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MLB 2013 - The Blue Jays That Never Were(Second Try)
For those who have never read version one of this dynasty, you can more or less ignore this and enjoy the ride, and start reading with the next post.
What has changed? I used the OOTP 14 Quickstart, and then reverted the transactions the more or less same way as I did in version one. With the quickstart starting on March 30th, I will act like we had a spring training, and I will have to make up some transactions(Melky Cabrera as free agent, Miami/Mets rebuild) on the fly and present you the results. What I did not do... is edit any of the player skills. Which means, Anthony Gose is a top prospect, Wuilmer Becerra is a pretty good prospect and Brett Lawrie is a beast... and so on. I made a test run and got a completely fictional draft that is resonable at least, and of course as this is a MLB quickstart, there are enough prospects around to NOT break the game. Also, I will sign some free agents to fill out the roster this time, something I was not able to do in the old version. |
So, what is this all about?
Since I stumbled into baseball as a sport to follow, I am Blue Jays fan and love to follow the team and watch ALOT of their games.
However, I'm usually pretty critical about front office decisions(trades, signings) and when I don't like a deal(Revere for Storen anyone), I'm saying this out loud... and when I have to eat my words(Michael Saunders anyone), I'm willing to do so. However, over the last four years there are two big trades that I always come back to in discussions about the team. 1st November 19th, 2012 Traded Henderson Alvarez, Anthony DeSclafani, Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Jake Marisnick, Jeff Mathis and Justin Nicolino to the Miami Marlins. Received Emilio Bonifacio, John Buck, Mark Buehrle, Josh Johnson, Jose Reyes and cash. Back in the days, I liked that deal. Get back a couple of very good starters, in Buehrle and Johnson and get an upgrade at shortstop that figures to be the perfect leadoff hitter. Now, Josh Johnson started in 16 games with a 6.20ERA in 2013 and never picked up a baseball again in a MLB game. Buehrle was decent, with a 40-28 record and a ERA under four in 601.1IP and was a great mentor for the young pitchers last year, but also earned $49M in those three years. Jose Reyes missed 70 games in 2013, and basically ceased to be a servicable defender at shortstop a while ago. His offensive production was decent, but well... he is contract escalated from $10M to $16M to... wait for it... $22M going forward with his skills regressing steadily... fun times for Colorado these days. 2nd December 17th, 2012 Traded Wuilmer Becerra (minors), John Buck, Travis d'Arnaud and Noah Syndergaard to the New York Mets. Received R.A. Dickey, Mike Nickeas and Josh Thole. I never liked this trade, simply because I didn't trust R.A. Dickey to consistently post years like the Cy Young season of 2012(20-6 2.73 230K). I didn't know much about the pieces we traded back to New York back then... we know now, don't we? Dickey went on to go 39-37 with a 3.95ERA, 476K and 3.3WAR in the last three years, getting payed $5M, $12M, $12M and $12M this season. Don't get me wrong, I love watching him pitch and he can get every $ out of this contract... but looking at what the Blue Jays sent over... boy this may not have been worth it going forward. 3. The Setting: What if the Blue Jays were 'forced' to hold on to all those prospects instead of trading them away in this Win Now! window. Noah Syndergaard, Anthony DeSclafani, Marcus Stroman, Aaron Sanchez, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino, Roberto Osuna as pitching prospects? Yunel Escobar at shortstop with Adeiny Hechavarria as a prospect? Travis d'Arnaud as catching prospect? Because of the setting here, no Yan Gomes and Mike Aviles for Esmil Rodgers trade? No Melky Cabrera? What will become out of Brett Lawrie, will Bautista and Encarnacion stay in Toronto till the end of their contracts? We will see.... ----- Technical Stuff: As mentioned above, I used the OOTP 14 quickstart and converted it to OOTP 17 to make things interesting, so basically all ratings and prospects are 2013. Also, the First Year Player Draft in 2013 and all further drafts will be fully fictional... say goodbye to Mark Appel, Brady Aiken, Kyle Schwarber and all the good guys. And of course, the draft will be held in June, not in December. Also, I worked by butt off to get Dickey, Reyes & co. traded away from the Mets and Marlins... and they got more than a fair deal, I think I overshot a bit regarding the prospects they got... OOTP agreed to them tho... |
Toronto Star Breaking News
Blue Jays in Turmoil, Ownership, Front Office under Investigation, MLB Takes Over Reigns
thestar.com October 22nd, 2012 One day after Blue Jays manager John Farrell was traded over to the Boston Red Sox together with reliever David Carpenter for Mike Aviles, leaving the Blue Jays without a skipper for next season, another bomb exploded in Toronto today. Rogers Communication, the Blue Jays front office including the President of Baseball operations, and GM Alex Anthopoulos are under investigation for 'something' according to a hastly held press conference at Rogers Center. Commissioner Bud Selig was present and in a shocking announcement, told reporters that Major League Baseball will assume control over Canada's team for now. The Case: Accoring to sources inside the canadian jurisdiction, some employees of Rogers Communication and the Blue Jays were part of some highly illegal financial transactions, especially prior to the bank crash years ago. Some speculate that the Blue Jays actually had benefited by that, but Frank Jackson, chief of the DFS(Department of Financial Services), has gone on record that "this seems to have hurt Toronto and Rogers Communication more than it helped." Jackson was present at the presser, announcing that the investigation of various cases has been underway for a couple of months now and that he was thankful for Major League Baseball's help. As for punishment for the club, Bud Selig told that as for now, it seems like neither the players nor most of the teams personnal had done anything wrong, and that the organisation may be cleared of wrongdoing in general once the cases are closed. The Future: Selig was very defensive about what happens to the team members under investigation, leaving that to the police and the judges, but stated that not everybody who is relieved from his duties is actually guilty. The next explosion came swift... in order to sort out this mess and to keep damage from Major League Baseball and the Blue Jays organisation, he will be negotiating on behalf of Rogers Communication to find a buyer for the team, starting today. For canadian fans, this sounds like nightmare scenario. Francis Mason, a sportswriter for the Toronto Star, asked the big question... Will the Blue Jays be sold and sent out of town like the Expos were? Selig's answer was basically trying to avoid answering the question, saying that "it is too early to think about this, but he definitly wants to keep a team in Canada." Fans do certainly hope that Selig will find a buyer fast, and that whoever that is will keep the team around in Toronto. The Offseason: Asked about the upcoming offseason, Major League Baseball will continue the seach for an interim manager and apart from that... will stand pat. "It is not our organisation, and it is not our right to make trades and sign players", Selig said on behalf of MLB. Toronto has finished the season 73-89, fourth in the AL East, and have not seen postseason baseball since 1993. While they have a potent lineup, featuring Adam Lind, Edwin Encarnacion, Colby Rasmus and Jose Bautista, the pitching has been a problem and former(?) GM Alex Anthopoulos had promised to do something about that this offseason. On the other hand, talent evaluators are raving about some of their young prospect, pointing at this years first round pick Marcus Stroman as the next Tim Lincecum, 2010 first rounder Noah Syndergaard as the next Roy Halladay, and they really like the outlook of outfielder Anthony Gose and second baseman Wuilmer Becerra. |
News Update: December 21st
New Owner to Be Announced in February, Blue Jays Still Shut out of Trade Market
thestar.com December 21st, 2012 So, what is the state of the Jays? The team was able to present their fans a new (interim) manager. Looking for someone who is already familiar with the organisation, 50-year old John Gibbons was signed on a one-year deal to be the skipper of the Blue Jays. Gibbons had a stint as manager of the team from 2004 to 2008 and was able to get his team to two winning seasons(2006 87W and 2007 83W) before getting fired after a 35-39 start to the 2008 regular season. Asked about why he hired on the sinking ship, Gibbons said "I never shied away from any challenge, and this team was the first to give me a chance to manage. This way, I can give something back." The Ownership: We are nearing christmas, and Bud Selig has been speaking alot lately... with the media and reportetly, with potential buyers. The things he said can be interpreted in many ways, but the latest announcement is that by February 15th, a new ownership group or owner will be presented by Major League Baseball. If those guys want to keep the team in Toronto... is unknown. Deals: In order to somehow cover the team, the Blue Jays were able to still snag the services of SP Roy Oswalt for 2y/$4M. The veteran is coming off a horrible year with the Rangers, appearing in 17 games, starting nine and posting a 4-3 record with a 5.80ERA. Also, infielder Maicer Izturis agreed to a 2y/$2.2M deal to join the Jays. The versatile 32-year old is coming off a .256-2-20 .634OPS year in 100 games with the Angels, the team he has been with since 2004. And finally, the team bought reliever Jeremy Jeffress from the Kansas City Royals for a unspecified amount of cash. Once a 1st round pick by the Brewers, Jeffress fell out of favor and was pretty bad last year, posting a 6.75ERA in 13.1 innings in Kansas City. All three deals were agreed upon by Major League Baseball and a Council of Owners, while a possible 2y/$10M deal with outfielder Melky Cabrera was vetoed. Cabrera signed with the Rangers yesterday for the same amount of money. |
Big deals...
4 Attachment(s)
The trade season has been ON, and some contenders just got better with some big trading.
R.A. Dickey joins Birds Yesterday, reigning NL Cy Young winner R.A. Dickey, together with personal catcher Josh Thole were dealt over to the Baltimore Orioles. Dickey, who was 20-6 with a 2.73ERA, will become the instant ace of the Orioles in their push for the 2013 division crown. The Mets however got themselves quite a haul. 22-year old prospect SP Kevin Gausman will make his way over as well as 19-year old shortstop prospect Adrian Marin, 21-year old outfield prospect Glynn Davis and 22-year old catching prospect Sam Kimmel. Buehrle Reunited with White Sox Left handed ace Mark Buehrle(34, 13-13 3.74 125K 31GS) has returned to the Chicago White Sox. He and 2B Emilio Bonifacio(27, .258-1-11 30/33SB 64G) were the first pieces to get axed in a Marlins fire sale, and they cost some impact prospects. 24-year old starter Jose Quintana will make his way straight into the Marlins' rotation after a 6-6 3.75 year in 22 starts, and 19-year old right fielder Courtney Hawkins and 20-year old second baseman Carlos Sanchez will go straight to their minor league system. Josh Johnson To Braves Marlins star Josh Johnson(29, 8-14 3.81 165K) has walked through that door to bolster the Braves rotation, and he won't come back. Instead, the Marlins bolstered their farm with four guys. 23-year old right hander J.R. Graham, 22-year old left hander Alex Wood and 23-year old right hander Luis Avilan will join the Fish together with catching prospect Christian Bethancourt(21). Locked and Loaded: Dodgers Sent Gordon, Peterson to Fish for Reyes It was a one year cameo for Jose Reyes(.287-11-57 40/51SB 160G), and the dominican shortstop was sent over to the Dodgers in a mega deal that will bring two more big prospects to Miami. Shortstop Dee Gordon, the 24-year old speedster, will make his way to Miami and if he can fullfill the promise that many have seen in him for years, he alone may be as productive as Reyes. In addition to that, LF Joc Pederson was part of the deal. The 20-year old is coming off a .313-18-70 .913OPS year in A ball... and could be their starting LF for years to come. |
News Update: February 12th
Henderson Industries Owner Frank Henderson Buys Blue Jays, Vows to Keep the Team in Toronto!
thestar.com February 12th, 2013 The wait is over, and the news are splendid. Frank Henderson, 36-year old owner of Henderson Industries and Henderson Shipping, has bought the Blue Jays franchise for an undisclosed sum. Rogers Communication agreed to the deal offered through Bud Selig, and the new owner promised to keep the team in Canada. "This has been Canada's team, and it will stay that way, for bad or worse", Henderson told at yesterday's press conference at the Rogers Centre which will be named the SkyDome once again. The Future: "I want to bring playoff baseball back to Toronto, but we have to build it sustainable, not by trading for a one hit wonder that never makes is back to the playoffs. Youth development is crucial for us and we have to embrace that", was the statement of the day, surprising fans, shocking some players like Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion... and it is a logical statement due to the fact that there is not alot left to deal for in this offseason. Most free agents have signed, most rebuilding teams have wrapped up their offseason, and Toronto is left with the shambles of a winter that saw them move in no particular way. No rebuild, no restock, no win now moves. Asked on who will be at the helm, Henderson announced that he has a "young, talented, highly motivated and Blue Jays loving man in his company that he will try to persuade to become GM of the Blue Jays." Nobody knows who he is talking about, and instant critics about letting an outsider become GM of a MLB team surfaced... Folks, this will be quite a ride going forward. |
News Update: March 30th
K.C. Martin Announced as Blue Jays GM
stadiumreport.bbn March 30th, 2013 The new owner of the Toronto Blue Jays, Frank Henderson, said they "couldn't be more confident" in his hiring of KC Martin as the team's general manager. "He's the right man for the right job at the right time," the Henderson family said in a prepared statement. "We believe fully in KC. He has worked for me for eight years now, and I know he can sort out a mess in no time." The 32-year-old native of the United States said he was gracious for the support of his ownership and looking forward to getting to work. Martin has worked for Henderson Shipment and Industries as expert on optimization and investments since leaving Yale, and is looking forward to the challenge. "Thank you for the warm welcome, I hope we can meet your high expectations as soon as possible. This team is due to make the playoffs" he told reporters and fans at the press converence held at the SkyDome. He would later meet with the coaching staff for the first time. Martin has his work cut out for him as the team is in a world of trouble. During a awkward and mediocre spring training, they had to place a total of four key players on the DL, including three contenders for a spot in the starting rotation... and K.C. is the guy to sort out this mess... till Opening Night at the Skydome on April, 2nd. |
A very interesting dynasty, as a Blue Jays fan myself, I didn't like the Dickey trade at all, they gave up to much to a pitcher that only had 1 good season & has been subpar (47-49 .490 winning %) at best.....Playing the "what if" game looks fun, I am have to try that myself.
Hopefully u can resign Bautisla & Edwin.......What about the trades for Donaldson & Tulo are u going to "Force" them? I would have kept manager John Farrell as the Jays Mamager, I'm not a big fan of John Gibbson ( he just got lucky last season) |
Quote:
I won't force the Donaldson/Tulo trades. I thought about it, but that is two years in the future and in real life and OOTP, that is an eternity. If the Rockies are in contention in 2015 for instance, the deal would make no sense(and I don't have Jose Reyes to flip him anyways) Because of the setup(start of 2013 season with OOTP 14), the Bautista extension for $14M per year till 2015 with a team option for 2016, and Edwin's $8M/$9M/$10M/$10M(T) deal till the end of 2016 are included in the save... and I was actually too lazy to terminate and renegotiate them, so I can keep them around for a while. As for Gibby, I thought it fitted the story to have him appointed as manager here. I didn't really want to seach for a suitable replacement for Farrell for the Red Sox aswell. But, to be fair, I'm not a huge fan of Gibby myself, especially looking at the ongoing 2016 season, but as stated above... I will play things out. PS: While I'm at it: Trade Difficulty: Hard Rainouts are disabled Relievers can not win the Cy Young Award Formation of a additional Rookie League that starts on May 1st(+- sheduling), plays 120 games, 30 teams(more on that later). |
2013 Preseason News and Top Prospects
State of the Blue Jays:
A little shakeup in the Blue Jays front office. Scouting director Alan Timmich was appointed as new assistant GM, while 41-year old Theo Epstein was appointed as the new head of Toronto's scouting department. Also, the team announced that they drastically improved the scouting budget as well as the development budget. News: Just on opening day, the Blue Jays were awarded the contract of RHSP Daisuke 'Dice-K' Matsuzaka(32, 1.5*) off waivers from the Cleveland Indians. The japanese import had a horrible 2012 in Boston, going 1-7 with a 8.28ERA in 11 starts and lost the battle for the last Indians rotation spot this spring. Baseball America announced their Top 100 prospect list: #1 RHSP Dylan Bundy, 20, Baltimore Orioles(AA)(+1) #2 LF Jackie Bradley Jr., 22, Boston Red Sox(MLB)(+37) #3 RF Wil Myers, 22, Tampa Bay Rays(AAA)(+-0) #4 RHSP Trevor Bauer, 22, Cleveland Indians(MLB)(+2) #5 RHSP Shelby Miller, 22, St. Louis Cardinals(MLB)(+14) #6 2B Carlos Sanchez, 20, Miami Marlins(A)(NEW) #7 LHSP Hyun-Jin Ryu, 26, Los Angeles Dodgers(MLB)(NEW) #8 LHSP Tyler Skaggs, 21, Arizona Diamondbacks(AAA)(+1) #9 3B Miguel Sano, 19, Minnesota Twins(A)(+11) #10 RHSP Gerrit Cole, 22, Pittsburgh Pirates(AA)(-3) Blue Jays on that list: #25 C Travis d'Arnaud, 24, .333-16-52 .975OPS in AAA ball, (AAA) (Trade PHI)(-14) #27 OF Jake Marisnick, 22, .233-2-15 .622OPS in AA ball, (AA) (3rd round 2009)(+8) #54 RHSP Aaron Sanchez, 20, 8-5 2.41 25G/18GS in A ball, (A) (1st round 2010)(-16) #74 RHSP Noah Syndergaard, 22, 8-5 1SV 2.60 27G/19GS in A ball (AA) (1st round 2010)(+9) Unranked, yet promising or not rookie eligible anymore: AAA SS Adeiny Hechavarria, 23, .312-6-63 .788OPS in AAA ball (IFA) AAA CF Anthony Gose, 22, .286-5-43 .785OPS 34/46SB in AAA ball (Trade HOU) AA SP Marcus Stroman, 21, 2-0 3.38 8K 8GS in AA ball (1st round 2012) AA C A.J. Jimenez, 22, .303-4-52 .770OPS 102G in A ball (9th round 2008) A SP Justin Nicolino, 21, 10-4 2.46 119K 28G/22GS in A ball (2nd round 2010) A 3B Kellen Sweeney, 21, .229-5-29 .697OPS 67G in S A (2nd round 2010) A LF Chris Hawkins, 21, .269-2-43 .663OPS 123G in A (3rd round 2010) A OF Dalton Pompey, 20, .294-0-4 .883OPS 11G in S A (16th round 2010) Our now assistant GM was pretty unhappy with those rankings as we are the 12th best minor league system in baseball. That is mostly because Gose and Hechavarria are not rookie eligible anymore. They will start the season in AAA, tho bringing in Gose to play center is in the books... and d'Arnaud is only in AAA to save up some service time. |
2013 April 1st: State of the Jays
Owner Expectation:
Do not suck completely. Preseason Prediction: 66-96, 5th in AL East with BOS(91-71) & BAL(84-78) on top Predicted Top Players: 1B Edwin Encarnacion .277/.363/.522 39HR 109RBI's Anybody else having a strange dejΰ-vu? Ok, forget about that. Since I only took over the GM job on March 30th.... my hands are pretty much tied and claiming Dice-K was pretty the only thing to shake up things and help out our rotation. Coming off a 73-89 season without any chance to really improve this offseason, baseball experts think we are going to stink... and I'm not sure we 100% agree with that. Yes, our rotation right now looks awful(more below), but we will get back Henderson Alvarez by the beginning of May and Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison by the middle of June. Add Brett Lawrie, who has as much upside as any third baseman in baseball, who will be off the DL by the beginning of May... and potential callups of d'Arnaud and Gose... and this roster is not that bad. That being said, they will have the chance to declare themselves a contender or a pretender till the end of July... when we have to decide how to shake things up at the deadline. Rotation:
Yes I know. The guy is hoping for a couple of Tommy John returnees and a dude with shoulder inflammation and a 4.85ERA to save this rotation while filling the void with failed 'starter' Brett Cecil, Bust-K Masuzaka AND 35-year old Roy Oswalt and you are right, I'm completely mad. To be serious, this rotation can be half decent and if our offense performs like we hope they will once everybody is healthy and up, this could be a .500 team or better... but yes, this is a list consisting of a lot of 'if'. And the fact that I didn't even list a single AAA starter tells you what I think about those... replacement level(and somehow, Chien-Ming Wang is in AAA with the Yankees :mad: ). We don't expect much more than replacement level performances out of Dustin McGowan when he returns by the way. Of our prospects, Stroman of course is still suspended for 43 for using methylhexaneamine late last season, and we will take a cautious approach with the rest of our prospects... keeping them in A or AA ball. Bullpen:
If you are asking why Aaron Loup is in AA... John Gibbons and Mr. Tinnish are pretty sure he had some fun last season... but needs more seasoning in the minors. That leaves us with a strong duo of Santos and Janssen, a veteran lefty in Oliver, a highly thought righty in Steve Delabar, a de facto rookie in Jeremy Jeffress... and goddamn Ricky Romero. Romero was able to avoid two of my attempts to poison him before opening day... and seems determined to earn $22.5M the next three years... for being awful. He would've been the second option to put in the rotation... and we decided to take a chance on Cecil rather... and I want to somehow dump him somewhere else if possible. Catchers:
No surprises here. Arencibia will start the season behind the plate, and Yan Gomes will be the backup. However, J.P. has something to proove if he wants to stay the starting catcher. A .233-18-56 year with a .710OPS? I'm pretty sure d'Arnaud can do better. Gomes is the backup... and basically nobody is impressed with his defense or his bat. Infield:
Once Brett Lawrie is back from the DL, we will have an infield of Edwin, Izturis, Lawrie, Escobar with Adam Lind as DH... if nobody else gets injured of course. Team trainer George Poulis told me that technically, EE is a bit injury prone nowadays and that is the reason why he only got a $8M/$9M/$10M/$10M(T) for an extension by the old front office. This one will still keep him with the team till the end of 2015 or 2016... hopefully this works. As for exciting infield prospects... look at another team, there is nothing here. Andy LaRoche will fill in at third for the next month... hopefully we can find some production in his bat. Outfield:
Maybe the key piece of this franchise is patrolling right field... and hopefully stays healthy. Jose Bautista is one year away from a 43HR year, and two years away from a 54 home run year... and has put his name under a contract that will keep him here till the end of 2015 for $14M annual, with a team option for 2016. Now, the rest of the outfield. Colby Rasmus will go in his second full year and we pretty much know what he is... a .250 hitter at best... with 20-25 home runs and slightly below average defense in center. His calling card going forward... may be left field... where Rajaj Davis will start the season. In the end, the 32-year old veteran has one skill... stealing bases. Problem is, he gets on base with a .300 clip at best and that limits his effectivity. Best case, Anthony Gose starts in AAA on fire and makes huge strides while working with his coaches... and we call him up in May or around mid-June, move Rasmus to left and Davis on the bench. Plans like this rarely work. Coming up: Cleveland(68-94) - Toronto(73-89) Ubaldo Jimenez(R, 9-17 5.40) Brandon Morrow(R, 10-7 2.96) |
2013 Week 1
Week 1: 3vs Cleveland Indians(68-94), 3vs Boston Red Sox(69-93)
April 1st offday News: Brewers SP Yovani Gallardo(27, 4*) kicked their season off with a 8IP 5H 0ER 2BB 4K game, beating the Rockies 5-0 at home. The 2010 NL All-Star is coming off a pretty impressive 16-9 3.66 204K year in 33 starts. April 2nd Edwin Drives in Three, Jays Win Slugfest Opener 10-6 The Toronto Blue Jays put one in the win column on Opening Day at the Skydome. The Blue Jays defeated the Cleveland Indians, 10-6. Toronto first baseman Edwin Encarnacion was instrumental in his team's success. He was 2-3 with a home run and 2 walks. He scored 2 times and drove in 3. Encarnacion had an important at-bat with runners on 1st and 2nd in the bottom of the first, when he hit a 3-run home run. The Blue Jays went on to win. "I like our moxie," said Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. Brandon Morrow barely qualified for the win, going six inning of 5-run ball, but compared to the nightmare the Indians pitching staff went through, that was nothing. Jimenez allowed six earned, Joe Smith three and Wil Ledezma one. Trevor Bauer(R, 1-2 6.06) Roy Oswalt(R, 4-3 5.80) tomorrow. SP Brandon Morrow 6IP 5H 5R 5ER 2BB 8K LF Rajaj Davis 1-4 R 3RBI BB DB RF Jose Bautista 1-4 R BB 1B Edwin Encarnacion 2-3 2R 3RBI 2BB HR CF Colby Rasmus 3-5 2R 2RBI DB HR C J.P. Arencibia 1-4 R BB DH Adam Lind 2-3 R 2BB SS Yunel Escobar 3-4 R RBI DB HR CLE: Carlos Santana(1), Nick Swisher(1) HR TOR: Edwin Encarnacion(1), Colby Rasmus(1) W: Brandon Morrow(1-0 7.50) L: Ubaldo Jimenez(0-1 13.50) Edwin was off to a great start with a 3-run shot in the first... and we never put the foot off the gas. News: Orioles 1B Chris Davis(27, 2.5*) started off 2013 with a 3-5 2R 4RBI DB HR day in a 8-5 win in St. Pete against the Rays. Davis is entering his second season with the club, coming off a .270-33-85 .827OPS season in 139 games. Rangers RHCL Joe Nathan(38, 4.5*) got what he waited for all offseason long, career save #300 in a 7-4 win over the Astros. One of the elite closers of the last century, Nathan is a career 51-28 300SV 2.86ERA pitcher with 840K in 796IP in 649 games. He also is a 5x All-Star, playing for the Giants, Twins and Rangers. April 3rd Rasmus Walks Off Tribe in 10th The Toronto Blue Jays topped the Cleveland Indians, 9-8, in American League action at the Skydome. The player of the game was Toronto center fielder Colby Rasmus. Toronto reliever Sergio Santos picked up the win, upping his record to 1-0. Chris Perez was saddled with the loss. At 2-0, the Blue Jays have played well so far. Rasmus had a game-changing home run in the bottom of the tenth. On a first pitch fastball from Chris Perez, he banged a solo home run to right, walking off the affair. It was the 2nd home run of the year for Rasmus. "We had the game right there for the taking," said Cleveland manager Terry Francona. "But we decided not to take it." Even without it being opening night, the fireworks went off alot today as neither Trevor Bauer(4.2IP 6ER) nor Roy Oswalt(1.8IP 7R 6ER) made it through five innings, and the unsung hero of the home team was righty Jesse Litsch who pitched four innings of 1-run ball in relief. Zach McAllister(R, 6-8 4.24) Daisuke Matsuzaka(R, 1-7 8.28) tomorrow. SP Roy Oswalt 1.2IP 8H 7R 6ER 1BB 1K 2B Maicer Izturis 1-4 R RBI RF Jose Bautista 2-5 R 2RBI BB DB HR 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-4 R 2BB DB CF Colby Rasmus 4-5 3R RBI BB DB HR C J.P. Arencibia 1-4 R BB DB DH Adam Lind 1-4 2R 4RBI BB HR SS Yunel Escobar 2-5 RBI HR CLE: Nick Swisher(2) HR TOR: Adam Lind(1), Jose Bautista(1), Colby Rasmus(1) W: Sergio Santos(1-0 0.00) L: Chris Perez(0-1 5.40) No, we are not playing MLB The Show on easy mode here... News: Phillies SP Roy Halladay(35, 5*) had a special day in Atlanta, not only pitching a complete game 9IP 11H 3ER 0BB 4K in a 7-3 win, but collecting career win #200. A 8x All-Star and 2x Cy Young Winner, Halladay is a career 200-100 pitcher with a 3.30ERA and 2070K in 404 games, 378 starts and 2696.1 innings pitched between Toronto and Philadelphia. Reds SP Mat Latos(25, 4/4.5*) held on to a narrow 1-0 lead through eight innings of 3-hit and 8K ball in a 1-0 win over the Angels today. The highly talented right hander is coming off a 14-4 3.48 185K year in 33 starts. Rangers LF David Murphy(31, 3*) was none to pleased with the signing of Melky Cabrera, and decided to put on a show, going 3-3 2R 6RBI BB with two home runs in a 7-4 win over the Astros. The 31-year old is coming off a .304-15-61 .859OPS year in 147 games. April 4th Tribe Wins Third High Scoring Game in a Row 9-8 The Cleveland Indians knocked off the Toronto Blue Jays, 9-8, at the Skydome. Drew Stubbs, who captured player of the game honors, was a big reason Cleveland won. The right fielder was 3 for 5 with a home run and 2 singles, while scoring 2 times and driving in 2. The Indians, now 1-2, have not found much traction so far in 2013. Had Nick Swisher not delivered a key base hit in the top of the seventh, the outcome might have been different. Instead, with two down and runners on 1st and 2nd, Swisher hit a run-scoring single. That made the score 9-8, in favor of the Indians. "We put it together today and came out with the win," Stubbs said in postgame remarks. "That's the main thing." Once again, both starters were out by the third inning, and both bullpens had to do some heavy lifting... and the Indians came up on top. For Toronto, they will host the Red Sox and their top prospect Jackie Bradley Jr. for three next. Felix Doubront(L, 11-10 4.86) J.A. Happ(L, 10-11 4.79) tomorrow. SP Daisuke Matsuzaka 2.1IP 8H 6R 6ER 3BB 4K 2B Maicer Izturis 2-4 R BB DB RF Jose Bautista 1-3 2R 3RBI BB HR 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-5 R 3RBI DB CF Colby Rasmus 1-5 R C J.P. Arencibia 1-1 RBI 2BB HR CLE: Nick Swisher(3), Drew Stubbs(1), Asdrubal Cabrera(1) HR TOR: Jose Bautista(2) W: Matt Albers(1-0 0.00) L: Darren Oliver(0-1 13.50) SV: Chris Perez(1 3.38) Not sure if I like this way of playing ball... I didn't expect out pitching to suck THAT much. News: Nationals SP Jordan Zimmerman(26, 4/4.5*) blanked the Marlins to start his 2013 season, pitching a four hit shutout with 1BB and 8K in a 5-0 win. The right hander has been an ace for them last season, going 12-8 2.94 153K in 32 starts. April 5th Jays Beat Sox, Farrell, 9-6 in Opener Toronto shortstop Yunel Escobar played a vital role in his team's 9-6 triumph over Boston. He went 2 for 3 with a triple and a walk. He scored 2 times and drove in 3 for Toronto. J.A. Happ got the win, improving to 1-0. He worked 6.1 innings, giving up 4 runs on 6 hits, while striking out 4 and walking 4. Toronto, at 3-1, has sizzled in the early going. The Blue Jays beat the Red Sox in part due to timely hitting. Case in point: the two-out home run Colby Rasmus produced in the bottom of the first. Batting against Boston pitcher Felix Doubront, Rasmus gave his team a 3-1 lead when he hit a 3-run home run. "Feels good to get the job done," Escobar said after the game. For once, the team got a decent start by J.A. Happ, 6.1 innings of 4-run ball and a win. Yet, the bullpen usage by John Gibbons was a bag of surprises as Casey Jannsen came in with a five run lead, conceded two runs... and saw Sergio Santos getting the save. So, who is the team's closer? Jon Lester(L, 0-0 1.13) Brett Cecil(L, 2-4 5.72) tomorrow. SP J.A. Happ 6.1IP 6H 4R 4ER 4BB 4K 2B Maicer Izturis 3-5 2RBI DB SB(1) CF Colby Rasmus 2-4 2R 3RBI HR C J.P. Arencibia 2-3 R BB SS Yunel Escobar 2-3 2R 3RBI BB TP HR BOS: David Ross(1), Jonny Gomes(2) HR TOR: Colby Rasmus(3) W: J.A. Happ(1-0 5.68) L: Felix Doubront(0-1 21.00) SV: Sergio Santos(1 0.00) So, John Gibbons wants Santos to close... OK cool. News: White Sox SP Mark Buehrle(34, 2.5*) started off his comeback in Chicago with eight innings of 5-hit, 1BB and 8K ball in a close 1-0 victory over the Mariners. The 4x Gold Glover is coming off a 13-13 3.74 125K year with the Marlins. April 6th Lester Delievers Gem in 3-0 Sox Win Getting an impressive start from Jon Lester, Boston beat Toronto by the score of 3-0. Boston is still hoping to get on a roll. The win is just their 2nd in 5 games. Lester, who was born in Tacoma, Washington, threw 114 pitches over 8 innings, while allowing no earned runs. "We'll put this win in our pocket and go after the next one," said Lester. The 2x All-Star is trying to rebound from a 9-14 4.82 166K year in 33 starts. Brett Cecil was the tough luck loser today, pitching a complete game loss, 9 innings of 3-run ball, allowing only a couple of home runs. The Jays exactly got four hits, three doubles by Davis, Edwin and LaRoche and a single by Rasmus. John Lackey(R, DNP) Brandon Morrow(R, 1-0 7.50) tomorrow. SP Brett Cecil 9IP 8H 3R 3ER 0BB 8K 2B Maicer Izturis 0-2 2BB LF Rajaj Davis 1-3 DB BB 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-3 BB CF Colby Rasmus 1-4 3B Andy LaRoche 1-3 HR BOS: Mike Napoli(1), Jonny Gomes(3) HR TOR: none W: Jon Lester(1-0 0.56) L: Brett Cecil(0-1 3.00) SV: Joel Hanrahan(1 9.00) Lester spoiled the best by one of our starters this week... News: Diamondbacks LF Jason Kubel(30, 2.5*) lit up Brewers pitching for the first three home run game of the 2013 season, going 3-4 3R 3RBI BB 3HR in a 4-5 loss to Milwaukee. Coming off a .253-30-90 .833OPS year in 141 games, Kubel pulled off the same stunt last year, three home runs versus the Astros on July 21st. Astros 1B Carlos Pena(34, 1/2*) plated five against the Athletics, going 3-3 2R 5RBI 2BB DB 2HR in a 8-7 victory. The veteran and 2008 AL Gold Glover is coming off a pretty bad .197-19-61 .684OPS year with the Rays. April 7th Red Sox Win Series with 6-2 Victory, Gomes Goes Deep Again The Boston Red Sox picked up a win at the Skydome, knocking off the Toronto Blue Jays, 6-2. On the mound for Boston was right-hander John Lackey, who played a pivotal role in the win. The loss drops Toronto to 3-3. Boston took the lead in the top of the seventh. With one out and a runner on 3rd, Will Middlebrooks stroked a run-scoring single to make it 3-2, Red Sox. "We'll try to build on that win," Middlebrooks told the Boston Times. Red Sox left fielder Jonny Gomes will now finally leave Toronto after homering in every game of the series, and the Blue Jays will also leave the city en route to Detroit. The 4-2 Tigers will love to sent Miguel Cabrera(.609-2-5) to the plate against Jays pitching. Roy Oswalt(R, 0-0 32.40) Doug Fister(R, 1-0 4.50) tomorrow. SP Brett Cecil 5.2IP 4H 2R 2ER 5BB 4K 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-4 R RBI HR CF Colby Rasmus 1-4 R RBI HR DH Adam Lind 2-4 DB 3B Andy LaRoche 2-4 HR BOS: Jonny Gomes(4) HR TOR: Colby Rasmus(4), Edwin Encarnacion(2) W: John Lackey(1-0 2.08) L: Jeremy Jeffress(0-1 11.25) Technically, it was a 2-2 game before it made contact with Jeremy Jeffress... News: Royals 1B Billy Butler(26, 4.5*) added to a good start to his season... with a 5-5 R 3RBI DB game in a 11-3 interleague win in Philadelphia. A All-Star last year with a .313-29-107 .882OPS year in 161 games, Butler is trying to lead Kansas City back to the playoffs. Week: 3-3(2-1vs CLE, 1-2vs BOS) Power Rankings: #18 Runs scored: 38(3) Runs against: 38(13) Starters ERA: 7.55(13) Bullpen ERA: 4.13(12) Defensive Eff.: .665(13) Fan Interest: 84 Who's hot? nobody Who's not? LF Rajaj Davis 5G 2-20 .100 0HR 0RBI's Tigers 3B/1B Miguel Cabrera(29, 5*) was named AL Player of the Week after going 14-23 2HR 5RBI's. Coming off a .330-44-139 .999OPS year in which he won the AL MvP and AL Triple Crown, Cabrera is on a roll again. Cardinals 1B Allen Craig(28, 4.5*) was named NL Player of the Week after going 11-25 2HR 3RBI's. A 8th round pick in the 2006 draft, Craig only played in 119 games last season, batting .307-22-92 .876OPS.
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2013 Week 2
Week 2: 3@ Detroit Tigers(4-2), 3@ Kansas City Royals(4-2)
April 8th offday News: Braves SP Tim Hudson(37, 3*) pitched a beauty in his second start of the season, going the distance with a 3-hit shutout, 1BB and 1K in a 4-0 win in Miami. The 3x All-Star improved to 1-1 2.57 6K in two starts. Mets SP Jonathon Niese(26, 3*) made it eight scoreless frames of 2-hit, 2BB and 9K in a 3-0 win over the Phillies. A prime candidate for a trade, Niese opened up the season 1-1 0.56 16K in two starts. April 9th Five Run Third Does the Trick, Jays Win Opener 6-4 Toronto and Detroit duked it out at Comerica Tigers Park and the Blue Jays came out victorious. The Detroit Tigers got a sterling performance from first baseman Prince Fielder, but the Blue Jays still prevailed, 6-4. Fielder was named the player of the game in a losing cause. He went 3-5 with a double and 2 singles. He drove in 2 runs and scored once. With the win, Toronto improves its record to 4-3. Colby Rasmus aided the Toronto cause with a 2-run home run in the top of the third. For the game, the center fielder went 1-4 with a home run, while adding 2 RBI and scoring once. "We take it day by day here," said Rasmus, "and today was a good one for us." He is swinging a hot .419-5-9 1.405OPS bat. Rasmus always has been a streaky hitter, and he continues to do so to start the season. Also, Roy Oswalt bounced back from his rocky first start and went 5.2IP of 3-run ball, but conceded 11 hits... which is not exactly a sign of quality. Daisuke Matsuzaka(R, 0-0 23.14) Max Scherzer(R, 1-0 3.60) tomorrow. SP Roy Oswalt 5.2IP 11H 3R 3ER 0BB 5K 2B Maicer Izturis 2-5 R RBI DB LF Rajaj Davis 2-4 R RBI DB RF Jose Bautista 2-4 R 2RBI CF Colby Rasmus 1-4 R 2RBI HR 3B Andy LaRoche 1-2 2R 2BB DB HR TOR: Colby Rasmus(5) HR DET: none W: Roy Oswalt(1-0 11.05) L: Doug Fister(1-1 6.75) SV: Casey Janssen(1 7.71) Now Janssen got the save... and rumors say... the GM stepped in here. News: Mariners C Jesus Montero(23, 1/3.5*) put his mark on today's game against the Astros, going 3-4 2R 5RBI with two big home runs. Once a top prospect in the Yankees organisation, he is batting .214-3-8 .802OPS in seven games. Reds RF Jay Bruce(26, 4/4.5*) had a similar game, going 2-2 3R 5RBI 2BB 2HR in a 13-5 road win over the Cardinals. The lefty batter and 2x All-Star is off to a .333-3-7 1.011OPS in seven games. April 10th Jays Win Tight Game 4-3, Lose Izturis Toronto Blue Jays starter Daisuke Matsuzaka was in fine form against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Tigers Park, leading his team to a 4-3 win. The Blue Jays raised their record to 5-3. The Blue Jays beat the Tigers in part due to timely hitting. Case in point: the two-out home run J.P. Arencibia produced in the top of the sixth. Batting against Detroit pitcher Max Scherzer, Arencibia gave his team a 4-0 lead when he hit a grand slam. "Win or lose, we pick each other up in this clubhouse," Matsuzaka told the Toronto Star. Dice-K improved to 1-0 6.75 6K in two starts. They payed a price however as Maicer Izturis collided with Miggy Cabrera at third base... and came up with a strained back and will be out for four weeks. 32-year old veteran Mike McCoy is a likely callup, says John Gibbons. J.A. Happ(L, 1-0 5.68) Anibal Sanchez(R, 0-0 5.40) tomorrow. SP Daisuke Matsuzaka 7.0IP 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 2K 2B Maicer Izturis 3-3 RF Jose Bautista 1-4 R SB(1) 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-3 R BB C J.P. Arencibia 1-4 R 4RBI HR SS Yunel Escobar 2-4 DB HR TOR: J.P. Arencibia(1) HR DET: none W: Daisuke Matsuzaka(1-0 6.75) L: Max Scherzer(1-1 4.15) SV: Jeremy Jeffress(1 10.38) Dice-K had a great start, exactly what we need until our other pitchers are back and fine. News: Cardinals SP Jake Westbrook(35, 2.5*) made short work of the visiting Reds, pitching 8.1 scoreless frames of 5-hit, 0BB and 9K ball before his pen gave up the shutout in a 6-1 win. The 35-year old veteran is 2-0 1.35 11K for the 3-6 Cardinals. Twins 1B Justin Morneau(31, 4.5*) was in fine form in a 13-9 road win over the Royals, posting a 3-4 2R 5RBI BB day with a 3-run home run. Batting .333-1-8 .847OPS in 9 games, the 4x All-Star is off to a good start. April 11th And John Gibbons was right. 32-year old IF Mike McCoy was called up. We will serve as a backup infielder while Mark DeRosa will get the bulk of playing time at second... Tigers Find Swing against Happ, Take Game 7-5 Detroit Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez pitched a strong game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Comerica Tigers Park, leading the Tigers to a 7-5 win. The save went to Octavio Dotel, his 3rd this season. The loss drops Toronto to 5-4. In the bottom of the sixth inning, right fielder Torii Hunter came through big-time for the Tigers. With Detroit leading 4-1, he belted a 2-run home run. "I'm proud of the way our guys played today to come out with this win," Hunter told the Detroit News. The Blue Jays made a valiant effort to get Happ off the hook with four runs after the sixth, but stranded two runs in the eighth. Yet, they hit three more home runs today, and will need more of them, traveling to Kansas City to take on the 6-3 Royals and hot LF Alex Gordon(.429-2-11 1.217OPS). Brett Cecil(L, 0-1 3.00) James Shields(R, 1-0 8.10) tomorrow. SP J.A. Happ 5.1IP 7H 6R 5ER 1BB 4K LF Ryan Langerhans 1-5 R RBI HR 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-4 R 2RBI HR DH Adam Lind 2-4 R RBI HR C J.P. Arencibia 2-4 3B Andy LaRoche 3-4 RBI DB HR TOR: Adam Lind(2), Edwin Encarnacion(3), Ryan Langerhans(1) HR DET: Torii Hunter(2) W: Anibal Sanchez(1-0 3.95) L: J.A. Happ(1-1 6.94) SV: Octavio Dotel(3 6.23) Throwing a lefty at Detroit is not exactly fair for the guy... News: Indians SP Brett Myers(32, 0.5*) had EVERYTHING working today, beating the Yankees 8-1 with 9IP 5H 1ER 2BB 10K. A reliever for the Astros last year, he was moved to the rotation by Cleveland and is 1-1 4.61 13K in two starts since. April 12th Jays Win 6-2, But Lose Another Player to Injury Toronto got a strong outing from Brett Cecil as the Blue Jays defeated the Kansas City Royals, 6-2, at Kauffman Stadium. Cecil went 6 innings to notch the win. He scattered 4 hits, walked 4, and struck out 3. His record improves to 1-1. Toronto, now 6-4, has gotten their season off to a good start. Adam Lind didn't waste any time giving his team the lead. His first time up in the top of the first, he cranked a 2-run single to put Toronto on top, 2-0. "We'll savor this win," Cecil told the Toronto Star, "then get ready for the next game." Brett Cecil had lost his battery mate by the fourth innings as J.P. Arencibia fell victim to another collision at third base, this time with Mike Moustakas. There is no diagnosis yet. Yan Gomes will slot in for now, but this could be the hour of Travis d'Arnaud. Brandon Morrow(R, 1-0 5.40) Jeremy Guthrie(R, 1-1 5.56) tomorrow. SP Brett Cecil 6.0IP 4H 2R 2ER 4BB 3K LF Rajaj Davis 2-5 2R DB 2SB(4) 2B Mark DeRosa 0-3 R 2BB RF Jose Bautista 1-5 RBI 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-4 R RBI HR CF Colby Rasmus 2-3 RBI 2DB 3B Andy LaRoche 1-4 R RBI HR HR TOR: Edwin Encarnacion(4), Andy LaRoche(1) HR KCR: none W: Brett Cecil(1-1 3.00) L: James Shields(1-1 8.27) SV: Steve Delabar(1 0.96) Another one bites the dust... News: Giants SP Matt Cain(28, 4*) not only moved to 3-0 today, he did it in style, pitching a no-hitter agaisnt the Cubs in a 11-0 victory, walking two and striking out eight. The 28-year old surely is reaching his prime, and improved to 3-0 0.77 21K in three starts for the season. Rays SP Alex Cobb(25, 0.5/1*) outpitched Jon Lester and went on to beat the Red Sox 2-0 with eight innings of 6-hit, 2BB and 6K ball today. After winning 11 games last year, Cobb is 2-0 1.29 10K in two starts already. April 13th Control-less Morrow Loses to Royals, 4-2 The Kansas City Royals got a stellar performance from pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who handcuffed the Toronto offense en route to a 4-2 win at Kauffman Stadium. Greg Holland earned the save for Kansas City, his 2nd of the year. At 7-4, the Royals have played well so far. Eric Hosmer aided the Kansas City cause with a run-scoring single in the bottom of the fifth. For the game, the first baseman was 1-4. "I thought we played a nice game," Hosmer told the Kansas City Today. "Good pitching, timely hitting, it was all there." Already trailing 1-0, Morrow shoveled his one grave by two of the first three batters he faced in the fifth, and Hosmer, Billy Butler and Alex Gordon made him pay with three consecutive RBI-singles. Roy Oswalt(R, 1-0 11.05) Wade Davis(R, 1-0 3.38) tomorrow. SP Brandon Morrow 7IP 6H 4R 4ER 3BB 7K LF Ryan Langerhans 0-2 RBI 2BB DH Adam Lind 1-2 2BB CF Colby Rasmus 1-4 R DB 3B Andy LaRoche 3-4 R RBI TP HR TOR: none HR KCR: none W: Jeremy Guthrie(2-1 4.58) L: Brandon Morrow(1-1 5.30) SV: Greg Holland(2 1.50) We left 10 as a team and 24 individually on base... as the leadoff man reached in six of our nine innings... News: Tigers RF Torii Hunter(37, 3.5*) reached a big career milestone, home run #300, in a 15-3 rout of the Athletics. A 9x Gold Glover and 4x All-Star, Hunter is also five hits away from 2000, batting .276/.334/.466 in 1958 games with 300HR and 1149RBI's. Dodgers OF Matt Kemp(28, 4.5*) banged home five in a 7-4 win over the D'backs at Chase Field, going 3-5 3R 5RBI DB with two home runs. The 2x All-Star is locked up for six more seasons with $20M+ of salary per year. He is batting .366-5-13 1.336OPS in 11 games so far. April 14th Five Run Outburst Gives Oswalt Second Win Toronto center fielder Colby Rasmus was instrumental in his team's 8-4 win over the Kansas City Royals. Rasmus, who is tied for 7th in the AL with a 1.205 OPS, went 3-4 with 2 runs scored to lead the offensive attack for the Blue Jays. The win leaves Toronto with a record of 7-5. Early in the game, third baseman Andy LaRoche had a 2-run single for Toronto. It was his 15th hit of the season and put the Blue Jays on top, 3-1. "It was a solid team effort and we'll try to keep this momentum going," LaRoche told reporters after the game. Oswalt got the win, but didn't even deliever a quality start as he went 5.1 innings of 4-run ball, demanding 3.2 bullpen innings out of out top relievers once again. There won't be alot of rest for the Jays bullpen as they will travel back home to host the 7-5 White Sox and their Cuban cleanup hitter Dayan Viciedo(.306-1-5). Jake Peavy(R, 1-1 4.15) Daisuke Matsuzaka(R, 1-0 6.75) tomorrow. SP Roy Oswalt 5.1IP 9H 4R 4ER 2BB 1K LF Rajaj Davis 1-3 RBI 2BB 2B Mark DeRosa 1-4 2RBI DH Adam Lind 2-5 R C Yan Gomes 2-5 R RBI CF Colby Rasmus 3-4 2R RBI 2DB SS Yunel Escobar 2-3 2R RBI BB DB 3B Andy LaRoche 1-3 R 2RBI BB HR TOR: none HR KCR: none W: Roy Oswalt(2-0 9.24) L: Wade Davis(1-1 6.57) Henderson told me he would love to see us retaining Oswalt for another year... I'm not so sure about that. News: Dodgers SP Zack Greinke(29, 5*) tossed his own masterpiece in Arizona tonight, allowing only three hits in a 1-0 win while going the distance, yielding two walks while striking out five. Due to a small injury, this was his season debut, coming off a 15-5 3.48 200K year in 34 starts between the Angels and Brewers. Twins SP Kevin Correia(32, 1.5*) blanked the lowly Mets with eight innings of 1-hit, 1BB and 7K ball in a 3-0 victory today. The 2011 All-Star with Pittsburgh improved to 1-1 3.00 18K in three starts. Week: 4-2(2-1@ DET, 2-1@ KCR) Power Rankings: #12(+6) Runs scored: 69(3) Runs against: 62(11) Starters ERA: 6.01(12) Bullpen ERA: 3.40(10) Defensive Eff.: .665(12) Fan Interest: 84 Who's hot? nobody Who's not? RF Jose Bautista 5G 2-20 .100 0HR 1RBI's Indians C Carlos Santana(27, 4.5*) was named AL Player of the Week after going 10-17 4HR 7RBI's. Likely to move to first base or DH some time down the road, Santana is batting .400-6-12 1.400OPS in 12 games. Giants 3B Pablo Sandoval(26, 4.5*) was named NL Player of the Week after going 13-30 2HR 3RBI's. The 2x All-Star is batting .340-5-9 1.151OPS in 26 games.
Still no diagnosis on Arencibia... |
News Update
Arencibia Out with Torn Hammy, 7-8 Weeks
stadiumreport.bbn April 17th, 2013 After waiting almost five days for a clear diagnosis, Blue Jays receiver J.P. Arencibia was diagnosed with a torn hamstring that will keep him out of commission for 7-8 weeks. The 27-year old was placed on the 15-day DL. Arencibia was swinging a hot bat in the early going, batting .323 with one home run and five RBI's. He was replaced by Yan Gomes who unfortunately was ice cold, batting .111 this season. The buzz in Toronto is strong tho as the #25 prospect in baseball, 24-year old Travis d'Arnaud could get the callup. Acquired in the Roy Halladay-Philly/Seattle deal, d'Arnaud is struggling a bit in AAA, batting .225-1-4 .664OPS in 11 games. |
Major League Baseball Announces Founding of All-Year Rookie League
thestar.com April 19th, 2013 After long discussions between owners and the hosting cities, the finishing touches were put on the All-Year Rookie League. A 30-team minor league installment, the All-Year Rookie league already starts on May 6th, and will play a 130-game shedule. "Teams were asking for a minor league that enables them to play their second year pro's earlier than the end of June," commissioner Bud Selig told the media in the presser earlier today. Asked about the league, Blue Jays GM K.C. Martin told the Toronto Star that "This is a huge chance for our prospects to show their value earlier and to show that they belong into short A or even A-ball. However, you have to be careful to not overextend the arms of your young pitching prosects. A 130-game shedule is quite a season for a 18-19 year old high school arm in his second pro season." The Blue Jays will look closely at their affiliate, the Armstong Ravens, located in Armstrong, British Columbia. "We have started a huge effort to amass more young, hungry players lately," Martin added. "There are alot of 18, 19 year old kids that got their release handed after minor league camp, and we will take a closer look at them and exploit them to more rookie ball action in this newly formed league." Scouts point out the addition of SS Osvaldo Abreu(18, released by WSH), SS Jorge Mateo(17, released by NYY), 2B Gustavo Cabrera(17, released by SFG), 2B Frandy De La Rosa(17, released by CHC) and 2B Dilson Herrera(19, released by PIT) as quality signings. An insider told us that "it seems like K.C. Martin is playing a different game than everybody else. He prepared perfectly for that All-Year Rookie league gig and we will see if this will be an advantage year in the future. But, he will have to make room for all that kids, and regarding the comments by Frank Henderson(team owner), and some rumors from inside the organisation, there may be a wave of releases in the farm coming soon." ----- Service Announcement: The game this time included the 2013 draft class... the hell with it, I'll keep it... |
Following - take 2! :)
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2013 Week 3
Week 3: 4vs Chicago White Sox(7-5), 3vs New York Yankees(7-6)
April 15th Late Inning Rally Stuns White Sox, Peavy The Toronto Blue Jays relied on the hitting of third baseman Andy LaRoche to stop the Chicago White Sox, 5-4. For the game, LaRoche was 2 for 3 with 2 doubles, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. Toronto reliever Darren Oliver picked up the win to move to 1-1. Jake Peavy suffered the loss. Picking up the save was Jeremy Jeffress, his 2nd. Toronto, now 8-5, has gotten their season off to a good start. Jose Bautista drove in one run for Toronto. The three-time All-Star had a key at-bat in the bottom of the seventh. With one out and the bases loaded, he broke a 4-4 tie with a run-scoring sacrifice fly off Jesse Crain. It was his 9th RBI of the season. "If you want to be considered a good team, these are the kind of games you have to win," said Toronto manager John Gibbons. That sac fly finished off a five run comeback as Dice-K conceded four first inning runs. He only went five innings, so the pen had to deliever... and did it again. Four relievers, four innings two hits, one walk, four strikeouts. Gavin Floyd(R, 0-1 9.31) J.A. Happ(L, 1-1 6.94) tomorrow. SP Daisuke Matsuzaka 5IP 7H 4R 4ER 4BB 4K 2B Mark DeRosa 1-3 BB RF Jose Bautista 0-2 RBI HBP C Yan Gomes 0-2 R 2BB LF Ryan Langerhans 1-4 R SS Yunel Escobar 1-3 R RBI DB 3B Andy LaRoche 2-3 R 3RBI 2DB HR CWS: none HR TOR: none W: Darren Oliver(1-1 1.80) L: Jake Peavy(1-2 5.12) SV: Jeremy Jeffress(2 7.04) While I don't actually agree with Jeffress getting the save for a gassed Janssen... well it worked. News: Mets 1B Lucas Duda(27, 3.5*) enjoyed Coors Field today by going 4-5 3R 4RBI with a home run in a 15-3 rout of the home team, the Rockies. Playing his third full season, Duda is batting .250-2-8 .706OPS in 13 games in the early going. April 16th I got a memo from our medical department. They agree now that Arencibia is a human being... but don't know what's wrong with him yet. Bautista Finds Swing, Two Jacks, in 6-3 Win The Toronto Blue Jays topped the Chicago White Sox by the score of 6-3, with the largest share of the credit going to right fielder Jose Bautista. Bautista hit 2 home runs. He drove in 4 runs and scored twice for the Blue Jays. Casey Janssen finished the game for Toronto and earned his 2nd save. The Blue Jays keep rolling, raising their record to 9-5. Bautista had a big at-bat with a runner on 1st in the bottom of the first inning, when he hit a 2-run home run. The Blue Jays went on to win. "One win at a time, one game at a time. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves," Bautista told the Toronto Star. Bautista came into the game hitting just .160 for the season, and was happy to break out of his slump. "I have been seeing the ball well the last week, and it finally translated into success at the plate," he further told the Star reporter. Mark Buehrle(L, 2-0 0.56) Brett Cecil(L, 1-1 3.00) tomorrow. SP J.A. Happ 7IP 6H 2R 2ER 3BB 5K LF Rajaj Davis 1-3 R SB(5) 2B Mark DeRosa 1-4 R RBI RF Jose Bautista 2-3 2R 4RBI BB 2HR SS Yunel Escobar 1-4 R DB 3B Andy LaRoche 2-3 R RBI HR CWS: none HR TOR: Jose Bautista 2(4) W: J.A. Happ(2-1 5.30) L: Gavin Floyd(0-2 8.64) SV: Casey Janssen(2 5.68) Side note: Andy LaRoche is doing a hell of a job hitting #9 and slotting in for Brett Lawrie. News: Dodgers SP Josh Beckett(32, 4*) conceded only one hit and three walks through eight innings of scoreless ball, striking out ten Padres in a 1-0 victory. After struggling mighty in Boston last year, Beckett is 2-0 2.25 23K in three starts with his new team. Reds 1B Joey Votto(29, 4.5*) was enjoying life today in a 13-4 win over the Phillies, going 3-3 3R 6RBI 2BB DB with two home runs, not getting retired once. The 3x All-Star is batting .400-5-15 1.188OPS in 14 games. April 17th The Arencibia diagnosis came in today, and after he was placed on the 15-day DL... Travis d'Arnaud was recalled from AAA. He will make the start behind the plate today against lefty Mark Buehrle, batting #6. To fill out the minor league roster, we signed C Jose Morales(30, 1*) to a minor league deal to catch in AAA Buffalo. Morales spent last year in Colorado's AAA affiliate, batting .266-1-31 .695OPS in 58 games. ChiSox Slaughter Jays, Win 19-7 Tyler Flowers helped his team muscle past the Toronto Blue Jays, 19-7. In the game, the Chicago catcher went 4 for 4 with a home run, a double, 2 singles, and a walk, while scoring 5 times and driving in 3. Mark Buehrle got the win, improving to 3-0. He pitched 6.1 innings, giving up 12 hits and 7 runs, while striking out 6 and walking 0. With the loss, Toronto falls to 9-6. Paul Konerko, who is tied for 3rd in the AL in bases on balls with 10, aided the Chicago cause with a 2-run single in the top of the second. For the game, the first baseman went 1-3 with 2 walks, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. "We'll pop the top on a cold one and get back to work tomorrow," Konerko said. Their victims were Brett Cecil(2.2IP 8ER), Ricky Romero(1.2IP 6ER), and Jesse Litsch(4IP 5ER). However, there were fun news. Travis d'Arnaud stepped to the plate with two outs in the sixth and a runner on... and hammered a Buehrle offering over the right field wall for a 2-run home run for his first MLB hit. "It wasn't his fault," Brett Cecil told the Toronto Star after the game. "Travis called a great game for his first start, we as a pitching staff simply didn't execute the pitches." Chris Sale(L, 1-0 4.84) Brandon Morrow(R, 1-1 5.30) tomorrow. SP Brett Cecil 2.2IP 7H 8R 8ER 3BB 2K DH Adam Lind 2-5 R DB LF Mike Aviles 2-5 2R RF Jose Bautista 1-5 RBI DB 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-5 R 3RBI HR CF Colby Rasmus 1-4 R 2RBI DB C Travis d'Arnaud 1-4 R 2RBI HR SS Yunel Escobar 2-4 RBI 3B Andy LaRoche 2-4 HR CWS: Dayan Vicido(2), Tyler Flowers(1) HR TOR: Travis d'Arnaud(1), Edwin Encarnacion(5) W: Mark Buehrle(3-0 2.82) L: Brett Cecil(1-2 6.62) Yes, the weak part of our pen does not simply blow up, the BLOW UP! News: Athletics LF Yoenis Cespedes(27, 4.5*) went 4-5 3R 4RBI 2DB with a home run today, lifting his team to a 13-5 home win over the visting Astros. The cuban defector is in his second season, batting .232-3-15 .677OPS in 16 games. Rays LF Matt Joyce(28, 3.5*) banged two over the wall in a 7-5 victory in Baltimore, going 3-5 2R 5RBI DB 2HR for the night. The 2011 AL All-Star had some injury problems last season and is only batting .200-2-9 .649OPS in 15 games. April 18th Morrow Drops 6 Runs in Loss, Sox Take Series Split Benefiting from Emilio Bonifacio's productive game, the Chicago White Sox downed the Toronto Blue Jays, 9-3. Bonifacio was 1 for 2 with 3 walks, while scoring 4 runs for the White Sox. The winner was Chris Sale, who threw 123 pitches over 7 innings. The left-hander was charged with 2 runs on 7 hits. The loss drops Toronto to 9-7. Alex Rios, who is a two-time All-Star, aided the Chicago cause with a 3-run home run in the top of the fourth. For the game, the right fielder was 2 for 3 with a home run, while adding 3 RBI and scoring once. "Being able to contribute to a win is always a great feeling," Bonifacio told the Chicago Gazette. Morrow only lasted 3.1 innings of 6R(4ER) as the Sox hit a couple of home runs off of him and were ahead 6-2 after four. The team will stay at home to host the 10-6 Yankees and their emergency lineup... as A-Rod, Jeter, Teixeira, Cano and Granderson are all on the DL. Adam Warren(R, 0-1 7.20) Roy Oswalt(R, 2-0 9.24) tomorrow. SP Brandon Morrow 3.1IP 8H 6R 4ER 2BB 3K LF Mike Aviles 1-5 RF Jose Bautista 2-5 CF Colby Rasmus 1-3 2R RBI BB HR C Travis d'Arnaud 1-3 R BB DB SS Yunel Escobar 2-4 2RBI BB DB HR CWS: Adam Dunn(2), Conor Gillespie(1), Alex Rios(2) HR TOR: Colby Rasmus(6) W: Chris Sale(2-0 4.30) L: Brandon Morrow(1-2 6.14) The White Sox have a gritty veteran lineup that showed what our pitching is in the last two games... it is mostly weak. News: Phillies SP Cliff Lee(34, 4.5*) baffled Cardinals hitters for 8.1 scoreless frames, allowing 6H, 0BB and 8K's in a 5-0 win. The 3x All-Star started the season off slow as he is 1-2 5.70 17K in four starts. April 19th Oswalt Sharp as Jays Win 6-2 It was a good time at the Skydome, where fans came to watch the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays get after it. The Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees, 6-2, at the Skydome. The win was largely due to the efforts of first baseman Edwin Encarnacion, who captured player of the game honors. He was 3-4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. He scored 2 times and drove in 2. Roy Oswalt got credit for the win, improving to 3-0. He allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in 7 innings. Casey Janssen saved it for Toronto. With the win, Toronto improves its record to 10-7. Early in the game, center fielder Colby Rasmus had a bases-clearing triple for Toronto. It was his 1st triple of the season and put the Blue Jays on top, 3-0. "It feels good to get that win," said Rasmus. "Now it's on to the next one." Rasmus is batting .338-9-15 1.120OPS in 17 games. Asked about his lineup, Toronto manager coneded that he made an adjustment. "Yunel Escobar will hit second for now. He has been aggressive with the bat and that has translated into success." Escobar is hitting for a .328 clip. Phil Hughes(R, 1-1 3.60) Daisuke Matsuzaka(R, 1-0 6.91) tomorrow. SP Roy Oswalt 7IP 3H 2R 2ER 2BB 6K SS Yunel Escobar 2-4 2R BB DB RF Jose Bautista 1-3 R 2BB 1B Edwin Encarnacion 3-4 2R 2RBI BB HR CF Colby Rasmus 1-4 R 3RBI TP HR NYY: Lyle Overbay(2) HR TOR: Edwin Encarnacion(6) W: Roy Oswalt(3-0 6.86) L: Adam Warren(0-2 9.00) SV: Casey Janssen(3 4.91) Oswalt got another good start and his third W in a row... and stopped that recent skid. News: Cardinals SP Jaime Garcia(26, 4*) outpitched Roy Halladay and beat the Phillies 4-0 with eight innings of 4-hit, 1BB and 5K ball. The lefty has looked healthy after missing almost three months with injury last year, going 1-2 3.41 23K in four starts. Nationals SP Bryce Harper(20, 4.5/5*) continues to show that he is no fluke as he went 2-3 3R 4RBI 2BB with a couple of home runs in a 10-5 win in New York. The reigning NL Rookie of the Year is batting .369-6-23 1.140OPS for the 9-7 Nats. April 20th Hughes, Yankees Win Pitcher's Duel 1-0 Fans who came to the Skydome watched the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays fight to the finish. New York pitcher Phil Hughes did his part in helping his team beat the Toronto Blue Jays, 1-0. The right-hander kept opposing batters in check throughout the game. In 7.1 innings, Hughes surrendered 6 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 0. He allowed no runs. New York, now 11-7, has played well in the early going. The Yankees got a big at-bat from third baseman Kevin Youkilis. For the game, Youkilis went 3 for 4 with a home run, 2 singles, and a walk. In the top of the fourth, with the bases empty, he stroked a solo home run. His 2nd home run of the season gave New York a 1-0 lead. In postgame comments to the New York Times, Youkilis said, "If the effort is there, the wins will come." It was the best start of his season for Dice-K, seven innings of 1-run ball with seven hits, no walks and nine strikeouts. The Blue Jays had their chances, but especially the bottom of the order in Ryan Langerhans(5LOB) and Andy LaRoche(4LOB) did not come through with runners on. Andy Pettitte(R, 2-0 3.27) J.A. Happ(L, 2-1 5.30) tomorrow. SP Daisuke Matsuzaka 7IP 7H 1R 1ER 0BB 9K 2B Mark DeRosa 1-4 SB(1) SS Yunel Escobar 1-4 RF Jose Bautista 1-4 DH Adam Lind 2-3 3B Andy LaRoche 1-3 HR NYY: Kevin Youkilis(2) HR TOR: none W: Phil Hughes(2-1 2.63) L: Daisuke Matsuzaka(1-1 5.06) SV: Mariano Rivera(8 0.00) That was a day where our offense was too cold for comfort... News: Tigers RF Torii Hunter(37, 3.5*) needed exactly a week to follow up his home run number 300 with career hit #2000 in a 5-3 win over the Angels. He went 2-4 R DB in the win and improved to bat .254-4-9 .805OPS in 16 games. Rangers C A.J. Pierzynski(36, 1.5*) came through in the clutch as he went 4-5 3R 5RBI DB HR in a 17-4 rout of the Mariners. The 2x All-Star is batting .311-1-11 .743OPS in 16 games. April 21st Edwin and Jose Power Jays to 7-2 Victory With first baseman Edwin Encarnacion leading the charge, the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees, 7-2, at the Skydome. Encarnacion, who is tied for 5th in the AL in total bases with 44, belted 2 home runs. He drove in 3 runs and scored twice. The winner was J.A. Happ, who threw 100 pitches over 6 innings. The left-hander was charged with 1 run on 4 hits. With the win, Toronto is 11-8. Mike McCoy aided the Toronto cause with a 2-run home run in the bottom of the fourth. For the game, the third baseman was 1-3 with a home run and a walk. He drove in 2 runs and scored once. "I thought we played a nice game," Encarnacion told the Toronto Star. "Good pitching, timely hitting, it was all there." J.A. Happ brought his good stuff to the park, going six innings of 1-run ball with 7 strikeouts and a four home run barrage by the offense got him a save win here. The team will now grab the next flight south as they will meet the scuffling 5-13 Orioles and right fielder Nick Markakis(.309-2-9 .816OPS) for three. Brett Cecil(L, 1-2 6.62) Chris Tillman(R, 0-1 9.00) tomorrow. SP J.A. Happ 6IP 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 7K SS Yunel Escobar 1-4 R DB RF Jose Bautista 3-4 2R 2RBI DB HR 1B Edwin Encarnacion 3-4 2R 3RBI 2HR CF Ryan Langerhans 3-4 R 3B Mike McCoy 1-3 R 2RBI BB HR HR NYY: none HR TOR: Jose Bautista(5), Mike McCoy(1), Edwin Encarnacion 2(8) W: J.A. Happ(3-1 4.38) L: Andy Pettitte(2-1 4.50) That power outburst get's us into tied for first... with three other teams. News: Giants SP Tim Lincecum(28, 4.5*) came out firing in a 2-0 win over the Padres, blanking them through eight innings of 2-hit, 3BB and 8K ball. The 2x Cy Young winner is looking to bounce back from an awful 2012 and is 3-2 3.63 37K in five starts. White Sox SP Gavin Floyd(30, 3*) delievered a complete game 13-0 victory over the Twins today, allowing seven hits, no walks while striking out six. The pending free agent was off to a bad start before this gem as he is 1-2 5.61 22K in four starts so far. Indians C Carlos Santana(27, 4.5*) took part in a big slugfest in Houston and he and his team came ahead 12-11 with Santana going 4-5 3R 5RBI 2DB and a home run. The switch hitter is playing in his third full season and is batting .446-8-19 1.421OPS in 18 games, really putting good wood on the ball early. Week: 4-3(2-2vs CWS, 2-1vs NYY) Power Rankings: #10(+2) Runs scored: 103(4) Runs against: 102(13) Starters ERA: 5.72(13) Bullpen ERA: 4.18(10) Defensive Eff.: .653(14) Fan Interest: 84 Who's hot? RF Jose Bautista 6G 10-24 .417 3HR 7RBI's Who's not? 2B Mark DeRosa 5G 3-22 .136 0HR 1RBI Indians C Carlos Santana(27, 4.5*) was named AL Player of the Week after going 13-25 2HR 7RBI's. Reds 1B Joey Votto(29, 4.5*) was named NL Player of the Week after going 14-27 5HR 16RBI's. He is batting .418-8-25 1.294OPS in 19 games so far.
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News Update
Jays Await Reinforcements, Sent Lawrie, Alvarez on Rehab
thestar.com April 24th, 2013 With a surprisingly good start at hand, the Blue Jays are anxiously awaiting the return of a couple of potential key players soon. While Andy LaRoche is doing an admirable job at third base, batting .353 in 20 games, we all know who Canada's fans would rather love to see at third... the young, highly talented Brett Lawrie. Lawrie hit .273-11-48 .729OPS last year in his first full season, and is regarded as one of the brightest young talents at third base at age 23. He finally started a rehab assignment in AAA Buffalo yesterday, and promptly went 2-5 with a run scored and a RBI, albeit in a 7-9 loss to Pawtucket. Asked about his immediate impact, head scout Theo Epstein not only pointed out his bat, but his defense which should help out his pitching. Speaking of pitching, all eyes are on Buffalo not only because of Lawrie, but because of 23-year old Henderson Alvarez making his season debut there. Returning from shoulder inflammation, he will start his rehab assignment today and is expected to take either Dice-K's or Brett Cecil's roster spot soon. He was 9-14 4.85 79K in 31 starts last season. |
2013 Week 4
Week 4: 3@ Baltimore Orioles(5-13), 3@ New York Yankees(11-8)
April 22nd Jays Win Slugfest Thanks to Pen, Davis Benefiting from an exceptional performance from Rajai Davis, the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 8-7. Davis was 2-4 with a home run and a walk, while adding 5 RBI and scoring once for the Blue Jays. Baltimore, at 5-14, is off to a poor start in 2013. The most important at-bat for Toronto came in the top of the ninth inning, when center fielder Colby Rasmus stroked a 1-1 sinker to right for a run-scoring single, putting Toronto up, 8-7. "Honestly, I'm not frustrated," said Baltimore manager Buck Showalter. "The effort was great." A not exceptional performance was shown by both starters as Chris Tillman posted 2.1 innings of 6-run ball, and Brett Cecil four innings of 5-run ball. It was the #3-5 hitters that did the job today with Rasmus(3-5) and Lind(3-5) joining Davis' party. Brandon Morrow(R, 1-2 6.14) Jake Arrieta(R, 0-1 1.69) tomorrow. SP Brett Cecil 4IP 6H 5R 5ER 0BB 3K LF Ryan Langerhans 1-3 6R 2BB DB 1B Edwin Encarnacion 0-3 R 2BB CF Colby Rasmus 3-5 2R 2RBI DB DH Adam Lind 3-5 R RBI DB RF Rajaj Davis 2-4 R 5RBI HR SB(6) HR TOR: Rajaj Davis(1) HR BAL: Nolan Reimold(6) W: Sergio Santos(2-0 0.93) L: Josh Johnson(0-1 1.00) SV: Ricky Romero(1 10.13) The bullpen situation is desperate when Ricky Romero get's saves... April 23rd Brett Lawrie was sent to AAA Buffalo for a rehab assignment after coming off the DL today. Morrow, Escobar Sizzle in 7-1 Road Win over Birds The rain at Oriole Park at Camden Yards did not keep Toronto and Baltimore from finishing their game. Getting a good performance from shortstop Yunel Escobar, the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Baltimore Orioles, 7-1. Escobar was 3 for 4 with a triple, 2 singles, and a walk, while scoring 2 times for the Blue Jays. The Orioles, now 5-15, continue their poor start. The Blue Jays beat the Orioles in part due to timely hitting. Case in point: the two-out single Travis d'Arnaud produced in the top of the first. Batting against Baltimore pitcher Jake Arrieta, d'Arnaud gave his team a 2-0 lead when he hit a 2-run single. He was 3-4 with 3RBI's. "I like our moxie," said Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. Brandon Morrow and with him the whole pitching staff, only conceded a Chris Davis solo shot, and that was more than enough today. Morrow would've loved to go deeper into the game, but an hour long rain delay in the top of the 6th ended his day for good. Roy Oswalt(R, 3-0 6.86) Jason Hammel(R, 0-4 3.96) tomorrow. SP Brandon Morrow 5IP 5H 1R 1ER 2BB 5K 2B Mark DeRosa 2-5 2R DB SS Yunel Escobar 3-4 2R RBI BB TP 1B Edwin Encarnacion 2-4 R 2RBI DB CF Colby Rasmus 1-5 R RBI C Travis d'Arnaud 3-4 3RBI TP HR TOR: none HR BAL: Chris Davis(3) W: Brandon Morrow(2-2 5.33) L: Jake Arrieta(0-2 3.15) We would've loved for Morrow to go deeper... but Steve Delabar did a GREAT job with three hitless innings in long relief. April 24th Henderson Alvarez was sent to AAA Buffalo for a rehab assignment after coming off the DL today. Oswalt's Quality Start Leads Jays To Sweep Toronto starter Roy Oswalt pitched effectively against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The right-hander led his team to a 5-3 win. In 6 innings, Oswalt surrendered 5 hits, while striking out 5 and walking 1. He allowed 1 run. Toronto, now 14-8, has played well in the early going. Early in the game, shortstop Yunel Escobar had a 2-run single for Toronto. It was his 27th hit of the season and put the Blue Jays on top, 3-1. Escobar is hitting .346 and has not slowed down since getting moved to the #2 spot in the lineup. "This losing is getting old," said Baltimore manager Buck Showalter. A 3-3 day by second baseman Mark DeRosa and a 2-4 2R day by Ryan Langerhans once again helped out big time in today's Jays win. They will continue a AL East road trip in New York. The 11-11 Yankees recently activated Derek Jeter off the DL and Robinson Cano may follow during the four game set. Daisuke Matsuzaka(R, 1-1 5.06) Phil Hughes(R, 2-1 2.63) tomorrow. SP Roy Oswalt 6IP 5H 1R 1ER 1BB 5K 2B Mark DeRosa 3-3 2R BB TP SS Yunel Escobar 2-5 3RBI CF Colby Rasmus 3-4 R BB C Travis d'Arnaud 1-5 LF Ryan Langerhans 2-4 2R HR TOR: none HR BAL: none W: Roy Oswalt(4-0 5.61) L: Jason Hammel(0-5 4.66) SV: Casey Jansen(4 3.48) Finally a couple of well pitched games by our starters, even though we needed some bullpen work. April 25th Jays Make it Five in a Row with 5-3 Win in the Bronx The Toronto Blue Jays bested the New York Yankees, 5-3, at Yankee Stadium. Yunel Escobar was named player of the game. He went 2-5 with a home run and a double. He drove in 4 runs and scored once. At 15-8, the Blue Jays have played well so far. Escobar contributed a big hit, a grand slam home run, for Toronto in the top of the fourth. With his team trailing 3-1, Escobar took a curveball from Phil Hughes and stroked the home run to left-center. His 1st home run of the season allowed the Blue Jays to leap in front, 5-3. "I really like what we did out there today," Escobar said after the game. Dice-K picked up a win behind that grand slam, going five innings of 3-run ball with five walks issued and 3K's. Third baseman Andy LaRoche added three more hits and is looking to hold on to his job... despite Brett Lawrie batting .385 in four games in AAA. J.A. Happ(L, 3-1 4.38) Andy Pettitte(R, 2-1 4.50) tomorrow. SP Daisuke Matsuzaka 5IP 5H 3R 3ER 5BB 3K SS Yunel Escobar 2-5 R 4RBI DB HR 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-4 BB CF Colby Rasmus 1-5 DH Adam Lind 1-4 2R 3B Andy LaRoche 3-4 R LF Ryan Langerhans 2-4 RBI HR TOR: Yunel Escobar(1) HR NYY: none W: Daisuke Matsuzaka(2-1 5.13) L: Phil Hughes(2-2 2.32) SV: Casey Jansen(5 3.18) Boy, we have some overachievers on this roster... News: Diamondbacks SP Brandon McCarthy(29, 3*) pitched a beauty at home against the Rockies, 8IP 4H 0ER 1BB 6K in a 6-0 win. McCarthy signed as a free agent this offseason and is 2-2 2.83 31K in five starts since. April 26th Streaking Jays Stop Streaking in Rain Soaked 3-1 New York Win The umbrellas came out during the New York-Toronto contest at Yankee Stadium. The New York Yankees faced a tough opponent in Toronto pitcher J.A. Happ, but did just enough to pull out the victory at Yankee Stadium by a final score of 3-1. Happ went 6 innings and allowed 2 earned runs. Picking up the save was Mariano Rivera, his 9th. With the win, New York elevates its record to 12-12. In the bottom of the seventh inning, third baseman Kevin Youkilis came through big-time for the Yankees. With New York leading 2-1, he belted a solo home run. "One win at a time, one game at a time. We try not to get too far ahead of ourselves," Youkilis told the New York Times. The Jays collected only six hits and one run today for J.A. Happ who delievered a quality start, but had nothing to show for. Happ continues to have the best ERA of the Blue Jays staff, 4.11. Brett Cecil(L, 1-2 7.48) CC Sabathia(L, 2-1 2.83) tomorrow. SP J.A. Happ 6IP 4H 2R 2ER 1BB 7K LF Mike Aviles 1-4 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-3 CF Colby Rasmus 1-4 DH Adam Lind 1-4 C Yan Gomes 2-4 DB 3B Andy LaRoche 0-2 R BB HR TOR: none HR NYY: Travis Hafer(6), Kevin Youkilis(4) W: Andy Pettitte(3-1 4.02) L: J.A. Happ(3-2 4.11) SV: Mariano Rivera(9 0.00) Some singles, a shy double, not alot of offense. April 27th Jays Score Seven in Magic Eighth Inning To Nip Yanks 8-4 The New York Yankees got a superb performance from pitcher CC Sabathia. Still, it wasn't enough to beat Toronto. The Blue Jays won the game, 8-4. In spite of the loss, Sabathia was named the player of the game. He threw 7 innings of 3-hit ball. Toronto goes to 16-9 with the win. Travis d'Arnaud, who is rated as the 25th best prospect by BNN, aided the Toronto cause with a run-scoring walk in the top of the eighth. For the game, the catcher drew 1 walk. "That's a solid team effort right there," said d'Arnaud. "Everyone's feeling pretty positive after that win." A rare quality start by Brett Cecil paved the way for that impressive eighth inning that also saw designated hitter Adam Lind clear the bases with a grand slam off Boone Logan. Steve Delabar had a rough outing in relief this time, getting hit hard in 1.2 innings with 2 earned runs, but he got the W regardless. Brandon Morrow(R, 2-2 5.33) Ivan Nova(R, 1-3 8.50) tomorrow. SP Brett Cecil 6IP 4H 2R 2ER 2BB 2K SS Yunel Escobar 2-5 R RBI RF Jose Bautista 0-2 R RBI BB 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-4 R RBI C Travis d'Arnaud 0-3 R RBI BB DH Adam Lind 1-4 R 4RBI HR 3B Andy LaRoche 1-3 2R BB HR TOR: Adam Lind(3) HR NYY: Brett Gardner(1), Kevin Youkilis(5) W: Steve Delabar(1-0 1.35) L: CC Sabathia(2-2 2.55) SV: Jesse Litsch(1 6.23) That one didn't look to good after Delabar allowed that 2-run inning... News: Rockies LF Carlos Gonzalez(27, 4.5*) was 4-5 with a couple of runs scored, four RBI's, a double and a home run in a close 10-9 win over the Diamondbacks. Playing for the 9-16 Rockies, CarGo is still looking for his power stroke, batting .273-1-15 .682OPS in 25 games. April 28th Nova Deals, Jays Pen Stumble Fans at Yankee Stadium were not deterred by the threat of rain. They came to see their hometown New York Yankees take on the Toronto Blue Jays. The New York Yankees and starting pitcher Ivan Nova stifled the Toronto offense en route to a comfortable 8-1 win at Yankee Stadium. Joba Chamberlain got the save, the 1st for him this season. The win leaves New York with a record of 13-13. Brett Gardner was a key contributor to the win for the Yankees. In the bottom of the second with two out, the light-hitting center fielder stroked a single to right. He was 2-4 with 2 singles. "We took advantage of our opportunities," Gardner told the New York Times. "It's as simple as that." Morrow was not able to follow up his good start against the Orioles as he was pulled after 4.1 innings of 3-run ball. The big blowup however came in the eighth when Sergio Santos was not able to get anybody out and the Yankees scored five runs that inning. Coming up, the Jays have an offday tomorrow and then face the 15-11 Red Sox, who are very concerned about their former MvP Dustin Pedroia(.293-2-12). He left today's game with a brused thigh. Roy Oswalt(R, 4-0 5.61) John Lackey(R, 1-1 3.71) the day after tomorrow, with a chance they skip him for Clay Buchholz(R, 2-3 5.97). SP Brandon Morrow 4.1IP 3H 3R 3ER 5BB 2K 2B Mark DeRosa 1-3 BB SS Yunel Escobar 2-4 R DB RF Jose Bautista 0-2 BB 1B Yan Gomes 1-4 LF Ryan Langerhans 1-3 HR TOR: none HR NYY: none W: Ivan Nova(2-3 6.12) L: Brandon Morrow(2-3 5.46) SV: Joba Chamberlain(1 1.88) Ivan Nova was due for a good outing I guess. News: Phillies SS Jimmy Rollins(34, 3*) rallied his troops with his bat today, posting a 3-6 3R 5RBI HR day in a 10-5 win against the Mets. A 4x Gold Glover, J-Roll has not shown his signature skill so far... stolen bases as he is .282-4-14 .904OPS 1/2SB in 25 games. Week: 5-2(3-0@ BAL, 2-2@ NYY) Power Rankings: #4(+6) Runs scored: 138(1) Runs against: 131(12) Starters ERA: 5.34(12) Bullpen ERA: 4.13(10) Defensive Eff.: .673(12) Fan Interest: 91 Who's hot? nobody Who's not? SP Brett Cecil 3G 0-1 10.66 12.2IP 7K Tigers 1B Prince Fielder(28, 4.5*) was named AL Player of the Week after going 11-21 1HR 5RBI's. The 4x All-Star is batting .337-4-17 .961OPS for the 14-10 Tigers in the early going. Pirates CF Andrew McCutchen(26, 4.5*) was named NL Player of the Week after going 11-23 1HR 2RBI's. Drafted 11th overall in 2005, McCutchen is off to a decent start, .280-3-12 .840OPS in 25 games.
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2013 Week 5 Part 1
Week 5: 3vs Boston Red Sox(15-11), 3vs Seattle Mariners(8-19)
April 29th offday The Blue Jays announced that after today's 5-8 loss to Rochester, 3B Brett Lawrie(23, 3.5/4.5*) will be activated from AAA. He was batting .406-0-6 in seven rehab games. IF Mike McCoy was optioned back to AAA Buffalo. April 30th They choose Clay Buchholz(R, 2-3 5.97) for today's start, Lawrie's season debut. Oswalt Moves to 5-0, Lawrie 2-5 in 2-1 Win Over Boston Toronto rode a fine outing from starter Roy Oswalt to victory over the Boston Red Sox at the Skydome. The final score was 8-1. Oswalt picked up the win for Toronto, going 6 innings. He gave up 1 run on 3 hits. He now sports a record of 5-0. Steve Delabar earned his 2nd save in 2 tries. Early in the game, designated hitter Adam Lind had a 3-run home run for Toronto. It was his 4th home run of the season and put the Blue Jays on top, 3-1. "Winning is all that really matters and we got it done today," Oswalt told the Toronto Star. At 17-10, the Blue Jays have played well so far. After that, Oswalt finished six innings of 1-run ball, and the Jays added on with home runs by d'Arnaud, Edwin and Jose Bautista to score five runs off Buchholz and four more off the pen.Brett Lawrie's season debut went well as he went 2-5 with a run scored and a stolen base, batting leadoff. Felix Doubront(L, 0-3 8.76) J.A. Happ(L, 3-2 4.11) tomorrow. SP Roy Oswalt 6IP 3H 1R 1ER 2BB 4K 3B Brett Lawrie 2-5 R SB(1) RF Jose Bautista 1-2 2R 2RBI 2BB HR 1B Edwin Encarnacion 1-4 R 2RBI HR SS Yunel Escobar 1-3 R BB DH Adam Lind 2-4 R 3RBI HR C Travis d'Arnaud 1-3 R RBI BB HR HR BOS: none HR TOR: Adam Lind(4), Edwin Encarnacion(9), Travis d'Arnaud(2), Jose Bautista(6) W: Roy Oswalt(5-0 4.83) L: Clay Buchholz(2-4 6.42) SV: Steve Delabar(2 1.17) That was quite a good start by Oswalt, who somehow seems to amass wins with ease, and some quality offense by our lineup. News: Mets C Landon Powell(31, 1*) had a career night in Miami, going 3-3 2R 5RBI 2BB DB with two home runs in a 9-3 win. The veteran catcher became a regular this spring and is batting .241-3-15 .754OPS in 24 games. |
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