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Yu Darvish Bidding Has Ended, Theo Epstein And The… |
Read More: Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs Japanese star pitcher Yu Darvish has no doubt been on the radar of teams like the Chicago Cubs, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays and Texas Rangers for years, but now that the 4 p.m. CST Wednesday deadline for MLB teams to submit their bids for his services has passed, we will soon find out who wanted him the most. The 25-year old right-handed pitcher burst onto the scene when he lead the Japanese national team to a World Baseball Classic title back in 2009, but he has been dominating Japanese teams for quite a while now — he went 18-6 with a 1.44 ERA, to go with 276 strikeouts and just 36 walks in 232 innings of work for the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters in 2011. Bidding was a four-day blind auction process, and at least five MLB teams (possibly up to 10) have made formal bids as a posting fee, including the Cubs, Yankees, Rangers and Blue Jays. The highest bid is expected to be announced later on Thursday, at which point the Fighters will have four days to decide if they accept the bid. If they do accept the bid, the MLB team with the accepted bid then has 30 days to negotiate with Darvish and work out a deal. If no deal is reached during the negotiation window, the posting fee is waived and Darvish will return to the Fighters for another season. Here is what SB Nation’s Chicago Cubs blog, Bleed Cubbie Blue, has to say about Darvish:
For more updates on Chicago sports, stay tuned to SB Nation Chicago. For more in-depth coverage of the Cubs, head over to Bleed Cubbie Blue. Also, check out MLB Daily Dish for Cubs rumors and transactions. That’s all the news for today. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Toronto GM Anthopoulos feels Jays slugger Bautista… |
TORONTO – Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista was under a lot of pressure after signing a long-term contract extension and becoming the face of the franchise after his breakout 2010 campaign. He responded with one of the best individual seasons in team history. On Monday, he just might be rewarded for his efforts. Bautista is a contender for the American League MVP award after hitting .302 with 43 home runs, 103 RBIs and a .447 on-base percentage. “He’s as good as it gets,” Jays general manager Alex Anthopoulos said in a recent interview. “I’m certainly hopeful for him and he certainly deserves it.” There is no clear favourite for the AL honour this year. Jacoby Ellsbury and Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox are also in the mix along with New York’s Curtis Granderson. Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers could also be a factor. The results of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America vote will be announced at 2 p.m. ET Monday. “I realize that I had a good year on the individual side,” Bautista said. “But I do realize that there are other guys around the league who had great years as well. “All I can do right now is be hopeful.” Anthopoulos said Bautista is a well-rounded player who can do it all. “I think with what Jose means to the team and the organization — playing Gold Glove defence both in right field and at third — and the offensive numbers speak for themselves,” Anthopoulos said. “With everything he’s done, he’s by far for me the MVP.” Bautista recently won his second straight Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive performer in the AL after a vote by fans and a panel of Hall of Famers. The 31-year-old slugger led the major leagues in home runs, walks (132), slugging percentage (.608) and on-base plus slugging (1.056) to become the first player since Barry Bonds in 2001 to lead in four offensive categories. However, unlike the other contenders, Bautista was not playing meaningful baseball in September. Whether the baseball writers take that into consideration remains to be seen. “Obviously from a biased standpoint, I think it’s the best player in the league,” Anthopoulos said. “It’s not the best player on a playoff team.” Former Toronto outfielder George Bell was named league MVP in 1987. He is the only Blue Jay to have won the award. The six-foot-one 192-pound Bautista smiled when asked who he would select if he had a vote. “Obviously myself if I was allowed to,” Bautista said with a laugh. “Who wouldn’t?” His No. 2 pick would be Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera. “He’s the one guy that some people are overlooking,” Bautista said. “He was on the field for 160 games for the Detroit Tigers and they made the playoffs. “I think I would vote for him.” Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers won the AL MVP award last year. The 2011 National League MVP award winner will be named Tuesday. Jays infielder Brett Lawrie said Bautista posts big numbers and does the little things too. “He’s a tremendous player,” Lawrie said. “He’s worked hard to get where he’s at right now. “I’m glad he’s on my team, I can tell you that.” That’s all the news for today. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Yankees turn to CC in finale with Blue Jays |
(Sports Network) – CC Sabathia tries to continue his domination of the Blue Jays as the big left-hander takes the mound this afternoon when the New York Yankees go for a three-game sweep. Coming off a 128-pitch effort Tuesday in a 5-2 win over the Red Sox, Sabathia is 2-0 over his last three outings — this despite allowing a total of 27 hits over those three games. In fact, he has allowed at least nine hits in five of his last six appearances. Sabathia is 11-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 14 career games against Toronto, but has won each of his last six starts vs. the Blue Jays dating to the start of the 2007 season. What’s also impressive about Sabathia is that he has held Toronto’s Jose Bautista hitless in 15 career at-bats has recorded seven strikeouts in the matchup. “Regardless of who we put out there, they’re going to do the job,” Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher said of the team’s starting pitchers. “I think that’s exactly what’s happened.” Mired in a six-start winless stretch, Brett Cecil takes the mound today for the Blue Jays. The lefty threw six innings in a no-decision at Baltimore on Tuesday. Toronto has lost in five of the last six games Cecil has started. He’s 0-3 in that stretch and hasn’t won since July 29 against Texas. Cecil has fashioned a 4-2 mark with a 4.82 ERA in eight games against the Yankees. His lone start against New York this year came April 20 when he allowed six hits and five runs over five innings. On Saturday, Robinson Cano’s two-run double put the Yankees ahead in a three- run seventh inning, lifting New York to a 6-4 victory. Francisco Cervelli belted a two-run homer for the Yankees, who have won three in a row and welcomed Alex Rodriguez back to the lineup. The star third baseman had missed the past six games with a jammed thumb and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored while batting third instead of in his customary cleanup spot. Cano batted fourth and his lone hit of the game erased a 4-3 deficit after Curtis Granderson was hit by a pitch with two outs and Rodriguez drew a walk. Nick Swisher, playing first base for the second straight day in place of an ailing Mark Teixeira, singled home Cano for a two-run edge and David Robertson worked the final two innings for the save. Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano were both unavailable for New York after pitching each of the last two games. Robertson, who did not pitch in Friday’s 3-2 win, got the final six outs to notch his first save since August 12, 2010. The Yankees maintained their half-game lead on Boston in the AL East. Dewayne Wise tripled, homered and scored twice for Toronto, which has lost two straight after winning three of its previous four. Adam Lind also homered in defeat. Toronto starter Ricky Romero (13-10) worked 6 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs on eight hits, suffering his first loss since July 16 against New York. He had been 6-0 in has last eight starts. The Yanks are 9-5 versus Toronto this season, including wins in six of the eight matchups in the Bronx. © Copyright (c) The Sports Network If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays outrighted… |
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays outrighted pitcher Jesse Carlson and Canadian outfielder Adam Loewen off their 40-man roster Thursday. Loewen, who spent most of last season with triple-A Las Vegas, had one home run and four RBIs in 14 games with the Blue Jays. He had a .306 average with 17 homers and 85 RBIs with the 51s. The Surrey, B.C., native became the 17th Canadian to play for the Blue Jays when he started on Sept. 7 against the Boston Red Sox. Carlson spent the entire season on the disabled list. He experienced arm soreness last spring and underwent season-ending rotator cuff surgery on May 24. He has an 8-8 record with three saves and a 3.63 earned-run average in 162 career games. Leave your comments on the news below. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays outright pitcher Carlson and outfielder… |
TORONTO — The Toronto Blue Jays have outrighted pitcher Jesse Carlson and outfielder Adam Loewen off their 40-man roster Thursday. Loewen, who spent most of last season with Triple-A Las Vegas, had one home run and four RBIs in 14 games with the Blue Jays. He had a .306 average with 17 homers and 85 RBIs with Las Vegas. The Surrey, B.C., native became the 17th Canadian to play for the Blue Jays when he started on Sept. 7 against the Boston Red Sox. Carlson spent the entire season on the disabled list. He experienced arm soreness last spring and underwent season-ending rotator cuff surgery on May 24. Carlson has an 8-8 record with three saves and a 3.63 ERA in 162 career games. Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Thanks for reading! . Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays outright Carlson, Loewen |
TORONTO (AP)—The Toronto Blue Jays have outrighted pitcher Jesse Carlson(notes) Loewen, who spent most of last season with Triple-A Las Vegas, had one home The Surrey, B.C., native became the 17th Canadian to play for the Blue Jays Carlson spent the entire season on the disabled list. He experienced arm Carlson has an 8-8 record with three saves and a 3.63 ERA in 162 career Feel free to leave your comments below. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Could The Blue Jays Target Ortiz? |
Red Sox DH David Ortiz. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images) BOSTON (CBS) – With David Ortiz set to hit free agency when the World Series concludes, there is an AL East foe that could pluck him away from the Red Sox. For now, that team is not the New York Yankees. A Major League source told the Boston Herald the Toronto Blue Jays will not rule out pursuing Ortiz this offseason, giving their lineup a little more pop. Ortiz has bode well north of the border, with his 29 career home runs at the Rogers Centre second only to the 151 he has knocked out of Fenway Park. Read: Sox Free Agency Track Record ‘Not Good Enough’ Ortiz would provide protection for Toronto’s power hitting Jose Bautista, who Ortiz chose to be on the AL Home Run derby team during this season’s All-Star festivities. He is also very familiar with Jays current manager, John Farrell, who was the pitching coach in Boston from 2007-2010. Ortiz’ options will be limited this offseason, as the 36-year-old full-time DH will have to find a home in the American League if he does not return to Boston. A seven-time All-Star while with the Red Sox, Ortiz did say recently he would like to return to Boston. Ortiz hit .309 with 29 home runs and 96 RBI in 2011. There is the quick update of the day. 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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Future looks bright for Blue Jays despite another… |
TORONTO It has become a familiar end-of-season routine for the Toronto Blue Jays. Mediocre record. Some cause for optimism. Another fourth-place finish. However, there appears to be something different about the 2011 edition of the team. Fuelled by franchise player Jose Bautista and an exciting young core, there is an energy in the clubhouse and among baseball fans in a city starved for a contender. “We have a bunch of guys that really have nothing to lose and just want to go out there and win,” said outfielder Eric Thames. “This fan base deserves it, this city deserves it, this country deserves it. “That’s what we’re out here every day working hard for and hopefully next year we’ll come a lot closer to that ring, if not win the ring.” That might be a tad optimistic given that the Blue Jays are a .500 club saddled with teams like New York, Boston and Tampa Bay in the stacked American League East. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has stocked the farm system and young players such as ace Ricky Romero, catcher J.P. Arencibia and Canadian third baseman Brett Lawrie appear to be the real deal. Whether the holes in the team’s roster can be filled for next year is the big question heading into the off-season. “I think we’ve got a ton of talent here that’s very young and definitely the future is bright,” said Jays reliever Casey Janssen. “I think the young guys are still learning, they’ve got a lot to learn but the ability is there. “The more reps they get either on the field or at-bats behind the plate or pitchers get innings, it’s just going to help us move forward for the future.” There were some success stories for the Jays and a few failures, too. One of the biggest disappointments was Brett Cecil, who led the team with 15 wins last season but spent a chunk of the season at triple-A Las Vegas. Fellow pitcher Kyle Drabek — the key player coming back in the Roy Halladay deal — looked lost at times on the mound. Travis Snider was given a shot in the outfield but didn’t take advantage. The Jays’ bullpen was mediocre at best and the closer position was a weak point for most of the season. Anthopoulos will likely shed some light on his off-season plans when he holds a season-ending media availability after Toronto closes out its campaign in Chicago on Wednesday night. Farrell predicts the 34-year-old GM will be a busy man. “Every area is going to be looked at,” Farrell said. “The one great thing about Alex is there’s no stone left unturned. Whether that’s domestically, internationally, free agents, trades, everything will be explored. “I’m looking forward to what I think is going to be a very active off-season.” The Canadian Press If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Future bright for Blue Jays after mediocre season |
Date: Wednesday Sep. 28, 2011 7:26 AM ET TORONTO It has become a familiar end-of-season routine for the Toronto Blue Jays. Mediocre record. Some cause for optimism. Another fourth-place finish. However, there appears to be something different about the 2011 edition of the team. Fuelled by franchise player Jose Bautista and an exciting young core, there is an energy in the clubhouse and among baseball fans in a city starved for a contender. “We have a bunch of guys that really have nothing to lose and just want to go out there and win,” said outfielder Eric Thames. “This fanbase deserves it, this city deserves it, this country deserves it. “That’s what we’re out here every day working hard for and hopefully next year we’ll come a lot closer to that ring, if not win the ring.” That might be a tad optimistic given that the Blue Jays are a .500 club saddled with teams like New York, Boston and Tampa Bay in the stacked American League East. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has stocked the farm system and young players like ace Ricky Romero, catcher J.P. Arencibia and Canadian third baseman Brett Lawrie appear to be the real deal. Whether the holes in the team’s roster can be filled for next year is the big question heading into the off-season. “I think we’ve got a ton of talent here that’s very young and definitely the future is bright,” said Jays reliever Casey Janssen. “I think the young guys are still learning, they’ve got a lot to learn but the ability is there. “The more reps they get either on the field or at-bats behind the plate or pitchers get innings, it’s just going to help us move forward for the future.” There were some success stories for the Jays and a few failures too. One of the biggest disappointments was Brett Cecil, who led the team with 15 wins last season but spent a chunk of the season at triple-A Las Vegas. Fellow pitcher Kyle Drabek — the key player coming back in the Roy Halladay deal — looked lost at times on the mound. Travis Snider was given a shot in the outfield but didn’t take advantage. The Jays’ bullpen was mediocre at best and the closer position was a weak point for most of the season. Anthopoulos will likely shed some light on his off-season plans when he holds a season-ending media availability after Toronto closes out its campaign in Chicago on Wednesday night. Farrell predicts the 34-year-old GM will be a busy man. “Every area is going to be looked at,” Farrell said. “The one great thing about Alex is there’s no stone left unturned. Whether that’s domestically, internationally, free agents, trades, everything will be explored. “I’m looking forward to what I think is going to be a very active off-season.”
There is the quick update of the day. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays’ season sprinkled with successes |
The Canadian Press Posted:Sep 28, 2011 7:16 AM ET Last Updated:Sep 28, 2011 7:14 AM ET
It has become a familiar end-of-season routine for the Toronto Blue Jays. Mediocre record. Some cause for optimism. Another fourth-place finish. However, there appears to be something different about the 2011 edition of the team. Fuelled by franchise player Jose Bautista and an exciting young core, there is an energy in the clubhouse and among baseball fans in a city starved for a contender. “We have a bunch of guys that really have nothing to lose and just want to go out there and win,” said outfielder Eric Thames. “This fanbase deserves it, this city deserves it, this country deserves it. “That’s what we’re out here every day working hard for and hopefully next year we’ll come a lot closer to that ring, if not win the ring.” That might be a tad optimistic given that the Blue Jays are a .500 club saddled with teams like New York, Boston and Tampa Bay in the stacked American League East. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has stocked the farm system and young players like ace Ricky Romero, catcher J.P. Arencibia and Canadian third baseman Brett Lawrie appear to be the real deal. Whether the holes in the team’s roster can be filled for next year is the big question heading into the off-season. “I think we’ve got a ton of talent here that’s very young and definitely the future is bright,” said Jays reliever Casey Janssen. “I think the young guys are still learning, they’ve got a lot to learn but the ability is there. “The more reps they get either on the field or at-bats behind the plate or pitchers get innings, it’s just going to help us move forward for the future.” There were some success stories for the Jays and a few failures too. One of the biggest disappointments was Brett Cecil, who led the team with 15 wins last season but spent a chunk of the season at triple-A Las Vegas. Fellow pitcher Kyle Drabek, the key player coming back in the Roy Halladay deal, looked lost at times on the mound. Travis Snider was given a shot in the outfield but didn’t take advantage. The Jays’ bullpen was mediocre at best and the closer position was a weak point for most of the season. Anthopoulos will likely shed some light on his off-season plans when he holds a season-ending media availability after Toronto closes out its campaign in Chicago on Wednesday night. Farrell predicts the 34-year-old GM will be a busy man. “Every area is going to be looked at,” Farrell said. “The one great thing about Alex is there’s no stone left unturned. Whether that’s domestically, internationally, free agents, trades, everything will be explored. “I’m looking forward to what I think is going to be a very active off-season.” That’s all the news for today. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Future looks bright for Toronto Blue Jays despite… |
The Canadian Press – ONLINE EDITION By: Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
28/09/2011 7:59 AM 
Enlarge Image Toronto Blue Jays Jose Bautista hits a RBI single during fifth inning AL action against the Los Angeles Angels in Toronto on Thursday September 22, 2011. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn TORONTO – It has become a familiar end-of-season routine for the Toronto Blue Jays. Mediocre record. Some cause for optimism. Another fourth-place finish. However, there appears to be something different about the 2011 edition of the team. Fuelled by franchise player Jose Bautista and an exciting young core, there is an energy in the clubhouse and among baseball fans in a city starved for a contender. “We have a bunch of guys that really have nothing to lose and just want to go out there and win,” said outfielder Eric Thames. “This fanbase deserves it, this city deserves it, this country deserves it. “That’s what we’re out here every day working hard for and hopefully next year we’ll come a lot closer to that ring, if not win the ring.” That might be a tad optimistic given that the Blue Jays are a .500 club saddled with teams like New York, Boston and Tampa Bay in the stacked American League East. General manager Alex Anthopoulos has stocked the farm system and young players like ace Ricky Romero, catcher J.P. Arencibia and Canadian third baseman Brett Lawrie appear to be the real deal. Whether the holes in the team’s roster can be filled for next year is the big question heading into the off-season. “I think we’ve got a ton of talent here that’s very young and definitely the future is bright,” said Jays reliever Casey Janssen. “I think the young guys are still learning, they’ve got a lot to learn but the ability is there. “The more reps they get either on the field or at-bats behind the plate or pitchers get innings, it’s just going to help us move forward for the future.” There were some success stories for the Jays and a few failures too. One of the biggest disappointments was Brett Cecil, who led the team with 15 wins last season but spent a chunk of the season at triple-A Las Vegas. Fellow pitcher Kyle Drabek — the key player coming back in the Roy Halladay deal — looked lost at times on the mound. Travis Snider was given a shot in the outfield but didn’t take advantage. The Jays’ bullpen was mediocre at best and the closer position was a weak point for most of the season. Anthopoulos will likely shed some light on his off-season plans when he holds a season-ending media availability after Toronto closes out its campaign in Chicago on Wednesday night. Farrell predicts the 34-year-old GM will be a busy man. “Every area is going to be looked at,” Farrell said. “The one great thing about Alex is there’s no stone left unturned. Whether that’s domestically, internationally, free agents, trades, everything will be explored. “I’m looking forward to what I think is going to be a very active off-season.” That’s all the news for today. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Yankees-Blue Jays Score: Toronto Shuts Out New… |
Read More: Freddy Garcia (P – NYY), New York Yankees, New York Yankees at Toronto Blue Jays, Sep 18, 2011 1:07 PM EDT Toronto, ON (Sports Network) – Adam Lind homered twice and Brandon Morrow tossed eight shutout innings, as the Toronto Blue Jays delayed Mariano Rivera’s pursuit of history and earned a 3-0 victory over the New York Yankees in the rubber match of a three-game series at Rogers Centre. Rivera notched his 601st save on Saturday to tie Trevor Hoffman’s all-time mark and was not needed in Sunday’s contest, as the Yankees mustered little offense with Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira all on the bench for a day of rest. Morrow (10-11) entered the contest 0-4 in his previous five starts, but limited New York to four hits with a walk and eight strikeouts to win for the first time since August 17 at Seattle. “I spotted my fastball pretty good and I had a good curveball today,” Morrow said. Frank Francisco worked around a one-out double in the ninth to notch his 16th save. The Yankees still lead the AL East by 4 1/2 games over the Red Sox, who dropped an 8-5 decision to the Tampa Bay Rays. New York just wrapped up a 10-game road trip at 4-6 and will start an eight-game homestand with a makeup game against Minnesota on Monday. Tampa Bay then visits for four before Boston invades the Bronx next weekend. Freddy Garcia (11-8) went the first 4 2/3 innings for New York and was charged with three runs on five hits and three walks. The veteran righty has been roughed up for 15 runs in 12 1/3 innings over his last three outings. Still, he had been 4-0 over his last seven starts and suffered his first loss since a 7-1 setback to Toronto on July 15. “He just missed his spots,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of his starter. Eduardo Nunez had three of the five Yankee hits. He also had a baserunning gaffe after a sixth-inning single, trying to race to second after right fielder Jose Bautista threw behind him. Edwin Encarnacion easily took the throw at first and fired to second for the out. The Yankees had two on with one out in the top of the first and tried to pull off a double steal, but trailing runner Robinson Cano was thrown out at second and Alex Rodriguez flied to right to end the threat. Toronto took a 1-0 lead in the second when Lind led off the inning with his 25th home run of the season. Lind then clubbed his second of the game with one out in the fourth to make it 2-0. The Jays tacked on another in the fifth and chased Garcia in the process. J.P. Arencibia walked with one out and raced all the way to third when Garcia threw away Mike McCoy’s bunt single. Eric Thames followed with a sacrifice fly and Toronto went on to load the bases when Bautista singled and Lind walked. Luis Ayala took over on the mound and got Encarnacion on a fly ball to center. Lind had a chance to blow the game open in the seventh with the bases loaded and one out against Raul Valdes, but was caught looking at a third strike. Encarnacion then grounded to third to keep it a three-run game. The Yankees, though, got only a two-out single from Chris Dickerson in the eighth and a one-out double from Nunez in the ninth. If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Blue Jays outslug Red Sox, deny Wakefield 200th… |
CBSSports.com wire reports TORONTO — Edwin Encarnacion hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to deny Tim Wakefield his milestone win, beating the Boston Red Sox 11-10 on Wednesday night. Wakefield has not won since July 24 against Seattle, a span of seven appearances. The victory looked to finally be in hand before slipping away late, but the knuckleballer wasn’t sweating it. “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t change what I’ve done,” he said. “I’d like it to happen but more important is for us to get into the postseason. That’s our ultimate goal.” Toronto trailed 8-6 heading into the eighth against Bard (2-6), who opened the inning by hitting Brett Lawrie and giving up a single to Adam Loewen, the former pitcher’s first career hit. J.P. Arencibia walked before Bard struck out Dewayne Wise and caught Yunel Escobar looking. But the Blue Jays tied it when Bard issued consecutive walks to Eric Thames and Jose Bautista. Matt Albers came on and gave up a three-run double to Encarnacion. Bard said he was battling with his control throughout the eighth. “It kind of came and went as the inning progressed,” he said. “I just didn’t have very good timing with my delivery.” Bard said Wakefield made sure he didn’t hang his head after coughing up the lead. “When I got in the clubhouse, he was the first guy to come up and shake my hand, pat me on the back,” Bard said. “He knows how hard I’m trying. To be that close to getting out of it with the lead intact makes it even tougher. We’re trying for him. He did his job today and I didn’t do mine.” Bard, who allowed five earned runs, saw his ERA rise from 2.10 to 2.76. He came in having allowed just one earned run in his previous 10 outings. “I guess it proves he’s human,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. “Once you get to him you feel pretty good. It was a battle the whole inning. He just couldn’t get the last out.” Encarnacion went 2 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and matched a career-high with five RBI. Shawn Camp (4-3) pitched one inning for the win and Frank Francisco survived a two-run ninth to record his 13th save in 17 chances. Adrian Gonzalez led off the ninth with his 24th home run, snapping Francisco’s streak of 16 scoreless innings. David Ortiz followed with a single, took second on a grounder and scored on a two-out hit by Marco Scutaro before pinch-runner Mike Aviles was thrown out trying to steal second on an 0-2 pitch to Josh Reddick. “It’s probably the best pitch to get thrown out on,” Aviles said. “It wasn’t a pitchout but it was up and out. It just didn’t work out well.” Blue Jays manager John Farrell called it “a fitting ending to an otherwise crazy game.” Jacoby Ellsbury homered and finished with four hits and Ortiz also went deep, but it wasn’t enough for the Red Sox, who missed a chance to gain ground on the first-place Yankees, who lost to Baltimore on Wednesday afternoon. “It’s tough on our team,” Francona said. “The whole idea is to win and in the course of winning games, things like what Wake’s doing is very special, or will be. It’s hard for everybody and I’m sure it’s hard for him.” Wakefield allowed five runs, four earned, and three hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three. “I struggled the first three innings throwing strikes and put a lot of pressure on those guys from the sixth on through the ninth,” Wakefield said. “I take the blame for not getting deeper in the game.” The Red Sox gave Wakefield an early lead by scoring three times in the first against Brandon Morrow. Kevin Youkilis was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Scutaro hit a two-run single to center. Toronto answered with a run in the bottom half on Encarnacion’s sacrifice fly, then tied it on J.P. Arencibia’s two-run drive to center in the second. The homer was Arencibia’s 21st of the season, the most in a season by a Blue Jays catcher. John Buck hit 20 homers for Toronto in 2010. The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead by scoring twice in the third. Thames was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Bautista’s double. Two outs later, Lawrie walked and Bautista stole third. Then, when Lawrie stole second, Bautista broke for home on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s throw to second, sliding in ahead of a wide return throw from shortstop Scutaro. Bautista is the first player to steal home and hit at least 40 homers in the same season since Adam Dunn did it with Cincinnati in 2004. Boston reclaimed the lead with a four-run fourth. Reddick hit an RBI double and Ellsbury drilled a three-run blast to right, his 25th. Ortiz made it 8-5 with a solo shot to right in the fifth, his 29th. Morrow (9-11) left after Youkilis followed with a single. The right-hander allowed eight runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Toronto cut it to 8-6 against Dan Wheeler in the seventh when Escobar hit a leadoff double and scored on a two-out base hit by Encarnacion. Notes
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MLB: Blue Jays rally late to beat Red Sox |
Posted: 12:00 AM TORONTO (AP) — Edwin Encarnacion hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to deny Tim Wakefield his 200th career win, beating the Boston Red Sox 11-10 Wednesday night. Toronto trailed 8-6 heading into the eighth against Daniel Bard (2-6), who opened the inning by hitting Brett Lawrie and giving up a single to Adam Loewen, the former pitcher’s first career hit. J.P. Arencibia walked before Bard struck out Dewayne Wise and caught Yunel Escobar looking. But the Blue Jays tied it when Bard issued back-to-back walks to Eric Thames and Jose Bautista. Matt Albers came on and gave up a three-run double to Encarnacion. Encarnacion went 2 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and matched a career-high with five RBIs. Shawn Camp (4-3) pitched one inning for the win and Frank Francisco survived a two-run ninth to record his 13th save in 17 chances. Adrian Gonzalez led off the ninth with his 24th home run and David Ortiz singled, took second on a grounder and scored on a two-out hit by Marco Scutaro before pinch runner Mike Aviles was thrown out trying to steal second Jacoby Ellsbury homered and finished with four hits and Ortiz also went deep, but the Red Sox couldn’t give Wakefield his first win since July 24 against Seattle. Wakefield allowed five runs, four earned, and three hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three. The Red Sox gave Wakefield an early lead by scoring three times in the first against Brandon Morrow. Kevin Youkilis was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Scutaro hit a two-run single to center. Toronto answered with a run in the bottom half on Encarnacion’s sacrifice fly, then tied it on J.P. Arencibia’s two-run drive to center in the second. The homer was Arencibia’s 21st of the season, the most in a single season by a Blue Jays catcher. John Buck hit 20 homers for Toronto in 2010. The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead by scoring twice in the third. Eric Thames was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Jose Bautista’s double. Two outs later, Brett Lawrie walked and Bautista stole third. Then, when Lawrie stole second, Bautista broke for home on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s throw to second, sliding in ahead of a wide return throw from shortstop Scutaro. Bautista is the first player to steal home and hit at least 40 homers in the same season since Adam Dunn did it with Cincinnati in 2004. Boston reclaimed the lead with a four-run fourth. Josh Reddick hit an RBI double and Ellsbury drilled a three-run blast to right, his 25th. Ortiz made it 8-5 with a solo shot to right in the fifth, his 29th. Morrow (9-11) left after Youkilis followed with a single. The right-hander allowed eight runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings. Toronto cut it to 8-6 against Dan Wheeler in the seventh when Escobar hit a leadoff double and scored on a two-out base hit by Encarnacion.
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Blue Jays 11, Red Sox 10: Bullpen blows 200th for… |
Edwin Encarnacion hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to deny Tim Wakefield his 200th career win, beating the Boston Red Sox 11-10 last night. Toronto trailed 8-6 heading into the eighth against Daniel Bard (2-6), who opened the inning by hitting Brett Lawrie and giving up a single to Adam Loewen, the former pitcher’s first career hit. J.P. Arencibia walked before Bard struck out Dewayne Wise and caught Yunel Escobar looking. But the Blue Jays tied it when Bard issued back-to-back walks to Eric Thames and Jose Bautista. Matt Albers came on and gave up a three-run double to Encarnacion. Encarnacion went 2-for-4 with a sacrifice fly and matched a career-high with five RBIs. Shawn Camp (4-3) pitched one inning for the win and Frank Francisco survived a two-run ninth to record his 13th save in 17 chances. Adrian Gonzalez led off the ninth with his 24th home run and David Ortiz singled, took second on a grounder and scored on a two-out hit by Marco Scutaro before pinch runner Mike Aviles was thrown out trying to steal second. Jacoby Ellsbury homered and finished with four hits and Ortiz also went deep, but the Red Sox couldn’t give Wakefield his first win since July 24 against Seattle. Wakefield allowed five runs, four earned, and three hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three. The Red Sox gave Wakefield an early lead by scoring three times in the first against Brandon Morrow. Kevin Youkilis was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Scutaro hit a two-run single to center. Toronto answered with a run in the bottom half on Encarnacion’s sacrifice fly, then tied it on J.P. Arencibia’s two-run drive to center in the second. The homer was Arencibia’s 21st of the season, the most in a single season by a Blue Jays catcher. John Buck hit 20 homers for Toronto in 2010. The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead by scoring twice in the third. Thames was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Bautista’s double. Two outs later, Brett Lawrie walked and Bautista stole third. Then, when Lawrie stole second, Bautista broke for home on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s throw to second, sliding in ahead of a wide return throw from shortstop Scutaro. Bautista is the first player to steal home and hit at least 40 homers in the same season since Adam Dunn did it with Cincinnati in 2004. Boston reclaimed the lead with a four-run fourth. Josh Reddick hit an RBI double and Ellsbury drilled a three-run blast to right, his 25th. Ortiz made it 8-5 with a solo shot to right in the fifth, his 29th. Morrow (9-11) left after Youkilis followed with a single. The right-hander allowed eight runs and eight hits in 4 1/3 innings. Toronto cut it to 8-6 against Dan Wheeler in the seventh when Escobar hit a leadoff double and scored on a two-out base hit by Encarnacion. Notes: Boston RHP Josh Beckett (right ankle) was scheduled to rejoin the team yesterday after traveling back to Boston Tuesday to visit doctors. … Red Sox RHP Clay Buchholz (back) made 60 throws at over 100 feet Wednesday. He’ll take Thursday off, then throw from 120 feet Friday. … Loewen made his major league debut as a position player. A former pitcher with Baltimore, elbow injuries forced Loewen off the mound in July, 2008. He’s been playing in Toronto’s minor league system since 2009. What are your opinions. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Jays rally, deny Wakefield 200th win (AP) |
TORONTO (AP)—Tim Wakefield(notes) didn’t begrudge Daniel Bard(notes) for keeping him Edwin Encarnacion(notes) hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Wakefield has not won since July 24 against Seattle, a span of seven “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t change what I’ve Toronto trailed 8-6 heading into the eighth against Bard (2-6), who opened Matt Albers(notes) came on and gave up a three-run double to Encarnacion. Bard said he was battling with his control throughout the eighth. “It kind of came and went as the inning progressed,” he said. “I just Bard said Wakefield made sure he didn’t hang his head after coughing up the “When I got in the clubhouse, he was the first guy to come up and shake my Bard, who allowed five earned runs, saw his ERA rise from 2.10 to 2.76. He “I guess it proves he’s human,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. Encarnacion went 2 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and matched a career-high with Shawn Camp(notes) (4-3) pitched one inning for the win and Frank Francisco(notes) survived Adrian Gonzalez(notes) led off the ninth with his 24th home run, snapping “It’s probably the best pitch to get thrown out on,” Aviles said. “It Blue Jays manager John Farrell called it “a fitting ending to an otherwise Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) homered and finished with four hits and Ortiz also went “It’s tough on our team,” Francona said. “The whole idea is to win and in Wakefield allowed five runs, four earned, and three hits in five innings. He “I struggled the first three innings throwing strikes and put a lot of The Red Sox gave Wakefield an early lead by scoring three times in the first Toronto answered with a run in the bottom half on Encarnacion’s sacrifice The homer was Arencibia’s 21st of the season, the most in a season by a Blue The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead by scoring twice in the third. Thames was hit Bautista is the first player to steal home and hit at least 40 homers in the Boston reclaimed the lead with a four-run fourth. Reddick hit an RBI double Ortiz made it 8-5 with a solo shot to right in the fifth, his 29th. Morrow left after Youkilis followed with a single. The right-hander allowed Toronto cut it to 8-6 against Dan Wheeler(notes) in the seventh when Escobar hit a Notes: The Red Sox are 73-3 when leading after seven innings. … Ellsbury There is the quick update of the day. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Encarnacion 5 RBIs lifts Blue Jays over Red Sox |
TORONTO (AP)—Tim Wakefield(notes) didn’t begrudge Daniel Bard(notes) for keeping him Edwin Encarnacion(notes) hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Wakefield has not won since July 24 against Seattle, a span of seven “If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t change what I’ve Toronto trailed 8-6 heading into the eighth against Bard (2-6), who opened Matt Albers(notes) came on and gave up a three-run double to Encarnacion. Bard said he was battling with his control throughout the eighth. “It kind of came and went as the inning progressed,” he said. “I just Bard said Wakefield made sure he didn’t hang his head after coughing up the “When I got in the clubhouse, he was the first guy to come up and shake my Bard, who allowed five earned runs, saw his ERA rise from 2.10 to 2.76. He “I guess it proves he’s human,” Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. Encarnacion went 2 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and matched a career-high with Shawn Camp(notes) (4-3) pitched one inning for the win and Frank Francisco(notes) survived Adrian Gonzalez(notes) led off the ninth with his 24th home run, snapping “It’s probably the best pitch to get thrown out on,” Aviles said. “It Blue Jays manager John Farrell called it “a fitting ending to an otherwise Jacoby Ellsbury(notes) homered and finished with four hits and Ortiz also went “It’s tough on our team,” Francona said. “The whole idea is to win and in Wakefield allowed five runs, four earned, and three hits in five innings. He “I struggled the first three innings throwing strikes and put a lot of The Red Sox gave Wakefield an early lead by scoring three times in the first Toronto answered with a run in the bottom half on Encarnacion’s sacrifice The homer was Arencibia’s 21st of the season, the most in a season by a Blue The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead by scoring twice in the third. Thames was hit Bautista is the first player to steal home and hit at least 40 homers in the Boston reclaimed the lead with a four-run fourth. Reddick hit an RBI double Ortiz made it 8-5 with a solo shot to right in the fifth, his 29th. Morrow left after Youkilis followed with a single. The right-hander allowed Toronto cut it to 8-6 against Dan Wheeler(notes) in the seventh when Escobar hit a Notes: The Red Sox are 73-3 when leading after seven innings. … Ellsbury What do you guys think about this. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Edwin Encarnacion 5 RBIs lifts Blue Jays over Red… |
TORONTO – Edwin Encarnacion hit a tiebreaking double in the eighth inning and the Toronto Blue Jays rallied to deny Tim Wakefield [stats] his 200th career win, beating the Boston Red Sox [team stats] 11-10 Wednesday night. Toronto trailed 8-6 heading into the eighth against Daniel Bard (2-6), who opened the inning by hitting Brett Lawrie and giving up a single to Adam Loewen, the former pitcher’s first career hit. J.P. Arencibia walked before Bard struck out Dewayne Wise and caught Yunel Escobar looking. But the Blue Jays tied it when Bard issued back-to-back walks to Eric Thames and Jose Bautista. Matt Albers came on and gave up a three-run double to Encarnacion. Encarnacion went 2 for 4 with a sacrifice fly and matched a career-high with five RBIs. Shawn Camp (4-3) pitched one inning for the win and Frank Francisco survived a two-run ninth to record his 13th save in 17 chances. Adrian Gonzalez led off the ninth with his 24th home run and David Ortiz [stats] singled, took second on a grounder and scored on a two-out hit by Marco Scutaro before pinch runner Mike Aviles was thrown out trying to steal second Jacoby Ellsbury homered and finished with four hits and Ortiz also went deep, but the Red Sox couldn’t give Wakefield his first win since July 24 against Seattle. Wakefield allowed five runs, four earned, and three hits in five innings. He walked three and struck out three. The Red Sox gave Wakefield an early lead by scoring three times in the first against Brandon Morrow. Kevin Youkilis [stats] was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded and Scutaro hit a two-run single to center. Toronto answered with a run in the bottom half on Encarnacion’s sacrifice fly, then tied it on J.P. Arencibia’s two-run drive to center in the second. The homer was Arencibia’s 21st of the season, the most in a single season by a Blue Jays catcher. John Buck hit 20 homers for Toronto in 2010. The Blue Jays took a 5-3 lead by scoring twice in the third. Eric Thames was hit by a pitch, took second on a wild pitch and scored on Jose Bautista’s double. Two outs later, Brett Lawrie walked and Bautista stole third. Then, when Lawrie stole second, Bautista broke for home on catcher Jarrod Saltalamacchia’s throw to second, sliding in ahead of a wide return throw from shortstop Scutaro. Bautista is the first player to steal home and hit at least 40 homers in the same season since Adam Dunn did it with Cincinnati in 2004. Boston reclaimed the lead with a four-run fourth. Josh Reddick hit an RBI double and Ellsbury drilled a three-run blast to right, his 25th. Ortiz made it 8-5 with a solo shot to right in the fifth, his 29th. Morrow (9-11) left after Youkilis followed with a single. The right-hander allowed eight runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings. © Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Thanks for reading! . Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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Loewen comes through in Blue Jays debut |
TORONTO — Adam Loewen picked a fine time to collect his first souvenir as a major-league hitter. On his first day in the big leagues as an outfielder, the former pitcher whacked a sharp single to help spark an eighth-inning uprising that lifted the Toronto Blue Jays to an 11-10 win over the Boston Red Sox. Boston pitcher Daniel Bard hit a batter and gave up Loewen’s first major-league hit to put runners at the corners. Three walks later, Toronto pulled into an 8-8 tie. Edwin Encarnacion followed with a three-run double off Matt Albers. The Red Sox scored two in the ninth off Frank Francisco, who staggered to his 13th save. “I grew up watching the Blue Jays and wanting to play for the Blue Jays,” Loewen said. “I think any Canadian kid back at home dreams the same thing, and for it to actually come true is an unbelievable feeling.” A native of Surrey, B.C., Loewen was a left-handed pitcher for Baltimore before injuries ended that phase of his career in 2008. He spent three seasons in the minors making a comeback as an outfielder before his callup from Triple-A on Wednesday. Loewen went 1-for-3 and was hit by a pitch. He played right field while Jose Bautista served as the designated hitter. The Jays’ late surge took starting pitcher Brandon Morrow off the hook after an ugly outing in which he gave up eight runs in 4 1/3 innings. It also deprived Tim Wakefield of his 200th career victory in his seventh try. Wakefield left with an 8-5 lead after five innings. Encarnacion matched his career high with five RBIs. J.P. Arencibia hit his 21st home run, setting a franchise record for a catcher. Loewen also made two running catches in right field. He said he was nervous as game time approached, but quickly calmed down in the first inning. “The hit was probably the biggest thrill for me, just to get it out of the way, because once that’s over with I can kind of relax and not worry about it,” he said. “The best thing for us is that we won the game.” The game ended when catcher Jose Molina, who entered the game in the ninth, threw out pinch-runner Mike Aviles trying to steal second. Aviles represented the tying run, prompting Jays manager John Farrell to call the move “somewhat uncharacteristic of the Red Sox.” Farrell praised his hitters for their “relentless approach,” especially as they battled Bard in the eighth. He saved his highest praise for the plate discipline of Eric Thames, a notorious free swinger who was down 0-2 before drawing a bases-loaded walk. “To me, that’s a huge step in his own personal growth,” Farrell said. “He has battled his own aggressiveness at times.” A year ago, the Jays shut down Morrow early, protecting his prized right arm and allowing him to finish his first season as a starter on a high note. Over his final four starts, he had posted a 3.21 ERA with 44 strikeouts. He fanned 17 in one of those games and 12 in another. Morrow appeared ready to take another critical step forward this year. Some scouts believed he might eventually supplant Ricky Romero as Toronto’s ace. Few have advanced that thesis lately. As the season winds down, Morrow is reeling rather than rolling. He gave up eight hits and as many runs in 4 1/3 innings Wednesday night. Over his past nine starts, Morrow is 2-6 with a 6.66 ERA. He has surrendered 13 homers in that stretch. “It’s been a really frustrating stretch of starts,” Morrow said. His main problem was locating his fastball on the first-base side of the plate, he said. Tired? “Not at all,” Morrow replied. “I feel good.” Before the game, Farrell said the Jays have no plans to shut down Morrow early after confining him to 146 innings last season. “We’d like to get him to 180-plus [innings], just to continue to push back his ceiling and his workload, see how he maintains that and physically how he comes through that,” Farrell said. Morrow has averaged just under six innings per start, yet has also averaged more than 100 pitches. He tends to make critical errors on fastball location, as he did when Jacoby Ellsbury and David Ortiz tagged him for homers worth a total of four runs. • Email: jlott@nationalpost.com | Twitter: What do you guys think about this. Posted in blue-jays-news | Comments Off
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