Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Friday Night I Crashed Your Party ...

The final No-Prize of the week goes to the Bauxite who can not only name the title of the song for which today's headline is the first line of lyrics, but can also use that song title in a sentence describing the current Blue Jay player of the responder's choice. Ready? Go!

FWIW, the All-Internet Board of Judges that oversees all Web sites has determined that this week's previous winners -- ayjackson, Chuck and ChicagoJaysFan -- are in fact eligible to win again. How exciting! Will we have our first repeat winner, or can some raw rook out there break on through to the other side?

While we wait to find out, some baseball ...

Robinson Cano got $30M from the Yankees
Luis Gonzalez got a little less than that, $1M, from the Marlins
Clemens/McNamee...do you care or are you bored?
The Royals don't wan't Sammy Sosa. Will anyone?
Erik Bedard is apparently in Seattle for a physical, meaning the over/under date on this trade being completed is now June 6, 2016.

What else is going on?

Posted by Mick Doherty on Friday, February 08 2008 @ 08:30 AM EST.

Friday Night I Crashed Your Party ... | 63 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

jeff mcl - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 08:38 AM EST (#179850) #

"Saturday I said I'm sorry..."

Cool as the JC Mellencamp original is, I still prefer Avail's more untempo cover.

So who has some 'pologizin' to do? Meh, I go with JP for his latest round of lies, the one where he said said he, not Sabean, pulled out of the proposed Rios-Lincecum deal in December. That's ok, we still love you.

"You may be right, I may be crazy, but it just may be a lunatic (JP) you're lookin' for..."

jeff mcl - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 08:39 AM EST (#179851) #

The song title is "You May Be Right", BTW.

skippy23 - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 08:49 AM EST (#179852) #

I'm pretty sure it's also Billy Joel.

Mick Doherty - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 09:53 AM EST (#179853) #

First, yes, it was Billy Joel, so jeff and skippy split the No-Prize. You two work it out amongst yourselves who gets the No and who gets the Prize.

I think this is a fascinating question, though:

The Royals don't wan't Sammy Sosa. Will anyone?

Guy hit .252/21/92 last year and made a comparatively bargain $500,000. Don't know what he's asking for these days, but shouldn't someone who needs a DH toss $2M at this guy? Or has the McGwire/Clemens mess made that taboo?

Pistol - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 10:02 AM EST (#179854) #

But who needs a DH?

Sosa hit .252/.311/.468 in Texas. There's some pop there, but not much else. And the Rangers seemed to sour on him at the end of the year (his PAs decreased every month after May).

Mike Green - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 10:44 AM EST (#179856) #

Sosa still mashes lefties, but how many teams want a right-handed pinch-hitter in this age of the 7 man bullpen? The Earl Weaver of the 70s would have liked to have a player like Sosa waiting on his bench.

ChicagoJaysFan - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 10:51 AM EST (#179857) #

But who needs a DH?

I can never remember who went where in the offseason, so forgive me if these holes have been filled, but the A's have Piazza's spot to fill and the Twins haven't had much DH production in a while.

Beyond those two teams, I can't think of anyone.

After Thomas and Piazza, Sosa almost seems like a perfect fit with the A's recent trend.

ChicagoJaysFan - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 12:12 PM EST (#179861) #

This seems to be a bit of a grab-bag of sorts, so here is some quasi-Jays-related news.

Apparently some people are kicking Colon's tires: story. The Astros, White Sox, Pirates, and Royals - this has to be the first time in ages all of those teams were looking at the same player. We had a poll a few days ago and Colon seemed a popular option for the Jays to pick up. I'm guessing once someone offers up $5 mil plus incentives, he's signed. Whether that happens, well, I think once a few pitchers drop in spring training, we'll see interest start to climb.

Marc Hulet - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 12:24 PM EST (#179863) #

I'd pass on a pitcher who is throwing 88-91 mph with no reliable secondary pitch.

Chuck - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 12:25 PM EST (#179864) #

After Thomas and Piazza, Sosa almost seems like a perfect fit with the A's recent trend.

As the A's are going cheap and young in what is clearly a rebuilding program, Sosa would seem the very antithesis of what they need.

ChicagoJaysFan - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 12:43 PM EST (#179867) #

As the A's are going cheap and young in what is clearly a rebuilding program, Sosa would seem the very antithesis of what they need.

I don't think it's a guarantee that he'll sign in Oakland, but I wouldn't dismiss it so out of hand.

Sosa will at least fill the cheap part - he only made $500k last year (I don't believe he hit any of his incentives) and I don't think he did anything to improve his market value (maybe slightly). As to the young part - obviously he's ancient, but they did pick up Emil Brown this year - admittedly younger, but at 33 and unskilled, not someone that will be around when they contend.

I'm not saying he's going to sign there, but I think he's a better fit than Brown. If they give Sosa the same contract that Texas gave last year ($500k if he makes the team plus incentives, no signing bonus) and have him and Brown battle it out for that spot, I don't really see any difference in their strategy.

Lee - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 02:22 PM EST (#179870) #

I don't think it's a guarantee that he'll sign in Oakland, but I wouldn't dismiss it so out of hand.

Unless I'm forgetting something, doesn't Oakland still have Jack Cust? He DHed in half of his games last year, and I seem to recall reading somewhere that the plan was to DH him full-time next season. Cust put up a .408 OBP and .504 SLG last season; he is a far better option than wasting money on Sosa, unless they plan to use Cust in RF (I wouldn't want to see Sammy with a glove on at this point).

Ducey - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 03:03 PM EST (#179873) #

Maybe JP will ink Sosa to a contract and then proclaim: "I found him there in his electric chair and told him him dirty jokes until he signed"

deep dish - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 03:57 PM EST (#179875) #

Bedard is an M http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/7777230?MSNHPHMA

HollywoodHartman - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 04:13 PM EST (#179876) #

It seems like a considerably better package for just one year.

Here's a delightful article on Bedard though.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/baseball/mlb/02/05/bedard0211/index.html

Mick Doherty - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 04:15 PM EST (#179877) #

Ducey, we have a winner(s) already, but damn, that's funny!

lexomatic - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 04:40 PM EST (#179878) #

John Sickles site has a review of 2001 prospects... interesting to note that he has accumulated the 4th most winshares of that top 50 list behind Pujols Dunn and Oswalt.

Here's the link: http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2008/2/8/16023/39559

Alex Obal - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 05:48 PM EST (#179879) #

The Orioles should install George Sherrill as their closer immediately. He might be B.J. Ryan incarnate, and they might as well find out if he's headed down that road in a year when they clearly aren't going anywhere.

Last year, for the first time in his career, Sherrill hinted at an ability to reliably get righties out - he faced 76 of them and they hit .212/.284/.303 against him, with 16 strikeouts and 7 walks. And everyone knows what he does to lefties. Maybe his '07 performance against RHBs was a mirage, and all the O's stole from Seattle was a ridiculously effective lefty specialist. But they might as well give him a shot. What do they have to lose?

Squiggy - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 07:44 PM EST (#179880) #

Now that the Bedard deal is final... wow, Seattle paid through the nose on this one. That is a big pile of pitching prospects, and Adam Jones looks like a stud - Vernon Wells ca. 1999. It is hard to imagine Baltimore getting the short end of this deal, given that they traded 2 years of Bedard for control of all of these guys (except Sherill) for 6+ years. Time will tell if it will be worth it, but definitely an "all in" trade from a Seattle perspective. If they don't win big over the next 2 years it will be bad. Of course, it helps Baltimore that Bavasi has got to be on thin ice after some absolutely disastrous trades and signings during his tenure.

CaramonLS - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 10:20 PM EST (#179881) #

More on Clemens:

It looks like there was another Clemens injected (allegedly by McNamee)...

Debbie Clemens?!?

budgell - Friday, February 08 2008 @ 10:33 PM EST (#179882) #

Friday Night I Crashed Your Party ...

...Rod Barajas said I'm sorry.

JP came and signed him up again.

You may be right....

timpinder - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 08:37 AM EST (#179883) #

Griffin and company give their take in their "Blue Jays baseball preview":

http://www.thestar.com/Sports/Baseball/article/301861

As usual with Griffin, there's a few comments that I disagree with. Too many in fact to list here.

Mylegacy - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 11:56 AM EST (#179884) #

Actually, I thought "Griffin's Postulation" was fairly accurate. The only part that made me wince was the last part about the team wanting to trade Rios. I still don't think his not being one of the present administrations children has anything to do with the trade rumours. I just think that an Ace is worth more than a King of RF (or even CF if he got the chance).

Interestingly, I had also come to the conclusion that with two powerhouses in both the Central and West that the Jays easiest route to the top might just be to win our division - not that that road is an easy one. If the Rays - with their imporved bullpen and plethera of potent prospects pops up some the four solid(ish) teams might just beat each other enough for us to make the move to first.

Both the Yanks and the Sox are going to have to give a few very talented - but very green - young pitchers more innnings than they've ever pitched - a lot of innings. They could rise to glory but it would not be a surprise to see at least enough of them struggle this year to give us a shot. Boston and New York will be much stronger next year as these youngsters get a year under their belt. Our time to strike is growing short - to misquote the Bard - "Health, my Kingdom for health!"

ChicagoJaysFan - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 12:17 PM EST (#179885) #

Both the Yanks and the Sox are going to have to give a few very talented - but very green - young pitchers more innnings than they've ever pitched - a lot of innings

I remember another AL East team a few years back having 2 young pitchers in their rotation that would each go on to win the Cy Young. It didn't work out too well for them as each pitcher had their worst season ever. And each of those guys had already pitched at least 150 innings in a season at the major league level too (ok, 149 and a 1/3).

Wildrose - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 01:02 PM EST (#179886) #

Jordan Bastian's latest. Essentially I agree, the dominoes really start falling if League and Ryan are healthy.

Excalabur - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 04:24 PM EST (#179887) #

Two comments:

1. Two powerhoses in the AL west? the Angels are clear favourites, tne As are rebuilding, the Ms just traded the farm somewhat pointlessly, and the Rangers might be OK.

2. The Os aren't solid. They also are owned by, Angelos, which makes it hard for them to get anywhere long-term: he's probably the second worst owner in the league (after Loria).

Nolan - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 06:05 PM EST (#179888) #

Two powerhoses in the AL west? the Angels are clear favourites, tne As are rebuilding, the Ms just traded the farm somewhat pointlessly, and the Rangers might be OK.

Well, the fact that the M's traded away the farm has little to do with this coming season [unless they were counting on Jones in CF]. I heard a rumour/fact [can't remember which] on BTF that the Angels' Escobar may have some injury to his shoulder, keeping him out until June. If this is true, then I'd upgrade the Mariner's chances by a significant margin; if their offence can keep up, their rotation will keep them close the Angel's all year.

TamRa - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 10:01 PM EST (#179890) #

It's interesting that Jays fans who are so aware of having an outstanding defense so easily overlook how bad much of the Mariner's defense is. The guy over at U.S.S. Mariner ran 100 sims with the M's new roster and the average number of wins was 77...and something like 95 out of the 100 seasons they won less than 90 games.

Ozzieball - Saturday, February 09 2008 @ 10:47 PM EST (#179891) #

Well the Mariners overperformed their pythag last year by a pretty big margin, riding a combination of unlikely-at-best-to-be-repeated years from their bullpen and luck. From the Mariners perspective the Bedard trade is terrible because they sold their #2 prospect along with a good deal of young talent, and it's hard to even say that they're in a position to equal last year's performance let alone pass it.

This clearly means that Bedard won't extend and then will sign with the Jays for 8 years at league minimum. I know this because I am a sabermagician.

Excalabur - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 03:30 AM EST (#179892) #

The Ms defense is terrible outside of Beltre and Ichiro!, as mentioned below, exacerbated by the fact that Safeco has generous outfield dimensions. Jones was to be the starting RF (which is probably the wrong spot, but details), and Sherrill either an outstanding LOOGY or a setup guy, so they're trading away both the present and the future.

Don't be fooled by their season last year: there was a lot of luck there.

Dave Rutt - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 07:57 AM EST (#179893) #

The Ms defense is terrible outside of Beltre and Ichiro!

I've also heard from a few different sources (THT and BBTF, if I remember correctly) that Ichiro!'s defense isn't as exceptional as people assume it to be - slightly above average, perhaps.

Blasphemy, I know.

Mike Green - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 11:11 AM EST (#179895) #

Here's a possible poll topic. What will the percentage record of the AL East be against the AL West in inter-divisional play in 2008? .420, .440, .460, .480, .500, .520, .540, .560 or .580.

I'd probably weigh in at .540, but I would have to think about .560.

VBF - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 02:03 PM EST (#179897) #

This blog from a fan who attended the Jays State of the Franchise mentioned a couple fun facts:

Jennifer Valentine and Katherine Humphries will make up an all female broadcasting team on the CityTV broadcast game on March 2nd against the Reds. The game coincides with the official opening of the ticket office and will also broadcast live the season ticket holder's BBQ, rubbing the warm weather in all of our faces.

Joe Carter will be at the Flashback Friday on September 7th. Devon White and Thomas Ayers heartthrob, Dan Plesac, will also make appearances during the year.

One of the individuals who commented on the entry was also at the meeting and mentioned that Godfrey did not speak well of the chances of the Chiefs going to Ottawa due to the diminishing baseball fan base.

On the official website under Broadcast Schedule, it has three games being televised by RSN, TSN, and CityTV as well as two by ESPN. This is a significant improvement over last year, if I recall correctly.

HollywoodHartman - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 02:08 PM EST (#179898) #

Our opener is even an ESPN game! Nice to see the local nine get some exposure south of the border. Will the opening game still be on RSN though? Also, this is the first I've heard of City broadcasting Jays games. Will they also be joining TSN, RSN, and CBC as regular season broadcasters? If so I think we may see the most Jays games on TV then there have been in a long time.

VBF - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 02:18 PM EST (#179899) #

In continuing fun things to talk about, this article mentions that there is a strong possibility of the Rogers Centre hosting World Baseball Classic games.

scottt - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 06:54 PM EST (#179900) #

The M's aren't likely to edge the Angels, but they're in a pretty good spot for the Wild Card.

Schilling looks like he could be done. Wakefield will probably not last the whole year.

There might be some growing pains for the young pitchers in NY, but I'd be surprised if they do worse than last year. The Yankees truly suck against left-handed pitching and Bedard really had their numbers.

timpinder - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 07:44 PM EST (#179901) #

I would LOVE it if Toronto got to host some World Baseball Classic games. I would definitely be getting tickets for those games, and with a rotation that will include Bedard, Harden, Francis, Hill and/or Loewan, and a meat of the order consisting of Stairs, Martin, Morneau, Bay and Votto, I think our Canadian boys might suprise some teams.

Also, and just in case there isn't a poll, I'll take the AL East over the West at .580. We know about the Yanks, Sox and Jays, but Tampa's rotation looks like it could finally be good this year, and I could see them pulling off their first winning season. The second best team in the West, however, will be lucky to break .500 (Mariners).

Jdog - Sunday, February 10 2008 @ 11:47 PM EST (#179902) #

Seeing as this thread is all over the place, I am going to take advantage.

So I just moved to Cleveland Ohio this past summer from Alberta to start podiatry school. Anyways spring break is coming up and I talked the wife into heading down to Florida for spring training/beaches. Im pumped! we are heading down for the first week in March. I'm mentioning this just in case anyone has any tips or advice on things i should do(Let me know). Anyone else who is thinking about going and needs a cheap place to stay get in touch with me as I got a great deal($35/night).

Sorry for the hijack, im just too excited to contain myself.

ANationalAcrobat - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 12:02 AM EST (#179903) #

Jdog, I'm already looking forward to your reports! Hopefully you have internet access down there: it would be nice to get some on the spot news.

92-93 - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 10:43 AM EST (#179905) #

Can anybody explain why Aaron Hill is not a Super 2? Seems to me from what I'm reading that he should be.

"A player with three or more years of service, but less than six years, may file for salary arbitration. In addition, a player can be classified as a "Super Two" and be eligible for arbitration with less than three years of service. A player with at least two but less than three years of Major League service shall be eligible for salary arbitration if he has accumulated at least 86 days of service during the immediately preceding season and he ranks in the top 17 percent in total service in the class of Players who have at least two but less than three years of Major League service, however accumulated, but with at least 86 days of service accumulated during the immediately preceding season."

Chuck - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 11:20 AM EST (#179906) #

Can anybody explain why Aaron Hill is not a Super 2?

Do you know for sure that he "ranks in the top 17 percent in total service in the class of Players who have at least two but less than three years of Major League service"? Is there a list of these players published somewhere with their service time listed?

John Northey - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 12:24 PM EST (#179907) #

Jdog - sounds great as I just got back from Florida (26-30 c each day for highs, the lowest it got at night was around 18). Sadly too early for Jay games, although I did go past the Tigers complex on a drive to the coast. It is amazing how many baseball games I could see going on everywhere - guess being in the middle of Florida allows that year round.

Highly advised if you like beaches to go to Howard Park which is in Tarpon Springs - a small island you drive to that felt like being on a deserted island in the middle of nowhere - of course in March it might be packed but in early February it was nearly empty. You do need a GPS to find the thing though as you got to navigate tons of local streets to get there. Well worth it though - I nearly stepped on a sting ray (or some kind of ray) while swimming!

92-93 - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 01:11 PM EST (#179909) #

Well, Chuck, for Hill NOT to be a super 2 I believe that would mean 84% of the players who have played 2-3 years played at least Hill's 105 games (or days, whatever it is measured in). I have a hard time believing that.

Chuck - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 01:39 PM EST (#179910) #

Cot's is showing Hill's service time as 2.136. Not sure how the math on that works as the 105 games you alluded to sure sounds like a whole lot more than 0.136.

Mike Green - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 02:08 PM EST (#179911) #

Percentages of 172 days on the major league roster are used to calculate partial year service time, according to article XXI of the CBA. I can't figure out how Hill's was calculated and have sent an e-mail to the administrator at Cot's.

dan gordon - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 02:19 PM EST (#179912) #

"Well, Chuck, for Hill NOT to be a super 2 I believe that would mean 84% of the players who have played 2-3 years played at least Hill's 105 games"

Well, if he has to be in the top 17% to be a super 2, that means 17% of the players would have had to have played at least 105 games, not 84% (you did the calculation backwards). It would seem reasonable that he might not be in the top 17% as there could very well have been 17% play at least 105 games.

Chuck - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 02:42 PM EST (#179913) #

I can't figure out how Hill's was calculated and have sent an e-mail to the administrator at Cot's.

Definitely something nutty going on. Cots has Casey Janssen's service time as 1.094.

Mudie - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 02:53 PM EST (#179914) #

That's 1 year and 92 days seems simple to me.

Mudie - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 02:54 PM EST (#179915) #

or um 94 days

Chuck - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 03:03 PM EST (#179916) #

Clear as mud to everyone but Mudie. Well diagnosed, man. You'd think that in a world where 32.2 means 32 and 2/3 innings without confusing anyone that I'd have cottoned on to the same scheme being use by Cots for service time.

Gotta stop cooking with tin foil.

Wildrose - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 04:05 PM EST (#179917) #

. The cutoff is usually somewhere between 2.130 and 2.135; to the best of my knowledge, it's never been below 2.120, so a player recalled after June 5th or so is in the clear.

This is what Keith Law has to say about the super two arbitration deadline. My guess is that the team knew exactly when to call Hill up AFTER the cutoff. As an aside Eric Bedard is in the same boat missing free agency by a day or two. The Blue Jays have a reputation of treating their young arbitration players fairly and Hill will probably be extended long term, but you can see how this would be frustrating for both the player and his agent.

Mike Green - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 04:10 PM EST (#179918) #

Gotta stop cooking with tin foil.

Me, too. Or worse, putting the damn stuff in the microwave.:)

Hill came up in May, and usually the super 2 date is in mid-June.

Wildrose - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 04:18 PM EST (#179919) #

ChicagoJaysFan - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 04:42 PM EST (#179920) #

As you can see Bedard would be a free agent after 2008, save missing one day of service time making him eligible after the 2009 season. I don't think he'll be sending Peter Angelos a Christmas card any time soon.

Not that I don't think people have legitimate reasons to dislike Angelos, but is that really a fair statement? Bedard has all of 16 games at the AA and AAA level (combined, and including rehab stints). It's not like they were keeping him in the minors when he was clearly ready for the majors.

bryanttelfer - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 05:00 PM EST (#179921) #

I wouldn't discount either Schilling or Wakefield yet. Both have the capacity for cunning and as back of the rotation starters, you've got some flexibility how to utilize them.

JohnL - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 05:26 PM EST (#179922) #

My guess is that the team knew exactly when to call Hill up AFTER the cutoff.

Hill played his first game May 20, to replace Koskie who was injured the day before.

pjfreshphil - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 05:39 PM EST (#179923) #

As you can see Bedard would be a free agent after 2008, save missing one day of service time making him eligible after the 2009 season. I don't think he'll be sending Peter Angelos a Christmas card any time soon.

I think this is just smart planning. Why would you trade one or two months of the first year of a player's career for a whole year of production in the player's prime. As fans, I think we would all be scratching our heads if Bedard had been called up a day before that same deadline. I recall reading a similar debate around the timing of bringing Adam Lind to the majors.

ChicagoJaysFan - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 05:42 PM EST (#179924) #

Friday is so last week ... shouldn't we have a column like: "Come Monday, It'll be all right" (at least if you're Garret Atkins); or "Blue Monday, How I hate Blue Monday" (if you're Roger - well, that was over the weekend, but it's all I've got).

Chuck - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 05:48 PM EST (#179925) #

Tomorrow's thread could be Breakfast of Champions (or Goodbye Blue Monday), in honour of a personal hero. And there's still the Roger connection, as he 'splains how his breakfast of choice really is Wheaties and not a little sumpin' sumpin' consumed buttockly.

ChicagoJaysFan - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 05:57 PM EST (#179926) #

I think this is just smart planning. Why would you trade one or two months of the first year of a player's career for a whole year of production in the player's prime. As fans, I think we would all be scratching our heads if Bedard had been called up a day before that same deadline. I recall reading a similar debate around the timing of bringing Adam Lind to the majors.

I think you're being too generous. Bedard's injury issues probably have more to do with why he falls just short on major league service. If he had played at all in 2003 (the year after his limited MLB debut), he'd be eligible. However, he was in the minors when he was injured, and stayed there, so I think none of that time counted.

From 2004 onward, Bedard essentially started the season in the majors and finished the season in the majors, so they weren't really playing with his service time. I think the main time he spent in the minors was rehab time.

Sometimes, coincidences are exactly that.

Nick Holmes - Monday, February 11 2008 @ 06:54 PM EST (#179927) #

Steve Trachsel, killer of Jays, is back with Baltimore
I think he won all three appearances against the Jays last year.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080211&content_id=2370715&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb&partnered=rss_mlb

Wildrose - Tuesday, February 12 2008 @ 01:55 AM EST (#179928) #

Hill played his first game May 20, to replace Koskie who was injured the day before.

As for Bedard coincidence perhaps, but when a guy misses a year of free agency by one bloody day, the skeptic in me is suspicious.

ChicagoJaysFan - Tuesday, February 12 2008 @ 03:39 PM EST (#179942) #

Hill actually did not replace Koskie in the field, he batted D.H. primarily for the first few games ,while Hillenbrand was the replacement third baseman. I really doubt with Hillenbrand, Hinske, Mennenchino and McDonald on the roster they would have rushed Hill up to the majors before they were sure he wasn't a super two.As for Bedard coincidence perhaps, but when a guy misses a year of free agency by one bloody day, the skeptic in me is suspicious.

I think you're searching for coincidences and trying to apply current knowledge to a decision that was made a few years ago. If the Jays felt they were rushing Hill, then they would have also thought they'd send him back down when Koskie was back, so why would they care about his future Super 2 status?

So much has to go right for a player in order for you to perfectly time his major league debut to eliminate Super 2 status that I think it would be a waste of time for an organization to time their call-ups in support of this target. Almost all players and pitchers have some up and down in their first few years as they adjust to the league - it's rare that a player comes up and never returns.

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