Toronto Blue Jays

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

The blue jays gave away their future for a shot at the World Series. Anthopolous is getting out while the getting is good.

I wasn't exactly thinking of it quite like that, but it is true, that next season will be a bit difficult,
as beurle (sp?) is probably leaving, don't know if they will continue with dickie,i wouldn't, they have three
very good starters, if Estrada stays.
the cupboards are a bit barer, so the gm will have to dig in and be inventive and have good vision,
so by leaving, he has left the position a bit difficult for whomever takes his place.

but it is his life, he gets to choose his direction, he now has a very good reputation around the
league, might not by the end of next season, so his value is high right now, seems a good time for
him to get signed somewhere else, and make a lot of money, so all the more power to him, not a bad
decision that he has made for his future.

I disagree. He gave up some prospects which may or may not be good ones. But every writer said he kept the top ones. The keys are Price and Estrata. Without a GM, it will be difficult to resign either. Unless Rogers starts being penny pinching a-s-sholes I don't think there should be any issue with money for either. With Price, it may be contract length which will be more of an issue.

So they are not screwed because they mortgaged the future but because they lack a GM at a critical juncture. But they have top brass from the Cleveland Indians, a club with a long tradition of winning and excellence, so we should be just fine. It is too bad. I was looking forward towards another year like this one.

 

[Cannuck]

Of course the Jays will start penny pinching. Look at the Canadian dollar. Between the weak dollar and a weakened farm system, the future is not bright

 

[Mowich]

Apologies to die-hard Jay's fans but I was happy to see the Royals win the series. My thinking went along these lines - if they are good enough to beat the Toronto Blue Jays then they better go all the way - though it took them one less game to beat the Mets. ;-)

Happy news today, Joey Bats, Edwing and RA all re-signed with the team. Hope to hear the same about Price and Estrada.......though if Price goes, I would hope signing Estrada would be a priority.

 

[gopher]

Kudos to KC for a job well done.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Apologies to die-hard Jay's fans but I was happy to see the Royals win the series. My thinking went along these lines - if they are good enough to beat the Toronto Blue Jays then they better go all the way - though it took them one less game to beat the Mets. ;-)

I had thought of thinking that way too -- but then I thought, no let them crash and burn. Unfortunately they didn't.

Happy news today, Joey Bats, Edwing and RA all re-signed with the team. Hope to hear the same about Price and Estrada.......though if Price goes, I would hope signing Estrada would be a priority.

They also need 1 more starter as well. And a bullpen arm or two.

 

[lone wolf]

Congratulations Royals! Glad to know my Jays weren't beaten by second best....

 

[Mowich]

Donaldson takes top prize from peers at Players Choice Awards

​

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson continues to collect the accolades coming off the best season of his five-year career.

After being named the American League Hank Aaron Award winner last month, Donaldson was named the 2015 Player of the Year at the Players Choice Awards on Monday by his fellow players, beating out Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper for the honor.

Donaldson becomes the second Blue Jays player to win Player of the Year, joining Carlos Delgado, who was given the honor in 2000.


Donaldson takes top prize from peers at Players Choice Awards | theScore


Rock on JD!

 

[talloola]

Donaldson takes top prize from peers at Players Choice Awards

​

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson continues to collect the accolades coming off the best season of his five-year career.

After being named the American League Hank Aaron Award winner last month, Donaldson was named the 2015 Player of the Year at the Players Choice Awards on Monday by his fellow players, beating out Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper for the honor.

Donaldson becomes the second Blue Jays player to win Player of the Year, joining Carlos Delgado, who was given the honor in 2000.


Donaldson takes top prize from peers at Players Choice Awards | theScore


Rock on JD!

congrats to Donaldson, well done.

 

[coldstream]

he was the class of the league. congrats.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

Jays sign Estrada to 2 year $26 million deal.

 

[Mowich]

Rock on Rain Man
​

 

[Mowich]

Must be spring........I've got baseball fever. Go Jays!

The Jays beat the Red Birds 4 - 3.

 

[talloola]

Must be spring........I've got baseball fever. Go Jays!

The Jays beat the Red Birds 4 - 3.

I'm so looking forward to the jays season, but I have to say, today I did watch 1/2 an inning, and
decided not to watch, and moved on, as there are so so many games during the season, so I will hold
off for a while yet.

I don't even know the new players they have added, seems to me they have a pitcher who can pitch with
either hand, is that right? hmmm, seems like a movie I saw eons ago.

sure hope there are no early injuries this season, as there was last.

just to change subjects, I'm hoping the canucks Russian player, 20 year old, 6'8", 245 lb young
fellow who has been playing in the khl with grown men, and apparently did very well. there season
is over now, and they are trying to get thru red tape to get him over here for remainder of season.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I know they have acquired some middle of the road pitchers and lost some good ones they had last year. They do have a new bullpen guy who is not bad but then they are talking about making last years closer and sanchez starters again which seems kind of brain dead to me. And they are talking with Encarnacion's agent but seem to be not negotiating with Batista about extensions beyond this season. I am less than impressed and fear this may be the start of another 22 year drought. But maybe they will get lucky. And I certainly have missed baseball. But I won't watch until opening day. Spring training doesn't do anything other than notify me that opening day is around the corner.

 

[spaminator]

shovel flip

 

[Mowich]

I know they have acquired some middle of the road pitchers and lost some good ones they had last year. They do have a new bullpen guy who is not bad but then they are talking about making last years closer and sanchez starters again which seems kind of brain dead to me. And they are talking with Encarnacion's agent but seem to be not negotiating with Batista about extensions beyond this season. I am less than impressed and fear this may be the start of another 22 year drought. But maybe they will get lucky. And I certainly have missed baseball. But I won't watch until opening day. Spring training doesn't do anything other than notify me that opening day is around the corner.

I sure hope they re-sign Brett Cecil. I'm not watching any baseball games as the Scotties, Brier and Women's World Curling are taking up all my sports watching time right now. I do pay attention to the scores though and cheer when I hear of a Jay's win.

 

[spaminator]

Goose Gossage calls Blue Jays' Bautista 'a f---ing disgrace'

By Ken Fidlin, Toronto Sun
First posted: Thursday, March 10, 2016 02:15 PM EST | Updated: Thursday, March 10, 2016 09:43 PM EST
TAMPA — Jose Bautista called it a “good day at the workplace” and, like a lot of his very best days, he found himself at the centre of a hot mess, though this one was definitely not of his own creation.
Bautista arrived at Steinbrenner Field in a buoyant mood for his first game of the spring against the Yankees and was asked for his reaction to an ESPN interview with 64-year-old Hall of Fame pitcher Goose Gossage, who blasted the Blue Jays slugger as part of a tirade against the way the modern game is played and managed.
“Bautista is a f---ing disgrace to the game,” Gossage told ESPN.
“He’s embarrassing to all the Latin players who ever played before him. Throwing his bat and acting like a fool, like all those guys in Toronto. (Mets outfielder Yoenis) Cespedes, same thing.”
Bautista refused to rise to the bait.
“He’s entitled to his opinion,” said Bautista. “I don’t agree with him whatsoever, but I don’t try to pick fights with people just because they say what’s on their minds.
“If he had a reason to believe that, I would love to hear it, but I’ve never talked to him. I don’t know him. Whatever reason or agenda he’s on, fine with me. I’m not going to start picking a fight, let alone with a Hall of Famer.”
Gossage spread his criticism beyond Bautista to the analytics-based approach most teams are taking toward the game. He also railed against some of the rules changes that protect players on the field.
“The game is becoming a freaking joke because of the nerds who are running it,” said Gossage. “I’ll tell you what has happened. These guys played rotisserie baseball at Harvard or wherever the f--- they went and they thought they figured the f---ing game out. They don’t know sh--.
“You can’t slide into second base. You can’t take out the f---ing catcher because (Buster) Posey was in the wrong position and they are going to change all the rules. You can’t pitch inside anymore. I’d like to knock some of these f---ers on their *** and see how they would do against pitchers in the old days.
“Ryan Braun is a f---ing steroid user. He gets a standing ovation on opening day in Milwaukee. How do you explain that to your kid after throwing people under the bus and lying through his f---ing teeth? They don’t have anyone passing the f---ing torch to these people.
“If I had acted like that, you don’t go in that f---ing dugout. There are going to be 20 f---ing guys waiting for you.”
Ever since Bautista’s famous bat flip in that memorable Game 5 win over the Texas Rangers last October, people have been weighing in on both sides of the “respect the game” issue.
On Thursday, Washingon Nationals young star Bryce Harper suggested baseball’s old ways are not in tune with the way people express themselves in other sports.
“Baseball is tired,” he says. “It’s a tired sport, because you can’t express yourself ... I’m not saying baseball is, you know, boring or anything like that, but it’s the excitement of the young guys who are coming into the game now who have flair.”
Bautista responded with eloquence to Harper’s comment, but it sounded like he might have been addressing Gossage at the same time.
“I think (emotion) should play a role in every sport. Actually, in everything you do in life,” said Bautista. “It’s kind of hard to go about things, especially exciting things, and sit there with a poker face, like nothing is happening.
“I don’t even think that’s in human nature. You’re supposed to react, you’re supposed to be emotional. That’s how you stay in tune with being a human. If not, you turn into something else.
“You do that enough, you’ll become numb to all the different sensations you’re supposed to be feeling and all your reactions when stuff happens around you. Those are stimulus. You’re supposed to respond. That’s human nature. Some people are very good at keeping it down and others are more in tune with that and use that energy to propel them to get into a higher level of focus in competition. I’m like that, I’m sure Bryce is like that and I think he’s 100% right with his comments.”
As far as his day at the office went, Bautista popped up to the shortstop during the Jays’ 11-4 Grapefruit League victory over the Yankees. He looked at a third strike and took an Aroldis Chapman slider off his right instep.
“First game,” he said, optimistically. “That’s how it goes. When you haven’t been there for a while, you have to get the feel for your body and where it stands on the plate. I saw some good pitches and felt like I was tracking the ball, picking it up out of their hands. Good day at the workplace today.”
Bautista waited until the 10th game of the exhibition season to make his first appearance for a variety of valid reasons that he and the ball club were on the same page about.
“First of all, I don’t think I need that many at-bats,” he reasoned. “With 30 or 40, I’d be good. If you start normally from the get-go, you get 60 or 65. With us, playing a long season, going to the playoffs — that was my first experience — having to deal with an injury to my shoulder and rehabbing that during the season. Because I couldn’t load up and start strengthening pushed me back on the timeline. But I was very open to the team. They were receptive and thought it made sense. That’s why there was no pushback and they agreed with me. As long as I get enough at-bats to get ready for the season and I’m in great shape, that’s the whole point. I don’t need to get an extra 20 at-bats.”
Goose Gossage calls Blue Jays' Bautista 'a f---ing disgrace' | FIDLIN | Blue Jay

Yankees great Goose Gossage calls Jose Bautista a ‘disgrace’
The Hall of Fame reliever did not back down on his comments when given the opportunity on the Tim & Sid show
Mar 10, 2016, 11:50 PM
Yankees great Goose Gossage calls Jose Bautista a ‘disgrace’

 

[spaminator]

Bautista, Mr. Entertainment!
By Bob Elliott, Toronto Sun
First posted: Saturday, March 12, 2016 08:21 PM EST | Updated: Saturday, March 12, 2016 09:10 PM EST
CLEARWATER, Fla. — Jose Bautista may not be welcome any more at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa if Goose Gossage is in the building.

Yet, Bautista was a hit at Bright House Field, home of the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday afternoon.

Bautista was in short right field line doing his pre-game sprints when the Phillies mascot arrived on his ATV. The Phillie Phanatic mimicked Bautista’s every move: Cross- over steps and sprinting.

Then Bautista issued a challenge, doing a hand stand and walking a few feet. The Phanatic dropped to his knees dramatically and waved his arms up and down in a ‘we are not worthy,’ fashion.
“Why not? The fans are here to be entertained,” Bautista said later. “Why not put on a show for them?”

Undaunted, the Phanatic challenged Bautista to a one-armed, push-up contest.

Surprise, surprise, the mascot won and Bautista paid him the same bowing tribute as fans down the right-field line cheered.

They were entertained.
Now, before people get upset that this is a knock against president Mark Shapiro and his high-performance process — star right-fielder, seeking new, long-term deal beaten by a cuddly, pear-shaped mascot — it should be pointed out that perhaps the fix may have been in.

“I’ve seen the guy work before, I know him a little,” Bautista said. “It makes for a better story: The athlete losing to the mascot. The people liked it.”

Bautista has been the story since Day 1 in Dunedin when he said he’d given ownership a dollar figure and was not negotiating. It was up to Rogers to match.

Actually, a better story than Mascot Beats Athlete would be Bautista coming out firing at Hall of Famer Gossage, who has prolonged proceedings on radio in New York and Chicago.

Bautista declined to take on Gossage verbally.

Or it would have been a better read if soon-to-be-free agent Bautista went into specifics on contract talks with Shapiro.

“Nothing to report on my contract,” said Bautista, who entered the ‘why does he act like that?’ zone years before he went deep against the Texas Rangers in Game 5 to put the Blue Jays into the the American League Championship Series and flipped his bat high into the air.

It might be complaining ball-strike calls or chirping Baltimore Orioles reliever Darren O’Day.

The world is changing ... and it isn’t.

We, along with Gossage, have to make adjustments. Some days, I miss my Underwood typewriter, the one I never needed a password to work.

We recall standing alongside Montreal Expos reliever Woody Fryman in San Diego when Willie Montanez, acquired that day by the team, came out of the tunnel on September day in 1980 twirling a bat like the USC drum major.

“I don’t care how much mustard we put on that hot dog,” Fryman said, “as long as he knocks in some runs for us down the stretch.”

Montanez wasn’t the only colorful character we ever saw before Bautista.

Oakland A’s Rickey Henderson once, in the midst of a steal against the Jays in the 1989 ALCS, threw out the anchor two feet short of the bag and folded his arms. The throw from catcher Ernie Whitt never came.

That same series, Dave Parker hit a tape-measure homer off Todd Stottlemyre and almost went into the Jays dugout running to first base on an Arctic Circle route.

Closers Al (The Mad Hungarian) Hrabosky of the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds’ Brad (The Animal) Leslie were known for their on-mound antics. Hrabosky would turn his back to the hitter, take a deep breath, pound the ball into his mitt and stare down the hitter.

Leslie celebrated strikeouts by jumping around the mound.

And then there was Dennis Eckersley fanning Ed Sprague ending the eighth inning of Game 4 of 1992 ALCS game on Thanksgiving weekend. Eck turned to fire an imaginary six shooter into the Toronto dugout. Pat Hentgen said the Jays dugout resembled half-time at a high school game.

Devon White singled to open the ninth and Robbie Alomar hit a no doubter, arms-up, game-tying homer. The Jays won in 11 innings to go up 3-1 in the best-of-seven series.

“The thing about back in my day, or in Goose’s day, players policed themselves,” said a grey-haired former big-league player Saturday. “They would knock guys down if they didn’t like what they saw.”

The next season, Stottlemyre knocked down Parker and the benches emptied at Exhibition Stadium.

The Orioles have buzzed Bautista a few times. And off the mat he got to take Jesse Garcia and O’Day deep.

Bautista entertains. Just as he did with his no-doubter off Sam Dyson of the Texas Rangers.

And that is what the young crowd at the Rogers Centre pays to see.
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista does a hand stand as he goofs off with Philadelphia Phillies mascot Phillie Phanatic, before the game at Bright House Field. (Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports)

Bautista, Mr. Entertainment! | Baseball | Sports | Toronto Sun

 

[talloola]

I have the blue jays game on right now, just watched sanchez make his first start, he looks fantastic
he is bigger and stronger, has worked all winter on his core strength, and it seems to already be
showing a difference in his pitching.

 

[IdRatherBeSkiing]

I have the blue jays game on right now, just watched sanchez make his first start, he looks fantastic
he is bigger and stronger, has worked all winter on his core strength, and it seems to already be
showing a difference in his pitching.

When the biggest weakness in ALCS last year was the bullpen, I am not sure it was wise to pull the only reliable reliever from the bullpen and place him in the starting rotation.