Results tagged ‘ Dustin McGowan ’
much to do about nothing?
So far so good. Lets try to come with something good for the kid platoon in left, off the top of my head I have SNL, for Snider and Lind?
(5)The annual Associated Press listing of the 30 MLB teams and their payrolls as of opening day was released this week. The Jays rank 16th overall, at $80,993,657 (all figures U.S.). The Yankees, to no one’s surprise, lead the way at $201,449,289.
It’s not where the Jays wanted to be. Their original intent was to bump payroll upwards from last year’s total of $98 million, but circumstances changed dramatically.
The original strategy – perhaps unrealistic, but a good plan heading into the off-season – was to bring back A.J. Burnett and then sign free-agent shortstop Rafael Furcal. But, anticipating the darkening financial storm clouds on the horizon, interim CEO Paul Beeston convinced GM J.P. Ricciardi, around the end of the World Series, that discretion in recession was the better part of value.
“The projected payroll was going to be $105 million,” Ricciardi admitted. “I think when (Paul and I) went to see A.J. (at his home in October), if he said he wanted to be a Blue Jay those two days, we could have had him done.
“But then after that, as the market continued to crash, Paul was actually ahead of the curve. He said, `I think we’re better off just standing still because economically, I’m not sure where this thing is going.’ By the World Series, we pretty much realized we weren’t going to have much money, unless we moved $10 million to sign $10 million.”
If the Jays had been allowed to spend the original planned amount, yesterday’s AP numbers would have ranked them eighth overall. And with eight teams qualifying for playoffs, it would have put them in the pressure-cooker in terms of expectations. How would they have spent the extra cash?
“We could have had Furcal,” Ricciardi insisted. “I can’t tell you 100 per cent we would have him, but we really thought that if we took the extra step, we could get him. I think we probably would have pushed a little harder on getting A.J. At that point if we had locked him up, we probably would have went after maybe Furcal.”
The Jays at the winter meetings were even thanked by Furcal’s agent for being in the final four for his services. But because the Jays already knew by then that they were scaling back payroll, any Furcal signing would have had to be accompanied by a trade of similar salary, which likely would have been first baseman Lyle Overbay. But things unfolded too quickly with the shortstop and it didn’t happen.
Instead, Furcal signed with the Dodgers for three years, $30 million. Check the numbers. If Burnett had re-upped with the Jays at about $16 million for the first season of a new contract, everything else being equal, the Jays’ payroll would have stood at $107 million. They could then easily have shed two million.
Think about what might have been, given some good luck and more good health. Imagine the Jays with a rotation today of Roy Halladay, Burnett, Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan and Jesse Litsch, with Furcal leading off and playing short.
Instead, Plan B has the organization being realistic with their fans and looking past ’09, hoping for the development of at least two young starting pitchers, including lefty Ricky Romero, who won his major-league debut yesterday over the Detroit Tigers.
“I think it would be great,” Ricciardi said.” We have a kid (Mark) Rzepczynski we really like. He pitched (Wedne
sday) in Double-A. Who knows? Litsch jumped from Double-A. (Young pitcher development) is the area (of concern) we didn’t think we’d be in, but it’s more so because of Marcum and McGowan.
“If we didn’t lose Marcum and McGowan we would have felt like we could still compete for this thing. More we’re at the stage now where we’re going to see how the young kids develop and keep running them out there.”
Today in Cleveland, it’s Scott Richmond’s turn to be thrown into the fire. Meanwhile, frustrated Jays’ fans can blame the current predicament on the economy while the Jays hope for a “stimulus package” to help bail them out.
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So if that was the case then we would of had to play Bautista at first, I think because Jackson in AA isn’t ready to take the next step, and though I think AJ is great I don’t know what to think. I will admit that I believe there is a HUGE need for a proper leadoff hitter which I don’t think I see in Marco Scutaro. HOWEVER, Ricciardi is prone to lying and is a lame duck GM, thus this is much to do about nothing.
That’s all for now from yours faithfully……Shine on, Cheers and Smell you later!
oh-9 the season
The birds are singing and fish are jumpin’ surely spring is in the air.
Happy belated Birthday Day Cito, did you get a little Irish that day?
I trust that you are enjoying life relevent to what you may deem to be well, and if you ever want advice how to kick that up a notch gimmie a buzz.
So I started the new year with some questions, which I think most fans do at least inwardly, and I wanted to put some thought into these onions of mine. Today we’ll disect the most important question.
How many games are the Jays gonig to win? That there is the main question, which from I gather doesn’t spawn much optimism. To preface my answer, forget about the axis of evil as they will do what they do and our Blue Jays do get up for those games, however I don’t forsee the Rays having another big year because they dramatically altered the culture of perception of their upstart team last season from crap to contender; though they still have great looking pitching which in your narrator’s humble opinion thinks they should turn dimes into dollars, meaning they have so many highly ranked pitching prospects and can move some arms for quality players and/or other high prospects in positions they could deepen the talent pool and strengthen the franchise and it’s future. HOWEVER, the reason I digress was to say that unless the Ray do something to change the color of the new dress they bought for the prom they are now a sexy pick and a threat in the American League East and our Jays will no longer roll over for them as they have for as long as my think box can recall, because our Blue Jays seem to raise the bar for the axis of evil, aka Yankee’s and Bo.Sox thus will do so for the new ALE threat. Does this give us an opportunity to have the Blue Jay’s ALE triple threat now to be called the Big 3, we’ll see? (Thank God we’re not Baltimore fans)
So with all that said, and no if’s here either, I think Clement and Purcey will have big seasons giving Marcum and McGowan plenty of time heal. I forsee Overbay and Rolan playing well above their career averages, espcially Overbay with his new old number—no that we’re superstitious. I believe Snider, who is ranked 3 in baseball prospects is the real deal, and he and Lind will shock, that’s right shock the three finger puppeteer kind of shock, many and all. I think V-dub will NOT play to his potential, BUT will have a 300-30-100 gold glove season, which will prop up Rios to take that next step. I think Hill will be force and with all this potential bat strength I think J-MAC will be a safe starter for that highlite glove of his with Scutaro and Inglett behind him giving depth in the middle infield. And, the bench has pop with Millar and Bautista at the ready with ex Astro reclimation project Jason Lane in the outfield to keep the kids hungry—not too shabby…and how good does Lane look this spring, WOW!
Don’t think for one second that the pitching will fall off. Since Thompson, Okha and Zambrano were replaced by Litsch, McGowan and Marcum those rook’s have given hope and this season journeyman pitchers Clement and Maroth will hold the fort until Purcey, Cecil, Mills and Janssen look ready to make that step, though I still think that Clement will be good pickup this season as well as Maroth, if he can come back from the M&M (MCL, Miniscus) injury, will be good according to my tigers scout Cook. In the pig pen almost all the boys are comin’ back to HogTown with Accardo coming back fighting for a spot which will be HUGE this season for that melencholy 5th spot of the rotation. In closing, BJ Ryan has rediscoved a breaking ball pitch with bite, which he didn’t have last season, as well as improved velocity to make your humble narrator and Blue Jays fan think that this can be a great season from at least the pitching perspective.
The catchers spot is probably the deepest position for the franchise. Currently the are three vet’s on the Depth Chart with Hod Rod, Barret and Chavez though I believe the three kids in Thigpen, Arencibia and Jeroloman should start to carry the torch with all that I’ve heard, why not if this is suppose to be a year of growth?
All in all, and that being that I predidict…
The Jays take the Wildcard with 93 W’s
That’s all for now from yours faithfully……Shine on, Cheers and Smell you later!
All Time Fantasy…..Pitching
So yesterday while pretending to shuffle papers at my desk I was listening to the FAN590 and Chuck Swirsky posed the question, ‘who would be you goto guy with from the cache of all time to present fantastical Blue Jays pitchers?’.
There really isn’t a definitive answer.
So this got your faithful narrator thinking and mulling and ponderring, and then thinking some more; And it occured to me, that I need to finally add a list of the top all time pitchers to your favorite Blue Jay blog according to yours truly.
Here is a list of potential candidates:
W L ERA G GS CG SHO S K
R Clemens 41 13 2.33 67 67 14 6 0 563
R Halladay 118 60 3.59 260 234 36 9 1 1155
D Stieb 175 134 3.42 439 408 103 30 3 1658
P Hentgen 107 85 4.28 270 238 31 9 0 1028
D Wells 84 55 4.06 306 138 18 2 13 784
J Key 116 81 3.42 317 250 28 10 10 944
J Clancy 128 140 4.10 352 345 73 11 1 1237
D Stewart 19 16 5.09 48 48 1 0 0 207
S Marcum 20 13 3.89 76 51 0 0 1 258
J Morris 28 18 4.87 61 61 10 2 0 235
D Cone 13 9 3.14 25 24 3 2 0 149
AJ Burnett 25 21 3.95 59 58 4 1 0 367
T Stottlemyer 69 70 4.39 206 175 15 4 1 662
K Escobar 58 55 4.58 301 101 6 3 58 744
BJ Ryan 3 5 1.91 88 0 0 0 53 110
D Ward 32 36 3.18 452 2 0 0 121 671
T Henke 29 29 2.48 446 0 0 0 217 644
So what do we make of all this, what do we take into account, when did my blog become a ‘we’ thing? Controversies aside, I’m gonna elect 5 starters and 5 in the ‘pen.
My Fav 5 :
1.
2.
3.
4. 5.
My Bullpen :
David ‘Boomer’ Wells, Kelvim Escobar, BJ Ryan, Duane Ward and the Terminator Tom Henke Within a 7 year span (’96, ’97, ’98, ’03) the Cy Young Award was given to a Toronto Blue Jay pitcher 4 times and Doc Halladay after being the ’03 recipiant could have bagged 2 more if his health was not an issue.
Rocket Roger Clemens time in Toronto was nothing short of amazing. Two of his best years of his hall of fame career were spent in the Blue Jay clubhouse.
Roy ‘Doc’ Halladay is a very close second but should he add a World Series ring and another Cy Young trophy to his resume I will happily make him the number one goto guy.
Dave Stieb who epitomized the solid starter, and anchored an team that upset the axis of evil and has a no hitter on his list of accomplishments
Pat Hentgen who was as fun to watch as hard as was to hit while he was a Blue Jay. 
Jimmy Key get huge props for being a catalyst in the World Series for the Blue Jays.
*Honorable Mentions to, David ‘Boomer’ Wells, David Cone and Jack Morris all of whom you would find on a majority of other people’s Fav-5.
In the most challenging position in sports the Blue Jays have been blessed and the future looks bright with McGowan, Marcum and Litsch.
That’s all for now from yours faithfully…….Shine on, Cheers and Smell you later!
15 of 21
The Blue Jays have won 15 of the last 21 games.
In blackjack one would hardly be satisfied with 15 of 21, but the Blue Jays with a couple aces up their sleeve look poised to double down every series they enter.
The team is in position to make a run for the division.
On the table right now, the 15, is a Ace of clubs and a four of hearts…
Roy Halladay is obviously the club ace…
4 players that have been the heart of team with the Ace of the Club are the rest of the starting rotation who’ve been huge in the last 21…
Since we’re talking cards today, we need someone to get us closer to a Blackjack and that would be a #6 who is Jonny Mac; but Alex Rios, who with the numbers on his back can sum up the needed wildcard, is the catalyst to get us to the jackpot.
That’s all for now from yours faithfully………Shine on, Cheers and Smell you later!
The Garbage Man
What happened to the garbage man?
Last season’s commercial of AJ Burnett was almost a premonition of what was to come this season, AJ adding the garbage pitch to his repertoire; however most amateur reporters like yours truly think we were fed another line from Riccardi and when it comes down to it AJ is over paid, over hyped and when the Jays were in talks with the Marlins and had a shot at Beckett they should have stuck with plan A; however, when AJ’s curveball is on there really isn’t anyone better in the business.
So I ask again, what happened to the garbage, man?
As most Blue Jays fans know AJ got in a fight with his Land Rover and it bit off his fingernail rendering him unable to have command of his curveball. Fortunately this gave AJ the opportunity to turn some lemons into lemonade and work on his garbage pitch, aka the change-up during spring training. Apparently it was coming around until that infamous Land Rover of his delivered him to a nail salon where AJ received a phony nail to help him throw his curveball; and that curveball was there in New York game 2 of the season baffling the Bronx Bombers of the Evil Empire. Sadly since game 2 of the season of great expectations AJ has been a disappointment and what is worse I was talking that guy up like crazy this past off season because I thought after how he finished off last season with 10 dominant games and more importantly I thought with the contractual opt out/renegotiate clause at the end of this season he would find that consistency that has been missing in his injury plagued career–or that extra motivation most professional athletes seem possess in a contract year.
Yeah, I know this season is early; but, when only 3 teams per conference are allowed in the playoffs (which must be changed to save the game), a slow start and losing streaks will lead to another disappointing season.
Moving along the rotation, the number three pitcher Dustin McGowan did well to hold the O’s to 3 runs in 6 innings and give his team a chance to win. Unfortunately the bats were not there as Baltimore’s Albers and the most improved pitching staff in baseball held the lead for the eleven thousand fans at Camdon and took the AL East lead. Sadly it came down to Zaun who couldn’t keep the game going and make up for not holding the baserunners. On a positive note, Shannon Stewart made a phenomenal throw home from out field to catch a greedy Jay Payton.
That’s it for now from yours faithfully……Shine on, Cheers and Smell you later!
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