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...
It’s no surprise that Bo Bichette has been tearing it up for the Toronto Blue Jays in spring training. Bichette is tied for the league lead in hard-hit balls, with 17, and he has made hitting look effortless.
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...
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 | 37-40
Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref...
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 | 37-40
Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom
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...
Set Number: SI308 TK1
With no standout team, this will be a division that will be fighting with each other for a division title and the virtually guaranteed spot in the Wild Card Series as the worst division winner. It should be a tight fight all the way through.
Milwaukee Brewers2023 Record: 92-70, swept by the Diamondbacks in the Wild Card Series.
2024 games vs Blue Jays: June 10-12 in Milwaukee.
Notable Stars
While he’s no longer the perennial MVP candidate, Christian Yelich...
A week after agreeing to a non-roster deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, 40-year-old veteran Joey Votto wasted little time making his presence known.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Two games, two recaps.
Twins 4 Blue Jays 9
The one that was on Sportsnet out of Dunedin. The Jays gave us lots of offence in this one.
Pitchers:
Yariel Rodriguez: Pitched 2 innings in his first spring game. 1 hit, a home run, 1 walk, 2 strikeouts. He looked pretty good. He has little pauses in his windup, keeping the batters from getting their timing. It sounds like he’ll start the season in Buffalo and build up to 5 innings before they consider...Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Cito Gaston turns 80 today. He doesn’t look it.
Cito, the player, came up through the Atlanta Braves system and was a September call-up in 1967. He shared the outfield with Hank Aaron.
In 1968, the Padres picked him in the expansion draft. He had one terrific season there, hitting .318/.364/.543 with 29 homers and 93 RBI. The rest of his career was up and down, but he had an 11-year career and was an excellent defensive center fielder.
Being a black player...
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
We have split-squad games today.
I might miss the first inning of today’s games. We had a night last night, and I have to drive my wife to pick up her car.
It is a split-squad game day—two games for the price of one.
One is in Clearwater vs the Phillies. This game is on MLB TV, if you want to watch two games simultaneously. Joey Votto is playing in this one. Jose Berrios is the starting pitcher.
Today's Lineups Ernie Clement - 2B Kyle Schwarber...With Kevin Gausman facing a shoulder injury and Alek Manoah‘s shakiness, what will the Blue Jays’ starting rotation look like? Who will get the chance to pitch in the starting rotation?
The door is open to the Blue Jays’ young talent. Since 2023, we’ve identified young Blue Jays talent as their gateway to success. We have witnessed many minor leaguers who have had the opportunity to play in Spring Training this season.
The New York Yankees would host the Toronto Blue Jays for their inaugural Spring Breakout Game, and with a larger audience than most of these young players are used to, it would be an exciting contest.
The Toronto Blue Jays top prospects took on the New York Yankees top prospects. Neither of the two Blue Jays prospects in ITD’s Top 100 appeared in this game.
Four arms looking to reach the upper levels of the system in 2024
The next segment of the Blue Jays Top 40 features a collection of arms in the lower minors with varied styles and strengths.
2024: Full List and Index | 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 | 37-40
Beyond the Top 40: Just Missed | Top 5 Older | Pref Lists: Matt | Tom
36. Lazaro Estrada, RHP, age 25 in 2024 (DOB: 4/24/1999), grade: 35, 2023: Matt’s...The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off of a rather disappointing season. Losing in a wildcard series to the Minnesota Twins was not what this team was looking for.
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
There are actually two games today. The Jays play the Yankees at 1:00 Eastern, and then they have a Spring Breakout game, Jays and Yankees again, but a prospects game. The second game is scheduled to start at 4:00 Eastern, but that will depend on when the first game finishes.
Palol Espino will start the regular spring game (Kevin Gausman threw batting practice instead of pitching in the game. If all goes well, he should make a start next week but will...
Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
And Rowdy Tellez, Brandon League, Curtis Granderson
Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. turns 25 today.
He is 25 years old, and he already has 130 MLB home runs (and that’s with a shortened season in there) and a .279/.355/.490 line. We are hoping for a bounce-back year after a poor 2023.
On our all-time list, Vlad is already:
21st in bWAR
32nd in games played
27th in runs scored
34th in hits
11th in home runs
17th in RBI
21st in walks
Happy Birthday, Vlad.
Rowdy...
Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
George Springer is a 34-year-old right-handed hitting outfielder who moved from center in 2022 to right last year. The move was designed to keep him in the lineup more often, and it worked. I like his defense in right field a lot more than in center field.
He’s had three years with the Jays and has three more on his contract.
Last year, he hit .258/.327/.405 with 21 home runs and a career-high 20 stolen bases (caught just 5 times). I’d trade those...