Thursday, April 14, 2011

More Roster Moves, Delgado Retires


After David Purcey couldn't find the strike zone again on Monday night, he was designated for assignment. That means he needs to be traded, released, or get put on waivers in the next 10 days. AA said he believes he can trade him, but I think the best trade he will be able to get is a PTBNL or a bench player. Purcey also might be an add on to a possible Juan Rivera trade, or Edwin Encarnacion trade. Brad Mills was called up to replace Purcey in the bullpen.Mills didn't get to make an appearance as on Wednesday night he was sent back down, while Luis Perez, the left handed pitcher was called up to replace him. The Jays enter a four gamer with the Red Sox, so they are going with a 8 man bullpen and 3 man bench because of the 14 inning game on Saturday night that tired there bullpen.
Rajai Davis was put on the DL on Tuesday, and Casey Jannsen was recalled, just 4 days after he was sent to down to Las Vegas.

The Jays have the most scouts in the MLB, and have the 4th best farm system.That is very good, and that is why TWIB is doing this weeks show on the Jays.The way the Jays get most of there prospects is via the draft, and they wont be short of high round picks this year, once again. The Jays have 7 picks in the top 80 this year, but don't get there first round pick until 21st. Pittsburgh will have the first pick in the draft this year, and hopefully they dont waste it again (Brian Bullington).
Former Blue Jay Carlos Delgado announced his retirement yesterday, and will be eligible for the Hall in 2016. Delgado is the Jays leader in a lot of categories, such as home runs and rbi's.
Poll results come out tommorw, but right now Brett Lawrie looks like the best prospect in the Jays minor league system.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Game 8: LA Angels of A 6, Blue Jays 5 F/14 innings


When a baseball game takes 5 hours ands 3 minutes, you know its a crazy game, but you don't expect it to be so crazy. You don't think that the Jays would turn 5 double plays,one bizarre one.You don't imagine that a fast guy like Bobby Abreu would be thrown out at home twice in extra innings.I'm sure you did not think that the Jays would call MLB headquarters during the game to get clearance for Yunel Escobar to play in the game last night, but they did.But what you don't expect is an umpire to hold a grudge on the jays for 19 years, but he did.
Think back to the World Series in 1992, when the Jays were facing the Braves.Do you remember the play when the Jays had turned a triple play, but Bob Davidson ruled it a double play, because most Jays fan do.So Davidson decided to show the Jays that he still hates them, and blew the game again tonight.He called an offensive interference on Yunel Escobar, which made the go ahead run in the top of the 13th not count, and it was all down hill from there.
Dan Haren came on in the top of the 14th,yes Dan Haren the starter, and shut down the Jays making them go 1,2,3. Jon Rauch came on in the bottom of the 14th to try to hold the Angels in check, and was doing a very nice job of it. Unfortunately after getting two quick outs, and getting ahead on Peter Bourjos hit a liner to right field. Travis Snider tripped while running back to the wall, and it was a double for the speedy Bourjos. Rauch then gave up a single to Maicer Izturis, and a strong throw from Jose Bautista wasn't able to get Bourjos at the plate as the Angels walked off 6-5.
It was a great game, but the Jays should have won it if Bob Davidson wasn't such a jerk.Jim Joyce is now the second worst umpire of all time in my books, as this is now the second time Davidson ruined a Jays game.

Friday, April 8, 2011

Shocking News from Tampa Bay


Just a few minutes ago, Manny Ramirez retired from playing America's Game professionally. The slugger who has 555 career home runs, good enough for 14th on the all time list, decided to hang up his cleats because of an issue he had regarding the MLB's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. If Ramirez decides to come back and play again, he would have to continue with the program, from where he is leaving off. The Rays have now gone from a team that could have a good year, to a team that will most likely finish under .500.

Brandon Morrow and Frank Fransisco had horrible rehab appearances in Dunedin yesterday, but they will still pitch at least once more before rejoining the club. Octavio Dotel was reinstated from the DL yesterday, and will be part of a indestructible force with Mark Rzepczynski coming out of the bullpen. He will be the man to face right handers, while Rzepczynski will handle the lefties in late game situations. Casey Janssen was optioned back down to AAA, and will likely join the 51's this weekend.

The poll results are in, and out of the 13 people tested, 5 of them said the Jays will win the World Series this year. 3 people said the Red Sox would take it the championship, while 2 said the Phillies would, and three said another team would.0% of the people tested responded with the Giants repeating as World Champions this year.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Blue Jays Minor League Rosters

Triple-A Las Vegas

SP — Luis Perez
SP — Brad Mills
SP — Scott Richmond
SP — Mike MacDonald
SP — Randy Boone

RP — Winston Abreu
RP — Chad Cordero
RP — Sean Henn
RP — Mike Hinckley
RP — Wilfredo Ledezma
RP — Rommie Lewis
RP — Josh Roenicke

C — Ryan Budde
C — Brian Jeroloman

1B — David Cooper
2B — Niuman Romero
SS — Chris Woodward
3B — Brett Lawrie

UTL — Manny Mayorson

LF — Eric Thames
CF — Darin Mastroianni
RF — Adam Loewen
OF — Daniel Perales
OF — Jason Lane

DL — Scott Podsednik
DL — Ryan Shealey
DL — Robert Ray

Double-A New Hampshire

SP — Zach Stewart
SP — B.J. Lamura
SP — Joel Carreno
SP — Ray Gonzalez
SP — Willie Collazo

RP — Evan Crawford
RP — Matt Daly
RP — Clinton Everts
RP — Alan Farina
RP — Bobby Korecky
RP — Vince Perkins
RP — Ronald Uviedo

C — Travis d’Arnaud
C — Yan Gomes

1B — Mike McDade
2B — Jon Diaz
SS — Adeiny Hechavarria
3B — Mark Sobolewski
DH — Craig Stansberry

UTL — John Tolisano

LF — Adam Calderone
CF — Anthony Gose
RF — Moises Sierra
OF — Ricardo Nanita

DL — Scott Campbell
DL — Jared Potts
DL — Callix Crabbe
DL — Luis Sanchez
DL — Al Quintana

Inactive — Matt Liuzza

Class-A Dunedin

SP — Chad Jenkins
SP — Deck McGuire
SP — Asher Wojciechowski
SP — Chad Beck
SP — Ryan Tepera
SP — Nestor Molina

RP — Casey Beck
RP — Frank Gailey
RP — Dumas Garcia
RP — Wes Etheridge
RP — Matt Wright
RP — Ryan Shopshire

C — Antonio Jimenez
C — Sean Ochinko

1B — Jon Talley
2B — Ivan Contreras
SS – Ryan Goins
3B — Kevin Ahrens
DH — Brian Van Kirk

UTL — Justin Jackson
UTL — Kevin Nolan

LF — Kenny Wilson
CF — Bradley Glenn
RF — Brad McElroy
OF — Chris Hopkins

DL — Henderson Alvarez
DL — John Anderson
DL — Raul Barron
DL — Ryan Schimpf
DL — Sean Shoffit
DL — Andrew Liebel

Inactive — Justin McClanahan

Class-A Lansing

SP — Drew Hutchison
SP — Misaul Diaz
SP — Daniel Webb
SP — Egan Smith
SP — Casey Lawrence

RP — Daniel Barnes
RP — Scott Garcey
RP — Dayton Marze
RP — Alex Pepe
RP — Drew Permison
RP — Sam Strickland
RP — Steven Turnbull

C — Carlos Perez
C — Jack Murphy
C — Joseph Bowen

1B — KC Hobson
2B — Garis Pena
SS — Gustavo Pierre
3B — Bryson Namba

UTL — Oliver Dominguez
UTL — Balbino Fuenmayor

LF — Marcus Knecht
CF — Jacob Marisnick
RF — Michael Crouse
OF — Markus Brisker

DL — Dustin Antollin
DL — Matt Fields
DL — Sean Nolin
DL — Lance Durham
DL — Aaron Loup
DL — Brian Slover
DL — Marcus Walden

Monday, April 4, 2011

Oakland Series Update


The Oakland A's have announced that Dallas Braden will be moved back to start against the Jays on Wednesday, as Brandon McCarthy will be moved up to start on Tuesday. McCarthy will oppose Jays No.4 pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes as the series gets underway on Tuesday night.Rajai Davis is set to return to the line-up to face his for teammates, after he turned his ankle on opening night.

The Jays might have started there season last Friday, but the minor league affiliates have yet to start the 2011 campaign. The Las Vegas 51's, the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, and the Dunedin Blue Jays are all playing there first games this upcoming Thursday, the 7th.The other 4 minor league affiliates do not start for a while, and all of the players on those teams will stay at the Bobby Mattick Training Centre in Dunedin, Florida for extended spring training. After extended spring training, the BlueField Blue Jays, and the Vancouver Canadians will begin there first year as Blue Jays affiliates.

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Game 3: Twins 4 Blue Jays 3

A late Rally by the Jays came up short as the Blue Birds fell to the Twins 4-3 at the Rogers Centre on Sunday. The Jays lost there first game of the season, after starting 2-0 against the Twins.

The reigning Home Run King, Jose Bautista hit his second home run of the new campaign off of Twins starter Nick Blackburn in the Fifth inning, on what happened to be Jose's own bobble head day. J.P Arencibia hit three shots that would have been home runs if the dome was open, but because it was closed, the balls just died at the wall. Adam Lind also hit a sure thing ball 399 feet, but becuase of the lack of air flow, the ball just stopped moving at the wall and just fell into CF Denard Span's glove.

Edwin Encarnacion had two errors in this game, which moves his total to three, in two games. Jose Bautista was supposed to start the season playing third base, but Manager, John Farrell moved Bautista back to RF, Encarnacion to 3B, and Juan Rivera to DH. We all know this move is just temporary as the Jays are going to bring up 3B prospect Brett Lawrie in a couple of weeks. Juan Rivera is just here to be a fill in guy, until Lawrie comes up, and Encarnacion moves back to DH.

Brett Cecil looked a little shooken up after he gave up a solo home run to  Danny Valencia in the third inning. He was taken out after the fifth inning, as he gave up 2 runs on 5 hits, and 1 walk in that fifth inning. Travis Snider helped Cecil that inning as he gunned down Danny Valencia at the plate, from left field. That throw was a real sign of Snider's defensive abilities really starting to grow and develop.

The Jays are off until Tuesday at 7 eastern when they send Jo-Jo Reyes to the mound in Toronto to face Dallas Braden and the Oakland A's

Friday, April 1, 2011

2011 MLB Awards Preview


With the MLB preview done,I need to predict the awards for 2011.Will Roy Halladay win the NL Cy Young again,will Adrian Gonzalez take the switch to the American League easy?We will find out, but for now this is who I think will be the recipients of the awards at the end of the season.

AL MVP Adrian Gonzalez
AL Cy Young Jon Lester
AL Rookie of the Year Kyle Drabek
AL Comeback Joe Mauer

NL MVP Albert Pujols
NL Cy Young Roy Halladay
NL Rookie of the Year Aroldis Chapman
NL Comeback Nate Mclouth

AL Silver Sluggers
C Joe Mauer
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B Robinson Cano
3B Evan Longoria
SS Derek Jeter
OF Jose Bautista
OF Vernon Wells
OF Vladimir Guerroro
DH Adam Dunn

NL Silver Sluggers
C Brian McCann
1B Albert Pujols
2B Chase Utley
3B Aramis Ramirez
SS Troy Tulowitzki
OF Matt Holiday
OF Carlos Gonzalez
OF Ryan Braun
P Shaun Marcum

AL Gold Gloves
C Russell Martin
1B Mark Teixera
2B Robinson Cano
3B Evan Longoria
SS Derek Jeter
OF Jose Bautista
OF Ichiro Suzuki
OF Tori Hunter
P Mark Buehrle

NL Gold Gloves
C Yadier Molina
1B Albert Pujols
2B Chase Utley
3B Scott Rolen
SS Troy Tulowitzki
OF Matt Holliday
OF Ryan Braun
OF Carlos Gonzlez
P Bronson Arroyo