Archive for the ‘Toronto Blue Jays’ Category

My Approach: Jose Bautista

Posted by Drew Fairservice under CC Sabathia, Jose Bautista, My Approach, Toronto Blue Jays on May 10, 2013

Toronto Blue Jays v New York Yankees

The latest edition of My Approach gets into the head of one of the most patient and prolific sluggers in the game, Jose Bautista.

As he did last season, Jose is off to a bit of a slow start in 2013. While he isn’t putting up the batting average he’d like, Jose remains a very productive hitter, still walking at an elite rate and hitting for power like very few batters can. His walk rate is fifth-best in the American League and his seven home runs place him among the league leaders.

During the Jays most recent home stand, Jose spoke to Getting Blanked about many aspects of preparation and research, where Bautista quotes numbers and describes, in as many words, the game theory of hitting in the big leagues. Plus a whole lot on his preparation against his nemesis, CC Sabathia.

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The Toronto Blue Jays Find New, Exciting Ways to Disappoint

Posted by Drew Fairservice under HardBall Talkin', Scorn, Toronto Blue Jays on May 09, 2013

There are few things in baseball more anticlimactic than a walkoff walk (unless you happen to know what “shrimp” means, then it’s TOTALLY THE OPPOSITE.) But for most, normal, functioning people, a walkoff walk is a missed opportunity to whoop it up and celebrate a dramatic victory.

The Toronto Blue Jays of 2013 have been just that – anticlimactic. After a roster overhaul landed them squarely in the middle of playoff favorites in the winter, the real baseball season has provided only heartbreak. Disappointment. Let down.

What better way for the Blue Jays to lose then by walkoff walk? Brad Lincoln misses low and the Rays win! The Blue Jays slink off the field as defeated men. The Rays, meanwhile, halfheartedly celebrate around Luke Scott, who drew crucial base on balls.

Walkoff walks are the best and the worst. The Blue Jays are mostly just the worst. At least they aren’t protesting a game against the freaking Astros, as Mike Scioscia‘s Angels are currently playing their game in Houston under protest after an illegal pitching change. Or something. God, what disastrous seasons for both these sad-sack teams.

To say nothing of the Astros, the team happiness forgot. Misery follows that pathetic outfit around like a lost puppy.

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Worry, Woe, and Rest of Season Projections

Posted by Drew Fairservice under Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, News And Notes, Projections, Toronto Blue Jays on May 09, 2013

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim v Houston Astros

If you are a fan of the Toronto Blue Jays, Los Angeles Angels, or Los Angeles Dodgers, holding onto belief that your team still has time to make an impact in the playoff races, you don’t care much for projection systems and playoff odds. Cold arithmetic isn’t going to heal your wounded heart, nor will it temper your excitement should your chosen franchise string together a few wins, infusing said heart with valuable hope.

If you aren’t a fan of one of those teams, you can look at Fangraphs new projected standings/depth charts feature and laugh until your sides hurt. Because, according to “the numbers”, it’s all over but the crying.

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The Trade of the Damned

Posted by Drew Fairservice under Miami Marlins, Scorn, Toronto Blue Jays on May 03, 2013

Boston Red Sox v Toronto Blue Jays

It was always going to be a dicey proposition for the Toronto Blue Jays. Taking on salary and players previously slowed by injury as they attempted to bolster their lineup as part of a big playoff push. There are no certainties in this world but the Blue Jays definitely seemed to add a lot of talent in exchange for many promising young players.

The Marlins would rebuild around some of their new toys from the Blue Jays vaunted farm system and the Blue Jays would make their charge towards the pennant.

One month into the first season after a deal is too early to officially judge a trade and decide winners or losers. Especially for this deal, which looks like it might end up with both sides taking the L.

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Breaking: Every Possible Thing That Could For the Toronto Blue Jays

Posted by Drew Fairservice under News And Notes, Toronto Blue Jays on Apr 26, 2013

The Blue Jays and their waiver wire proclivities are making more headlines than an waiver wire action deserves. The constant tinkering with the bottom end of the 25-man and 40-man rosters is seen as a weakness by some. Others see the Jays doing their best to game the system and, according the Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos, field a competitive team at the triple-A level.

When the Blue Jays claimed left-handed starter Aaron Laffey of waivers from the New York Mets earlier this week, most figured it was another example of distant pitching depth and a move to bolster the Buffalo Bisons’ roster. Until, of course, it turned out that Jays starter Josh Johnson is experiencing tightness in his right (throwing arm) triceps and needs to skip his next start, scheduled for tonight in New York against the Yankees.

Lo and behold, there is Aaron Laffey to jump in and make the start. Hooray?

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Defense Matters: Rajai Davis Saves the Day, Possibly the Jays Season

Posted by Drew Fairservice under Baltimore Orioles, Defense Matters, HardBall Talkin', Toronto Blue Jays on Apr 24, 2013

OBVIOUSLY the second half of that headline is completely untrue and sensationalized and ridiculous. I mean, nobody would actually believe a single win in April somehow means more than a single win in a 162 game season.

But Rajai Davis gunning Manny Machado down at the plate is nothing if not awesome, as Machado represented the game-winning run in the bottom of the ninthtenth inning. Davis isn’t exactly known for his cannon but he certainly throws a strike here, getting the Orioles third baseman by a significant margin, prolonging a game the Jays would go on to win in the 11th inning.

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Fogging the Measure: A Fun Evening With Uncle Buck and Company

Posted by Matt Klaassen under Fogging The Measure, Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays on Apr 18, 2013

Tabler Buck

As much fun as it is to laugh at the expense of those who call baseball games for television and radio broadcasts, most of us likely would agree that filling up air, even to a minimal extent, is difficult. I have no experience in any form of “real” journalism*, so it may be in bad taste for me to go after people whose nominal job, for better or worse, is to keep the viewer engaged in a sport that is not exactly fast-paced. Anecdotes and bits of data are needed (?) to fill up the airwaves.

* – my rare appearances on podcasts and whatnot, while somewhat fulfilling for my ego, are, well, probably pretty horrible for listeners. Not that I ever turn down an opportunity to enter the charmed circle of internet media mavens!

The Blue Jays’ usual broadcast team of Buck Martinez and Company probably aren’t any worse than most broadcast booths around the league. But who am I kidding? I am still a pretty big jerk. Even if Fire Joe Morgan is so 2005, several comments during last Friday’s game with the Blue Jays in Kansas City to face the Royals really stood out to me.

The game itself was “I watched this on purpose“-tastic (and my fantasy season awkwardly slid down the tubes with Jose Reyes‘ injury), and as I let the frustration of that combine with my incredulity of some of the comments made by the announce team, it crept into the absurd. Here are some of my favorites, with commentary.

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