2011 Blue Jays Season Thread

[VERVE]

Originally Posted by ricoFlame

the big difference between his rookie season and Hinske's ROY season is AVG and on base percentage.

I see what you mean. I guess the voters will consider a player's BA as one of the bigger indicators when assessing ROY and Arencibia's not so high unlike Hinske's BA or OBP.

[habernac]

Jays going back to their old logo....sort of

http://espn.go.com/espn/page2/index?id=7003629

[Resolute 14]

Maple Leaf is too big. Unbalances the entire thing.

Jays never should have changed their original logo anyway.

[habernac]

yeah, other than the oversized leaf, it's good. The "futurized" streamlined one they use now is and has always been lame.

[Cheese]

AA says dont expect the Jays to go after big name UFAs in off season.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/201...i_anthopoulos/


Around the diamond, the Blue Jays are stocked with players “we’re prepared to commit to,” says Anthopoulos. Think Jose Bautista, Adam Lind, Yunel Escobar, Brett Lawrie, J.P. Arencibia, Colby Rasmus and Eric Thames.
On the mound – the area most glaringly in need of improvement – things are more fluid, although Anthopoulos sees a host of potential solutions in house, including the promising double-A foursome of Chad Jenkins, Deck McGuire, Drew Hutchison and Nestor Molina. “We think they will all factor in next year,” Anthopoulos says in an interview. “They could have pitched here in September. We think any four of those guys could have come up here and been OK. How well they would have done I don’t know, but we think they definitely could have done it.

That doesn’t mean the Blue Jays won’t be looking to add pitching over the off-season. There’s a feeling within some in the organization that the team needs to add at least one starter, and a run at Japanese star Yu Darvish, whose rights are expected to be posted for bidding, seems likely.
A couple of veteran relievers are probably on the shopping list, too.

The avenue in which Anthopoulos expects to be most active is the trade market, where he will try to leverage his growing stockpile of young talent into more core parts.
Fans pining for a splashy free agent addition or two – say Prince Fielder, C.J. Wilson or Heath Bell – may need to brace themselves for disappointment unless the price is really right.

The current plan is for shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, catcher Travis d’Arnaud and centre-fielder Anthony Gose to spend all of 2012 in the minors. Barring an immediate need at the big-league level, the earliest they will be considered for an everyday role is 2013.
Given all those factors, Blue Jays fans may be facing another season of patience, something that’s getting old with a playoff drought that dates back to 1993. But in his first two seasons as GM, Anthopoulos has continually maintained a discipline to his gameplan, unwilling to risk shortcuts that may hamper the grander vision.

[flames_fan_down_under]

Originally Posted by habernac

Jays going back to their old logo....sort of

I like it! But for crying out loud I just bought my Jays hat and jersey this year.

[saskflames69]

That logo will go well with the upcoming back to back world series wins in '12 and '13

[habernac]

Crazy stat: Jays 11-0 in extra inning games at home this year.

Toronto is the first team in recorded history to win 10 or more extra-inning home games without a defeat.

http://scores.espn.go.com/mlb/recap?gameId=310922114

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

The Jays retro look is very popular. I went to 10 ballparks in the states last year and often saw a number of fans wearing a retro Jays hat. Funny thing was, the Jays were never the opponent in the game.

[VERVE]

Originally Posted by Cheese

That doesn’t mean the Blue Jays won’t be looking to add pitching over the off-season. There’s a feeling within some in the organization that the team needs to add at least one starter, and a run at Japanese star Yu Darvish, whose rights are expected to be posted for bidding, seems likely.

I watched him pitched in Sapporo (Sapporo Dome) 2010 for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan. He lead them to a Championship the year before. Very tall guy about 6'6". Righty that throws with an inverted elbow looks like a "J" starting behind his back and before the windup, he brings it around for the pitch. I hope this doesn't cause future elbow issues. Very solid pitcher, throws alot of strikes and he is very consistent in locating. He was described in 2010 as one of the top 2 pitchers in the world not playing in the MLB.

I hope the Jays get him. Bought his authentic jersey in the Sapporo Dome-nice jersey. The fans in Japan are the most disciplined and fun bunch (in Sapporo anyway) I have seen in a sporting event. I booed at the opposing team once, and my fellow Japanese friends who took me to the game laughed and said "we don't boo at opposing teams-just cheer for our own". Here is a funny thing, the 40,000+ fans at the end of the game picked up all their garbage and brought it up to the concourse for recycling. The dome was as clean as before the start of the game. Don't see that in North America.

[flambers]

Originally Posted by Cheese

AA says dont expect the Jays to go after big name UFAs in off season.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/201...i_anthopoulos/


Around the diamond, the Blue Jays are stocked with players “we’re prepared to commit to,” says Anthopoulos. Think Jose Bautista, Adam Lind, Yunel Escobar, Brett Lawrie, J.P. Arencibia, Colby Rasmus and Eric Thames.
On the mound – the area most glaringly in need of improvement – things are more fluid, although Anthopoulos sees a host of potential solutions in house, including the promising double-A foursome of Chad Jenkins, Deck McGuire, Drew Hutchison and Nestor Molina. “We think they will all factor in next year,” Anthopoulos says in an interview. “They could have pitched here in September. We think any four of those guys could have come up here and been OK. How well they would have done I don’t know, but we think they definitely could have done it.

That doesn’t mean the Blue Jays won’t be looking to add pitching over the off-season. There’s a feeling within some in the organization that the team needs to add at least one starter, and a run at Japanese star Yu Darvish, whose rights are expected to be posted for bidding, seems likely.
A couple of veteran relievers are probably on the shopping list, too.

The avenue in which Anthopoulos expects to be most active is the trade market, where he will try to leverage his growing stockpile of young talent into more core parts.

Fans pining for a splashy free agent addition or two – say Prince Fielder, C.J. Wilson or Heath Bell – may need to brace themselves for disappointment unless the price is really right.

The current plan is for shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria, catcher Travis d’Arnaud and centre-fielder Anthony Gose to spend all of 2012 in the minors. Barring an immediate need at the big-league level, the earliest they will be considered for an everyday role is 2013.

Given all those factors, Blue Jays fans may be facing another season of patience, something that’s getting old with a playoff drought that dates back to 1993. But in his first two seasons as GM, Anthopoulos has continually maintained a discipline to his gameplan, unwilling to risk shortcuts that may hamper the grander vision.

I really like this plan, last thing the Jays need to do is spend a crazy amount on UFAs.

They are far better off, trading some assets for a Starter, Closer and Bullpen help.

Assets which could be move are; Snider or Thames, all sorts of prospects.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by VERVE

I watched him pitched in Sapporo (Sapporo Dome) 2010 for the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan. He lead them to a Championship the year before. Very tall guy about 6'6". Righty that throws with an inverted elbow looks like a "J" starting behind his back and before the windup and brings it around for the pitch. I hope this doesn't cause future elbow issues. Very solid pitcher, throws alot of strikes and he is very consistent in locating. He was described in 2010 as one of the top 2 pitchers in the world not playing in the MLB.

I hope the Jays get him. Bought his authentic jersey in the Sapporo-nice jersey. The fans in Japan are the most disciplined and fun bunch (in Sapporo anyway) I have seen in a sporting event. I booed at the opposing team once, and my fellow Japanese friends who took me to the game laughed and said "we don't boo at opposing teams-just cheer for our own". Here is a funny thing, the 40,000+ fans at the end of the game picked up all their garbage and brought it up to the concourse for recycling. The dome was as clean as before the start of the game. Don't see that in North America.

That is my concern too. His motion seems like it would really put a lot of strain on the elbow.

[NoCupsIn40Years]

ShiDavidi Shi Davidi



Brandon Morrow escapes fifth with a double play, his first since Aug. 28, 2010 vs Detroit, a span of 174 innings.

56 minutes ago

This is mind-blowing.

[Sylvanfan]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

The Jays retro look is very popular. I went to 10 ballparks in the states last year and often saw a number of fans wearing a retro Jays hat. Funny thing was, the Jays were never the opponent in the game.

Was that some type of bonus from your job, like the Oilers thought after writing for their website all year, they should at least let you see some major league calibre sports?

[VERVE]

Originally Posted by NoCupsIn40Years

ShiDavidi Shi Davidi



Brandon Morrow escapes fifth with a double play, his first since Aug. 28, 2010 vs Detroit, a span of 174 innings.

56 minutes ago

This is mind-blowing.

Perhaps his record may be better if he had better support defensively.

[VERVE]

Well boys, looks like Morrow is coming around. Against the Yankees he had 8 shutout-innings and today, against the great hiiting team, Rays, he had 7 innings of shut out ball. That is 15 shutout innings against teams with big bats. When he locates and stay focus consistently, Morrow is money. He ain't no closer baby...

[Flickered Flame]

^That's the problem with Morrow though, he can be lights out for several games in a row against any team but then he goes into stretches where he is just brutal.

[moon]

Originally Posted by VERVE

Well boys, looks like Morrow is coming around. Against the Yankees he had 8 shutout-innings and today, against the great hiiting team, Rays, he had 7 innings of shut out ball. That is 15 shutout innings against teams with big bats. When he locates and stay focus consistently, Morrow is money. He ain't no closer baby...

Good thing two starts makes a career....

[nik-]

Originally Posted by moon

Good thing two starts makes a career....

Which is exactly what he said.

[moon]

Originally Posted by nik-

Which is exactly what he said.

If you have read the crap he had posted about Morrow you would see that he is using these two starts as some sort of evidence that Morrow is a stud.