villanueva throws the four pitches with more or less the same frequency.
All the info you could ever want on our new bullpen guy. Does he get a middle relief job or is he more of a long man?
Emaus is playing in the Dominican Republic for the Toros and hitting .267/.353/.476 with four home runs. He played his first game at second base, his preferred position, on Wednesday after playing every other winter game at third. He said he was surprised and disappointed when the Blue Jays left him off the 40-man roster in November but excited to get picked by the Mets. "My agent (ACES' Mike Zimmerman) told me this week that there was a 50-50 chance I'd be taken in the Rule 5, and right now I'm just very ecstatic, excited to be given another chance by the Mets," Emaus said via phone from the Dominican. Asked to give Mets fans a scouting report, Emaus said, "I'm just a blue-collar guy, a solid guy who has to know the game, has to have some (baseball IQ) because I don't have great tools. I'm not flashy but I bring my best every day and go out trying to find an edge."
I think he sticks with the Mets all season. J.P. is smarter than everybody else and can`t ever admit he is wrong. This time will be no different.
Anthopoulos declined to name any specific players he is targeting but did admit he is trying to be as active as he can. The GM did not leave the Winter Meetings with any free-agent offers on the table, though, because that goes against the way he likes to operate.
"I don't like leaving an offer out there, [because] then it allows it to be shopped," Anthopoulos said. "My style is more getting the parameters, letting the agent know those parameters probably make sense for us, [then] we'll be in that mix.
"I want to know that the player wants to be here, or at least we're on a short list. If the agent then comes back and says, 'Look, he's willing to come here, you're definitely one of the top places he wants to be,' ... If I can get a window to start negotiating with someone and we're engaged and there's a back and forth, that's usually my process."
"That's strictly based off our scouts," Anthopoulos said of the selections. "If we have a scout that believes strongly in someone, we don't have anything to lose. I'm a big believer that if you have a scout pounding the table for someone that's a Rule 5 Draft -- or a waiver claim or something like that -- you just got to go ahead and do it. ... If you can't do that for your scout, there's something wrong."
If you wanna see just how many scouts we got click here. Scroll about halfway down the page.
Lawrie will go to Las Vegas this year, and see if he can tear it up there. Lesser talents have done exactly that.
This trade, which is most assuredly a step back in the hopes of moving a couple of steps forward, now gives the Jays young elite-level controllable position-player talent in Escobar and Snider at the major-league level, Gose and d’Arnaud in the low minors, and Hechevarria and Lawrie in the high minors. These guys - along with Romero, Morrow, Cecil, Drabek and Stewart - are the building blocks of the teams the Jays will have when they become perennial contenders. Shaun Marcum wasn’t going to be one of those guys, by the simple matter of his age.
Rarely - if ever - do I bother reading Mike Wilner`s bullshit. But I must say he was on quite a streak while covering the winter meetings.
Most of you might complain that dealing that much future is foolish, but I beg to differ. I’ve seen Snider since he first arrived as a 20-year-old after just 305 games of minor-league experience. I was wowed by his line drive home run power, an above-average arm and okay foot speed for a "thick bodied" youngster. But I also became leery of his average baseball IQ and the fact that he had trouble with the in-game coaching he was receiving from Cito Gaston and Gene Tenace. That raised some red flags from members of the Sportsnet broadcast booth who once played this game.
As for Drabek, I’ve only seen him pitch three times in the majors, but I won’t say that I was blown away at any time. Average height (6-foot-1), he certainly won’t intimidate opponents from six feet, six inches away. And I saw nothing that screamed out "ace" (though it was a small sample I admit.)
On the other hand, I rarely miss one of Scott`s columns. I was quite disappointed in this one.
It’s a tough offseason to be a veteran free agent first baseman.
Though it may normally be a difficult position to be in anyway, there
are now too many lumbering older dudes looking for too few chairs and
the music will eventually stop. Who will win this round of musical
chairs? Will any of the bunch succeed and therefore become a fantasy
value pick in 2011?
By the current count, the Cubs, Jays, Nationals, White Sox and Rays
don’t have a traditional first baseman on their roster, and they
probably represent the best opportunities for an every-day first base
job for Adam Dunn, Lance Berkman, Derrek Lee, Paul Konerko, Carlos Pena, Adam LaRoche, and Lyle Overbay. Someone will probably be on the outside looking in.
I said it a while back and I'll say it again, Adam LaRoche is a nice target for us on a short term deal. If it happens, his nickname in these parts will be: Clip
The TORONTO BLUE JAYS announce the following appointments to their Minor
League Field staffs for the 2011 season. New to the organization are
managers MARTY BROWN, MIKE REDMOND & pitching coach JIM CZAJKOWSKI, a
former Blue Jay farmhand from 1996-1997. SAL FASANO will manage New
Hampshire (AA) of the Eastern League, OMAR MALAVE has been appointed as
manager of the Gulf Coast Blue Jays, while RICK LANGFORD will serve as
the Pitching Rehab Coordinator.
The offseason Minor League manager shuffle is complete.
9. John Farrell. Blue Jays.
Farrell, the well-respected pitching coach of the Red Sox, probably got
this chance because of the great success of Black, a longtime pitching
coach who made the transition to manager look easy by doing well in San
Diego. Farrell beat out a long line of candidates to get the call.
Toronto comes off a year of relative overachievement under the
underrated Cito Gaston, and while no one expects them to make the
playoffs in baseball's hardest division, the task to avoid the cellar
won't necessarily be easy now that the Orioles seem to have turned
things around under Buck Showalter. Farrell is by all accounts a very
bright man, but this is tough spot for a new manager having to match
wits with Terry Francona, Joe Girardi, Maddon and Showalter in the AL
East. Grade: C-minus.
Not exactly a glowing report but I can see where Jon is coming from. Try to remember that we hired a guy who has no experience managing at any level.
That’s why you might see the Blue Jays take a chance and hand Adam
Lind the starting job at first base. Toronto is hoping any defensive
shortcomings Lind may exhibit at learning a new position would be offset
by the potential he has shown with his bat.
“I wouldn’t rule it
out,” general manager Alex Anthopoulos said when asked if last year’s
designated hitter has what it takes to step in at first, should the team
not bring back free agent Lyle Overbay. “His footwork needs a lot of
work.”
It is also the reason why the Jays might be willing to take
a chance on J.P. Arencibia handling the majority of catching duties now
that all-star veteran John Buck has signed a free-agent deal with the
Florida Marlins.
According to Anthopoulos, offensive punch will
take precedence over defensive savvy when it comes to the construction
of his 2011 lineup.
Oft-injured Dustin McGowan has agreed to a new one-year contract with the Toronto Blue Jays worth $450,000 (U.S.), the American League club said on Thursday.
The 28-year-old pitcher, 12-10 with the Jays in 2007, has not pitched in
a game since July, 2008, when he had the first of two surgeries on his
right pitching shoulder.
The most recent procedure was performed in June.
The Savannah, Ga., native has recently begun a throwing program, although no timetable is set for a return to the mound.
Please take your sweet ass time coming back Dusty.
There was great joy among the Blue Jays Internet crowd at the news
Tallet was leaving to join the Cardinals. That’s natural enough after
the sour year he had in 2010.
But you won’t hear a peep of good riddance from any of his teammates
or the people who coached and managed him during his five years in
Toronto.
Every team needs a Brian Tallet. A guy that takes the ball day after
day. A guy you sacrifice when nobody else in the bullpen could go.
As an emergency starter, he took the ball and took his lumps and never once blamed anyone but himself when things went south.
In St. Louis, he will be a specialist, facing left-handed hitters. If
Tony LaRussa sticks with that, Tallet will be an effective addition.
From 2006 through 2008 when he was primarily a reliever, he worked 174 innings, allowed 146 hits with an ERA of 3.36.
The last two years when Blue Jays injuries forced him into a starting
role — a role he loved, by the way — he was a swing man who struggled
with a 9-15 record with a 5.67 ERA. More than a few times, he was the
sacrificial lamb who helped save somebody else’s arm while putting his
own aching meal ticket through the grinder.
If they sign Jesse Crain, all of a sudden the Jays bullpen doesn’t look so
iffy anymore. Consider Frasor and Crain, then add Shawn Camp, David
Purcey, Casey Janssen, Marc Rzepczynski, the forgotten Jesse Carlson,
Josh Roenicke and others and at spring training you’re looking to cut
down.
Fans tend to overlook what Frasor has
done for the Jays largely because of bad body language. Since his
rookie year in ’04 when he saved 17 games as part of a closer-less
bullpen, he may have been the most consistent Jay over seven years they
have ever had.
As far as MLB relievers, active, who
have been with the same team since 2004, there are only nine, including
Frasor. The list is comprised of Joe Nathan (Twins), Ryan Madson
(Phils), Mariano Rivera (Yanks), Crain, Justin Duchscherrer (A’s), Frank
Francisco (Rangers), Scot Shields (Angels), Matt Guerrier (Twins) and
Frasor.
Memo to the nice people at The Star, Dick NEEDS an editor. Example number 6,584,345: Justin Duchscherrer
In what would be the biggest transaction in Canadian sport history,
Rogers is in talks to buy the Toronto Maple Leafs in a deal worth more
than $1 billion, sources said Tuesday.
The sale would include the Raptors, Toronto FC soccer club and the Marlies, the Maple Leafs’ minor league hockey team.
Buying a majority stake in Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment
from the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan would transform Rogers, which
already owns the Toronto Blue Jays, into one of the most powerful sports
enterprises in North America.
“I know it’s real,” said one top sports industry executive, who
requested anonymity. “I’ve heard it from Rogers at a high executive
level and from MLSE at a (the highest) level.”
Sources close to the talks say the asking price for the 66 per cent
stake owned by the Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan, which has about $95
billion in assets, is in the neighbourhood of $1.3 billion.
“This would be unprecedented in a market the size of Toronto,”
said Richard Powers, sports marketing professor at the University of
Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. “They would have a stranglehold
on basically the entire professional sports market in southern Ontario
and control almost every single stream of sports-producing revenue in
the city.”
I am the only one that figures there is no way in hell the cheap bastards at Rogers pony up over a billion dollars for a shit hockey/basketball/soccer team?
The Blue Jays have contacted the Royals about a trade for
right-hander Zack Greinke, and the Royals are intrigued by what the Jays
might offer, according to major-league sources.
Here’s the problem: The Jays are on Greinke’s no-trade list, meaning that he cannot be sent to Toronto without his permission.
That fact alone does not preclude a trade: Players frequently waive
no-trade clauses, usually in exchange for some kind of contractual
benefit.
Greinke, sources say, has told the Royals that he is willing “to go anywhere.”
Other clubs, however, are skeptical of that stance.
“The rule of thumb is that if a player has a team on his no-trade
list, it makes it less likely,” one rival general manager says.
The Toronto Blue Jays Winter Tour presented by Rogers Sportsnet, and
featuring players and personnel from the Toronto Blue Jays Baseball Club
and Rogers Sportsnet, may be coming to a City near you! In January
2011, the Toronto Blue Jays are returning to our roots and bringing back
their Winter Caravan to communities across Canada. Blue Jays Players
Ricky Romero, Brett Cecil, J.P. Arencibia and Travis Snider will
highlight the Tour in addition to new Manager John Farrell and Pitching
Coach Bruce Walton. Rogers Sportsnet personalities Jamie Campbell and
Buck Martinez will also be participating.†
Toronto, Kitchener/Waterloo, Calgary and Vancouver will serve as the
host destinations for the Blue Jays Winter Tour 2011. For a complete
listing of where your Blue Jays players will be please see the schedule
below on how you may see or meet your Blue Jays.
The only person to take me up on my offer to watch the game chez moi was none other than the Nemesis Enforcer himself. His ETA was a little after game time, which was no problem thanks to the wonders of PVR, but meant I had to resist the urge to open Twitter and not respond to the 3 text messages I got asking me if I was watching.
My observations of the centre piece in the Halladay deal will be purely from a catcher's perspective. Here goes:
First off, the kid can move the ball. With respect to his fastball, I saw 3 different kinds.
The 4 seamer: straight and flat in the mid 90's.
The cutter: breaks in on left handed batters in the mid 90's.
The 2 seamer: breaks in on right handed batters in the mid 90's.
He threw these pitches early and often. Breaking bats and getting guys to look like basically Minor Leaguers. I especially liked the cutter, which did look like a slider at times.
He did not throw his curveball nearly enough early on, which I think we can attribute to the fact that John Buck had NO CHANCE of catching it. Dirty, filthy, sick, nasty.....call it whatever you want. A tight 12 - 6 break on it and appeared to be difficult to pick up by the hitters. Definitely his best pitch with big time swing and miss potential.
I only saw about 3 change ups all night. They looked straight and sat at about 86 - 87 MPH.
Much was made by the announcers during the pre game and the game itself about his Cy Young award winning dad and what advice he may have passed along before the start. Here is what I think Doug said to Kyle: "son, you had better keep the ball down in the zone"
The only pitch I saw that missed it's spot up, was the homer that Vernon brought back to earth off the bat of Adam Jones.
I do have a few things that I think may need to be worked on, although much of them can probably be attributed to nerves.
1: Holding runners on
Both Bautista and Buck had to gently remind our young fireballer to vary his times to the plate. The double steal in the first inning by Baltimore was evidence of this. You cannot, under any circumstances, get into a rhythm with runners on base. To his credit, Kyle was able to correct this very quickly.
2: Throwing the pitches he wants to throw, when he wants to throw them
I only saw him shake off his catcher once. And that was in order to throw the curve for a strike out. I totally understand why he was hesitant to do this but as he becomes more comfortable and familiar with the league, look for this to change.
3: Maintaining his velocity
From what I can see, his velo was down about 2 - 3 MPH by the 5th inning. It is the end of the season and this is common.
Conclusion:
Overall, a wonderful performance from where I was sitting even though he took the loss. I think the hype may be warranted and I will most definitely be in attendance for his game against the Mariners at the Dome.
TRENTON, NJ- The expected pitchers duel proved to be just as advertised. Thunder prospect Dellin Betances and Fishercats ace Kyle Drabek went to battle on the Waterfront Park mound on Wednesday night in the opening game of the Eastern League Division Series.
Drabek, the prized pitcher who came to the Toronto organization last off-season in the trade that sent Roy Halladay to Philadelphia, retired the first 9 batters he faced. Betances, a New York native, kept pace, with a huge cheering section behind him.
Betances, making his fourth start above Class A, hurled 95 mph gas at New Hampshire and mixed speeds well enough to keep the Fishercats guessing. Betances stepped his game up, as he was facing the Eastern League's anointed pitcher of the year. In 5 1/3 innings, the 22-year-old righty struck out 8 while walking just 1 and allowing 2 hits.
New Hampshire pitching coach Tom Signore talked about the outstanding efforts from the pitchers. "It was a well pitched game by both teams. Betances is a strong prospect and did great. If you look at (Kyle's) velocity, it was the best he's been all season...his high was 97. Stuff wise, he was better tonight than the night he threw the no-hitter (against New Britain on July 4th)," Signore said.
"Sometimes you don't win these games. That's what makes baseball so interesting," Signore added.
The second time through the lineup, Drabek was not as lucky. Trenton lead-off man Austin Krum worked a 4-pitch walk that changed the pace of the game. A fielders choice moved Krum to 2nd base, where he quickly stole 3rd. Daniel Brewer then plated Krum with a single that gave the Thunder a 1-0 lead.
Drabek's breaking pitches were working, but the command just wasn't there to maximize their effectiveness. The 22-year-old right-hander threw first pitch strike to only 8 of 22 batters and took the loss, going 6 innings, allowing 3 hits and 1 earned run, while striking out 5 batters. "I had trouble throwing strikes, and a lead-off walk is never good," Drabek stated. "They were just able to put some things together and get (the run) in."
"It was a little hard to find the strike zone tonight. I don't know why. I was pretty much battling the whole game."
When Betances' pitch count exceeded 90 in the 6th inning, manager Tony Franklin pulled his 6-feet-8-inches tall starter in favor of the bullpen. The Fishercats hoped to have an easier time against the Thunder relief corp.
Trenton surely had a bit more success once Drabek was pulled in favor of Trystan Magnuson. With 1 out in the 7th inning, Trenton designated hitter Rene Rivera launched a deep drive to left field for a solo homerun that padded the Thunder lead to 2 runs.
The Fishercats threatened late. In the 8th inning, short stop Adeiny Hechavarria reached with a lead-off single off of Thunder righty JB Cox. After Eric Thames struck out and Shawn Bowman popped to short, David Cooper walked. But Cox was pulled from the game and ambidextrous hurler Pat Venditte made his way to the mound and downed Adam Calderone on strikes.
In the 9th, with Trenton closer Justin Pope on the mound, Adam Loewen started things off with a single. Following a strike out by catcher Matt Liuzza, pinch hitter Ricardo Nanita stroked another single that moved Loewen to third base. Center fielder Darin Mastroianni stepped to the plate ready to inflict some damage. Already 1-for-2 on the night with 2 sacrifice bunts, Mastroianni drilled a liner right at Thunder third baseman Justin Snyder, who snagged the ball and stepped on the bag ahead of a retreating Loewen to end the game on a stunning double play, giving Trenton a 1-0 lead in the best-of-5 series, with a 2-0 victory.
After the game Drabek asserted his belief in the Fishercats' chances to recover and win the series. "Our team's still confident. We feel like we're the best team in this league. And I think we'll be alright."
Notes:
New Hampshire had lead-off runners on base in 6 of 9 innings, but failed to score a single run. Trenton's attendance for game 1 of the Eastern League Division Series, 2,806, was their lowest attendance figure of the season. Betances earned the win in his 4th Double A start...he has now struck out 28 opponents in 19 2/3 innings with Trenton.
During his playing days, Luis Rivera was an infielder in the Major Leagues for the Expos, Mets, Red Sox, Astros and Royals. These days, the Puerto Rico native is the managers of the Blue Jays Double A affiliate, the New Hampshire Fishercats.
As New Hamsphire prepared to begin the Eastern League playoffs against their division rival, Yankees affiliate Trenton Thunder, tonight in New Jersey, 1BlueJaysWay.com had the opportunity to speak exclusively with Luis Rivera about the team's confidence level, their rivalry with Trenton, Adeiny Hechavarria's progress and plenty more.
Check out the media player below to listen to the full interview.
