The Jays won’t play a televised game until St. Patrick’s Day (and then it’s only available on MLB.TV, with Sportsnet’s first broadcast not coming until the next day, according to the club’s online broadcast schedule), so those of us not dicking around in buttfuck Florida only have the audio and the assorted reports of the poor souls who are to go on. But by the sounds of things, Dustin McGowan’s first start of the spring went very well.
Granted, it was against the Houston Astros, but when you think about it, any start in which his shoulder doesn’t explode apart into a billion third base coach-maiming projectiles is probably a good thing.
And McGowan did us one better, topping at 96 on the stadium radar gun, according to Jeff Blair and Ken Fidlin, and sitting consistently at 93, according to Gregor Chisholm, who tells me the gun considered to be more accurate than last year,
Perhaps more importantly, he threw 15 of his 24 pitches for strikes– a 62.5% rate, in an absurdly small sample, but still, better than the 57% he threw in the Majors in 2012. This information is relayed by Chisholm, and Mike Wilner of the Fan 590, who writes that “McGowan looked terrific. He hit his spots, his fastball had good life and his slider had great bite.”
The almost-30-year-old gave up just one hit in his two innings of work, and according to Wilner, “said he felt normal, which is something he hadn’t felt the last four springs.” On the broadcast, Wilner– who, it should be noted, seem to me about as optimistic on McGowan over the winter as anyone– added that he looked like pretty much the same guy we remember.
One hopes.
It’s way early, of course, so hopes are all we’ve really got. But it sure is nice hurt to have these ones– especially with rumblings of potential concern for Brett Cecil (see previous post).
That’s an interesting comment on the radar gun. If the gun isn’t completely accurate and is to the quick side, what does that say about Cecil’s velocity in his last 2 innings? I know it’s early days right now but you’d think with all his work he’d be a little closer to his normal velocity especially with his fastball like the majority of the pitchers are at this point. At best with an accurate gun he’s no better than last year. Maybe that’s one of the reasons for the special look at his bullpen session.
I’m excited to see McGowan this year.
He should be the home opener starter.
Seriously Stoeten, your new logo is shit. It really looks like whoever designed it was having a hard time thinking of an idea and then took a break for lunch and went to KFC and said BINGO! its even the same type of lettering…..pathetic. Not to mention the fact that you still cant get re-directed here from your previous site. That’s not really a hard thing for an IT group to fix, they probably just want to drive as much traffic to their regular shitty blog page as they can…..
Can’t say I’m happy about this move. You had a site that really stood out in Toronto’s poor excuse for sports media market I hope this move doesn’t make you just another face in the crowd.
It was the content that stood out, not the website. Who cares about the logo and having to click on a different web address?
As long as the content continues to be as quality as it always has been then I’ll keep coming.
*yawn*
Dont suppose you could fix it so this guy gets permanently redirected to Martha Stewarts website?
Imma redirect my foot into his face. Whiny puke. Stop trolling and go read the Bleacher Report.
What a couche-tard!
mac’s milk?
I was at the game, at DM was fantastic. One AB vs. Jack Cust seemed as though he threw the ball in the same low/inside spot 5 times, but at three different speeds. JP’s glove was poppin’ somethin’ fierce too. Laffey was very impressive too, in a different way of course, but I saw something in that dude. And Snider looks so fo’reals. And if the crowd is any indication, the new merch is going crazy, people love the blue!
You lucky bastard.
Blair’s article is encouraging:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/jeff-blair/dustin-mcgowan-finding-his-way-back-as-jays-starter/article2365641/
I don’t mind getting my hopes up. There is no point in doing lip-skids all of the time, and who knows we might be rewarded with a pretty awesome story. Personally I think its pretty awesome that Dustin is actually pitching spring training after missing the last few years, that’s what commitment is right there folks.
Nevermind the battle between Snider and Thames, or Cecil and Laffey, who the fuck is winning the battle of the Score baseball blogs? Parkes or Stoeten?
BTW – nice to see McGowan chucking some cheese today. Hopefully, he can put it and keep it together. The Jays seriously need 140 innings from him to stay relevant in the 2012 campaign.
Check the number of comments on each post.
DJF has more comments per post and per day than ALL of the other blogs at the Score COMBINED.
DJF will drive traffic to those other blogs,that’s why we’re here now.
And even though GB has 146 contributors( kidding) they have trouble keeping up with Stoetens output, both in volume and quality.
Unless you count the posts about video games and the metaphors comparing TV series and Fatty Arbuckle to baseball teams.
Talk about jumping the shark.
I liked the Flip fly ball chart thing ( even with the typo in chart).
Shit now I’m gonna have Stoeten yelling at me again.
Oh well.
TBJ is in the same league as DJF, but other than that point taken.
I could not resist this. I did not care which post it was but Chris Brown in a Jay’s cap doing the Dougie is worth sharing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rP1zHJKpV2s&feature=related
Anything with Chris Brown in it shouldn’t be shared by anyone. He’s a piece of shit.
liked this
“Physically, when they walk out there, they look the part. There were some comments coming from the dugout (Friday) like: ‘They’ve put together a football team.’ You’re looking at 20-year-old kids that are 6-foot-4, 230 that can run.”
Fuckin A Straight
What is this from and who said it??
Farrell was the one overheard making the “football team” comment… https://twitter.com/#!/FidSunMedia/status/178521592807178241
http://www.torontosun.com/2012/03/10/snider-no-longer-feeling-left-out
Thanks, man.
This might not turn out well but it’s got more legs than Dana Eveland or Jojo Reyes.
Please no Laffey in the rotation this year. Mop up slash long relief is passable.
Anybody concerned over JPA’s offensive output thus far? I know he is in the middle of modifying his swing, hopefully just working out the kinks.
Its spring training genius. I’m concerned about your fucking output so far. Why don’t you go throw another can at Beckham
What?
Still don’t know if I want to see him in the majors this year. I was never a huge fan and I’d rather see a Deck or Drew up here. Oh well.
[...] reports out of spring seem strong so far. After McGowan’s first start today. Gregor Chisholm reported that he reached 96 MPH and was averaging around 93, which would be about where he was velocity [...]
DONT TALK ABOUT HIM THAT WAY ILL FUCKIN FIGHT YOU
Lol this clown again…sitting in moms basement, impersonating people on the internet. Funny thing is he wouldn’t dare show his real name, too much of a pussy.
Yeah because everyone uses their real name on the internet. Is Martin Riggs your real name? How about sharing your address and telephone number.
I know, let’s all wear name tags that way there can be no confusion.