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Sox Trade Santos To Blue Jays |
DALLAS (AP) — The Chicago White Sox traded closer Sergio Santos to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, sending him back to the organization where he spent three seasons trying to make the majors as a shortstop. Toronto gave up pitching prospect Nestor Molina to acquire the 28-year-old Santos in a swap made at baseball’s winter meetings. Santos had 30 saves in 36 chances this year, going 4-5 with a 3.55 ERA in 63 games. The 28-year-old righty is a strikeout pitcher, fanning 92 in 65 1-3 innings. He made a major league-record 25 straight scoreless appearances on the road to start the season. Santos was golfing when Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos called to tell him about the trade. The deal caught Santos by surprise — a few days after the season ended, he signed an $8.25-million, three-year contract with the White Sox. “I think he expected to be in Chicago,” Anthopoulos said. Santos was in Toronto’s minor league system from 2006-08 as a shortstop. He converted to pitching in 2009 while in the White Sox organization and made his big league debut the next year. Anthopoulos was the Blue Jays’ assistant GM when Santos was in their organization. The team asked Santos if he wanted to take a try on the mound, but he wasn’t interested. “He didn’t want to pitch. He believed in himself as a shortstop,” Anthopoulos said. Santos made it as high as Triple-A as an infielder. He was a career .248 hitter with 72 home runs in the minors, starting out in 2002 in the Arizona system. The Blue Jays really wanted him back and were willing to trade Molina. The 22-year-old starter has excelled in his minor league career, going 27-7 with a 2.21 ERA overall. He was a combined 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA in Double-A and Class A last season. Anthopoulos said Santos’ contract situation and “electric stuff” made him especially attractive, given his arm hasn’t endured a lot of wear because of his late switch to pitching. Toronto’s saves leader last season was Frank Francisco with 17. Santos immediately inherited the role. “He’s got the ninth inning for us,” Anthopoulos said. “We think he’s got a chance to be an elite closer.” Chris Sale was second on the White Sox last season with eight saves. Chicago had planned to move him into the rotation next year. Asked who would be the Chicago closer in 2012, new manager Robin Ventura wasn’t sure. “I knew yesterday,” he said. “But obviously, you know, right now you’re going to wait and see how the rest of this week goes and figure it out from there.” That’s all the news for today. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays acquire right-hander Sergio Santos from… |
DALLAS – The Toronto Blue Jays acquired closer Sergio Santos from the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday, bringing the pitcher back to the organization where he spent three seasons trying to make the majors as a shortstop. Toronto gave up pitching prospect Nestor Molina to acquire the 28-year-old Santos in a swap made at baseball’s winter meetings. Santos earned 30 saves in 36 chances this year, going 4-5 with a 3.55 earned-run average in 63 games. The 28-year-old righty is a strikeout pitcher, fanning 92 in 65 1-3 innings. He made a major league-record 25 straight scoreless appearances on the road to start the season. Santos was golfing when Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos called to tell him about the trade. The deal caught Santos by surprise — a few days after the season ended, he signed an US$8.25-million, three-year contract with the White Sox. Santos said he’s “glad to be back” with the Blue Jays. “I’m excited to be moving to a new team and (one that’s) going in the direction that Toronto is going in,” Santos said on a conference call. Santos was in Toronto’s minor league system from 2006-08 as a shortstop. He converted to pitching in 2009 while in the White Sox organization and made his big league debut the next year. Anthopoulos was the Blue Jays’ assistant GM when Santos was in their organization. The team asked Santos if he wanted to take a try on the mound, but he wasn’t interested. “He didn’t want to pitch. He believed in himself as a shortstop,” Anthopoulos said. Santos made it as high as triple-A as an infielder. He was a career .248 hitter with 72 home runs in the minors, starting out in 2002 in the Arizona system. The Blue Jays really wanted him back and were willing to trade Molina. The 22-year-old starter has excelled in his minor league career, going 27-7 with a 2.21 ERA overall. He was a combined 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA in double-A and class-A last season. Anthopoulos said Santos’ contract situation and “electric stuff” made him especially attractive, given his arm hasn’t endured a lot of wear because of his late switch to pitching. Toronto’s saves leader last season was Frank Francisco with 17. Santos immediately inherited the role. “He’s got the ninth inning for us,” Anthopoulos said. “We think he’s got a chance to be an elite closer.” Chris Sale was second on the White Sox last season with eight saves. Chicago had planned to move him into the rotation next year. Asked who would be the Chicago closer in 2012, new manager Robin Ventura wasn’t sure. “I knew yesterday,” he said. “But obviously, you know, right now you’re going to wait and see how the rest of this week goes and figure it out from there.” Thanks for visiting my blog =). Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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White Sox trade closer Sergio Santos to Toronto… |
Santos had 30 saves in 36 chances this year, going 4-5 with a 3.55 ERA in 63 games. The 28-year-old righty is a strikeout pitcher, fanning 92 in 65 1-3 innings. He made a major league-record 25 straight scoreless appearances on the road to start the season. Santos was golfing when Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos called to tell him about the trade. The deal caught Santos by surprise — a few days after the season ended, he signed an $8.25-million, three-year contract with the White Sox. “I think he expected to be in Chicago,” Anthopoulos said. Santos was in Toronto’s minor league system from 2006-08 as a shortstop. He converted to pitching in 2009 while in the White Sox organization and made his big league debut the next year. Anthopoulos was the Blue Jays’ assistant GM when Santos was in their organization. The team asked Santos if he wanted to take a try on the mound, but he wasn’t interested. “He didn’t want to pitch. He believed in himself as a shortstop,” Anthopoulos said. Santos made it as high as Triple-A as an infielder. He was a career .248 hitter with 72 home runs in the minors, starting out in 2002 in the Arizona system. The Blue Jays really wanted him back and were willing to trade Molina. The 22-year-old starter has excelled in his minor league career, going 27-7 with a 2.21 ERA overall. He was a combined 12-3 with a 2.21 ERA in Double-A and Class A last season. Anthopoulos said Santos’ contract situation and “electric stuff” made him especially attractive, given his arm hasn’t endured a lot of wear because of his late switch to pitching. Toronto’s saves leader last season was Frank Francisco with 17. Santos immediately inherited the role. “He’s got the ninth inning for us,” Anthopoulos said. “We think he’s got a chance to be an elite closer.” Chris Sale was second on the White Sox last season with eight saves. Chicago had planned to move him into the rotation next year. Asked who would be the Chicago closer in 2012, new manager Robin Ventura wasn’t sure. “I knew yesterday,” he said. “But obviously, you know, right now you’re going to wait and see how the rest of this week goes and figure it out from there.” Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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ChiSox trade closer Santos to Jays for RHP Molina |
DALLAS (AP)—The Chicago White Sox traded closer Sergio Santos(notes) to the Toronto gave up pitching prospect Nestor Molina to acquire the 28-year-old Santos had 30 saves in 36 chances this year, going 4-5 with a 3.55 ERA in 63 Santos was golfing when Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos called to “I think he expected to be in Chicago,” Anthopoulos said. Santos was in Toronto’s minor league system from 2006-08 as a shortstop. He Anthopoulos was the Blue Jays’ assistant GM when Santos was in their “He didn’t want to pitch. He believed in himself as a shortstop,” Santos made it as high as Triple-A as an infielder. He was a career .248 The Blue Jays really wanted him back and were willing to trade Molina. The Anthopoulos said Santos’ contract situation and “electric stuff” made him Toronto’s saves leader last season was Frank Francisco(notes) with 17. Santos “He’s got the ninth inning for us,” Anthopoulos said. “We think he’s got Chris Sale(notes) was second on the White Sox last season with eight saves. Chicago Asked who would be the Chicago closer in 2012, new manager Robin Ventura “I knew yesterday,” he said. “But obviously, you know, right now you’re What are your opinions. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays acquire 2B Valbuena from Indians |
The Toronto Blue Jays acquired second baseman Luis Valbuena from the Cleveland Indians for cash Saturday night, giving themselves some middle infield depth and another option for their bench. The move by no means ends GM Alex Anthopoulos’s search for a second baseman, one of the club’s most gaping holes. But Valbuena provides some protection for a thin spot in the organization and he’ll be given a chance to compete with Mike McCoy for a utility role. The 25-year-old Valbuena appeared in 17 games with Cleveland during the 2011 season, posting a line of .209/.227/.279 with one home run and one RBI. In July, the Indians optioned Valbuena to triple-A Columbus of the International League to make room for the promotion of rookie second baseman Jason Kipnis. On Nov. 18 he was designated for assignment and removed from the team’s 40-man roster. In 133 games last season with Columbus, the native of Zulia Venezuela posted a line of .302./.372/.476 with 17 home runs and 75 RBI. Valbuena can also play shortstop, third base and the outfield. With the move, the Blue Jays now have 40 players on their 40-man roster, but general manager Alex Anthopoulos told reporters earlier in November to expect more additions and subtractions to the list as the off-season progresses. That’s all the news for today. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays might pursue slugger Ortiz: report |
With the John Farrell-to-Red Sox rumours behind the Blue Jays — management amended a policy Tuesday that prohibits employees in baseball operations from making lateral moves — there’s another rumour for general manager Alex Anthopoulos to quash. Again, like the Farrell talk which originated in Boston last weekend, the Herald newspaper is reporting Toronto might pursue Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz, who is eligible to become a free agent five days after the World Series ends. The Herald, citing a major league source, said the Blue Jays “will not rule out” making a serious push for the 36-year-old Ortiz. For the record, “Big Papi” said earlier this week he would like to stay in Boston — he’s played there nine seasons — but how many players have said the same about any team and then taken the big free-agent money and ran? Ortiz, coming off a season in which he posted his highest batting average (.309) and on-base plus slugging percentage (.953) since 2007, would be the big power threat in the middle of the lineup Anthopoulos no doubt will be seeking in the off-season. His 29 home runs and 96 runs batted in would be welcomed in the clean-up position behind 40-home run man Jose Bautista, whom Ortiz has come to respect over the past few seasons. It was Ortiz, the American League captain for this year’s Home Run Derby, who made sure Bautista was one of the participants after getting snubbed in 2010 while on his way to a major league-best 54 homers. “I wanted to see Bautista hitting,” Ortiz said after naming the Jays right-fielder to the 2011 Derby. “I wanted everybody to know what he’s all about.” Bautista followed up last year’s 54-homer campaign with 43 long balls this past season to go with a .302 batting average — 42 points higher than his previous high set a year ago – and 103 RBIs. Ortiz hit .328 versus the Jays this past season with five home runs, all at Rogers Centre in Toronto. What do you guys think about this. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Farrell to miss Jays’ series in Baltimore |
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell was diagnosed with pneumonia last week.
Eric Koreen For a brief moment on Monday, Don Wakamatsu thought his cameo as the Toronto Blue Jays manager was coming to an end. The team’s usual manager, John Farrell, was walking around, paying no mind to the pneumonia that had kept him away from the club since the closing innings on Thursday night. “I think he came in today thinking he was going to try to manage,” Wakamatsu, usually the club’s bench coach, said. Alas, Wakamatsu’s stint will continue for at least three more games. He managed the closing game of a four-game set against Tampa Bay on Monday night, and will guide the Blue Jays in Baltimore on the weekend. Farrell will not be making the trip to Camden Yards. His status for the Blue Jays’ following series in New York against the Yankees remains unclear. “He’s still a little weak,” Wakamatsu said. “We talked about it earlier. Just to be safe, it’s not something you want to play around with obviously.” Farrell, who left Thursday’s game in the ninth inning and has not been in the dugout since then, met with Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos on Monday. Wakamatsu indicated that Anthopoulos advocated the cautious approach. It has to surely rankle Farrell, who did his best to manage through the symptoms. “I didn’t know [he was sick] until the seventh inning or so. He’s such a tough guy,” Wakamatsu said. “He said he woke up that morning and started to feel it. But there were no signs before that.” • Email: ekoreen@nationalpost.com | Twitter: @ekoreen
Posted in: NBA, Posted Sports blog comments powered by That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays trade Hill, McDonald to Diamondbacks |
Aaron Hill will attempt to regain his power stroke while pushing for a playoff spot in the desert. Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos has dealt the struggling second baseman to the Arizona Diamondbacks along with backup infielder John McDonald for second baseman Kelly Johnson. All three players are impending free agents. Hill and McDonald depart the non-contending Jays (65-62) for the National League West-leading Diamondbacks, a young outfit which entered play Tuesday in the midst of a six-game losing streak and a one-game lead over San Francisco. At Tuesday’s news conference, Anthopoulos said the deal presented a chance for the team to get an up-close look at Johnson, a player whom the GM is said to coveted for some time. “He has the ability to get on base, draw some walks and he’s got power to all fields,” Anthopoulos said. “He’d be the first one to tell you I’m sure he’s not performing the way he expected to, especially off the year he came off of last year.” Johnson, 29, posted career highs in home runs (26) and RBIs (71) a year ago while hitting .284 with a .370 on-base percentage. The native of Austin, Tex. — a first-round pick of the Atlanta Braves in 2000 — is not considered as strong in the field as Hill. In 114 contests this season, he is batting .209 with 23 doubles, five triples, 18 homers, 49 RBIs, 13 stolen bases and a .287 OBP. Hill, also 29, hit .286 in 2009 with 36 home runs and 108 runs batted in, but has never returned to that form and is hitting .225 in 104 games this season with six home runs and 45 RBIs. Hill said he will cherish his time in Toronto, noting the club’s bright future. “This team will win. The way they’re going, the direction they’re going, with Alex and everybody, I do believe this team will win,” Hill told the media at Rogers Centre. “Whether I’m a part of that or not I’ll be rooting for them because this is a special place. “Not only are you playing for the city of Toronto but the country of Canada. It’s a very special place and it will be missed.” On April 1, Anthopoulos elected to take a wait-and-see approach by declining a trio of contract options that would have kept Hill in Toronto through the 2014 season. The three options would have paid Hill $8 million US in 2012 and 2013, and $10 million in 2014. Arizona could renegotiate a cheaper extension or offer the player salary arbitration and get a pick in next June’s amateur draft. The 36-year-old McDonald, a fan favourite and defensive specialist, will probably share time with Willie Bloomquist at short in Arizona. McDonald said he appreciated the chance that Toronto gave him to establish himself as a major-league baseball player. “It’s hard to leave but the opportunity to play in the playoffs right now at 36 years old, almost 37, is extremely exciting for me,” McDonald said “And beyond that, the opportunity to come back here, having that dialogue with Alex.” He is hitting .250 in 65 games in 2011 with 20 RBIs but will get a chance to win a World Series championship as he joins his fourth major league club. “We owe it to them to give them this type of opportunity if it makes sense for both sides,” Anthopoulos said of McDonald and Hill. “This is a great opportunity for them and it made sense for us to do it for them.” In another move Tuesday, the Blue Jays summoned catcher Brian Jeroloman from AAA Las Vegas, where he was hitting .240 in 79 games this season with 26 RBIs and a .330 OBP. Arizona placed right-hander Jason Marquis on the 60-day disabled list with a fractured right fibula. Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Magazine details alleged Jays sign stealing |
The magazine alleges the Blue Jays were having signs relayed to them by a man in centre field. BY SPORTSNET STAFF The Toronto Blue Jays have been stealing signs and relaying pitches to their batters during home games by using a man in centre field, an unnamed teams alleges in an ESPN the Magazine report. The article cites four anonymous bullpen sources from an unnamed team claiming they noticed a man dressed in white among the blue center-field seats seemingly signalling the pitches the visiting pitcher was throwing against the Jays. Earlier this season, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi suggested the Blue Jays were stealing signs. “Could be. Obviously, if you feel like it’s coming from somewhere else besides a player on the field, yeah, I do have issues with that.” Girardi told the media. In response to the allegations, Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos will address the Toronto media at 3:45 p.m. ET and sportsnet.ca will have video of his comments immediately afterwards. Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos denies that his team has relayed signs from beyond the field. “That never happened, will never happen, not even a possibility,” he told ESPN. “If it did happen, we’d be winning a lot more games at home … I think it’s a nonstory because no one ever has picked up the phone and called me about it. It’s never been an issue, and I would expect them to do so if it was.” Meanwhile, an MLB spokesman is quoted in the article as saying: “Major League Baseball has never received a complaint from any club about sign stealing in Toronto, and this is first [we've been] made aware of it.” Thanks for reading! . Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Jays select RHP Beede 21st overall |
The Toronto Blue Jays prioritized pitching for the second straight year in the Major League Baseball draft. On Monday, the Jays selected right-handed high school pitcher Tyler Beede with their first pick, 21st overall. Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos took righty Deck McGuire in the 2010 draft with the 11th overall selection. Beede, the ace of Lawrence Academy’s pitching staff in Massachusetts, is touted as having an impressive array of pitches and a major-league ready build. At six foot four and 200 pounds, the 18-year-old has a fastball that hits the mid-90 m.p.h. range and scouts say he has an above-average changeup. He went 7-1 with 114 strikeouts in 56.1 innings last season. While Beede boasts an impressive physical stature and an intimidating arm, the Jays were most attracted to his attention to detail on the mound. “It’s a really advanced delivery,” said Toronto’s amateur scouting director Andrew Tannish. “He’s a full wind-up guy, he’s got great tempo, it’s a high leg kick, it’s a great stride, long stride down the mound with a real quality follow through.” Tannish also said the youngster was willing and able to add new pitches to his repertoire, citing his yet-to-be perfected curveball as his newest weapon. “It’s a pitch that he has a feel for,” Tannish said. “Certainly it still needs some work, but he’s got good rotation and depth. He can throw it for a strike. “I believe, in time, he’ll have the ability to backdoor it.” Some time is exactly what it may take for the Blue Jays to sign Beede, who has already committed to Vanderbilt University in Nashville — a fact not lost upon the Jays’ brass. In actuality, Tannish sees it in a positive light, even though he says he believes the youngster wants to play in the big leagues. “[Vanderbilt] is a quality institution, it’s a good program,” said Tannish. Toronto had seven of the first 78 selections in the draft, due to the glut of free agents leaving the Blue Jays’ ranks this past off-season. Closer Kevin Gregg, catcher John Buck, catcher Miguel Olivo and lefty reliever Scott Downs all jumped ship via free agency, leading to compensatory picks in 2011 for the Jays. The Jays utilized those selections by taking outfielder Jacob Anderson 35th, righty Joseph Musgrove 46th and snagging outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. and Kevin Comer, a right-handed pitcher, with the 53rd and 57th overall selections respectively. Earlier in the night, the Pittsburgh Pirates made UCLA pitcher Gerrit Cole the first-overall pick. With files from The Canadian Press Thanks for visiting my blog =). Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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Shi Davidi’s MLB Amateur Draft Primer |
The Blue Jays selected Adam Lind 83rd overall in 2004, with a compensation pick from the Los Angeles Angels after they signed Kelvim Escobar. BY SHI DAVIDI To fully understand how much value the Toronto Blue Jays place on early picks in Monday’s MLB amateur draft, one only needs to look at the unique and complex way they came into possession of the 57th pick this year. Watch the MLB amateur draft, live Monday on Sportsnet ONE beginning at 6 p.m. ET.
Late last Nov. 4, Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos acquired catcher Miguel Olivo from the Colorado Rockies for future considerations, and within a couple of hours exercised the US$500,000 buyout on the catcher’s option year, making him a free agent. In return, the Blue Jays received the 57th pick in the 2011 draft, in essence buying it for $500,000 and future considerations, which turned out to be minor-league infielder Brad Emaus. The crafty manipulation of the system is a pricey roll of the dice, but a bargain in the eyes of the Jays. “The draft is very difficult,” says Blue Jays scouting director Andrew Tinnish. “We’ve done studies where if you get one solid everyday big-leaguer out of a draft and a handful of extra guys, you’ve done a good job. So having extra picks up high is extremely valuable. “I know there are teams that aren’t fans of the comp pick, but we certainly are.” The Blue Jays will have five compensatory picks in all – two from the departure of reliever Scott Downs, plus on each from the defections of Kevin Gregg, John Buck and Olivo – for seven of the first 78 choices when the three-day draft begins Monday.
The first overall pick belongs to the Pittsburgh Pirates, with the Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals rounding out the top five. The first 60 selections go on Day 1, and the Tampa Bay Rays will be front and centre with a record 10 picks on the opening night, starting at No. 24. Rounds 2-30 take place Tuesday, with Rounds 31-50 slated for Wednesday, but it’s Monday where the real impact talent is found, precisely the type of player the Blue Jays under Anthopoulos are after. To compete against the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the American League East, Anthopoulos believes, the Blue Jays need all-star calibre players all around the diamond, and the only reliable way to get them is through the draft or more specifically, early in the draft, hence the focus on obtaining compensatory picks.
Last year, the Blue Jays had six extra choices and stocked their farm system with some promising high-risk, high-reward players like Aaron Sanchez and Noah Syndergaard. “If you look at it, the high-ceiling players out of the draft get taken out of the top-two rounds,” says Anthopoulos. “The compensation component basically ensures that you’re going to get picks in the top two rounds, you might get a third-rounder. It’s more opportunity to flood the minor leagues and to have assets to use in a trade, or to hopefully come up and help the team.” SCOUT’S HONOUR Of course having the extra picks is all well and good, but they will mean nothing if the Blue Jays don’t get them right. And to that end, Anthopoulos and Tinnish made a bold statement last year in their first draft together as GM and scouting director. In a remarkable about face, the Blue Jays dramatically increased their scouting staff following the 2009 season and then during the draft, abandoned the play-it-safe philosophy of years past and repeatedly spent above the Major League Baseball slot recommendations to get their picks signed. According to Baseball America, the Jays handed out US$11.6 million in signing bonuses in 2010, the third highest total in draft history. Tinnish is likely to have a similar bankroll to draw upon this summer, allowing him to choose who he feels is the best available player, rather than the best available affordable player. “I think we’re in a position to be competitive and go after players we want to get,” says Tinnish. “When Alex gave me the job, he told me to go out and be aggressive. That’s kind of the philosophy that I’ve taken into my coverage last year and also this year. We will probably line the board up that way.” Such an approach entails more risk, and means mistakes will be more costly, which is where the expanded scouting department comes in. By having more area scouts – the Blue Jays have 25, while most teams typically have 15, and “we might have brought that average up,” Tinnish notes with a grin – they are able to take a more in-depth look at more players. While some other scouts are spending time driving from school to school because they cover larger areas, Blue Jays scouts are able to visit with the families of players they like, and peer further behind the curtain. “I think our guys have a greater comfort level not just with the ability, but with the person and that’s important,” says Tinnish. “You can have the player with the greatest ability but if he doesn’t have the makeup, he may never reach that ability.” DEPTH ON THE MOUND
The Blue Jays chose pitchers with six of their first eight picks last year but Tinnish says that was more a function of who was available rather than any organizational emphasis. For now, Tinnish is sticking by every team’s mantra at this time of the year. “It’s about that best available player, the player that we have lined up when it’s our turn to pick,” he says. “That’s the goal, that’s the focus.” Having one draft under their belts, Tinnish and Anthopoulos feel things have gone smoother this year than last, and that their steady work deep into the night this week and last assembling their draft board at the Founders Club lounge at the Rogers Centre has improved. The results, however, won’t be known for sometime yet. “I would say the unfortunate part about the draft is that you don’t know if your process is right or wrong until potentially four or five years down the road,” says Anthopoulos. “So you try to make adjustments each year. You try to improve the process.” That’s all for today guys, i’ll be back to blog you tomorrow. Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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Jays ‘dodged a bullet’ with Lawrie |
REUTERS/Mike Cassese Toronto Blue Jays infielder Brett Lawrie during batting practice at the Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, the Jays’ spring training facility, in Dunedin, Florida February 12, 2011.
John Lott Uber-prospect Brett Lawrie will probably to miss at least two games after a 90-mile-an-hour fastball struck him on the back of his left hand during a Triple-A game in Las Vegas, Toronto Blue Jays manager John Farrell says. The incident occurred uesday night, about five hours after T general manager Alex Anthopoulos fueled speculation that the 21-year-old Canadian third baseman was about to be promoted to the big leagues. “We dodged a little bit of a bullet when the X-rays proved negative,” Farrell said. While Anthopoulos and Farrell praised Lawrie for his improved plate discipline and defence, Farrell insisted Wednesday that the Jays have not decided when to promote him. “There is no timetable to call him up,” Farrell said. In the same breath, Farrell added: “He’s dominating a league. He’s doing everything that was set out in the plan going down from spring training. Players tell you when they’re ready. They tell you by their performance.” Lawrie is batting .354 with 15 homers, 49 RBIs and 11 stolen bases in 51 games. Farrell said the club would not rush Lawrie back into action, but also suggested the Langley, B.C. native would play his next game for Law Vegas, not Toronto. “We’re going to make sure that there are no issues with range of motion [and] no discomfort before we get him back into the game in Las Vegas,” Farrell said. • Email: jlott@nationalpost.com | Twitter: @LottOnBaseball
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TORONTO — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jesse Litsch was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday due to an … |
TORONTO – Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jesse Litsch was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday due to an impingement in his right shoulder. The move was made retroactive to Thursday, a day after Litsch was wild in a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He hit two batters, made two errors, had three walks and a wild pitch over five innings. Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Litsch had been dealing with some minor soreness of late. “It was something that after his last start, just was a little more sharp,” Anthopoulos said. “After (team doctors) examined him, they felt the best thing was just to let it calm down. It was inflamed.” Litsch, 26, has a 4-3 record and a 4.66 earned-run average over eight starts this season. He has 36 strikeouts and 18 walks in 46 1/3 innings. Anthopoulos said if everything goes well, Litsch will miss his scheduled start and make one rehab start in the minors before being activated. Right-handed reliever Carlos Villanueva will replace Litsch in the rotation for Monday’s road game against the New York Yankees. Litsch, a six-foot-one, 225-pound native of Pinellas Park, Fla., is in his fifth season with the Blue Jays. He has a career record of 25-27 with a 4.16 ERA. The Blue Jays also recalled infielder Mike McCoy from triple-A Las Vegas. He was expected to be available for Saturday’s home game against the Houston Astros. McCoy has appeared in 19 games for the Blue Jays this season. He has a .238 average with one home run and two RBIs. What do you guys think about this. Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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TORONTO — Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jesse Litsch was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday due to an … |
TORONTO – Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jesse Litsch was placed on the 15-day disabled list Friday due to an impingement in his right shoulder. The move was made retroactive to Thursday, a day after Litsch was wild in a 6-5 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. He hit two batters, made two errors, had three walks and a wild pitch over five innings. Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Litsch had been dealing with some minor soreness of late. “It was something that after his last start, just was a little more sharp,” Anthopoulos said. “After (team doctors) examined him, they felt the best thing was just to let it calm down. It was inflamed.” Litsch, 26, has a 4-3 record and a 4.66 earned-run average over eight starts this season. He has 36 strikeouts and 18 walks in 46 1/3 innings. Anthopoulos said if everything goes well, Litsch will miss his scheduled start and make one rehab start in the minors before being activated. Right-handed reliever Carlos Villanueva will replace Litsch in the rotation for Monday’s road game against the New York Yankees. Litsch, a six-foot-one, 225-pound native of Pinellas Park, Fla., is in his fifth season with the Blue Jays. He has a career record of 25-27 with a 4.16 ERA. The Blue Jays also recalled infielder Mike McCoy from triple-A Las Vegas. He was expected to be available for Saturday’s home game against the Houston Astros. McCoy has appeared in 19 games for the Blue Jays this season. He has a .238 average with one home run and two RBIs. That’s all the news for today. Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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Jays demote Cecil, recall Woodward |
TORONTO — Brett Cecil’s angry outbursts in the dugout and sullen mood with the media didn’t provoke his demotion to the minor leagues, Toronto Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos says. But it became clear to team management that the 24-year-old left-hander needs time to calm down and revive his 2010 form. He wasn’t doing that in Toronto, so he will try in Las Vegas. The Jays sent him to their triple-A club on Thursday and promoted veteran infielder Chris Woodward to take his roster spot until they decide who will replace Cecil in the rotation. Cecil is the second Jays starter sent to Las Vegas this week. Jesse Litsch was optioned Tuesday to accommodate Frank Francisco’s return from the disabled list. After giving up five runs in five innings Wednesday night against the New York Yankees, Cecil has a 1-2 record and 6.86 ERA in four starts. “It’s clear also that Brett is extremely frustrated as well,†general manager Alex Anthopoulos said. “So we just think from a timing standpoint, this is the right move for us and also the right move for Brett. “This gives him a chance to catch his breath a little bit, get his confidence back. I think everyone’s seen that his performance is starting to wear on him.†Cecil won a team-high 15 games last season. But his velocity has been down and his pitches up in the strike zone. Anthopoulos said the Jays are more concerned about his fastball command than velocity. “If Brett’s throwing strikes, and he gets to the secondary stuff, he’s fine,†Anthopoulos said. “His command hasn’t been the same and I think there’s some things with his delivery that he still needs to get ironed out.†Anthopoulos said the Jays had been considering a demotion for Cecil before Wednesday’s start. Early in his previous start in Boston, “we thought that was the move we were going to make.†But Cecil settled down and pitched well for three innings, buying one more chance. Wednesday’s start was that chance. Five runs, four walks and a temper tantrum in the dugout followed. It was time for a change, which Anthopoulos expects will be brief. Cecil’s spot in the rotation comes up Tuesday in Texas. Anthopoulos said he and manager John Farrell have discussed their options but will likely not make a decision until the end of the weekend. He intimated that Cecil’s replacement would be called up from the minors and acknowledged that Brad Mills (1-1, 0.82 ERA in three starts at Vegas) is under consideration. But he took pains to say Mills is only one of several candidates. He also indicated that Marc Rzepczynski and Carlos Villanueva, who have started in the past, will probably remain in the bullpen. Woodward, 35, was called up to provide infield insurance while the Jays determine whether Aaron Hill (hamstring strain) needs to go on the DL. Anthopoulos said a Wednesday MRI left team officials feeling “inconclusive†about Hill’s injury. He said it’s likely the Jays will use the weekend to make a decision on Hill. Meanwhile, they will continue to carry eight relievers through the Tampa Bay series. If Hill goes on the DL, they could recall Litsch as his roster replacement. An optioned player must remain in the minors for at least 10 days unless he is recalled to replace an injured player. Woodward, who was batting .305 at Las Vegas, is a career journeyman originally drafted by the Jays in 1994. Anthopoulos said he is the “perfect†short-term replacement because of his versatility and his willingness to accept the 25th-man role. As for Cecil, the GM said he will benefit from pitching in the minors where every game is not “life and death.†“This is a good time to send him down, let him clear his head, go down there and let him have some success and not have to worry about having to go out there every time and make a perfect pitch and throw a scoreless inning,†Anthopoulos said. He said he reminded Cecil that many good pitchers have had to take a step back to the minors in order to renew their careers. “We expect him to go down, pitch well, get his confidence back and be back here soon.†National Post jlott@nationalpost.com © Copyright (c) National Post If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top. Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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Blue Jays decline to pick up options on Aaron Hill |
TORONTO (AP)—The Toronto Blue Jays declined to pick up the maximum three option years on second baseman Aaron Hill’s(notes) contract before Friday’s season opener against Minnesota. Hill, who hit .205 with 26 homers and 68 RBIs last year, will earn $5 million this season. His unique contract had $8 million options for 2012 and 2013 and a $10 million option for 2014. The Blue Jays had until the start of the season to pick up all three options. Toronto can still pick up one or two option years at the end of the season, but cannot pick up the 2014 option. General manager Alex Anthopoulos said with the way the option years are priced, he’d prefer to wait and see how Hill performs this season before making a decision. Not a lot else going on in the MLB world today. Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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Blue Jays counting on big bopper |
TORONTO — Perhaps no major leaguer has come as far over the past 12 months as Jose Bautista. On Opening Day 2010 he was a virtual unknown, something of a journeyman who’d finally found his first full-time job, batting leadoff for the Toronto Blue Jays. Fast forward through one incredible 54-homer campaign, and he’s baseball’s reigning long ball king, owner of a $65 million, five-year contract and the new face of his team. But after coming such a long way himself, how far can Bautista take the Blue Jays? That’s just one of several questions general manager Alex Anthopoulos will be asking this season, and the answers will determine how soon his talented but untested team can contend in the hypercompetitive American League East. “It’s going to be interesting. It’s going to be fun to watch, but there’s no question that there’s a lot of things that will be answered,” Anthopoulos said. Bautista was an offensive force in 2010, smashing George Bell’s club record of 47 homers and more than tripling his previous career high of 16, set in 2006. His .260 batting average, .378 on-base percentage, 124 runs batted in, 109 runs and 100 walks were all career bests. Anthopoulos concedes it was a risk to pay big bucks for Bautista before seeing a repeat performance, but said he’s willing to tolerate a drop-off. “He’ll have down months,” Anthopoulos said. “He might have a year where he doesn’t perform all that well. But you’re buying into this for the long term, and you have reason to believe he’s going to be great. “Prince Fielder has hit 50 home runs before,” Anthopoulos added. “He had 32 last year, but he was still a very good, productive player.” Even with Bautista’s booming bat contributing to a major league-high 257 homers, the Blue Jays went 85-77 last season and finished a distant fourth in baseball’s toughest division. They haven’t made the playoffs since 1993. Toronto’s changes start on the bench, where rookie manager John Farrell, plucked away from his job as Boston’s pitching coach, took over from the retired Cito Gaston. Farrell made three additions to his staff, bringing in former Seattle manager Don Wakamatsu as bench coach, naming former Blue Jays starter Pat Hentgen his bullpen coach and hiring a Boston acquaintance, Triple-A Pawtucket manager Tory Lovullo, as first-base coach. He retained three of Gaston’s coaches: Brian Butterfield (third base), Bruce Walton (pitching) and Dwayne Murphy (hitting). Besides Bautista, Anthopoulos and Farrell will have plenty of things to keep their eyes on. There’s a rookie catcher behind the plate in J.P. Arencibia, last year’s Pacific Coast League most valuable player. At first base, young slugger Adam Lind is transitioning to a new position after playing mostly outfield and DH. On the mound, right-hander Kyle Drabek, the first prospect from the Roy Halladay trade to reach the majors, has made an Opening Day roster for the first time. “We don’t have a long list of players that have had consistent performances for three or four years in a row,” Anthopoulos said. “We do know that it’s an incredibly talented group of players and the group we think is going to be part of winning a championship in Toronto. But again, they’re young major league players and still need to establish themselves. Some of them are already starting, but, from my standpoint, you need to do it for a few years before you’re truly established.” The Blue Jays will hope for bounce-back years from Lind and second baseman Aaron Hill after both had big drops in production last season. They’ll also hope outfielder Travis Snider, limited to 82 games because of injuries, can blossom into the hitter Toronto has been waiting for. The starting five will be anchored by lefties Ricky Romero and Brett Cecil and right-hander Brandon Morrow, three youngsters who Anthopoulos says took “great strides” last season. The Blue Jays also like Bautista as a team leader. He has become one of the most experienced veterans on the roster after a pair of offseason trades that sent right-hander Shaun Marcum to Milwaukee and outfielder Vernon Wells to the Los Angeles Angels. Feel free to leave your comments below. Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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One start could determine Reyes’ future |
REUTERS/Mike Cassese Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jo-Jo Reyes. It was an eventful year for Jo-Jo Reyes. He allowed nine runs in his only big-league appearance, was involved in a trade that might have collapsed without him, nearly pitched a no-hitter in the minors and soon after underwent surgery on a knee that he thought was fine. All of which serves as a prologue to his latest close-up, which comes Thursday in Clearwater, Fla., when Reyes is scheduled to pitch five innings for the Toronto Blue Jays in an exhibition game. He has not pitched five innings anywhere since last July, but Thursday’s start against Philadelphia might well be pivotal in his bid to stick with the Jays. Once a second-round draft pick of the Atlanta Braves, Reyes has played professional ball for eight years and, at the tender age of 26, finds himself at a crossroads. Because he is out of options, the Jays cannot send him to the minor leagues unless he clears waivers, which he will not, because other clubs covet him, owing to his youth and the fact the he is left-handed, among other things. So he either makes the Jays roster or goes elsewhere. With two weeks remaining in spring training, his stock is on the rise. Thursday’s start could be his litmus test. He enters the game with a 2.25 spring ERA in eight innings. In his last outing, he pitched three perfect innings with three strikeouts. Long coveted by the Jays, Reyes was acquired in the July trade that saw Toronto and Atlanta swap starting shortstops, with Alex Gonzalez going south and Yunel Escobar coming north. Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos also parted with two promising minor-league relievers, but not before insisting that Reyes be part of the deal. “We were haggling over players and Jo-Jo was the piece to put it over the top,†Anthopoulos said. “They finally said yes. Prior to him being involved, we didn’t have a deal.†Reyes never could quite clear the hurdle between Triple-A and the majors when he pitched for the Braves, although he spent almost all of 2008 in their rotation (with a 3-11 record and a 5.81 ERA). In June of that year, Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos saw him pitch seven innings of one-run ball against Toronto and immediately put him on the Jays’ “target list.†Reyes landed a bullpen job with the Braves a year ago, then injured his knee in his first appearance while allowing 10 hits and nine runs in 3 1/3 innings. After stints on the disabled list and the minors, he was acquired by the Jays, who sent him to Double-A New Hampshire, where he took a no-hitter into the eighth inning in his first start. After one more start, Anthopoulos started asking his medical staff pointed questions about Reyes’ knee. Yes, he learned, Reyes could keep pitching, perhaps for several years, without a serious problem. Yes, the knee “issue†might limit his velocity and control. “So I thought, why not get it cleaned up now so he’s 100% for spring training?†Anthopoulos said. “Ultimately, even though Jo-Jo thought he could pitch with it, and he felt he was fine, why not be the best that you can be?†Especially with no options left and a chance to make a team that was poised to hold auditions for both starters and relievers. Reyes reported to camp fully recovered from knee surgery and gradually pitched himself into the race for a rotation spot. If that does not work out, he says he would happily work out of the bullpen, where, at the moment, David Purcey is the lone lefty. Reyes is the sort of player Anthopoulos covets — young, with four years of contract control left and a chance to blossom, even after all this time. Since that day in 2008 at the Rogers Centre, the GM says he has always liked his mechanics and his low- to mid-90s fastball, curveball, slider and changeup. “There’s a lot of upside to Jo-Jo — his stuff, the years of control, his age, the fact that he’s left-handed,†Anthopoulos said. “And he’s a great kid as we’ve gotten to know him. Obviously, there are no guarantees, but we’ll take chances on a guy like this any day of the week.†• Email: jlott@nationalpost.com | Twitter: @LottOnBaseball
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Jays’ GM pleased with progress under Farrell |
Alex Anthopoulos is pleased with the progress of his club at the halfway point of spring training. At the mid-way point of spring training Jays’ GM Alex Anthopolous is all smiles. TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays are about halfway through its first spring training under rookie manager John Farrell, and GM Alex Anthopoulos is pleased with what he’s seen so far. There have been some minor glitches in camp, like the quad injury that’s slowed down second baseman Aaron Hill or the nasty flu that sidelined third base coach Brian Butterfield, but otherwise progress can be reported on multiple fronts. Farrell and the revamped coaching staff are meshing well together, catcher J.P. Arencibia and first baseman Adam Lind have both looked solid in the field, enthusiasm is high and the clubhouse, and competition for available roster spots has been fierce. So as Anthopoulos went about his business during Monday’s off day, he was mostly content about the state of affairs with the club. “All the feedback I’ve gotten has been that camp has run very smoothly,†he says. “John’s been outstanding, the (coaching staff) has been great, and the players have certainly had a big impact in setting the culture as well. “We’re coming off a much stronger season (this spring as opposed to last), there’s renewed excitement, it’s a younger team, there’s a lot of energy a lot of excitement, there’s a lot of competition … it’s been a very positive, productive camp.†For what’s it worth, the Blue Jays take a 4-5 record (not counting an exhibition drubbing of the Canadian national junior team) into Tuesday’s contest with the Tampa Bay Rays at Port Charlotte, Fla. While at this point of the spring it’s unwise to read very much into the since many established players are focused more on their process than production, some important trends are emerging. Lind’s transition to first base from left field is going quite smoothly and he is quickly easing some of the pre-spring questions about his ability in the field. The same goes for Arencibia behind the plate, as his hard work with bench coach Don Wakamatsu is starting to pay off and the pitchers appear to be gaining comfort throwing to him. Starter Jesse Litsch, finally healthy after being hampered by elbow and hip injuries the past two seasons, is throwing extremely well and Anthopoulos believes he has a chance to match the 13 wins and 195 innings posted by Shaun Marcum last year. And the top prospect the Blue Jays obtained from Milwaukee in exchange for Marcum, Canadian Brett Lawrie, has been one of the buzz stories at camp, acclimating well to third base after moving from second, and impressing at the plate. “He’s looked very good,†Anthopoulos says of Lawrie. “He does work every day, he’s been receptive to instruction, he wants to get better. Part of the appeal of Brett, he’s obviously got a lot of ability and tools, but he’s got this unbelievable desire and drive to be great at whatever he does. Everyone talks about his offence and that his defence needed work, well, he’s applied that same work ethic to his defence.†It’s too early to say whether or not that’s going to be enough to earn him an opening day roster spot with the big-league club, but he’s clearly making an impression and showing he’s not as far away as his age and experience level might suggest. During the early spring meetings Anthopoulos and the manager hold with each player, Lawrie was told the initial plan was for the Blue Jays to open 2011 with Jose Bautista at third, Juan Rivera in right field, Rajai Davis in centre and Travis Snider in left. But he was also told they wouldn’t rule out him breaking with the team, either. “He understood,†says Anthopoulos. “He knows he’s in a new organization, he obviously wants to impress and do a good job. He’s done everything we’ve asked him to do.†Litsch, meanwhile, looks to be returning to the form with which he closed out the 2008 season. He’s regained all the lost arm speed after ligament-replacement surgery on his right elbow in the summer of 2008, and the hip surgically repaired last summer is back to normal, too. Anthopoulos called Litsch’s last outing March 4 against Atlanta, when he allowed one hit, struck out four and got up to 92 m.p.h., in three innings, “very, very good.†“The one thing I’ve always said is when Jesse’s been healthy, he’s been very productive. He’s not Shaun Marcum, they’re not the same style, but he certainly has a chance for the results to be similar in terms of win totals and innings pitched. It’s up to him and he’s still competing for a job, but we tend to forget he’s only 25. “If he’s healthy you pretty much know what you’re going to get.†Litsch is fighting for one of the two available spots in the starting rotation behind Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil. Kyle Drabek, Marc Rzepczynski and Jo-Jo Reyes appear to be his primary opponents, with Zach Stewart, Brad Mills and Canadian Scott Richmond also in the mix to one degree or another. Reyes is a name to watch on that front, as the once touted left-hander is out of options, meaning the Blue Jays can not send him to the minors without passing him through waivers first. The 25-year-old came over from the Braves in the Yunel Escobar trade last July, and after a rough spring debut looked better March 5 against Detroit, throwing three hitless innings. “His fastball was up to 92, he was down in the zone, and showed some very good changeups and sliders,†says Anthopoulos. “He showed us a glimpse of why he was a highly touted prospect. I’ve always liked Jo-Jo, I’ve always kept an eye on him. “He was a secondary piece in that trade but he was an important piece because from my standpoint, a young left-handed starter with some upside certainly makes all the sense in the world for us to take a chance on.†There is plenty of competition in the bullpen as well and Frank Francisco helped ease any concern that may have existed about his shoulder with a shutout inning in Sunday’s 5-0 win over Pittsburgh. The outing marked the right-hander’s belated spring debut and he came out of it fine. “Frankie was up to 93 throwing a ton of strikes,†says Anthopoulos. “He’s always notoriously been a slow starter, him and Octavio Dotel (two games, two innings, five runs) told us before camp started they never do well in spring training, so we expected that. They know what they need to do. “We’re obviously going to continue to watch their stuff but we aren’t going to be so reliant on the stats, more so we might be a little bit more reliant on the execution and the way their stuff looks.†Just some of the many judgments still to be made with three-plus weeks of camp remaining.
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Bautista, Jays agree to $65M deal |
DUNEDIN, FLA. (AP) – Home run champion Jose Bautista and the Toronto Blue Jays finalized a $65 million, five-year contract on Thursday. The 30-year-old Bautista led the majors with 54 homers last season and was eligible for arbitration. His hearing was postponed Monday at the request of both parties. Bautista gets $8 million this year and $14 million in each of the following four seasons. Toronto has a $14 million option for 2016 with a $1 million buyout. Blue Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said giving Bautista a lengthy contract “is part of the risk†of signing a player after one exceptional season. “The easy thing for me and the organization to do was to not do anything and say, `Well, it was one year,’†Anthopoulos said. “The conservative approach was to let him play it out. If he has a great season maybe he prices himself out of what we thought made sense. If he doesn’t have a good season, well, it would have been a good move not to sign him.†Bautista had requested $10.5 million and the Blue Jays had offered $7.6 million when players and teams exchanged proposed arbitration salaries last month. Bautista hit .260 with 54 homers and 124 RBIs last year. when he played 113 games in the outfield and 48 at third base. Toronto is set to use him at third base this season. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Not a lot else going on in the MLB world today. Posted in blue-jays-news | No Comments »
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General manager Alex Anthopoulos and the Toronto Blue Jays selected righty Tyler Beede 21st overall on Monday. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)
