bullpen issues? YES!

Good GRIEF! Just when I thought I wouldn't have to rant about the bullpen this year, it turns out to be just the opposite. Remember in my last post how I said that "having great stuff" doesn't mean anything if you can't strike out guys consistently? I still hold firm on that belief and I firmly believe that Blue Jays could've won if Cordero had brought his A-Game, not his F-Game. It was a total stunner and a heartbreaker the way the Blue Jays lost, but more importantly they could've swept a first place team for the second time in almost a week! Sifting through Twitter posts via Echofon, I noticed that Cordero was a trending topic with a LOT of posts saying along the lines of how the bullpen needs help and that Cordero should be released.

I can't say I blame those people for saying what they said. Afterall, I probably would've said something along that line or the infamous line from Donald Trump: "You're Fired". The bullpen's got issues. Something I hoped would've been fixed with the addition of Sergio Santos and the emergence of Casey Janssen. Until the bullpen gets back on track, it'll be up to the offence, starting pitching and defence to keep us out of trouble. 

Ups, downs, umpires & more..

Looks like I've missed quite a bit of writing time, but it's safe to say I'm all too well aware of what's been going on with the Jays. As it is, the Jays are in a tie for 4th in the AL East, but 3 GB and if the season were to end today, they'd be 2 games out of the AL Wildcard. 

I suppose you could say that part of what got them in this sticky mess was dropping 2 in Tampa and then being beyond humiliated by the Texas Rangers. Coming home and opening a 6 game homestand vs the Orioles and Boston, however seemed to be pretty much what was much needed. 

Funny enough, it was Hutchinson who helped them get back on track with a dominating performance vs the Orioles and closed the homestand with a stunning performance vs the Red Sox. Who knew that they Jays would have to rely on a total rookie pitcher for that? 

I must admit that I have NOT been a fan of the umpiring ever since the Lawrie incident and more recently, when Henderson Alvarez was tossed from the game for pitching inside to Ian Kinsler with no explanation and as far as I'm concerned, there was no intent to hit Kinsler! 

We're almost 1/3 of the way through the season and we're in for a tough stretch through the month of June, especially with interleague play (which is utterly useless in my mind). I still believe that Lind will return from triple-A vegas and so will Eric Thames. I'm still not totally sold on Snider returning just yet, not because he's injured, but because I don't think he's ready to make the adjustments needed at the major league level. 

I do, however still worry about the bullpen depth and consistency. To me, I could care less if a pitcher in the bullpen has "great stuff and strikeout capabilities". I'm more concerened about them using their stuff consistently and haivng a clean 1-2-3 inning instead of giving up runs and eventually blowing a save! 

Also, for those of you following the Jays on Twitter, here's a list of players you can follow: 

JP Arencibia: @jparencibia9

Ricky Romero: @RickyRo24

Kyle Drabek: @kyledrabek4

Drew Hutchinson: @1DrewHutch

Brandon Morrow: @2Morrow23

Jose Bautista: @JoeyBats19

Eric Thames: @EThames14

Travis Snider: @LunchboxHero45

Casey Janssen: @CaseyJanssen

Brett Lawrie: @blawrie13


Edwin Encarnacion: @Encadwin


Cheers, 
jLau (@jlau87) 

Bats are alive...

One month down, 5 more to go. Finishing April 12-11, the Blue Jays took 2 of 3 from the Mariners and the best team in the AL: the Texas Rangers. 


Even with the bullpen having a total meltdown last Friday vs the Mariners, the Blue Jays managed to storm back on Saturday with a 3-0 lead going into the bottom of the 8th when the Mariners decided to walk Adam Lind intentionally (and loading the bases in the process of doing so), with the hopes of striking out the red-hot bad of Edwin Encarnacion. 


THAT move, I must say was a really bad mistake. Instead of striking out, Encarnacion took one swing of the bat and whacked a grand slam for a final score of 7-0. 


Last Sunday, the Jays once again decided to bring out the big bats and took down the Mariners 7-2 before taking on the much talked about (and in my mind, over-hyped) Yu Darvish and the Texas Rangers. 


My first impression of Darvish was definitely not a good one. He looked SO arrogant for someone who's new to the MLB and it was like he had thoughts of maybe getting a no-hitter! Sure, he's no easy pitcher to hit against. Darvish then beaned Encarnacion during his first at bat and sure enough, Encarnacion got his due revenge by going yard the second time at bat. I have to say: seeing Encarnacion go yard after being beaned reminded me very much of what Bautista did a lot of last year. Sadly, the Jays went on to lose 4-1 and then broke out their big bats again on Tuesday and Wednesday. 


Home runs overdue? You bet they were. Kelly Johnson, Encarnacion, Bautista and Lind all went yard in the remainder of the series. Tuesday night, the Cordero once again blew a save opportunity in the 9th, but thankfully Brett Lawrie (of all people!) managed to bail the team out with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 9th for a 8-7 win. 


Yesterday, with Romero on the mound, the Jays managed to get an 11-5 win in the series finale vs the Rangers and tonight, they can go into Anaheim with their heads held high, despite knowing that Jered Weaver tossed a complete game/no hitter vs the Twins last night. Anaheim's slumping a bit, and there's no better time to bring out the big bats. 


Talk soon, Jays fans. As always, you can follow me on Twitter at @jlau87 

Off to a good start..

First off: I have zilch intentions of worrying like crazy about the bullpen, but seeing 4 blown saves is a bit of an issue--already! Seeing the Blue Jays out last the Indians over the span of 28 innings in the first two games of the season was impressive, but at the same time a bit strange. Taking 2 of 3 vs the Indians got them of to a pretty roaring start...and then it began to get a bit hairy this week with the Boston Red Sox and the Orioles in town.

Like all of you, I was totally stoked for the Home Opener but I definitely didn't expect that the BoSox would walk in with an 0-3 start, rain all over the Blue Jays' parade and walk out with the win that night..not with Alvarez having pitched a total GEM of a game! Then again, leave it to the bullpen to allow for the home opener to have the result it did. However, the Blue Jays managed to take 2 of 3 vs the Red Sox and enjoy Thursday off.

Finally, we get to this weekend vs the Orioles. There's not a whole lot for me to say about this series except that this is when the Jays blew TWO save opportunities, the Orioles looked WAY more agressive than usual (they're also seeing the ball unusually well!) and we finally see the longball come alive. Today's game though, was definitely important. Despite the first run being surrendered to the O's yet again, Lawrie came up big with a solo HR to tie it at 1, Encarnacion whacked out a 2-run shot and then in the 6th inning, the Jays exploded for 7 runs off former Blue Jay Kevin Gregg. After all the carnage was said and done, the Jays had an 8-2 lead and won by a final score of 9-2.

9 games down, 157 to go and for now, the Jays are in a TIE for first in the AL East.
Finally, I have absolutely no idea as to why Arencibia and Bautista aren't hitting like they should be at the moment, but I'm hopeful that this "funk" will turn tables soon. 

2012 season: my views, predictions & expectations

With the new season just around the corner (mark your calendars for April 5!), here's a glance at what I hope to see for the Blue Jays:

Pitching:
No doubt, Farrell will have Romero (@RickyRo24) as the Ace, followed by Brandon Morrow. As for sports 3-5, I'm predictinng Cecil, Alvarez & McGowan, though it likely goes without saying that McGowan will be on a pitch count as he works his way back from his shoulder injury. I firmly believe that the rotation has to step up its game even more and to not let their opponents get the best of them--something Drabek has to work on. Also, I'd be remiss to say that the bullpen better seriously step up their game so that the horrendous stat of "25 blown saves" doesn't become a sticking point again!


Hitting:
Bautista, Lawrie. These two are just something else aren't they? I certainly think so and they'll likely lead the way in terms of homeruns, RBIs etc. Can Adam Lind have a year of redemption? One can only hope he will. Encaracion as DH was a pretty good surprise--I like him at that position MUCH more than at either 1B or 3B! As for who needs to step up hitting wise: either Thames or Snider and most definitely, Colby Rasmus. I had expected much from them last year, only to find myself very disappointed.

Extra AL Wild Card spot? Right now, I'd say plausible. A lot of things would have to swing in favour of the Blue Jays if they're seriously thinking of contending: great pitching, offence, stellar defence...the list goes on--I'm quite sure the rest of the list you readers can complete for yourselves.

I do carry somewhat higher expectations this year, though I still refuse to predict just what the overall record will be--it's just too early for me to tell.

Take care, Blue Jays nation. Just remember: the season isn't that far away now.

GO JAYS GO! 

Spring Training 2012: Hope Springs Eternal (again)

Just hold on and find a way to get through the next month or so. Before you know it, all of us here at Baseball on Ice will be back talkin' baseball, each with our unique perspective. I know what you're thinkin': "I CAN'T WAIT!! Waiting is total madness!" Relax--I hear you loud and clear, so I might as well make it known that as I blog, the Blue Jays are presently in Dunedin, FL and they'll be playing their FIRST Spring Training game in THREE days!

Like all of you, I'm also counting down till April 9, when the 2012-13 season officially opens vs AL East rivals Boston. However, if you just can't wait and you NEED to get your fix even though it's only Grapefruit League, tune into the FAN radio network, as they'll have the call of the Blue Jays taking on the Pirates.

We'll chat again soon...most likely when the season begins.
Cheers, everyone! In the meantime, a few vids for your viewing pleasure:

Joey Bats Homers to MLB The Show Cover

Jose Bautista is one of the most feared hitters in the game and is starting to get recognition for it. This year he will grace the cover of the Canadian edition of Playstation's MLB 12: The Show baseball game.

Bautista has lead the Majors in home runs for the last two seasons with 54 and 43 respectively. He bumped up his batting average by 42 points in 2011 from .260 to .302 and was intentionally walked 24 times (only twice in 2010). He also finished third in American League MVP voting and won his second consecutive Silver Slugger Award. The Blue Jays' right fielder is only the second Toronto player of the four major sports (although the city does not have an NFL team) to find himself on the cover of a sports video game (Vince Carter was the first for the Toronto Raptors, NBA Live 2004 North American cover).

I am really excited to see Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays getting some attention from the rest of the league. To me, this is a step in the right direction and soon the United States will see just what this team is capable of doing. Next stop, Sunday Night Baseball!

Until next time,

Let's Go Blue Jays!

Twitter: @ChaseHadden

consistency issues..

Is there much more to say on the issue of consistency when it comes to not only hits from their batters, but more from their bullpen & starting rotation? Not likely, but in the wake of the Blue Jays having dropped 3 in a row to AL East rival Tampa Bay and losing 12-0, it's time for a bit of a vent. 

Today's game was just terrible beyond words. For a pitcher often so dominant and a year ago, struck out 17 Tampa batters in a 1-0 win, Morrow just didn't seem to have it. Giving up a first pitch HR to Jennings is defninitely not the ideal way to open a ball game...but then again, trailing 4-0 after 2.0 IP isn't ideal either! 

As the game went on while I was napping, I began to hear a LOT of booing from the crowd at the SkyDome--especially when the relievers just didn't seem to be able to record a single strike, but instead gave up another SIX runs. 

Yes, the arms in the rotation & bullpen are young and inexperienced--especially since the majority of the pitchers have been called up from either double-A or triple-A. For pitchers that are supposed to have "great stuff", the key is to locate the pitches accurately and consistently and the same can be said for pitchers that don't throw at overwhelming speeds. 

Suffice to say, it hasn't been easy for the Blue Jays after having traded Hill & MacDonald to the Arizona Diamondbacks and now without the guidance of manager John Farrell, who's presently recuperating from pneumonia.

Tomorrow wraps up the four game set vs Tampa with Romero on the mound. 

With hopes for a win and a speedy recovery for John Farrell, 

GO JAYS GO! 

Blue Jays Out Slug Mariners

The Blue Jays take game two against Seattle as the offense comes through with a 13-7 victory. It certainly was not a night for the pitchers as this game could have been played across the street at Qwest Field where the Seattle Seahawks of the NFL call home.

Toronto jumped all over Vargas in the first inning cashing in six runs, including a three-run double by Colby Rasmus and a two-run home run by Aaron Hill to put the Jays up 6-0 before the Mariners stepped into the batter’s box.

Brad Mills had a rough start in his last outing, but walked away with a 1-2-3 first inning on a pair of strikeouts. But, that all started to fall apart in the second. He gave up a lead-off walk and followed that up with back-to-back home runs from Casper Wells and Miguel Olivo and cut the lead in half. After facing seven batters in the second, he followed up in the third with another eight batters and three more runs to tie the game 6-6. This would spell the end of the night for Mills. He had trouble locating his pitches and left a lot of them up. For someone who does not throw very hard, location of pitches is crucial for him to be successful in the majors.

The Blue Jays bounced back in the fifth and sixth combining for seven runs, including Jose Bautista’s league-leading 35^th home run in the sixth. Toronto showed a lot of patience at the plate generating seven walks, three from Bautista. He looked much better last night laying off some tough pitches that he has chased over the last few games.

Hill had probably his best game offensively this season, going 2-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBI. Barry Davis of Rogers Sportsnet pointed out on Twitter that Hill’s 4 RBI-night, equals the same amount he had in the last 15 games.

Brett Lawrie continues to impress with his first career three hit game. They were not the prettiest, but they all look the same in today’s paper. He also came through with some more beautiful defensive plays. Some are making the comparisons to Evan Longoria. I say, let’s wait for at least a full season before we do that. But make no mistake; Lawrie is going to be a great player for years to come.

Luis Perez came out of the bullpen in the fourth and shut the door. He threw strikes and only allowed one run in four innings of relief. If this was the final start for Mills (as he could be on the way back to AAA), Perez showed last night that he could possibly fill the void in the fifth spot until the rosters expand in September.

Notables:
TOR
J. Bautista: 2-for-2; HR, 3 BB, 3 R, 2 RBI
C. Rasmus: 1-for-4; 2B, 4 RBI
B. Lawrie: 3-for-4; 3 singles, 2 R, RBI

SEA
M. Olivo: 1-for-2; HR, BB
C. Wells: 1-for-5; HR, 2 RBI
K. Seager: 2-for-3; 2B, BB, HBP, 2 RBI

Pitching lines:
B. Mills: 3 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, 2 HR, 70 pitches
J. Vargas (L, 7-11): 4 IP, 7 H, 8 R, 8 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR, 94 pitches
L. Perez (W, 2-2): 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO, 61 pitches

The Blue Jays look to take the rubber match tonight against the Mariners. Brandon Morrow (8-7, 4.55) will take the hill against his former team, while the Mariners send rookie Blake Beavan (3-3, 3.59) to face the Blue Jays.

Until next time,

Let’s Go Blue Jays!

Twitter: @ChaseHadden

late summer callups

It's that time of the year...no, I'm not referring to the whole back to school thing!
 I'm referring to the time of the year when teams call up prospects from their
AA & AAA systems to see if they're ready for the MLB and to see what they've got.

Consider it the MLB version of auditions.

We've just seen Brett Lawrie make his debut this past weekend against the "punching bags" of the AL East: the Baltimore Orioles, notching his first hit, RBI & home run all within his first 3 games and going 5 for 11 (.454 batting average). In addition to Brett Lawrie being called up, the Blue Jays have also called up top pitching prospect Henderson Alvarez, who has actually managed to throw at 101 mph in the minor leagues this season. 

that's what I envision the team doing to the
Yankees & Red Sox one day! 

Also, for anyone reading this and wondering just what's going on with Kyle Drabek and how he's doing with the Las Vegas 51s in the PCL, this article should answer your question: Drabek: progress?

Personally, I believe that it might be time for Drabek to stop showing too much emotion on the mound. It seems to be impeding his progress and along with the inconsistencies, perhaps it's why he was constantly getting lit up in games. 

With now being the time to expand the roster from 25 to 40 and 38 spots filled, I believe I would be remiss if I did not say that Travis Snider would be recalled and added to the 40-man roster at some point. 

Furthermore: a BIG congratulations to the ace of the blue jays pitching staff: Ricky Romero for being named the AL player of the Week after going 2-0 with an ERA of 1.69 earned-run average, while allowing just five hits. He also had 12 strikeouts with only four walks over 16 innings. 

If you're looking for tonight's game vs the Oakland Athletics, catch it on the FAN Radio Network  and on Rogers Sportsnet ONE. 

Cheers. 

jLau

Twitter: twitter.com/jlau87
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blog post update: for anyone wondering about Dustin McGowan and his road to recovery, here's your answer: 
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20110808&content_id=22934448&vkey=news_tor&c_id=tor

Blue Jays Finally Beat Price

The Blue Jays finally defeat Tampa Bay Rays’ ace, David Price, with a pair of home runs and win 3-1.

Ricky Romero was magnificent against the Rays. He got in some trouble in the second inning by loading the bases on a pair of walks and hitting a batter and nobody out, but was able to get out of the jam with a pair of strike outs and a ground out. This was a huge confidence boost and was on cruise control for the rest of the night. He only gave up one hit, which was a home run to rookie Desmond Jennings in the sixth. Romero threw his fastball for strikes, which set-up his curve ball that got the majority of his seven strikeouts.

Jose Bautista came into the game without a home run in 14 games. But that came to a halt in the fourth, when he took a 2-0 Price fastball over the left field fence for his 32^nd home run of the season and put the Blue Jays ahead 1-0.

Yunel Escobar led off the Toronto sixth with a solo home run to right field and a 2-0 lead. It is great seeing him take the ball the other way, especially with power. He has had two or three to right field this year now.

Rajai Davis gave the Blue Jays some insurance in the seventh with a two-out RBI double. Now in the box score it just shows up as a double, but Davis hustled right out of the box and saw B.J. Upton was back on his heels and forced him to make a throw. Davis stole two more bases and now has 33 on the season.

Notables:
R. Davis: 2-for-4; Double, single, RBI, 2 SB
J. Bautista: 1-for-3; HR, RBI, IBB
Y. Escobar: 1-for-3; HR, RBI, BB

Pitching line:
R. Romero (W, 9-9): 8 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 SO, 1 HR, 109 pitches
D. Price (L, 9-10): 6.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO,  2 HR, 111 pitches
J. Rauch (S, 10)

 J.P. Arencibia had four strikeouts in the opener versus the Rays. Fans need to realize that he plays a demanding position that is defensive first, working with the pitching staff. Yes, he is batting .219, but you will take the low batting average when he has 17 home runs and 49 RBI. And remember, this is his first full major league season. It is definitely not a terrible one so far. Right now, he is averaging a home run every 17 at-bats. But he is now in a better spot in the line-up where he does not have to focus a lot on key RBI situations. I am sure the average will come up as his career progresses.

Game two goes tomorrow night C. Villanueva (6-2, 3.60) vs.  James Shields (9-9, 3.03). The Blue Jays can take over third place with another win over the Rays.

Until next time,

Let’s Go Blue Jays!

Twitter: @ChaseHadden

#12

It could not have been more of a perfect day for Roberto Alomar day. A packed and loud Rogers Centre with the roof rolled back, and the sun shining bright for the unveiling of his number 12. The first Blue Jay to have his number retired in the club’s 35 year history (Jackie Robinson’s #42 is retired throughout Major League Baseball). 

 First, thank you to the fans for being patient before the ceremony started. I helped clear a path for Alomar’s RCMP escort down section 114 and on to the field. The crowd roared on the concourse the moment he arrived, shaking hands and giving high-fives all the way down to the field.

The ceremony was fantastic. Having Alomar’s former teammates, manager and his family on stage was very special. Hearing the 45,000+ fans chanting “Robbie!” gave me goose bumps, and when his #12 banner was dropped beside the 1993 World Series banner, the crowd cheered as loud as possible giving him a standing ovation. It is a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.

Robbie Alomar was my favourite position player on the Blue Jays growing up (Tom Henke being my favourite pitcher). I tried to emulate his game whenever I took the field. I attempted those unbelievable, diving catches robbing base hits, or the head-first slide while stealing second. I remember going to see him play when he returned to Toronto as a Baltimore Oriole.  It was a Thursday night and went down to field level on the first base side where there was a mob of fans. Somehow I squeezed my way to the front and Alomar signed my hat (It was a Pig Pen hat and ironically it was the night before his incident).  But it was one of the biggest thrills as a kid and one I will always remember.

Blue Jays President, Paul Beeston, was correct when he said that having Alomar’s number the first in franchise history is a very high standard to begin with. And was right in saying it will be a long time before the next one happens. His numbers and achievements speak for themselves:

-          - 12 straight All-Star appearances

-          - 10 Gold Glove awards (including six consecutive)

-          - 4x Silver Slugger award (first in 1992)

-          - 1992 ALCS MVP

-          - 2x World Series champion

-          - First Blue Jay to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame

Watching his game-tying home run in the ’92 ALCS yesterday repeatedly gave me chills every time. If he does not hit that home run, they are in a deep hole and probably do not go on to the World Series.

You could argue who the next one could or should be. Roy Halladay, Carlos Delgado, or Dave Stieb just to name a few potential candidates. 

There is no doubt that the five years we got to watch Alomar play, he was the best player not only at his position, but the best in the game during that time with his multiple big hits, and numerous highlight reel defensive plays. There is and very unlikely will there be a better second baseman than Roberto Alomar. Thank you Robbie for playing the game the way you did, the right way.

Until next time,

*Tomahawk chop*

Let’s Go Blue Jays!

Twitter: @ChaseHadden

First Half Musings

Looking back at the first half of the season, it's fairly reasonable to say that where the team is now is probably where they should be, though there are probably still some people thinking that the @BlueJays are "overachieving" considering all the injuries, learning curves, demotions and everything else you can think of (it's likely been mentioned in a previous post).

It's also quite safe to say that Jose Bautista (AKA @JoeyBats19 ) somehow managed to pick up right where he left off by racking up 31 homeruns by the All-Star break--no lie--I heard a LOT of fans, callers, analysts et. al say that "hitting 54 homeruns was a fluke and a one-off and that it would never happen again". Suffice to say, I think it's pretty safe to say that it's STILL quite plausible for the 40-50 homerun mark to be hit AGAIN this year. Call me overly optimistic, but I'm not a "glass is half empty" type of person!
_____________________

Big Surprises thus far:

> number of stolen bases this year

> C. Villanueva as a member of the starting rotation (on the other hand, he's been so damn good at doing long relief when he was with the bullpen, it was really just a matter of time before he got into the rotation!)

> Lind's incredible transition from DH to first base (there are no words for this!)
________________________

Red Flags/Disappointment(s):

> Without doubt, it's quite safe to say it's the god-awful number of errors we've seen from third basemen like Nix & Encaracion! Also, the lack of production from them at that position really didn't help us at ALL!

> Bullpen meltdowns. Inexcusable. Enough said. 
_____________________


I frankly don't have much more to say except that I sincerely hope that the Blue Jays end the year on a high-note and, like all Blue Jays fans, I hope to see Brett Lawrie make his debut soon and Drabek to make his return to the rotation.

That's about it for now, however I look forward to hearing about
your favourite moments, your biggest disappointments AND if you think Bautista should be considered for the MVP.

Cheers, everyone.
-jLau

Twitter: @jlau87

Canada Halladay Weekend

It was an exciting long weekend at the Rogers Centre. Ace Ricky Romero pitching on Canada Day in red in front of 47,000+ fans, Roy Halladay making his first return to Toronto since being dealt and some fireworks from Jon Rauch and manager, John Farrell.

It only took 30+ home games and a long weekend for fans to pack the stadium to watch this young, exciting team. Romero pitched a great game, but some poor defence and the bullpen not being able to hold the lead put a damper on spirits on Canada’s birthday. 

Halladay was chosen by Phillies manager, Charlie Manuel, to give the line-up card to the umpires at home plate and received a nice, loud ovation from the fans for a good few minutes. He garishly tipped his cap in appreciation on his way back to the dugout. 

I am all for fans coming to watch Halladay pitch and say thank you for his service because he did a lot both on and off the field for the organization. The only thing that upsets me is where were you two years ago before he left? Where were you eight years ago when he won 20 games and his Cy Young award? I completely understand why Romero and some of the pitching staff were upset because Doc is no longer on the team. This is their team now and they deserve that kind of support. We have the best player in the game today in Jose Bautista (who managed to set a new record for most All-Star votes ever and will participate in this year’s Home Run Derby). Hopefully with yesterday’s win over the Red Sox and the output of home runs on Sunday will get some people interested in coming down to the ballpark.

Eric Thames has been fantastic since being recalled from AAA for the second time. Here is a stat I just read on Twitter from @MadisonBettle “In the first 22 games of his career, Thames batting .325 (26-for-80). I’d like to see more of this.” We all do Madison and I am sure it will only continue. The man has a great swing at the plate. On Saturday vs. Halladay, Thames went 2-for-4 with a home run. Every at bat, he took the ball to centre field. He has great power to all fields and uses the power allies. And what really impresses me is he does not trot around the bases after a home run, he sprints. He has a good head on his shoulders and plays the game the right way. Yes, his numbers look great right now A) teams do not have a book on how to get him out and B) his hitting in front of Bautista and is getting pitches to hit. But he is taking full advantage on those opportunities and getting on base for Bautista and Adam Lind to collect RBI’s.

Travis Snider made his return to the line-up after a couple months down in AAA Las Vegas to retool his mechanics at the plate. And they seemed to be paying off early with three doubles yesterday going 3-for-5 and two RBI’s. He has lowered his hands and opened his stance just a little bit and stayed back on the baseball a lot more and drove it with authority. Snider is on a six game hit streak dating back to his last game on April 28 against the Texas Rangers. It is hard to believe he is only 23 years old. He still has a lot of potential and many fans are happy to see him back (myself included). 

Game two between the Blue Jays and Red Sox is tonight with a pair of lefties on the hill. Brett Cecil (1-3, 7.24) vs. Jon Lester (6-3, 4.42)

Until next time,

Let’s Go Blue Jays!

Twitter: @ChaseHadden

Canada Day at the Ballpark.

..:02.07.2011:..
Preamble: 
Thanks to one of my co-bloggers, I was at the ballgame with a couple of friends soaking in the incredible atmosphere in a packed stadium of 45,000+ people feeling insanely proud to be Canadian and to know that the Blue Jays are the lone team in the MLB located "North of the 49".  Suffice to say, seeing the game from the 100 level really changed perspectives for me considering I often have a preference to sit in s. 524 with a bird's eye view of homeplate. 


Onto the game itself: 
This game started off a bit strange for me--especially to see Romero give up the lead off walk. Thankfully, he got the batters out to get out of the inning. As the game went on, I saw Escobar get injured on the hand, Thames hitting out a HUGE two-run shot into the 3rd deck and then of course, Bautista getting hit by a pitch--and we know that means revenge at the first possible opportunity! Sure enough, Bautista took Kendrick YARD for a homerun that measured roughly 330 ft (his 25th) and make the score 6-5 with loud chants of "MVP!" going on for quite a while afterwards.  I also kept a wary eye on the scoreboard and Romero's pitching line. With a team like the Phillies, I knew that they weren't the type of team that doesn't bother to rally as the game goes on and sure enough, I was right. Going into the 7th, Toronto DID have a 4-3 lead and it gave Romero a chance to potentially win...however: 


Bullpen & Defensive woes reveal itself...AGAIN: 
Is there much more to say than this? Highly unlikely...by this point, Farrell had taken Romero out after 6.1 IP and put Frasor into the game and he was actually pretty decent. That's not the concern here. The concern itself? If you guessed Frank Francisco, you'd be right. The utter struggle to get through the 8th and strike out the side was painful to watch...so painful, there was quite the resounding chorus of booing going on all around the stadium. Sure enough, the blown save gave Francisco the loss, sending his record to 1-4. Suffice to say, there's probably quite a bit to say about the blown save but mind you--the flyout ball that should've been caught by Rivera didn't help things much either, considering that's one of the "routine plays" for a player in LF! 


Overall:
sitting in the 100 level was a real treat and I LOVE soaking in gameday atomosphere. Despite the loss, I ended up having a pretty good time at my first ball game of the season with the hope to attend a few more! If you were there (or saw it at home!), let me know what you thought of the game. 


happy (belated) Canada Day from all of us here  
jLau (@jlau87), Chase Hadden (@ChaseHadden) & S. Emiya 


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03.07.2011: UPDATES: 


*bautista is now the official leading vote-getter for the all-star game AND now leads the league in homeruns at 27 after homering in the 7-4 win vs the Phillies. 


*juan rivera has been designated for assignment & snider has bee recalled.