4:07 AM EDT, Fri March 29, 2024
Mar 22, 2024
Quick Recap: Jays Beat Red Sox

Quick Recap: Jays Beat Red Sox

Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports Red Sox 1 Blue Jays 5 We got a very nice start from Mitch White. 5.2 innings (and after 3 I figured he was done). 2 hits (one a home run), 1 walk and 6 strikeouts, giving up just the 1 earned. There weren’t many (any?) Red Sox regulars in the lineup, but Mitch kept pumping strikes. He left the game with 78 pitches. Tim Mayza: 0.1. 5.79. Chad Green: 1 inning, 1 k. 9.45. Trevor Richards: 2 innings, 1 hit, walk (tough call on ball four), 4 K. He seemed to be missing arm side a lot and looked like he tired a bit in the second...
Mar 22, 2024
2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 13-16

2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 13-16

A college bats and younger arms The next segment of the Top 40 Blue Jays prospects features a college thumper with some questions to answer before three lower level starting pitcher prospects with different skillsets. 2024: Full List and Index | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40 2023: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom 16. Cade Doughty, IF, age 23 in 2024 (DOB: 3/26/2001), grade: 40, 2023: 12th Doughty was selected 78th overall...
Mar 22, 2024
Know Your Enemy: AL West Preview

Know Your Enemy: AL West Preview

It’s pretty lonely in LA for the great Mike Trout | Photo by Chris Coduto/ The Rangers and Astros, tied atop the division last year, look to continue their fight For the second year in a row, the AL West produced the eventual World Series Champions. The division race came down to the final day, with the Astros winning thanks to the new tiebreaker rules based on their head to head record against the Rangers. On the other end of the division, the Athletics, thanks to the worst owner in the sport, plunged to the biggest depths of the decade. Houston Astros 2023 Season:...
Mar 21, 2024
GameThread: Jays @ Pirates

GameThread: Jays @ Pirates

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports It's a rare evening spring game. There is a little news. Bowden Francis has been told he’s made the team and the starting rotation. I didn’t have any doubts. And: Manoah is throwing BP tomorrow. Erik Swanson played catch today and felt good, Romano will do the same in the next couple of days. Kevin Gausman will pitch Monday, but it might be in a minor league spring game. Lineups: Today's Lineups BLUE JAYS PIRATES George Springer - DH Oneil Cruz - SS Bo Bichette - SS Bryan Reynolds - DH Justin Turner -...
Mar 21, 2024
Thursday Bantering: Renos, Ohtani

Thursday Bantering: Renos, Ohtani

Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports I love mornings when there are many posts which I didn’t have anything to do with. Mark Shapiro spoke to reports about the renovations on Rogers Centre. The main points: They spent just short of $400 million on the renovations. The players will have a running track and batting cages just behind the dugout. “It’s a completely new field because the angles are so different. We couldn’t chop up the turf and raise the turf, so even though it’s only been, three years, it’s a totally new field.. it’s going to feel much more like a...
Mar 21, 2024
Taco Stand – Top 5 Superior Espinal Trades

Taco Stand – Top 5 Superior Espinal Trades

TACO STAND – TOP 5 SUPERIOR ESPINAL TRADES Welcome to the Taco Stand, a tongue-in-shell look at the Blue Jays, Baseball, and other topics I tangentially connect to the two. In this edition, I examine the top five better ways to spend the asset known as the SantiaGOAT. On a fateful March 20th evening, the Toronto Blue Jays traded away Santiago Espinal for the paltry return of a 40-man roster spot 8th round pick Chris McElvain. Now, McElvain is, by my count, both alive and a baseball player, so I cannot call this trade an abject failure. However, I believe that...
Mar 21, 2024
2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 17-20

2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 17-20

Today, we look at three early-mid round picks by the Blue Jays from this summer’s draft with significant upside, plus a system veteran who could enter the major league picture this year. 2024: Full List and Index | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40 2023: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom 20. Juaron Watts-Brown, RHP, age 22 (DOB: 2/23/2002), grade: 40, 2023: college junior Watts-Brown began his collegiate career with baseball factory...
Mar 20, 2024
Jays Trade Espinal To Reds

Jays Trade Espinal To Reds

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports The Blue Jays have traded Santiago Espinal to the Reds for pitcher Chris McElvain. McElvain is a 23-year-old right-handed pitcher who was an 8th-round pick in 2022. Last year, he pitched in Dayton A+ and Daytona A. He pitched in 23 games, 19 starts, and had a 3.75 ERA. In 96 innings, he allowed 85 hits, 9 home runs, 41 walks, and 87 strikeouts. FanGraphs says: McElvain spent his first couple of years at Vanderbilt in the bullpen, then moved to the rotation in his draft year. He has a plus two-plane breaking ball and his fastball...
Mar 20, 2024
2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 21-24

2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 21-24

A couple of high level relievers and a couple of Vancouver’s championship regulars Moving into the middle of the Blue Jays’ Top 40, a couple of prospects just on outside last year move in to join a couple who didn’t quite take flight in 2023 and move down. 2024: Full List and Index | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40 2023: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom 24. Hayden Juenger, RHP, age 23 (DOB: 8/9/2000), grade: 35+/40, 2023: 16th Juenger...
Mar 19, 2024
Tuesday GameThread: Orioles @ Blue Jays

Tuesday GameThread: Orioles @ Blue Jays

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports The Orioles visit Dunedin today. And we get several of the Jays regulars. There are a few bits of news: Jordan Romano has elbow inflammation. He’ll sit out the next three days and then start up again. The MRI shows no damage. Erik Swanson has tightness in his right forearm. Again, no damage was found. He will get a couple of days off. It is that time of spring. Joey Votto is taking BP today, but his ankle is sore. He might also not play for a couple of days. Jose Berrios will be the opening-day starter. The Sun has a story about...
Mar 19, 2024
Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-Man: Justin Turner

Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-Man: Justin Turner

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports John Turner was Prime Minister of Canada for almost 3 months in 1884. Before that, he held several positions in Pierre Trudeau’s and Lester Pearson’s governments and, for a time, dated (and almost married) Princess Margaret. He died in September 2020, which makes it interesting that the Jays signed him to DH. Whoops they signed Justin Turner.......The Jays signed Justin Turner, a 39-year-old right-handed hitting DH (who could play first base or stand at third base and perhaps second in an emergency). He’s making $13 million...
Mar 19, 2024
Taco Stand – Strikeout Strap

Taco Stand – Strikeout Strap

TACO STAND – STRIKEOUT STRAP Welcome to the Taco Stand, a tongue-in-cheek look at the Blue Jays, Baseball, and other topics I tangentially connect to the two. In this edition, I counter the idea of returning the Home Run Jacket with an infinitely superior idea: The Strikeout Strap. Sure, kids today are all about positive reinforcement. Like the seminal poet Cyndi Lauper once said, “Vladdies just want to have fun.” Do something good and get a pat on the back. Do something poorly, get a pat on the head. Everyone’s a winner! At least you tried! Well, allow...
Mar 19, 2024
2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 25-28

2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 25-28

A quartet of interesting pitchers The run through the Top 40 of the Blue Jays farm system continues with a call to arms. Today’s entry contains one more safe backend or #6 starter, and then a run of three very interesting arms with mid rotation upside but questions to answer. 2024: Full List and Index | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40 2023: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom 28. Pat Gallagher, RHP, age 24 in 2024 (DOB: 6/30/2000), grade: 35, 2023:...
Mar 18, 2024
2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 29-32

2024 Bluebird Banter Top 40 Prospects: 29-32

A grouping of mostly young hitters looking to get back on track The Top 40 of the Toronto Blue Jays farm system picks up with one more nearer-term pitcher, before moving to some lower level positional players looking to rebound in 2025 for various reasons. 2024: Full List and Index | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40 2023: Full List and Index | 1-4 | 5-8 | 9-12 | 13-16 | 17-20 | 21-24 | 25-28 | 29-32 | 33-36 | 37-40Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom 32. Trenton Wallace, LHP, age 25 in 2024 (DOB: 3/31/1999), grade: 35, 2023: unranked Wallace was selected...
Mar 18, 2024
Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-Man: Erik Swanson

Better Know Your Blue Jays 40-Man: Erik Swanson

John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports Erik Swanson is a 29-year-old right-handed reliever. The Blue Jays picked him up in a trade from the Mariners, along with minor leaguer Adam Macko, in exchange for Teoscar Hernandez. I have always hated trading everyday players for relievers, but such is life. Hernandez played 160 games for the M’s, hitting .258/.305/.435 with 26 home runs. Baseball reference has him at a 2.1 WAR last year. Now he’s a Dodger. Macko made 20 starts for the Vancouver Canadians. He had a 4.49 ERA, with 76 hits, 40 walks and 106 strikeouts in 86...