I hope this Rios trade talk is nonsense. He's too much like Vernon Wells!!?!?? Yup, that could be a problem.

Anyone else planning on seeing Jersey Girl this weekend?

Since I have a little Jersey Boy of my own, there will be no moviegoing for me this weekend. I'll probably have to wait for video.

Griffin speculating that Alex Rios will be dealt because the Jays don't like his style is really dumb. More baiting from Griffin, whose schtick got old at this time last year.

The Huckaby story was great, a terrific piece by Scott Miller. I hope that Huck makes the roster in Texas; he'd probably be a better option than Rod Barajas (Huck can't hit a lick, but he's better than Barajas).

As for the mega-talented Rios, 23, the trade offer would have to be a top-drawer prospect in order to tempt Ricciardi. Eventually Rios will likely be traded. His skills are too similar to Vernon Wells' in terms of not seeing pitches and drawing walks. One such early-contact hitter is enough under the current offensive philosophy.

The Jays are committed to Wells contractually for four more seasons, and Rios could be turned into something good.

So if I understand this correctly:

1. The Jays wouldn't want Rios if he hit as well as Wells because they'd be too similar and the Jays value pitches seen and walks over everything else.

2. Wells apparently has a no trade clause.

3. Even if you were to trade Wells you wouldn't get something good in return.

This Griffin guy is enlightening!

Looks like we're all jumping on the same thing today!

Anyway, here's Rios' walks/AB the last 3 years

2001 - 5.2%
2002 - 5.9%
2003 - 7.6%

So, JP doesn't really care about other offensive skills Rios' possesses that are similiar to Wells ??

"T.O. City baseball writers....They ain't too smart"

I posted this in yesterday's thread, but it's a little more relevant today I think...

Is the 25-man roster more or less set now?

Batters (14): Delgado, Phelps, Hudson, Woody, Hinske, Gomez, Berg, Pond, Cat, Wells, Johnson, Werth, Cash, Myers

Pitchers (11): Halladay, Batista, Lilly, Hentgen, Towers, Lopez, Speier, De Los Santos, Adams, Kershner, Ligtenberg

Chulk and Miller appear to be the odd men out. I wonder if one of Adams or Hentgen will come down with an "injury" before opening day so Miller can stay on the roster.

Huckaby is probably one of my favourite Jays of recent history. It was obvious from the beginning that he was not going to be in Toronto for the long haul, but he got a big break here that he probably wouldn't have gotten anywhere else and I hope that experience will open another door for him in Texas this year. I've never understood all the Jeter bashing... he always seemed like a relatively decent guy and a pretty darn good ball player. But after reading this all I can say is: what a colossal jackass.

"T.O. City baseball writers....They ain't too smart"

A banned Strokes reference. Great tune.

Does Pond primarily split 4th OF duties with Werth or will we see him in the OF as well? OF-3B-1B-DH. He should be a pretty decent utility guy if he can keep it together at the plate. Start the "Free Simon Pond" chant...now.

Anyone else planning on seeing Jersey Girl this weekend?

No, but I'm really excited to see The Ladykillers and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
A Coen brothers AND a Charlie Kaufmann picture out at the same time?
Nice.

Does Pond primarily split 4th OF duties with Werth or will we see him in the OF as well?

Yeah - forget this sentence. I meant to say - will he play in the IF as much as he plays OF or will we see him as primarily a bat off the bench?

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/2001/spring_training/40man_rosters/al/
I know it's been published that Justin Miller and Jayson Werth are out of options but has anyone heard about Bob File? He was on the 40 man roster entering spring training 2001 (COMN and scroll down to the bottom). So he's used up his three option years in 2001, 2002 & 2003. I know there are certains cases where teams are granted an extra option year on players (Pascual Coco last year) but I have no idea if they would apply in this case. It would be a shame to lose him now that he's finally healthy after hanging on to him for so long.

Kudos to the Blue Jays organization for making this happen.

And for this gutsy quote from Godfrey, which is right on the money:

Paul Godfrey, president and CEO of the Jays, said he's not concerned about any possible backlash. "We're not a homophobic organization,'' he said. ''As far as I'm concerned, sports teams should have broken down these barriers several years ago."

Bravo, Jays.

Since we're talking trades here. I think that Werth is gone for the following reasons.

1) He has not blown anyone away at Spring Training.
2) He has no options left.
3) People are interested. I think I've heard Mets rumours in many sources.
4) It could come down to keeping Miller(who I think has no options) or Werth.
5) There are OF prospects that should not be blocked.

Having said that, it's too bad. I don't think that anyone will give much in return because they can do the math too and Werth has a lot of upside.

That's my two cents but its fun to speculate who's going to break camp with the team. No fun for the guys that are actually on the bubble.

The problem with dropping Werth is that it leaves the team without a fourth outfielder. Yes, Pond can play outfield, but the reports thus far have not been pretty. If Vernon needs a day off, you'd end up with Johnson in centre, Cat in right and Pond in left -- and that ain't pretty.

Werth can play centre or right, which makes him potentially more useful. He's also got the "emergency catcher" thing going for him, and offers some speed on the bases. On top of all that, his stock is pretty low right now: He had a mediocre, injury-plagued season at AAA last year; give him a month or two in Toronto to hit a few home runs, and maybe he nets more in a trade.

Of course, if the decision is Werth or Miller, I'd keep Miller. In regards to Miller (and File), though: Does being on the disabled list for an entire season count as an option year?

Yeah there has reportedly been interest in Werth but I wouldn't think it's anything more than the vultures swirling to see what they can scoop up for free. They're likely offering junk or a small cash amount in return for Werth. I think he's got too much upside to just give him away right now. There's still a lot of untapped power as his wiry body fills out. If there are no decent offers then I'd much rather hang on to him for a few months. If he plays well he raises his trade value, and if all he does is prove that he's not ready for the majors then there's a much better chance that he slips through waivers.

If Werth were moved I think we could handle his loss pretty easily with Pond/Hall/Hermanson filling in until Gross/Rios arrive. Pond's got a strong arm and can play RF while Johnson, Hall and Hermanson can all play CF.

The problem with dropping Werth is that it leaves the team without a fourth outfielder. Yes, Pond can play outfield, but the reports thus far have not been pretty. If Vernon needs a day off, you'd end up with Johnson in centre, Cat in right and Pond in left -- and that ain't pretty.


In that scenario, methinks Berg would get the start in RF and Cat would stay in LF. I would only throw Pond out there when Johnson and Wells are playing.

http://economics.about.com
Andrew Edwards:

I have an e-mail I'd like to forward to you, but I don't have your e-mail addy. Can you mail me at economics.guide@about.com ?

RE: Jayson Werth. I have a feeling he'll be going North with the team, since he can play all three outfield positions, and catch in a pinch. I'm sure the Jays would trade him if they got the right offer, but I can't imagine the rest of the league offering too much for his services.

Cheers,

Mike

Yeah there has reportedly been interest in Werth but I wouldn't think it's anything more than the vultures swirling to see what they can scoop up for free. They're likely offering junk or a small cash amount in return for Werth. I think he's got too much upside to just give him away right now. There's still a lot of untapped power as his wiry body fills out. If there are no decent offers then I'd much rather hang on to him for a few months. If he plays well he raises his trade value, and if all he does is prove that he's not ready for the majors then there's a much better chance that he slips through waivers.


Pond doesn't have to clear waivers to be sent down, so I would guess if it comes down to choosing between him and Werth, Pond will go back to the minors.

Until the Jays (Tosca) decide they need that 12th pitcher, I don't see why they can't keep them both.

I was talking about Werth having to clear waivers to be sent down.

... if he performs poorly in the first few months of the season that is. Not right now.

Definitely a tough choice. I think that having 7 relievers is too many. The Jays have been mixing in everybody during Spring Trainer so I don’t have a good idea of how efficient the relievers have been. If they’re not that good, then I guess having an extra body around is necessary. I thought Tosca’s argument in the Star article that they didn’t need a bench was pretty weak. I can’t believe the opposition was shaking in fear when they were up late in the game and Wilson and Berg were the only bats on the bench.

Does being on the disabled list for an entire season count as an option year?

I'm not really sure. I know it counts as full season in the majors, ie Cory Lidle only pitched 5 full seasons in the majors but was eligible for free agency because he spent an additional year on the major league DL. File wasn't really on the DL for an entire season either. He still made 42 appearances between the majors and minors in 2002 and 14 appearances in the minors last year.

I'd be inclined to keep both Miller and Werth if they are out of options...Miller could be used exclusively as an emergency starter - being brought in anywhere from the 1st to 4th inning whenever a starter gets yanked early - I agree he shouldn't be taking innings away from the other 6 relievers until he proves he is a major league starter, or releiever

Now I'm giving away stuff that is in Part Deux of the Jays preview (coming tomorrow; Part One will be up later this morning) but how about this scenario? Justin Miller opens the season on the big league DL, and is sent to Dunedin, then Manchester, then Syracuse on his rehab assignment. He'll come up eventually as the 12th pitcher, by which time a decision will have been made on the relative merits of Werth and Pond. Then we can debate between Miller or Towers as long man and fifth starter.

File? It's been more than two years since he put up that 3.27 ERA, and in the AL, he has 40 K to 31 BB in 77 innings; hardly overpowering. His recovery is a nice story, but the Jays bullpen is an awful lot deeper now than it was then, and the simply might not be room. He's a good candidate to clear waivers, anyway.

The 25-man roster isn't carved in stone, now or ever. This front office frequently uses Syracuse like an extended bench (see Johnson, Reed about a year ago) and you can expect the shuttle to be active again this season.

File still has options left, so he will most likely start in AAA. But I see him in the bullpen by June. He is still young and is now healthy and if he pitches anywhere near his rookie year, he will be a great asset to the bullpen.

Mike, do yourself a favour and see "Touching the Void", "Goodbye, Lenin!", and "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" first.

Moffatt, thanks a lot for putting "Cars" in my head. I love the song, but it's a tough one to shake out of there, and with just 4 MB of RAM, my old brain doesn't multitask well.

File still has options left, so he will most likely start in AAA.

Frank, have you seen this printed somewhere or do you know the rule by which he has obtained an extra year? Just curious to know.

File still has options left, so he will most likely start in AAA.

Frank, have you seen this printed somewhere or do you know the rule by which he has obtained an extra year? Just curious to know.

Hey - I know this b/c I am his really good friend.

Good enough for me... thanks Frank

No problem. I can ask him about the rule and if that is why, but I know he said he thinks he will be an odd man out b/c of his options. He has said he believes that the final pen spot comes down to him and Chulk, so we will see.

I always liked old Huck! Super article..........can't believe Jeter would react that way

No problem. I can ask him about the rule and if that is why, but I know he said he thinks he will be an odd man out b/c of his options. He has said he believes that the final pen spot comes down to him and Chulk, so we will see.

That is only if Lilly is not ready - sorry!! If Lilly is ready, it will be between them come late April when they move to 12 pitchers.

According to Rutsey, the Jays might tinker with pay-per-view for the 17 games not on the regular TV sked. Miller's going to be interview by Jim Rome today as well...

There's a good article on Ken Joyce, Charleston's bench boss, in today's Daily Mail.

Re: Who's going North?

I'd hope both Pond and Werth make the squad on opening day. If spring stats/performance were the greatest factor, Pond and Werth would be neck-and-neck. Werth's line of .286/.423/.667 (5 BB in 21 AB) vs. Pond's .341/.413/.634 (5 BB in 41 AB). I can already imagine the scathing columns from Elliott/Griffin when/if Pond gets squeezed out...

I wouldn't be surprised to see Bergie released (or traded) before opening day to make room for Pond/Clark.

I hope it is JP who makes the final decisions and not Tosca because Tosca might just take 16 pitchers and try to use them all in the same game. "We only use one or two players from the bench" - please mark as Exhibit A for inept management. A couple of other comments: I hope I never see Dave Berg play the outfield again, despite hitting over .300 last year Howie Clark is still the forgotten man, a lefthanded bat on the bench would be nice (at some point we may actually want to try to win the baseball game instead of just playing it), a 12th pitcher is an admission that you can't manage your pitching staff effectively, and while I agree that talent should be hoarded (it would be a shame to lose Miller and File) - if there's no vacancy, don't leave the damn light on.

1. I hope it is JP who makes the final decisions and not Tosca because Tosca might just take 16 pitchers and try to use them all in the same game.

2. "basically you only need one or two guys to come off there" - please mark as Exhibit B for inept management.

3. I hope I never see Dave Berg play the outfield again.

4. Despite hitting over .300 last year Howie Clark is still the forgotten man.

5. A lefthanded bat on the bench would be nice. At some point we may actually want to try to win the baseball game instead of just playing it.

6. A 12th pitcher is an admission that your Manager has no clue on how to use the bullpen.

7. While I agree that talent should be hoarded (it would be a shame to lose Miller and File) - if there's no vacancy, don't leave the damn light on.

can't believe Jeter would react that way

I am frankly amazed by this. Jeter is, for me, by far, the most obnoxious current Yankee. I just have to see his smug mug on television, or one of his commercials, and I immediately have a Gary Carter flashback. Jeter is actually worse --- he's Carter's ego and phoniness, without the faux humbleness, in Stanky pinstripes. Arghh! Since Paul O'Neill left them, definitely the loathesome face of the EvilEmpire©.

I was listening to last year's home opener on MLB.com in a hotel in Sudbury, and when Jeter was injured, I started jumping up and down and "whoo-hoo"ing until I was sure someone would call the front desk. My only disappointment was that the oily little SOB came back so soon.

Tosca's right that with a mostly set lineup like the Jays have, in any one game you only need one or two guys to come off the bench. This isn't the NL. Guys like Woodward need an occasional rest, and the catchers need to be platooned, but those are switches in the starting lineup, not guys coming up to pinch-hit. The only guys I want to see pinch-hit for on a regular basis are Hudson versus lefties, and Cash in any critical situation. Maybe Sparky occasionally in RBI situations, or Woodward where you need a guy to get on base.

As for the 12 pitchers, it's not that common to do it in April, but I don't think carrying seven relievers is a sign of mismanagement. Carrying seven relievers and not using one is bad management; carrying seven relievers and using them to share the load can make a lot of sense if your starters are only going five or six.

And remember, Ted Lilly isn't likely to be fully ready for Opening Day but probably won't need the DL. So if Justin Miller has to be a 12th pitcher, I'm not going to complain, provided he gets used. Simon Pond doesn't have to start the season in Toronto; once Lilly is back to full strength, I expect to see Pond or Clark (or even both) with the big club. In the meantime, I'd rather not handcuff my pen just for two at-bats a week... Pond and Clark will be much better off getting regular time in Syracuse to stay sharp and be ready when needed.

I think Barajas is better than Huckaby. Barajas would probably outhit Huck a little and has a better arm. Huck's famed "ability" to call a game and frame pitches has paper-thin value if that.

Let's face it, as fun as Huck was (for awhile) he is a stretch as a AAA player.

re: File's option
If File was added to the roster in 2001, and spent the whole year(or wasn't sent down in 2001 after being added to the 40 man that year), he would only have used up 2 option years, 2002 and 2003. ie, File could have played for Syracuse in 2001 before being added to the 40 man roster without using up an option year, like Reed Johnson last year.

As for being on the disabled list for the entire year counting as an option, it depends on what level the player was placed on the disabled list. If he was on the ML disabled list, then he would still have an option left, but would get credited with another year of ML service time. If he was placed on the AAA DL, he would use up an option(or have to pass waivers), but not get any increase to his major league service time.

how about this scenario? Justin Miller opens the season on the big league DL, and is sent to Dunedin, then Manchester, then Syracuse on his rehab assignment.

Sounds good to me, though I have my doubts that he'll earn a spot on the big league roster along the way. I haven't heard that he's a toolsy guy, so I have to conclude that people love him for his tattoos - The numbers just aren't very complimentary. He's pitched 452 innings at AA and higher, and his most impressive rate stat in those innings is a 0.98 HR/9. The 4.32 ERA, 1.74 K/BB, 6.91 K/9, 3.98 BB/9, and 1.39 WHIP all say "No prospect". Give me the 6-months-younger Towers with his pinpoint control and straight-shooting bulldog attitude.

Werth flashed impressive power last year (35 extra base hits in 284 AB between Toronto and Syracuse, .205 IsoP), and prior to last year demonstrated good plate discipline (227 walks in 1558 AB above A-ball, including his free-swinging 2003). Unfortunately, he's not likely to get enough at-bats in Toronto to show if he can put it all together.

Anyone else planning on seeing Jersey Girl this weekend?

I'll be in line Friday night for sure, being the Kevin Smith junkie that I am. I was just at his Toronto Q&A last week, and the man definitely speaks straight to my twisted sense of humour.

As much as I like Kevin Smith (Burley, put up your picture again so everyone can see that you're Smith's twin), I'll pass on Jersey Girl. It looks like all the other Jilted/Sad/Widowed-Man-Meets-Girl-Pretends-To-Love-Somebody-Else-Or-Not-Love-Anyone-But-Of-Course-Will-Fall-In-Love-With-Girl-Who-Also-Happens-To-Have-Precocious-Child-Who-May-Or-May-Not-Say-The-Word-"F*ck."

On the other hand, that didn't stop me from seeing -- sigh -- "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days." That was for research purposes, honestly.

I'll put the picture up later. I'll actually put up a different one... me in a suit and tie doesn't do the KS resemblance justice.

Juat wanted to note that FREE TERRMEL SLEDGE is hitting .444/.571/.556 for the Expos in spring. And I guarantee you he's heading back to Edmonton. The Expos are going to keep useless Matt Cepicky and Juan Rivera instead...

You read it here first.

http://tsf.waymoresports.thestar.com/thestar/baseball/player.cgi?4192
Werth would be a great fit with the Mets. Rumor has people going after Vance Wilson, and acquiring Werth would allow them to deal Wilson. It would also put them in a strange position of having 3 semi-catchers (Piazza and Phillips). I think the Jays would be well served getting either Victor Diaz or Danny Garcia- both have similar profiles- 2B that project to move off the position. Garcia is 23, hit well at AA then struggled at AAA (COMN for stats). Diaz is 22, 2B/3B with power. The Mets are set in the middle infield and at 3B with Wright coming up, and they don't seem as high on either one of these guys as they should be. Garcia seems like he's still going to fill out, and has a nice swing. They might seem a bit redundant in a Jays organization with Hill/Adams, but insurance in case Hinske can't rebound wouldn't hurt.

Not sure if Werth alone would be enough to nab one of these guys, but Duke seems to have inherited Phillips's love for mediocre relievers, so throwing in File might get it done.

Burley, put up your picture again so everyone can see that you're Smith's twin

I thought of Craig many times on Oscar night. Peter Jackson's another fine director to have as a doppelganger.

Werth would be a great fit with the Mets.

dp, that's all very interesting and makes a lot of sense. Especially if someone else is already keen on Wilson. L.A. is also possible, for obvious reasons. I'd be content with Pond as the fourth OF -- how often does Wells sit? -- and Clark (or a 12th pitcher, if they insist) as the 25th man.

Since these Roundups have taken on a Hijack Central feel, I just got this from the Jays media guys and want to share it.

The 28th Welcome Back Luncheon is Tuesday, April 6. It's a benefit for the Jays Care Foundation and Variety, at Joe Badali's. Tickets are $100, while VIP passes (a special reception with the players and coaches) are $150. Way out of my price range, but for others, it will be a good time for worthy causes. There's a raffle, an auction, and you'll get a goody bag. Call Joanne Beartup at 416 341-1443 for tickets.

Craig- do you know if Clark can cover CF? If the Jays are that concerned, they could have Roger Cedeno :>

Sorry, I meant "Coach", but I'll throw the question to anyone who has seen him at Syracuse/Rochester or has minor league defensive stats.

Peter Jackson's another fine director to have as a doppelganger.

Eww. Jackson's disgusting. I love his movies, but the fact that he couldn't even find decent evening wear for the Oscars says it all. What a freakin' slob.

That Welcome Back Luncheon looks interesting.

Before the A-Rod Dollar Bill there was the opening day banner that read DEREK: WAS THAT AT-BAT WORTH $30,000?

However, I arrived just in time to see him get hurt at third.

Potential signs for the first Yankees date at SkyDome:

WHO-ROD?

WHERE'S HUCKABY WHEN YOU NEED HIM?

I know it's a long way off, but I need to get my brain in gear early. Anyone have any suggestions?

This isn't insulting to the Yankees, but I always thought "Eh-Rod?" would be funny in a Canadian ballpark.

According to Canadian Press, The Score will be broadcasting between 25 and 35 Expos games this year. Most of them will be road games, according to the article.

Is this a sign that the Expos may stay in Montreal, or a curtain call on a final season in La Belle Province?

I don't think it's worth trading Werth just for the sake of trading him. If the Mets are interested and they're willing to move someone like Aaron Heilman or Grant Roberts then I think you pay attention.

R Billie- Check out Garcia and Diaz- young middle infielders with pop. I'd take one of them over Roberts any day. The Jays have enough pitching coming up that I think Roberts or Heilman will be redundant in a year. I'm not sold on Adams or Hill hitting enough to be regulars at 2B/3B, and it would be nice to add some depth there. I think the Mets are undervaluing the pair right now b/c they've got Reyes and Matsui projected at SS/2B for the next few years, but in other organizations they'd be pretty good prospects.

The Score will be broadcasting between 25 and 35 Expos games this year

Gee, hope it doesn't cut into their exciting horse racing coverage

I like sports coverage on the Score. Every so often they show a Toronto Roadrunners game. It's good to see the Oilers AHL affiliate so I can keep up on who will make it up to the big club in the future. It's also an added bonuse that Toronto gets to watch a quality hockey team every once in a while.

Jays only night game of spring training is underway and they go quickly in the top half of the first with Reed, O-Dog and Pond retired on ground out to short, ground out to first and pop up.

Bottom of the first, Marlon Byrd leads off the game with a hard single up the middle on a high fastball from Hentgen. A nasty wind blowing in on the park makes home runs unlikely according to the Phille announcers.

Polanco steps up, batting second. Hentgen works ahead of him 0-2 and Placido eventually flies out to Sparky, who is playing in center.

Hentgen's first pitch against Abreu's is a strike and the second pitch results in a double play, O-Dog to short (not sure who that is yet), to first (possibly Pond? Carlos and Wells aren't playing).

Nice quick inning for Pat, who I hope to hear go 4 or 5 innings.

Jack, is this a premium service or a free broadcast?

Phelps is playing first, as I should've assumed, and batting clean up. He'll be followed in the order by Hinske and Woodward, who is playing short.

Phelps grounds out.

Hinske singles through the infield.

Woodward hits a slow roller and a nice play by Polanco beats him at first. Hinske advances to second with two out.

Werth steps in and strikes out swinging.

A, I'm listening to Gameday Audio, but it may be possible to find the game on line on-line for free.

Burrell falls behind 0-2 to Hentgen and is eventually called out on strikes.

Lieberthal flies out to O-Dog.

Rollins pops up to Hinske.

Hentgen is so far working quickly and effectively, throwing strikes and keeping ahead of hitters.

Cash falls behind 1-2 and fights off three or four balls foul before crushing one off the wall. Burrell's throw to second beats Cash, though, and his double is denied. One out. Hentgen steps up and is called out on strikes, never taking the bat of his shoulder. Two away. Back to the top of the order now, Reed steps in and lines a single to center.

Hudson hits a grounder to third and Derek Bell makes a nice play getting O-Dog at first.

David Bell, even. Derek. Heh.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=492&ncid=762&e=13&u=/ap/20040324/ap_en_ce/king_book
The wind is really swirling but Phelps corrals a pop up in foul ground for the first out (didn't catch who was batting).

David Bell grounds out to short.

Padilla steps in and hits a ball that falls into the left field Pond.

Hentgen's dealing.

Added bonus: Stephen King/Bo-Sox fans COMN.

Speaking of Pond, he smacks a solo home run to lead off the fourth. He must've hit it hard if the announcers are to be believed.

Phelps K's swinging, Padilla's third strike out.

Hinske hits a hard liner to the pitcher for out two.

Woodward grounds to third.

1-0 Jays.

I tried CJCS for the game. Unless the Jays are playing the Stratford Cullitons of the Mid-Western Junior B Hockey League...

Marlon Byrd steps up and Hentgen induces a fly out to Werth in right. Polanco comes to the plate and lashes a single to right field. Abreu crushes a ball over Johnson in center and gets an RBI double. We're all tied up now, one out with a man on second.

Burrell hits a ball to short but Phelps can't handle the one hop from Woodward, so men are at first and third with out out.

A wild pitch advances Burrell to second but Abreu freezes at third due to a quick recovery from Cash.

Hentgen gets Lieberthal to ground out to second (would've been a double play ball but for the wild pitch). Another run scores, 2-1 Phillies.

Jimmy Rollins takes a walk, the first given up by Hentgen. Wooten, playing first for the Phillies, steps in, but Hentgen picks off Rollins at first to end the inning.

Not sure where Pat is in regard to a pitch count, but it may be Lilly time next inning.

It won't be on any Blue Jays affiliates. Your best bet is to try the list of Phillies affiliates (the flagship is likely to be subsriber-only).

Werth flies out to center to lead off the fifth. Cash falls behind 0-2 and pops up to second.

I think Hentgen may have just made the third out so he may be back after all, but I am not sure. At any rate the inning is over.

Wooten flies out, and Chase Utley hitting for Bell crushes a ball off the wall for a double. Ledee, pinch hitting for Padilla, walks on four straight pitches.

Marlon Byrd steps in with men at first and second and one down. He pops up to Phelps, two down. Placido Polanco digs in and pops up to Cash. Inning over, no real damage done.

Padilla ends up giving up a run on four hits in his five innings, and right hander David Coggin is now pitching for the Phillies.

Sparky works the count full before---wait for it---taking a walk. O-Dog hits a ball hard off the fence and doubles. Jays have men at second and third with no one out. Coggin is having some trouble finding the strike zone and walks Pond on four pitches.

Mr. Phelps steps in with the bases loaded and falls behind quickly 0-2 and gets called looking.

Hinske hits one up the middle for a two run single and the Jays leap frog ahead of the Phillies 3-2.

Woody flies out for the second out and Werth flies out to deep center on what might've been a homer in more favourable conditions.

Abreu leads off against Lilly, who finally makes his first appearence this spring, and singles.

Burrell then hits a two run home run over the left field fence. 4-3 Phillies.

Lieberthal grounds out to third for the first out of the inning. Rollins pops up to first for the second out. Wooten, swinging at the first pitch, pops up to Woody. End of the inning.

Geoff Geary strikes out Cash to start the seventh.

Lilly just about beats out a bunt for a single, but that's out number two.

Reed flies out for the third out.

Utley grounds out to first to start the Phils half of the seventh.

Glanville grounds out to third for the second out.

Byrd flies out to Simon Pond in left for the third out.

Potential signs for the first Yankees date at SkyDome

Something to rile up Jeter and A-Rod. Well, I have no idea if they read these things, but just in case they do,

PUT A-ROD IN AT SHORT

or maybe

WHO'S YOUR BEST SHORTSTOP?

Or something to that effect.

Rheal Cormier comes on to face Orlando Hudson, who hits another double.

Pond hits a grounder and Hudson is just tagged out at third. Pond is at first with one out. Phelps strikes out for the second out.

Hinske hits into a force out, inning over.

Ligtenberg comes in for the Jays and quickly downs the Phililes; Polanco on a fly out, Abreu on a strike out and Burrell on a line out.

Worrell comes in to try to close the game for the Phillies. He'll be facing Woodward, Werth and Cash, unless Tosca should choose to make his first position player swap of the game.

FoxSports.com features Alex Rios on its baseball front page, with a summary of Dayn Perry's organizational prospect review.

CBS Sportsline has a prospect summary of their own

The Sports Network has another Blue Jays Top 10 List.

And Jayson Stark confirmed what I was hoping (earlier on this very thread)... Dave Berg has drawn some interest as it turns out (from the Orioles). I don't see a need for Gomez AND Berg sitting on the bench. What are your thoughts?

I forgot to link Stark's article above.

Thanks for the updates Jack

Woodward destroys a Worrell offering to tie the game up. Werth strikes out for the second time. Cash flies out to right field for the second out. Howie Clark comes in to pinch hit for Ligtenberg and notches a single.

Reed Johnson doubles, moving pinch runner Singleton to third.

Orlando Hudson digs in with runners at second and third with two down. He walks and the bases are loaded for the Canadian, Mr. Simon Pond. He flies out to the wall, just missing a grand slam.

Tied game, bottom of the ninth.

Josue Matos steps in to pitch for the Jays. He induces a fly out, then strikes out Jimmy Rollins, and Wooten grounds to first.

Here come the extra's.

Trading Berg wouldn't hurt my feelings, a good soldier, but is only a part-time player. The return would not be very much but I hope they would go for a younger guy who may have to go to Pulaski or Auburn rather than an older organizational player.

Phelps, who was 0-4 with three k's, singles to start the 10th. Hinske reaches second on an error by Marlon Byrd, Phelps to third. Woodward pops one straight up for the first out.

Werth steps in and walks to load the bases. Kevin Cash, who is 1-4, hits a SF and scores Hermanson who pinch ran for Phelps. Two away.

Noah Hall bats for Matos and strikes out.

Here comes the last half inning.

Scott Cassidy comes in to close the game and Utley quickly hits a comebacker to the mound. One down. TO pitchers have retired 13 in a row since the Burrell homer in the sixth.

Jason Michaels pinch hits and lines out to Werth.

Marlon Byrd singles up the middle, Polanco steps in and hits a grounder to third, but Hinske errors on the throw to first and there are men at first and second. Bobby Abreu pops up to shallow left center. Cassidy holds his own against some serious ML hitters and closes the game.

Jays are now 10-9-1 if I'm not mistaken.

Count me among those who would rather see Werth on the team than Pond if the choice comes down to those two, despite Pond's hitting, simply because he's out of options and I don't think we should give up on him yet. I also echo the sentiments that we should only trade him if we get a good offer, and not simply flip him for Shawn Sedlacek or someone of his ilk. Werth's potential may not be what it once was, but I'm still not convinced he won't turn into a servicable corner outfielder, and I think he needs at-bats to showcase that talent. Pond and Clark both have options, and as well as they are doing right now, I think the priority should be keeping Werth, or finding a good return for him.

Re Stark's article: Doug Glanville almost never fails to make me laugh.

I personally think Pond is an illusion and I'd be pretty upset if we lost Werth on waivers (or got a nobody for him) to carry Pond.

Anyone remember Brian Lesher?
PLAYER AVG G AB R H TB 2B 3B HR RBI
B Lesher .304 25 69 14 21 36 6 0 3 11
S Pond .350 15 40 13 14 25 5 0 2 4
or maybe Greg Norton for the Rox a couple of years ago...
G Norton .512 21 43 9 22 40 3 0 5 14
(I actually think Norton is a good comparison for Pond...Olemedo Seanz is another pretty good comparison)
Same year:
A Ochoa .371 25 70 20 26 48 1 0 7 19
R Casanova .340 22 53 6 18 35 5 0 4 20
D Minor .408 24 49 16 20 46 3 1 7 12

I'm sure there are plenty more examples...

Pond didn't have a good spring training out of the blue. He hit .309/.383/.498 last year in 619 AB between AA, AAA, and the PRL (which is probably around the same difficulty as AAA.) Werth, by contrast, had a disappointing season last year.

I'd rather see Dave Berg waived than either of these guys sent down. Howie Clark could also be sent down if they think he'll sneak through waivers.

Berg and Werth together might be a package the Orioles would give up something of value for. Werth would be an upgrade in Baltimore, they have little outfield depth - B.J. Surhoff on the bench and then Tim Raines Jr in AAA - and their starters are a bit fragile, Gibbons has a long running wrist problem and Matos has an injury history.
They do have a crop of good young starters one of which might be prised away.

the PRL (which is probably around the same difficulty as AAA

Closer to AA, in my view. He still hit well down there.