Game #89: Blue Jays at Red Sox pregame
Toronto (43-45) at Boston (54-34)
at 7:05 p.m. ET at Fenway Park
Today’s lineups:
BLUE JAYS
Vernon Wells, CF
Reed Johnson, LF
Alex Rios, RF
Frank Thomas, DH
Troy Glaus, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Aaron Hill, 2B
Gregg Zaun, C
John McDonald, SS
PITCHING: RHP Shaun Marcum
RED SOX
J.D. Drew, RF
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
David Ortiz, DH
Manny Ramirez, LF
Kevin Youkilis, 1B
Mike Lowell, 3B
Jason Varitek, C
Coco Crisp, CF
Julio Lugo, SS
PITCHING: RHP Julian Tavarez
NOTES: RHP A.J. Burnett threw on flat ground again prior to Friday’s game and expects to move his throwing distance up to around 90 feet on Saturday. It’ll likely be another two weeks before Burnett begins working off a mound, meaning a return by the end of the month is unlikely.
Major League Bastian 
Burnett threw off flat ground and didn’t hurt himself, AMAZING!! He will have more trips to the D.L. in his Blue Jays career as wins he will have in a Jays uniform. Every year I here about how the Jays will contend in the A.L. East and every year they don’t. Now that is quite the shock, NOT!!! Memo to the Jays get rid of J.P., if they ever do that they might be going in the right direction for a change. Why in the world would they hold onto Glaus?????
what is your deal man? if you dont like the jays that is your opinion but you dont have to write your **** on this blog everyday. apparently your a sox fan; you say we dont contend. may i remind you who finished in second place last year? also who has more world series titles the past, hmmm, 80 YEARS?
You finished second last year, wow congrats!!! When was the last time your team the Jays made the playoffs???? I’ll give you your 2 titles back in the day, they were very good teams that I respected but this recent **** your g.m. has put on the field, wake up. I live about 5 miles or so from where the Jays hold there spring training and there a good bunch of guys there, especially Vernon Wells but J.P. must go!!! You can’t be too happy there ukgocats3.
To bosox Mister ***** if you dont like us it’s okay we like you just as much as we like the Red Sox. LOL-LOL.To gsummer you may be right because if JP had waited he would have been the only GM in baseball who would have given him 100.m over 5 years. I agree with you on most things but I’m sorry I cant agree with you on Burnett.
I still think that the jays should have picked up Mark Redman. He still had a winning record even though he was on the worst team in the majors. We could have also picked him up for cheap considering the only contract he got was for playing in the minors.
I actually like Toronto fans, there nice people, almost too nice. Your g.m. has done a terrible job with this team. Burnett was just a TERRIBLE signing. B.J. Ryan has been healthy so when he went down with the elbow problem that was a surprise to me. Signing Wells to that 118 million dollar deal, I don’t really agree with it but he is a good player but not a great one. I believe the great ones should get the killer $$$$. If I give anyone a 100 million dollar contract he better be one of the greats in the game and Wells isn’t one of them in my opinion. What is the guy saying about Burnett for 100 million dollars, are you a *****!!!
to freedom What drug are you on I want some. Mark Redman /07/o-4 11.63 ERA.dont you think we have enough problems now.
Well he probably wouldn’t have been that good. But I would have rather have given him a shot. He wasnt as vulnerable to injury as those other 3 pitchers that we dont have any more.
Hey Bosox. Last year your guys came in 3rd. We came in 2nd. Have you forgot about that?
By the way it’s they’re not there. Of course I know it’s hard to spell when you’re a 5 year old. ROTFLMAO
Bosox-one last thing
You nevger have to worry about giving anyone a 100 million dollar contract. You can’t do that when you can’t count that high.
Know what I mean dude? ROTFLMAO
You came in 2nd last year, WOW. What a great season that was there buddy. Did you folks drink alot of Labatt’s on that great season of 2006? Then again you were probably shoveling snow that day eh.
Learn how to spell never–you spelled it nevger, is that the Canadien way? I can’t count that high, very impressed with your comeback there buddy. Maple Leafs, Raptors start soon, Jays season is OVER buddy. LOL….
bosox
It’s not Canadien-it’s Canadian, dumbo. And I’d be really quiet about the Raptors if the alternative was the Celtics.
I heard the Boston dumpster company set a new standard in covering the Celtics. They’ve never dumped trash that low.
Isn’t it time for your beddy bye? Is your mommy aware you’re still up youngster?
When the Blue Jays get over .500 then we can talk baseball until then see ya. LOL….What do you think about that gsumner? LOL….
Bosox
Of course if the Celtics don’t do it, you always have the Bruins-huh?
What a bunch of lossers!!!!!!!
Like yourself of course.
This is about baseball buddy. Your making me laugh here gsumner. I will give you credit. Have you paid your hydro bill yet this month eh?
Burnett hasn’t gotten hurt in the last 48 hours, what has this world come to?
hey you’re the one who brought up the Raptors and Maple Leafs, not me dumbo.
Hey at least in Toronto we have hydro-all you dudes have is the big dig.
So tell me about Shilling, genious!
When your team gets over .500 I will respond to you.
I’m sure you said the same thing on the Celtics blogs. Oh, hold on The Celtics haven’t been above 500 for what 10 years. Almost as bad as The Bruins.
ROTFLMAO
Hey Bosox-how many titles have the Red Sox won in the last couple of hundred years?
One you say-wow!!!!!
Must make you proud son!!!
Bosox, so let me get this right
You Bosox fans have only had 1 winner in 200 years?
How do you guys deal with that level of failure??????
No wonder you guys are all sort of touched-know what I mean?
gsumner,
You are cracking me up here. I will say you are very funny. Is it snowing up there tonight?
No it’s not snowing in Boston. I know you can’t tell that cause you don’t have a tv to watch the game.
Too Sad!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The following is a peice of a Jeff Blair Q&A from globe&mail.com
Stu Lomchuk from Toronto writes: Hey Jeff: So, what is the deal with Sergio Santos? He was a top prospect with Arizona, but seemed to drop way down the depth chart after he was traded to the Blue Jays, all the way to Double A. But, he seems to be doing alright at that level, having been named to the All Star game. Is he a possible September call up? Is he a future third baseman?
Jeff Blair writes: The Diamondbacks didn’t think he was a prospect; some of the publications that purport to know this stuff did. My sense is the Blue Jays view Santos as a trade chip or possible corner bench guy. Not an everyday player. Nothing I’ve heard suggests otherwise.
robert lee
Didn’t you post that same message a couple of days ago?
What’s the problem, have you not got anything else to post?
For the record, Santos was injured last year-this year he’s not which is why the HR production is back to norm.
This gsumner is one angry person. You have some issues there buddy. Why are you picking on robertlee13, he wrote his opinion, he is entitled to it.
bosox
Please tell me why that’s your concern?
I have an opinion on Santos too. Do you have a problem with that?
Go back to Tampa Bay laddy-and tell your mommy to keep you out of the sun!
gsumner you are a very angry person and you need some help. Please get some for yourself. Did your parents love you???? Did they beat you???? What has happened in the past??? You can talk about it…LOL….
bosox.Remember the season is not over A HEX on the Red SOX now what if this works and your players get hurt one after the other and we have the same half you had in the first will you stil c-rap on us.If you can’t say something nice about us SHUT YOUR CAKE HOLE.
Bosox
The advice you give, is the advice you should take, trust me you need it.
On the other hand, it’s understandable considering how the Celtics and Bruins have done last year-and the fact the sox have won once in what is it 200 years or so.
No wonder you’re touched-not surprising really.
Nice reply there Garry. Toronto fans are angry people. What happened to all those nice folks from there????? The Jays are a JOKE and you know it and I know it. Get rid of J.P. and you might do something there buddy. Go shovel some snow there pal.
Bosox
The only angry one here is you dude. It comes with your limited intelligence-too bad really!!!!!!!!!!!
gsumner
Reason I posted it again is because you were to ashamed to respond to it the first time.
Who said anything about his HR’s? Even before being injured the D-backs didn’t view him as a prospect, nor do the Jays.
bosoxbrian,
thanks for the d.
some of us are inteligent and nice, we know are team ***** and management should be fired but we cheer for the team anyway because it’s our team and the sport we love.
but easy on the snow lines seriously whenever an american says that it just makes your whole country look ignorant.
last piece of advice: be careful messing with gsumner, in total stalker style he looked up and posted slanderous info an another poster who insulted him.
he’s nuts, and not just when it comes to his absurd belief that he knows anything about baseball.
lol, now Robert
A different email address but the same jerk. ROTFLMAO
robertlee13,
Some folks on here no nothing. I don’t even have too mention any names because you know who they are. This gsumner is just someone that still lives with his mother in the basement. J.P. to me should be fired, he has given out blank checks to the wrong people. He has been hard on Burnett to take the heat away from himself.
gsummer.Mabey this bosox guy has no friends and he wants to be our friend by the way we just beat Boston. Okay bosox friends it is.
What?
Check again dude.
My email address hasn’t changed. You can go back to old comments I’ve made all year long to see that.
thegarryguy,
Your not a very smart person. I don’t like responding to people like you. Your just a frustrated person and it comes across.
Hey Bosox
We won-you lost-you’re out of here
Robert
Please be very careful aboutcalling anyone a stalker-that is a very slanderous statement. I expect an apology
Robert,
Please don’t apologize to that guy that lives with his mother in the basement. I wonder if she lets him out???? Does he stay down there all day??? I wonder, on that note Robert don’t let him get to you. That is all he is trying to do, nothing but a child is this gsumner. He needs serious help and real soon I hope.
Did you appologize to the guy you slandered on here?
Some guy who apparently owns a company with bad business practices.
A guy who hasn’t posted here since, because of what you did.
Don’t worry bosoxbrian,
I’ve been dealing with this guy since long before you started posting here the last few days.
BTW, how’d you find the blog?, hopefully lots of people hear about it, Jordan does good work. He’s by far the youngest of the writers on the Jays beat, and certainly the most tech savy (though that’s not hard compared to the other guys).
I slandered no one, I posted public facts-but you just slandered me.
I expect an apology.
Robert,
This guy gsumner needs to get laid or something. I really think he needs serious help, he is a very angry person.
bosox
Can’t take the debate heat and resorts to insults. It only shows your low intelligence level son-nothing more.
You know what, you want an apology?
Offer one to Jordan, I like his work, but it’s not worth dealing with you.
Consider me one less reader of your blog Jordan.
That’s 2 people who gsumner has scared/annoyed away from your work.
Insults, that is all you have written about me. Your a total ***. I think it is time for you to go back to your cave there kid.
Jordan does some good work. This gusmner is nothing but a fool. He needs to be taken off here. I am sure there is a way he can be blocked and I will find out how soon. Robert don’t let one fool ruin it for you. Always stand tall and better.
Robert-please what do you want a crying towel? I asked for an apology for a slanderous remark.
You slandered me dude. People pay prices for that.
I ask one last time for an apology.
hilarious
bosox
get lost-you have no idea what Jordon does here or what this site’s abou7t.
You’re here to be a **** disturber nothing else.
Go back to the hole you came from.
Robert,
This guy gsumner is gutless and he deserves to be locked up. Your the one that needs a crying towel there pal. You don’t ask again for an apology from anyone on here gsumner. You are officially NUTS!!!
gsumner your the one disturbing people here. Your the one that people hate on here. You need help and you need it soon there pal. I don’t know why you come on here. You come on here to insult what they write and you are a very angry person and you need serious help. You need to get off this site because you know nothing about baseball. I was wondering does your mother let you out of the basement?????
bosox Stay off Jordans blog you started all this garbage not gsummer now your acting like a hero.Robert don’t be a baby gsummer likes Santos you don’t big deal everybody has their opinion we can’t always be right all the time. If Jordan blocks anybody it should be bosox.
Bosox
Too bad you’re so inmature or we could have had a great debate about Boston versus Toronto.
But, you have to bring up the standard American response-lock then up or isn’t the other-shoot them-how inmature that is.
Really-I guess the next step is a big time threat right?
That’s about your intelligence level.
By the way Bosox
Expect me to be a regular poster on the Boston site.
Remember-you started this-not me
If anyone gets blocked it should be the Toronto stalker. This guy gsumner is a nut and he knows it and we all know it. You don’t have to be too smart to figure that one out. Hey this just in, Burnett did not get hurt while I wrote this. HA!!! HA!!!! Garryguy your sticking up for gsumner and that speaks volumes of your intelligence there pal.
If you don’t like Americans that is your problem there gsumner. Your intelligence shows again.
Stick to baseball there gsumner. They are under .500, wake up because your great g.m. J.P. is asleep. The Jays are a bad team and if you don’t look out the Rays will pass you next year. LOL…
Be very careful with your slanderous comments bosox; there are always reprecussions to nasty statements made to someone else.
You’re here strickly as a ****disturber nothing more.
Your guys lost tonight-so get lost and leave Garry out of this, your argument is with me no one else.
Bosox
I like most Americans-I just don’t like loud mouthed ***holes like you.
Bosox
Please tell me what’s wrong with the American educational system; don’t they teach you how to properly write a sentence?
“Your intelligence shows again.”
I hope you realize that is not a sentence. Have you considered coming to Canada for extended English training-it might help?………..
Wow, has my blog hit an all-time low? Thanks for the props from the few of you who threw out some nice comments about my work and the blog, but let’s try to keep the trashtalking and explitives to a minimum on here. I created this place for fans to come and talk baseball and talk smack…about baseball, not each other. I’m not going to block anyone, let’s just try to get back to basics here. If you guys have some personal stuff to vent, you have each other’s e-mail addresses there. Don’t flood the comment field with personal attacks. Also, keep the American comments to a minimum, too! I’m one of them, remember? I know it’s all in good fun, to a certain extent, but yeesh. I guess the same goes for any anti-Canadian comments. Just unnecessary. Anyway, I’m heading back to my hotel. This was a very long, brutal game.
SORRY JORDAN also I apologize to anyone I insulted tonight I think we all need to apologize to Jordan.But I know one thing we beat a good team tonight.
Hey bosox:
Before you get on someone, you should be aware of all the facts. How would you like to build a team where your payroll is half of the Yankees or the Sox, and still compete in our division? Jeter and A-Rod make more than the entire Tampa payroll, and Boston just spent more than our entire payroll for one Japanese pitcher. We don’t mind, though, because when they beat us, we can say “gee, I wish we had a payroll like that”, but when we hammer them–it’s magic!
The other thing I would like to know is where would Boston be if they had their 1,2,3 starters, their closer and setup guy, their 1 & 2 hitters, and their starting catcher on the DL all in the first half. And that’s only half the list.
All I can say is, they opened up a 9-12 game lead early, but it hasn’t been getting any bigger for some time. We have most of the help back now, with more on the way shortly, and there is another half of the season to go.
Actually, Boston would likely have been better off than we were, because Theo could have reached a little deeper in his pockets and bought another pitcher, of whatever. We didn’t have that luxury. We had to depend on our farm system for help, which came up very big, and helped a lot. And that’s Riccardi’s doing too.
There is no way that the Jays will even catch the Red Sox. The Jays are still under .500 as I write this. If the Yankees won 9 out of 10 they could pick up about 4 or 5 games on Boston because the Red Sox in the last 2 months have been basically playing .500 ball. I would rather see the Red Sox start gelling in late August like they did back in 2004, never peak too soon because as we all know the season is very long. J.P. has been given $$$$$ to spend the last 2 seasons and well let’s say he hasn’t spent it well. He gave a guy who is always hurt, Burnett 55 million for 5 years, not a good signing. Has J.P. developed any good young pitching?????? Boston loses Pedro to the Mets and with that pick they got from the Mets they took a kid with alot of promise named Clay Bucholtz. Look at the Yankees there payroll is the biggest in baseball and there under .500, so money doesn’t buy everything. A team like Toronto needs to have very good scouting and obviously that is lacking with J.P. at the helm. J.P. in my opinion has done a poor job as g.m. of the Jays, have they improved since he has shown up????? He has been giving some $$$$ to spend but doesn’t have a clue of what to do with it.
bosox
Some interesting comments by everyone. I find it tiresome at all the personal attacks and juvenile name-calling but as we say in one of our official languages “C’est la vie.” J.P. has not done a terrific job at the helm. The Chris Carpenter fiasco is testimony to that. He has made some good moves B.J, Accardo, and signing Vernon Wells. I believe Wells is a terrific player who is struggling recently. Much betterthat Johnny Damon who was offered a lot of money by Boston and only went to NY because they gave him more money. Once again money talks in baseball. With the structure of baseball as it is now: it is unfair to claim that money is not an advantage by citing teams that are successful on lower payrolls. Yes, this happens but it is an amazing accomplishment (like the US Miracle on Ice defeating the Russians with their ‘amateur’ athletes). Claiming that money is not advantageous diminishes the accomplishments of those amazing teams and excuses the riduculous money the Red Sox and Yankees are allowed to pay. The schedule is also unfair when you consider that the Jays must play the Yankees and Red Sox so many times. MLB should have a balanced schedule.
scraggrc
I am glad that you thought my comments were interesting. Alot of people complain and cry about the $$$$$ in baseball, Sox and Yankees have the advantage. Let’s go back to 2001–D’Backs champs—2002 Angels–2003–Marlins—04–we all know who—05 Tigers—06 Cards–How many of those teams had the high $$$$ payrolls???? 2004 Red Sox is the answer of course. For small or medium sized markets scouting is key and let’s say the A’s have done a very good job there. Giambi signs with the Yanks and with the pick Blanton goes to the A’S—Tejada to the Orioles–Street there great closer to Oakland. J.P. held onto Delgado why????? Why didn’t he deal Delgado to anybody???? I am not sure who the Jays drafted with that Delgado pick but chances are J.P. screwed that one up. I am not saying that everything with baseball is great and it is not a even playing field but your g.m. just can’t throw silly $$$$ around.
Sheesh. I was excited to see over 60 comments on this blog, expecting lots of good baseball talk. Instead there’s just a bunch of juvenile name-calling between 2 or 3 people?
Grow-up, fellas. This is a public forum meant for discussion, not some on-line version of recess.
It is good to here that they’re are some Jays fans here. I don’t live too far from there spring training site in Dunedin and the guys they have on there team are a good bunch of guys from what I can tell. J.P. is the reason for this team’s failure, look no further than him. That is all my point when it comes to the Jays. I want to here what some of you Jays fans think of J.P. Is he doing a good job with the organazation? Does he have a plan? Is there a plan? Is he creative enough to get the job done? After being on the job for a few years he should have some idea of what is going on and leading the Jays down to greener pastures but I don’t see it. J.P. is a Massachusetts guy like myself and I would like too see him do well but he isn’t.
Jordan I apologize and I am a big baseball fan so I thought I would go on here and give my opinions/thoughts about the Jays. I enjoy reading your work, you do a great job.
I’m not a JP or Gibbson fan but I am a Blue Jay fan and I can’t understand why a Boston fan cares about our GM ONE WAY OR THE OTHER.As for Chris Carpenter only one other player came back from that type of surgery and JP when he came in as GM was told to cut the payroll back to 50m no big $$$$ to spend.I dont like AJ but at the time there was no one else out there with millions of fans screaming for pitchen. JP went out and put up some $$$$ yes it was a gamble so far it’s a bust but we still have 3 1/2 more years to go. Last night was a great game we played a great team but we also have a great team and when we are healthy the results will be there. JP and Gibby will be with this team as long as uper management is happy with them and so far they are.
I’m not going to get on J.P. for the Carpenter situation, there was alot of risk regarding Carpenter. Look at the team that J.P. has put together, where is the pitching????? Roy Halladay is a rock and I love watching him pitch but where is the other part of the rotation? J.P. is totally responsible for this mess that the Jays are in right now. He is the one that is making the moves with this team. He got on Burnett recently to take the heat off of himself. Burnett was nothing but damaged goods and to invest in 5 years and 55 million, not a good baseball/bussiness move. Not too many pitchers I would give 5 years to. The Jays problem is not the Red Sox, the Jays for some reason seem to play very well against them. Look at last year the Jays owned the Sox. When I here people complain that the Jays have to play Boston and N.Y. to me that arguement is not valid. They seem to do well against them but the rest of the league that is a different story. Some will say because the Sox and Yankees take alot out of the Jays, some truth to it but that to me is not the whole story.
Jordon
I’d like to apologize. I’d also like to let you know, I’ve visited most of the other team blogs and this one-ran by you is the best by far.
I for one appreciate your information.
thegarryguy
Hey look I think just like everyone else I am also entitled to my opinion. If you don’t agree with what I say, I fully respect that because there are alot of times that I don’t agree with what somebody else or you say. So I would appreciate next time you don’t agree with me to not say I am on drugs. Besides I live in America so it is very hard being a bluejays fan. My whole family loves the yankees so they are always giving me a hard time about that and critisizing the blujays. So when talking to another bluejays fan, I would like some respect. Thank you.
JP Riccardi had no room to move what so ever when he came to this team. He was told to get the payroll down below 50 mill (I think) and the team had committed 18 mill per year of that payroll to Delgado on a no trade contract.
Personally, I think JP’s done a good job in rebuilding the minor league system. Auburn our ss team (mostly made up of rookies/draftees) has won the league championship a number of years in a row and is currently in 1st place. Lansing (-A), Dunedin (A+)and New Hampshire (AA) are all 2nd in their division. To me, that shows he’s drafted as well or better than his piers, and the development of players is producing results.
JP signed Burnett and Ryan as free agents in contracts that now all look under market value. He also resigned Halliday and Wells with the Halliday contract way under value. I also think Wells contract will look under value next year. In my view Ryan, Halliday and Burnett could all get close to double the money JP signed them for.
His trades bringing Glaus, Overbea and Accardo here have been good ones. The Accardo one, which also dumped Hillebrand was the steal of the year.
So all in all, how can you knock him-he’s done a great job.
The team has balance, power and good pitching. The pitching will only get better from here with Chacin, League and Burnett on the mend. And imagine our bull pen next year with a healthy Ryan and League back-who’s will be better.
I don’t know how you could be happy about the job that J.P. has done. Reading your blog there gsumner you would think this was the Jays of the early 90’s, looking at the team thru rose colored glasses. This team in under .500 as I write this, I ask again where is the pitching after Halladay? What has Glaus done? Overbay is a good pickup because of his age, Glaus should be dealt before the trading deadline. He does not fit in there longterm plan, I certainly hope he doesn’t fit in there long term plans. Getting rid of Hudson was not a good move. He is one of the best defensive 2b in baseball and you get a very aging Glaus who can’t stay healthy. Why get older? J.P. signed Thomas as well, why? Who is next for J.P. to sign, Eddie Murray? Rickey Henderson? Mike Piazza? Accardo was a good move because you got rid of that malcontent Hillenbrand and got a YOUNG arm in return. For some reason he didn’t trade Delgado, to me that was a dumb move by J.P. You knew you couldn’t afford him so get rid of him. Does J.P. go over medical reports when he is looking at guys???? Does that make you Jays fans wonder???? The pen before Ryan is not good, just plain old average. The Jays are nothing but a .500 team and that has been going on for a while now. It sounds to me gsumner you are accepting it.
To Freedom read back in the postings I said I was sorry what more can I say.
When our guys get all healthy, I’d stack up our starters and relievers to Boston any day.
All Glaus has done is hit 38 Hr’s and knock in 104 RBI’s last year. He’s off to a lower start this year because he’s missed 24 games,but I’d bet he’s close to these numbers when it’s over. Your guy Lowell only hit 20 Hr’s and knocked in 80 RBI’s last year. By the way Lowell’s fP this year is .940 by comarison to Glaus’s .965. So if you want to complain, I’d complain about Lowell if I was you.
For the record, here’s the current comparison between Hill and Hudson.
Hill: .984 FP
7 errors
297 assists
444 Total chances
.268 BA
49 runs
48 RBI’s
9 Hr’s
2007 salary-395K
Hudson: .979 Fp
9 errors
256 assists
426 total cances
.298 Ba
40 runs
47 RBI’s
7 Hr’s
2007 salary-3.9 mill
Hill beats Hudson in all but two categories-salary and BA. Seems like a great trade to me.
Delgado had a no trade clause and wouldn’t accept a trade. It’s not what the pen used to look like pre Ryan, it’s how it looks now and next year with everyone healthy.
And the standings in the minors is today not 1990. Take a look at where your guys are-they’re right behind ours in AAA and AA.
As reported by BOB ELLIOTT in Saturdays Toronto Sun.About Brandon League.What a MLB scout says:”I think he has a future as a setup guy in the big leagues. League is the best they have in Syracuse. “He has a sinker/slider type arm with plus stuf.He sometimes fights with his command but he has recovered most of his velocity he lost when he was hurt in spring training when ,I think, he was down seven or eight miles per hour on his fastball.”I like his upside.bigtime.I told my guy we should try to acquire him,it’s not that we have a dire need.But i’m not sure he is a fit with Toronto.
Bosox
One last point. Where do you think Boston would be in the standings if they lost Papelbon and Okajima for the season; Manny for 89 games, Beckett for 6 weeks, Wakefield for 100 games, Lopez for the season and Ortiz for 24 games.
I’d bet they wouldn’t be close to .500 as we are
the garry
Imagine our pen next year with League, Janssen and Accardo for late inning guys and Ryan closing.
Sounds awfully good to me.
To gsummer Sounds good to me to.How about you bosox.One thing i will admit you have a good pen this year but so will we next year.
bosoxbrian:
I can’t agree with your analysis of the Jays’ bullpen and starting rotation. You say the Jays have nothing beyond Halladay in the rotation, yet Marcum and McGowan have made huge strides this year and are looking like solid 3-4 or even 2-3 guys in the rotation. Marcum, minus one start, has been our most consistent starter all year.
The Jays’ bullpen, too, is one of the top 5 (I believe) in the American League WITHOUT BJ Ryan. Imagine what the Jays will be like next year with Ryan and League back next year?
If anything, the Jays’ major weakness is their hitting. The lineup is one-dimensional: i.e. filled with too many slow guys who rely on the long ball. I’m not sure what the exact stat is, but I bet the Jays might be in the top three in the league in solo HRs. They’re capable of hitting them, they just need people getting on base in front of them.
With that said, though, the Jays also really need to solidify the back-end of their starting rotation. Towers is shaky, Chacin’s permanently injured, Burnett (even when healthy) is inconsistent, and Litsch is still a question mark.
We have Selig to thank for the salary discrepancy . He refuses to cap player salaries claiming the luxury tax placed on those teams that are over 117 mil a yr compensates those teams that can’t afford to pay more . Yes it has helped some teams but its far from being equal. Another thing I have a big problem with is “bidding for the right to offer a japanese player a contract. We do not do this with our own players or with players from any other country , does this make our ball players less valuable… less desirable . Yes the GM plays a valuable roll , they all make mistakes . Dice-k is still in his learning yr but is he really worth over 100 mil for 5 yrs . You complain Burnett was overpaid yet here is a pitcher who cost twice what Burnett did and has not been the power they believed him to be . Igawa is the same for the Yanks. As for who do the jays have after Halladay , i think you met one last night , incase you forgot his name is Shawn Marcum. His first yr as ” thrown into the pot pitcher ” he has outpitched Dice-k just has not had the run support. He is followed by another extremely good pitcher McGowan . We may only be around .500 but with all the injuries etc the Jays have endured we are still winners . We did not stop playing even though all 5 starters have been out at some point not to mention losing our left fielder, our third baseman, our first baseman, our catcher, our closer and set up man for extended periods of time . Then add in the numerous minor things like flu and the usual aches and pains . I don’t pretend to know everything about baseball but one thing i do know , this team does not quit so I am behind them 100%
Also, I’ve got to agree on gsumner on this one, the emergence of Aaron Hill makes the trade of Orlando Hudson seem inconsequential.
If there’s a trade available, though, I think Glaus should go. He’s a great ballplayer, but he’s running on borrowed time with those legs and knees of his. Might as well sell high now while team’s still think he has some value.
I to would like to see Glaus traded only because he’s lame. But what can you get for him every team in the majors knows he’s lame.The Dodgers or Angels may take him off our hands and give nouthing in return.Also will we have to eat some of his salry I for one am sick and tired of the Jays paying other players to play against us when they could use the money for other players.You might say thats the only way JP could get rid of them then why sign them in the first place.
A hot link to all Blue Jay minor teams is now up at
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/info/affiliations.jsp
This link now includes the two Dominican Republic teams and The Gulf Coast Blue Jays.
Thank you, Jordon
gsumner:
You seem to know a lot more than I do about the Jays’ farm system, which is great, but I wouldn’t place a lot of emphasis on team placings in the Minor League standings. If anything, I would argue the opposite: Major League teams with good farm systems often have basement dwelling teams in the minors. I think often teams with good records in the minors are filled with Lee Gronk types — guys who will likely never have more than a cup of coffee in the majors, but who have maxed out and perform consistently at AA or AAA.
Teams with bad records in the minors, on the other hand, are always being disrupted because their top prospects are constantly moving through the system to higher levels. As a result, the team can’t gel and they plummet in the standings.
Hope that makes some sense. What are your thoughts?
gsumner:
You seem to know a lot more than I do about the Jays’ farm system, which is great, but I wouldn’t place a lot of emphasis on team placings in the Minor League standings. If anything, I would argue the opposite: Major League teams with good farm systems often have basement dwelling teams in the minors. I think often teams with good records in the minors are filled with Lee Gronk types — guys who will likely never have more than a cup of coffee in the majors, but who have maxed out and perform consistently at AA or AAA.
Teams with bad records in the minors, on the other hand, are always being disrupted because their top prospects are constantly moving through the system to higher levels. As a result, the team can’t gel and they plummet in the standings.
Hope that makes some sense. What are your thoughts?
hem.gold.I read your posting twice lol.I think you may be right about AAA ball-some in AA ball but not in A. ball and lower I think you need a good farm system at those levels and yes as they move up through the system some never make the Bigs.But thats what its all about watching these guys and hopeing that they make it.
thegarryguy: Yeah, after I posted that (twice!) I started thinking I might be wrong when it comes to lower levels because, like you said, there’s less moving around at ‘A’ ball and lower.
I stick by my comment, though, when it comes to AA and AAA. You only want so many Lee Gronk and Chad Motolla types hanging around at those levels!
hem.gold
I agree with you on the upper levels like AA and AAA. Most of the guys that would have been at AAA are up here. I do think, though, that the standings in the lower levels like the rookie and short season league teams show how well the team has drafted since they’re pretty much stocked with draftees.
Auburn, our short season league team has won the league title-I think 6 years in a row-so when someone states Riccardi hasn’t done a good job of rebuilding the minors-I disagree with them.
I also like the fact we placed 5 players from New Hampshire on the All Star team. Dunedin-A+ didn’t do as well as that,but we do have some good prospects coming up.
The web site I previously posted is a good site to check all these kids out. You can check team standings, all kinds of personal and league stats and read some interesting news items-like Santos winning a tractor for winning the home run derby in the AA all-star game.
I enjoy tracking these kids as they go through the system, and it certainly gives you some perspective of how good a job the front office is doing.
Only a few will make it up here, but it’s great to see an Aaron Hill, one of our draft choices fill a position all Jays fans would never be filled by anyone after Orlando left.
The Garry
If you think Bosox got a rough ride here last night, you should check out both the Boston and NY sites and read some of the posts. Looks like he’s warn out his welcome all over.