23 posts tagged “jays”
For all the promise he showed after his call-up in May of last season, could Dustin McGowan be any more ordinary this year? Sure, the Jays' pitching as a whole this season has at least allowed the team to tread water, but after his efforts towards the end of last season, McGowan left me wanting more in '08. Am I the only one that's underwhelmed?
McGowan and Shaun Marcum both turned heads last season, and of the pair, McGowan was considered a sure thing to repeat his performance. And why not? Players around the league marveled about his overpowering stuff last year, the best of which was on display when he carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning against Colorado in late-June. Marcum, on the other hand, relied on breaking pitches and command, both of which seemed to fail him as the season wore on. So you'd expect McGowan to come back stronger in '08, no? Think again. After last night's loss to Seattle, McGowan sits at 6-7 with a 4.36 earned run average. Marcum? 5-4 and 2.65, the latter number amongst league leaders. Marcum, however, is beginning to show signs of wear and tear -- he was placed on the disabled list two weeks ago with a right elbow strain.
Back to our subject, though: McGowan has been strong as ever at home in '08, but a different pitcher altogether on the road. In seven home starts, he's 4-2 with a 2.20 ERA; on the road, he's 2-5 with a 6.17 ERA. Is it a mental thing, then? That's the way it would seem.
At 26, McGowan is still young, but he's starting to show an early onset of A.J. Burnett syndrome. Like Burnett, he has electric stuff, but doesn't seem to be able to harness it. Still, with nowhere to go but up in this suddenly-hopeless season, it's worth waiting to see whether or not McGowan is all he's hyped up to be. Let's just hope he doesn't turn into another guy who gets by solely on potential. Even if he does, though, he can rest assured someone will be waiting to give him a $55 million contract.
By now, you’re likely familiar with the J.P. Ricciardi and Adam Dunn saga. Last week, Ricciardi told a caller on The Fan 590 the Jays weren’t interested in the Will Ferrell look-a-like, insisting Dunn “doesn’t really like baseball that much” and “doesn’t have a passion to play the game”.
Dunn’s response: “I know nothing about this clown. I have no
idea who he is. This guy doesn’t know anything about me other than what he sees
on whatever SportsCenter they have up there.”
Fair enough. Ricciardi claims Dunn doesn’t like baseball, Dunn calls him a clown. Dunn shows ignorance for Canadian sports television. What goes around comes around.
Ricciardi called Reds general manager Walt Jocketty to apologize, and eventually got a call back from Dunn on Saturday night. Or so, that was what he thought.
“If he said he talked to me, it’s a lie,” Dunn said after last night’s game at Rogers Centre.
Turns out J.P. fielded a call from a Dunn imposter. He claims it was a 519 number – the area code for a large portion of Southern Ontario. Cincinnati’s area code, on the other hand, is 513. Close. Close enough to fool the mastermind Ricciardi.
After the game, Dunn reiterated his lack on concern for the esteemed Jays’ GM.
"I'm just so sick and tired of this," he told reporters. “Again, I'm not going to go out of my way to apologize or get an apology from a guy I don't even know.”
Okay, Dunn doesn’t care about Ricciardi. The important thing, however, is that we find out who the genius prank caller was. If you’re out there, be assured that there is absolutely no shame in coming forward.
Yikes -- lately I've been so engulfed in the Blue Jays' great battle to score runs that I've failed to notice what else is going on around baseball. I knew the Tigers had turned it around briefly after their 2-10 start, but noticed just now they've been swept by Kansas City for the second time this season and sit at 16-25, again losers of 10 of their last 12. Luckily for them, as is the case with the Jays thus far, nobody in the American League has really set themselves too far ahead of the pack. Though they're last in the Central, the Tigers are just six games back of first place Cleveland with 121 games to play. Time to count them out? Not by a long shot...
Once again, right after John Gibbons was written off as fired by just about anybody with a pen in arm's reach, the Jays have caught fire, winners of four in a row. The great Joe Inglett was the hero this afternoon, singling home the winning run in the top of the 11th in a 3-2 win over the Twins. Again, the Jays have crept to within a game of the hallowed .500 mark (21-22) and sit three-and-a-half games back from that team from Tampa Bay that refuses to lose. Should the Rays hold off the Yankees this evening (they're up 5-2 in the seventh), New York will drop into sole possession of last place in the East. How great does that sound?
Don't get me wrong -- Vernon Wells' broken wrist is by no means a death sentence for the Jays' season. They did, however, respond to losing their leader in batting average, runs, home runs and RBIs in the worst possible fashion last night, falling 12-0 to the Indians. Offensive saviors Brad Wilkerson and Kevin Mench hit second and cleanup, respectively, and went a combined 1-for-8. Can it get any worse? Well, A.J. Burnett gets the ball this afternoon...
With Wells expected to be out two months, don't be surprised to see Ricciardi reach out in desperation for another hitter long past his expiry date: Jim Edmonds was released by the Padres Friday night after hitting just .178 with a homer in 26 games.
The Blue Jays made a pair of moves in hopes of bolstering their slumping offense yesterday, signing a guy known for his remarkable strikeout-to-anything other than a strikeout ratio and trading for a guy known for having an enormous head. Brad Wilkerson and Kevin Mench were in Toronto's starting lineup last night, and they certainly didn't pay any immediate dividends in a 6-1 loss to Cleveland.
I realize what J.P. Ricciardi is trying to do here -- he realizes his offense is horrible, and after releasing the team's best hitter from last season after a mere 60 at-bats, is looking to throw together the best possible makeshift lineup without having to part with any of his key pieces (any of his starting pitchers, to be more specific). Let's be honest, nobody is going to give up a big bat for a package headlined by Jason Frasor and Joe Inglett. Still, when you're bringing in guys like Wilkerson and Mench, you know you're desperate.
Wilkerson had one nice season with the late Montreal Expos, hitting 32 home runs and scoring 112 runs while serving mainly as their leadoff hitter in 2004. He has, however, struck out 895 times in 888 career games, compared 467 walks and 744 career hits. He spent the last two seasons in Texas, where he hit .222 and .234, respectively. He was cut by the Mariners after hitting .232 in 19 games this April.
Mench was acquired for a bag of balls from the Rangers, where he'd been playing for Triple-A Oklahoma. That's right -- our offensive savior was in the minor leagues for the worst team in the American League. He's well known to Toronto fans for being the Texas player that broke Roy Halladay's leg with a line drive in 2005, ending his season and any dreams the Jays had of at least hanging tough for the final three months of that season. He did, however, open the door for Josh Towers to step in as the team ace and earn a two-year contract. More than anything, though, he's a legend for having the largest head in baseball, a reported size eight.
After last night's 2-1 loss to Boston, the Jays' eighth loss in nine games, it's no longer a question of "if" John Gibbons is fired. The question, instead, is which Toronto player the volatile soon-to-be-former manager decides to knock out on his way out the door. Gibbons is long overdue -- it's been almost two years since his famous run-ins with Shea Hillenbrand and Ted Lilly. Here's a look at some of the leading candidates:
A.J. Burnett: This is a no-brainer -- is there anyone associated with the team that doesn't feel the urge to knock out Burnett? The right-hander has been nothing short of Burnett-esque in his contract year -- I'd like to call him inconsistent, but he's only really had one decent start, all-the-while looking as motivated as Troy Glaus ever did in a Toronto uniform.
Advantage: This one's a toss-up -- Gibbons has been a mediocre manager and Burnett is, after all, still nothing more than a .500 pitcher.
David Eckstein: Sure, Eckstein seems like a stand-up guy, but Gibbons has shown a tendency to pick on unimposing players, and at 5-foot-7 there isn't a better candidate than the Eck-factor. In Gibbons' defence, the new shortstop hasn't hit a lick and has already coughed up a couple games with his poor defense.
Advantage: Eckstein. Lilly caught Gibbons off guard and left him with a bloody nose, and I'm convinced the scrappy Eckstein is at least as tough as him.
Scott Rolen: Rolen didn't get along with Tony La Russa and Larry Bowa. La Russa and Bowa were Rolen's managers. Gibbons is Rolen's current manager. It just makes sense.
Advantage: None. This one never comes to blows, as Gibbons and Rolen instead choose to exchange words through the media over the next three years.
Shawn Camp: Mistaking Camp for "The Reign Man" Shawn Kemp, Gibbons picks a fight with the Jays reliever because he disagrees with his fathering children out of wedlock and his cocaine habit. There's no place for that on this team, he insists.
Advantage: Gibbons, as Camp is caught off guard by the accusations. If it were the real "Reign Man", however, Gibby would've been eaten alive.
John McDonald: Johnny Mac has been to nice of a guy for too long -- you just get the feeling something has to give. McDonald, for one, may instigate out of anger for losing playing time to the offensively and defensively-challenged Eckstein, while Gibbons may seek out Mac for the same reason he'd go after Eckstein -- he's generously listed at 5-foot-10 and 175 lbs.
Advantage: McDonald, because according to Toronto fans, he's just so perfect (and I can't disagree).
In case you can't make much of the aerial angle, YouTube user cuz5one9ca breaks it down:
That's right! I did sack him like he stole my TV...This streaking was fantastic! Too bad you didn't get better footage of buddy getting owned by the 3rd base security guard! That guy sacked that fool like he just stole his tv!
(Another look at the hit)
In light of the Blue Jays’ adding Roberto Alomar’s number to the Level of Excellence at tonight's home opener, here’s a look at my All-Time Jays squad:
Ernie Whitt, Catcher: Whitt, a member of the Jays’ inaugural team in 1977, hung around long enough to enjoy Toronto’s success of the mid-to-late eighties. He was an All-Star on the Jays’ 99-win team in 1985, hitting 19 home runs and driving in 64 runs. Whitt remained in Toronto until 1989, finishing with 131 home runs and 518 RBIs in 12 seasons. He’s currently the team’s first base coach.
Carlos Delgado, First Base: Delgado, the Jays’ starting first baseman from 1996-2004, holds franchise records for home runs (336), RBIs (1,058), doubles (343), total bases (2,786), runs scored (889), slugging percentage (.556) and is second in hits (1,413). On September 25, 2003, he tied a major league record with four home runs in a game against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. He signed with the Florida Marlins prior the 2005 season and spent one season there before getting traded to the New York Mets.
Roberto Alomar, Second Base: Alomar, acquired from the San Diego Padres prior to the 1991 season, was a fixture on Toronto’s World Series teams in 1992 and 1993. A Blue Jay from 1991-1995, Alomar enjoyed his best season in Toronto in 1993, when he hit .326 with 17 home runs, 93 RBIs and 55 stolen bases. Generally considered one of the greatest second basemen in baseball history, Alomar won 10 Gold Glove Awards and was a 12-time All-Star in his career.
Kelly Gruber, Third Base: Gruber, the Jays’ starting third baseman from 1987-1992, enjoyed his best season in 1990 when he hit 31 home runs and drove in 118 runs. The two-time All-Star also became the first Toronto player to hit for the cycle, doing so on April 16, 1989.
Tony Fernandez, Shortstop: Fernandez, the franchise leader in career games (1,450) and hits (1,583), had four stints in Toronto in his 17-year career (1983-1990, 1993, 1998-1999, 2001). A five-time All-Star and four-time Gold Glover, Fernandez enjoyed his best season with the Jays in 1986, when he hit .310 with 10 home runs and 65 RBIs. Fernandez was also a member of Toronto’s 1993 World Series team.
George Bell, Left Field: Bell, a Blue Jay from 1981-1990, was one of the team’s first stars and the first and only Blue Jay to win the American League MVP Award, when he hit .308 with 47 home runs and 134 RBIs in 1987. Bell, a three-time All-Star, is third on the Jays’ all-time home run list (202).
Vernon Wells, Center Field: Wells, a two-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glover, enjoyed his best year in 2003, his second full season in the big leagues, hitting .317 with 33 home runs, 117 RBIs and a team-record 215 hits. The Jays’ current center fielder isn’t going anywhere soon – following another strong season in 2006, they rewarded him with a seven-year, $126 million contract.
Joe Carter, Right Field: Carter’s walk-off home run in Game 6 of the 1993 World Series wasn’t his only big accomplishment in his seven years in Toronto – he played in five All-Star games, drove in over 100 runs six times and hit 202 home runs, second to Delgado on the team’s all-time list.
Dave Siteb, Starting Pitcher: Stieb, a Blue Jay from 1979-1992 and briefly in 1998, holds team records for wins (175), innings pitched (2,873), strikeouts (1,658), games started (408), complete games (103) and shutouts (30). A seven-time All-Star and the second-winningest pitcher of the eighties (to Jack Morris), Stieb threw the only no-hitter in team history on September 2, 1990 against the Cleveland Indians.
Tom Henke, Relief Pitcher: Henke saved a team-record 217 games from 1985-1992, while maintaining a franchise-best earned run average of 2.48. “The Terminator” was an American League All-Star in 1987, saving a league-high 34 games. He saved 311 games in his 14-year career, good for 15th in major league history.
I hate to do this -- to put a damper on the best day of the baseball season -- but why do Major League Baseball's schedule makers insist on opening the season in cold weather cities? Didn't they learn their lesson with Cleveland's opening week last season? Well, forgive me for being bitter, because while much of the baseball world was enjoying Opening Day, I was at home watching re-runs of Jays Connected: The Season '08 while waiting for the inevitable announcement that today's Jays-Yankees opener was postponed. For the record, I was one of the unfortunate to travel all the way to Detroit for an opening week Jays-Tigers game last April, only for it to be postponed upon my arrival.
Nonetheless, baseball season will go on, as will my life...Game on!
In what came as a surprise move to me, the Jays signed Shannon Stewart to a minor-league contract yesterday. Apparently they'd offered Stewart a similar deal in December, though he turned it down in hopes of landing a guaranteed two-year deal elsewhere. Stewart, a first round pick of the Jays in 1992, is expected to battle Reed Johnson for the starting left field spot. Should he crack Toronto's roster, he'll earn $1.5 million and potentially another $250,000 in incentives.
I like this deal, partly because I've always been a Stewart fan and partly because the left field competition should bring out the best in both him and Johnson. Johnson followed a great 2006 season (.319, 12 home runs) with a disastrous, injury-plague 2007 (.236, 2 home runs) and should be geared up for at least some sort of a bounce-back year, while Stewart hit .290 with 12 home runs in 146 games with Oakland in 2007. Don't forget to throw Canada's own Matt Stairs into the mix as well.
Overall, a low-risk pickup for the Jays that should help fill left field until Adam Lind is ready to step in.
