That's not an accomplishment, it's expected. If your team faces the Phillies for 9 inning and you don't K Howard, your team is in trouble.

Honestly, I don't see that as a negative comment. It's stated a little crassly -- but that's an observation from me, the king of crass -- but it's right on point. Howard strikes out, on average, more than once a game. Good teams -- or at least good pitchers -- should nail him fairly consistently. Play a three-game series against Howard's team, you should expect a homer, two or three RBI and three or four strikeouts.

It's hard to say. Halladay has been a significantly better player than Teixeira. 

On top of which it is easier to slot in a new starting pitcher -- Halladay would effectively bump his new team's #5 -- than a position player, unless the team has a gaping hole at that position.

That's not an accomplishment, it's expected.

It is when the alternative is a 500-foot blast over the fence.  Howard's been known to do that the odd time - 177 homers in four seasons. 

177 homers in four seasons.

Actually, 175, but that's picking nits. More to the point, also 692 strikeous in 572 career games, or to stay apples-to-apples, 679 K in 553 G over the past four years.

So it's a reasonable expectation that Howard will strike out once or more in a game. It's also an accomplishment to keep him from homering once every three or four games. Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to.

No, it's actually 177.  You might have missed his cup of coffee in 2004 when he homered twice.  Is this some kind of April Fool's joke to pull my chain?  Anyways, he strikes out a lot and he homers more times than the average bear.  Let's leave this poor horse be!

John Northey, I'm with you on the roster movement analysis - in my book, it's great that Richmond landed the fifth spot - the guys a great story but is not a high ceiling prospect.   If he gets skipped a few times as the fifth guy and has infrequent work, it's not as much of a concern to his development as it would be with Cecil or Mills, same if he's demoted a promoted back and forth.  I love that the Jays are going to wait for the rookies to play their way onto the roster.

Inglett deserves to be here, but again, with the options, he's the right guy to demote.  My only hope would be that if Millar doesn't end up contributing much that he gets a quick release, and Inglett gets the first shot.  Millar could end up helping against lefties, but was essentially worthless last year and may not have much in the tank.  Mencherson proved that the Jays aren't always willing to cut bait quickly enough on the vets ...  

Lexomatic, I'd love to see McPherson at 3rd in AAA, but there must be a reason organizations keep dumping the guy.

And props to all the posters who argued that 'there's no such thing as too much pitching depth' before spring training.  Who would've thought we'd break camp with no Jansenn, Accardo or Wolfe in the pen, and with Ryan demoted?  And we still may have a pretty passable pen! 

A fair amount of jays minor league players were released this week according to baseball america:

Toronto Blue Jays
Signed: LHP Bill Murphy
Released: RHP Rick Bauer, RHP Mike MacDonald, RHP Dan Miller, RHP Jay Monti, RHP Seth Overbey, RHP Edward Rodriguez, RHP Orlando Roman, LHP Daryl Harang, LHP Brian Letko, LHP Mike Maroth, LHP Ken Takahashi, LHP A.J. Wideman, C Joel Collins, 1B Adam Amar, 1B Chip Cannon, SS Marcos Cabral, OF Jacob Butler, OF Chris Demons, OF Wayne Lydon, OF Cory Patton
Traded: C Curtis Thigpen to Athletics for a player to be named or cash considerations
Voluntarily retired: RHP Justin Cryer
Optioned to Triple-A: RHP Brian Wolfe

A 10th-round pick from South Alabama in ’07, Collins batted .283/.381/.517 in 240 at-bats with the organization. Even though Cannon finished with the organization on a sour note, batting .231/.343/.343 for Triple-A Syracuse last year, he’ll always have 2005. That year he clubbed 32 home runs as part of a .289/.359/.582 campaign and march to Double-A New Hampshire. Cannon blasted 27 home runs for the Fisher Cats in ’06, but saw his totals dip to 17 and then to five last season. Toronto drafted him from The Citadel in the ’04 draft’s eighth round.

Wow, that's a big housekeeping by the Jays if it's true.  Some big names there among the released players -- well, at least big names in the Jays community, in the sense that we've been talking about these guys for years.  A few of them put up some good numbers too, but not at a young enough age.  The names that jump out at me are Seth Overbey, Cory Patton, Wayne Lydon, Adam Amar, A. J. Wideman and of course Chip Cannon.   None of them were blue-chippers, but all of them showed enough flashes of talent to keep us interested in their progress for the past few years. 

Yankee Diddle Dandies?

Stupid best friend Flanders.

Flag on the play!!  We've tasered enough horses here on this thread.  Man, I highlight the fact that Brad Mills struck out Ryan Howard because I thought it was a notable accomplishment for a rookie pitcher trying to make his mark.   Again, despite his many whiffs, Howard's a pretty good home run hitter!  Sheesh!  If I had any idea it wasn't going to lead to this....

It might be time to hand out yellow cards or call some technical fouls.  Maybe ejections are the next step.  Look, we don't have to hold hands and sing Cumbaya here but can't we at least get along?  This had better be the last thing on this subject.  Thanks and good night!

Signed,

"The Author"