|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Oct 19, 2008 21:16:06 GMT -5
Toronto will play host to a new line of Blue Jays this season. After a series of disappointed seasons, the Jays have dipped into their farm system to help revamp a tired lineup. Vernon Wells will start the season as the team's every day center fielder. During his September call up last season, Wells hit .261 with his 88 AB in his brief Major League tenure. Wells flashed a golden glove, hurling out 4 runners from center in just 24 games with no errors and outstanding range. Wells will be replacing the young Jose Cruz who had struggled to get his bat going offensively over the past few years. Cruz a career .247 average without much power to speak of, but will still serve as a valuable bat from the bench and fourth outfielder. Should Wells struggle, expect to see Cruz patrolling center. Vernon Wells has earned a shot at patrolling center for TorontoExpected to make there Major League debuts include the standout prospects Orlando Hudson, Joshua Phelps, and Alexis Rios. Hudson, a slick fielding second baseman, projects to be a lead off type hitter. Joshua Phelps features several very tantalizing tools, including a high average and extraordinary pop. Phelps led the Florida State League in slugging percentage (.562) and was 2nd in batting (.328). He was rated as the 5th best prospect in the organization by Baseball America. With the Blue Jay fan favorite Carlos Delgado keeping a strangle hold at first base, Phelps will likely be the Jays designated hitter. And then there is Alexis Rios, the rookie who could possibly have the most potential out of the four. Rios is the entire package. A nineteen year old, Major League ready, 5-tool right fielder. For Rios, the sky is truly the limit. Fans can only hope that Toronto's youth movement will lead this club to the promised land. Only time will tell if the club's reliance on unproven talent was the right move to make. But, after years of being an after thought, any change might just help to reinvigorate this club's spirit.
|
|
|
Post by Hou-GM on Oct 19, 2008 21:19:10 GMT -5
this was a good read.
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Oct 21, 2008 21:21:21 GMT -5
The newly crowned center fielder from Arlington has gotten off to a great start. Vernon Wells has smacked a team high two home runs in the first two weeks of new millennium (sort of) baseball. Wells hit his career first dinger in the top of the ninth inning off of a 69 MPH slow curve from Detroit's Jim Poole. Not to be outdone by a fellow rookie in the outfield, Alexis Rios followed Wells' act the next day with his own career first jack. Rios launched his in the 2nd inning off of the motor city hurler Jeff Weaver's 90 MPH heat. Rios' piece of hitting helped pad an early Blue Jay lead. Alexis Rios is a key member of Toronto's futureOther notes: Blue Jay pitching so far has been phenomenal. All but one of the members in Toronto's rotation has a sub 3.50 ERA, with 3 pitchers having an ERA below 2.00 (David Wells, Roy Halladay, and Joey Hamilton). Closer Billy Koch has been perfect in save situations, converting 6 of 6 with a 1.50 ERA over 6 innings of duty.
|
|
|
Post by Atlanta Braves GM on Oct 23, 2008 17:33:01 GMT -5
Very well written, to be sure.
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Oct 28, 2008 10:10:37 GMT -5
Three rounds deep into the 2000 amateur baseball draft, the Toronto faithful standby with their fingers crossed, hoping that their club's scouts had been accurate in their assessments and projections. Selecting the burly right-hander out of Kennewick, Washington was a bold move to make in the first round, but speaks volumes about the philosophy of this club's management and front office. At just seventeen years old and without a lick of experience above the high school level, Jeremy Bonderman was chosen 19th overall. Bonderman's ceiling is so high that the Jays took him as the only high school junior to ever be drafted in baseball history. The scouts salivated over his 96 MPH fastball and drooled when he complimented it with devastating slider. In his junior year, Bonderman set a school strikeouts records with 127 over 80 innings pitched, holding batters to a nominal .150 batting average against. Signability issues are now all that stand between Bonderman and a shot at professional ball. With their second pick, the Blue Jays selected the third baseman Joshua Dean Fields. Fields fell in the draft due to his intent to play football for Oklahoma State University. Signing Fields is expected to be a challenge, but as Toronto proved with their Bonderman pick, signability issues are not a primary concern. Fields was captain of the Stillwater HS baseball club, where he led his club in nearly every offensive category with gaudy numbers. Fields hit .363 with 13 HR and 35 RBI. Perhaps most impressive was his .487 on base percentage and his flawless defense in the hot corner. Coaxing Joshua Fields out of his intent to play football for Oklahoma State will be a key assignment for Toronto's front officeCarlos Enrique Nolasco was the Jays third round pick, selected 79th overall. As the ace of his high school team out west in Corona, California, Nolasco held hitters to a .198 BAA, with 68 K over 64 IP, and a 2.24 ERA in his senior year. Nolasco sports a zippy 93 MPH fastball and a breaking pitch that projects to do some damage to more than a few Major League batting averages. At just seventeen years old like Bonderman, Nolasco is a very raw talent who will likely need to refine his mechanics for several years before he can strut his stuff in the Majors.
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Oct 31, 2008 14:58:25 GMT -5
With the 109th pick of the 2000 amateur baseball draft, the Toronto Blue Jays selected the hard throwing closer out of Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Chris Ray. At the tender age of eighteen, Ray will prep for his trip to Dunedin to begin working as a professional ball player. Like Josh Fields, Ray fell in the draft due to his intent to play for the College of William and Mary. Offering up top dollar won Ray’s allegiance. Using a high leg kick, Ray possesses an above-average heater and also showed an 82-83 mph slider and a plus splitter. He has great upside with the stuff to be a Major League closer someday. Chris Ray may one day vie with Billy Koch for the ninth inningAlexis Rios was sent down to Syracuse to make a few refinements. Rios had been merely O.K. in his brief Major League stint, hitting .257 with flashes of power. His defense out in right field was tremendous and it will likely not take long for him to work his way back up to the show. But, with Raul Mondesi catching fire off of the pine, Toronto management couldn’t help but use their 30/30 talent in an everyday role. While Rios is still a core cog of Toronto’s future, Mondesi could be the spark they need to spur the club into October. Orlando Hudson may also see his playing time limited, with his fairly quiet bat and the need for improved defense at third base. Homer Bush has committed 10 errors in just over a month’s worth of games at third and clearly has not transitioned well to the hot corner. Look for Toronto to insert Bush back at second with Chris Woodward, Ryan Freel, or Alex Gonzalez likely taking his role. Hudson may join Rios down in Syracuse.
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Nov 3, 2008 16:47:49 GMT -5
Deep into the 2000 amteur draft, James J. "Jamie" Vermilyea was taken by the Toronto Blue Jays in the 5th round, 139th overall. Out of Tuscon, Arizona, Vermilyea is considered one of the top relievers in the draft. At 6'4 and 195 lbs, he sports a fastball that can giddy up into the lower 90s, as well as a low 80s breaking slider, splitter, curveball, a change-up, and a cutter. While he has struggled with consistency with his off speed stuff, his fastball is a go to pitch due to it's outstanding control and movement.
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Nov 6, 2008 15:14:10 GMT -5
Polished, level headed, and utterly explosive are just some words used to describe Toronto's talented right hander. On the year, Roy Halladay is 10-4 with a 2.40 ERA and 93 strikeouts. Halladay's tremendous first half earned him his first trip to the All Star game. He was honored by the AL to be handed the ball to begin the event. Halladay was shakey to open up the bottom of the first inning against the NL All Stars. Miguel Tejada and Craig Biggio opened up the game with a pair of base hits. Montreal's Validmir Guerrero would drive them home with a double. But, in typical Halladay fashion, the Toronto starter regained his composure and got the first out of the inning on a Ken Griffey Jr. ground out. Halladay would then induce a pair of grounds outs to Jeff Bagwell and Albert Pujols. Taking the ball in the second, Halladay was in far better form. Rolen grounded out to start the frame. Halladay would then strike out Damian Miller and Greg Maddux to complete his work for the night. 2 innings of work, 2 runs, 3 hits, 2 strikeouts, and no walks. Halladay wasn't alone at the Mid Summer Classic. He was joined by teammate Kelvim Escobar. Escobar was not given the opportunity to pitch in the game, despite his own manager running the show. Toronto sits atop the AL East with a commanding 6 game lead over Boston.
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Nov 13, 2008 15:54:43 GMT -5
Josh Phelps' tremendous season rookie was cut a month short due to a serious injury. Phelps tore his rotator cuff in a match up with the Chicago White Sox on August 16th. Phelps had been hitting the ball well, hitting just a hair under .300 with a .299 with 16 home runs, 65 runs batted in, and 22 doubles. Phelps was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 10th round in the 1996 amateur draft. He was rated the second best prospect in the Blue Jays organization by Baseball America, ahead of fellow rookie teammates Orlando Hudson and Alexis Rios. He trailed only Vernon Wells. The injury is very serious and he will almost certainly not be ready to begin the 2001 season for the Blue Jays. Early projections suggest that he may be out until deep into next season, August or September. Experts suggest that this may be a career changing injury, as he may never be able to return to his former strength.
|
|
|
Post by king on Nov 13, 2008 16:17:26 GMT -5
373 days? Damn man. I wish him a speedy recovery.
|
|
|
Post by Ex-Oakland GM on Nov 13, 2008 16:28:00 GMT -5
Nice updates Jays
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Nov 13, 2008 17:53:55 GMT -5
Thanks.
It's really a big blow that this had to happen to Phelps. He was on track to develop very nicely and turn into a huge threat for me. This injury may have destroyed any hope of a successful career in the MLB for him.
|
|
|
Post by Toronto Blue Jays GM on Dec 15, 2008 10:27:27 GMT -5
After losing their first round pick due to the Al Leiter signing, the Blue Jays would finally make a move in the second round of the 2001 amateur draft. Tapping the talented right hander out of Sacramento, the Jays acquired a fireball slinging reliever who should be on the fast track to the big leagues. League sports a peppy fastball that can reach the century mark on the gun. His movement on his fastball and strong change-up and slider make him potentially dominant. He could very well be a potential setup man or middle reliever in the coming yeas. In the third round the Blue Jays selected the eighteen year old Gavin Floyd. Floyd, a 6’5 230 lb right handed starter from Annapolis, has solid stuff highlighted by a strong curveball, good change, and low-mid-90s heat. He has top of rotation stuff but needs to keep working on command. He will join Brandon League down in rookie ball to close out the 2001 season. He has a lot of work to do but profiles as a future stud down the line.
|
|
|
Post by Hou-GM on Dec 15, 2008 18:37:58 GMT -5
he looks goofy with those glasses on
|
|
|
Post by Ex-Boston Red Sox GM on Dec 15, 2008 20:33:47 GMT -5
how come you havent posted anything about boston having a 1.5 lead in the al east
|
|