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Today's POTD looks at a series finale between the Blue Jays and Orioles at the Dome September 11.

After reaching on an error at first, Mike McCoy slides into third base on an Eric Thames single to center in the first inning.  Orioles third baseman Chris Davis awaits a late throw.



Mike McCoy looks behind him as he scores Toronto's first run, courtesy of a Jose Bautista single to left, to tie the game at 1-1.  Orioles catcher Matt Wieters can only look on.

Brett Lawrie hustles down to first after hitting a ground ball to second...

...to score Eric Thames to put the Jays ahead 2-1.

Second baseman Kelly Johnson gets ready to catch a pop-up from the Orioles Robert Andino to end the fifth inning.  David Cooper heads back to the first base bag.

Reliever Joel Carreno enters the ball game in the seventh inning and pitches a clean frame with one strikeout.  The Jays were trailing 5-3 at this point after the Orioles scored four times off starter Dustin McGowan and once off Shawn Camp.

David Cooper starts the comeback as he leads off the bottom of the seventh with a home run to right to make it a one-run game.

One out later, Adam Loewen crosses home plate after hitting his first major league homer off Orioles starter Tommy Hunter to tie the game at 5-5.

Jose Bautista is able to lift a sacrifice fly to center field off Orioles reliever Willie Eyre to score Mike McCoy, whose third run of the game gave the Jays a 6-5 lead.

J.P. Arencibia points at the home plate umpire, who calls strike three on a swing and a miss from a dejected Chris Davis to end the game.  Frank Francisco survived a Mark Reynolds walk with two outs in the ninth to collect his 14th save and preserve Joel Carreno's first major league win as the Jays beat the O's 6-5.

10 Photos - Jays Vs O's 9-11 | 35 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
greenfrog - Monday, November 28 2011 @ 11:55 AM EST (#247343) #
Nice photos, as usual.

Speaking of Baltimore, per mlbtraderumors.com:

"The Orioles have hired Gary Rajsich of the Blue Jays to be the club's new amateur scouting director, an industry source told Dan Connolly of The Baltimore Sun. Rajsich, 57, has been with the Blue Jays since 2009 but spent most of his scouting career with Boston, where he worked with O's GM Dan Duquette."

Hey, can we get some compensation for Rajsich? I don't like this poaching of the Jays' scouting talent!
damos - Monday, November 28 2011 @ 12:32 PM EST (#247346) #
In a radio interview w/ J. Blair, Farrell mentioned that Jeroloman may get a good long look to backup Arencibia this year.  Perhaps not a huge revelation given that the team snapped him back from Pittsburgh but in the interview he also said that the team has had internal discussions about developing a closer from within the organization.  Farrell mentioned Nestor Molina as a guy that's been discussed as a candidate for that role. 
Lylemcr - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 10:30 AM EST (#247363) #

Anybody read this?

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2011/11/blue-jays-notes-cooper-drabek-rasmus-darnaud.html

Sometimes I read this and I say, what are these guys smoking?  As much as I like the idea of some this, I don't see any of this happening.  (Especially Drabek going to the Yankees).

ayjackson - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 12:10 PM EST (#247373) #
I'd like to make a little humble request.  While I enjoy the photography work that has become a staple of the Box, it has made the site virtually inaccessible on my Blackberry and slow and cumbersome on some of my computers.  Would it be possible to limit the photography to dedicated articles and keep them within the article so the main page opens quickly and simply on all devices?
John Northey - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 12:37 PM EST (#247378) #
What I found interesting about that article is the idea that Cooper has a lot of value by saying "The Blue Jays would listen to offers on 24-year-old first baseman David Cooper, according to Jon Heyman of SI.com"

I mean, Coop did well in Vegas but we all know that needs a massive discount and his history suggests he won't be more than a stopgap for any club. Still, maybe some team will like that shiny AAA average and give the Jays something useful in exchange.

The Royals being interested in Rasmus is curious. What would it take to get AA to send him away I wonder...
Flex - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 01:23 PM EST (#247383) #
Would it be possible to limit the photography to dedicated articles and keep them within the article so the main page opens quickly and simply on all devices?

Seconded.
Jonny German - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 02:10 PM EST (#247385) #
Thirded.
Mike Forbes - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 02:16 PM EST (#247387) #
Forthededed.
Richard S.S. - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 02:47 PM EST (#247389) #
Get an iPhone. 
JB21 - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 02:59 PM EST (#247390) #
Get an iPhone

No.

finch - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 03:18 PM EST (#247394) #
IF it's Hosmer then I'm in. Rasmus + Cooper + Jenkins FOR Hosmer.

Or I'd be inclined to listen to Alcides Escobar for Rasmus and move Escobar (either one) to 2nd.
TamRa - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 03:39 PM EST (#247398) #
speaking of Farrell on the radio - I'm loving the discussion of Nestor Molina as an internal option to close. I mentioned this last week, and ask Goldstien about it (who replied his "stuff was a little short" to close, but most everyone else who's commented on it, including the team apparently, seems to disagree)

I have visions of Molina being our own Soria.

And yes, a good starter closing is a waste to an extent, but I've seen a couple of comments that his delivery looked high stress for a starter (something about the way he finishes) and when you have so very many rotation candidates, you can afford the luxury.
Mylegacy - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 05:33 PM EST (#247413) #
TamRa you mentioned in a recent entry on your blog (The Southpaw) that you had "predicted" that Molina might be made into the closer.

Tonight I'll pour a double and drink it (with joy) as a toast to your excellent forecasting abilities. Speaking of which - can you recommend some numbers for Wednesday's Lotto649 draw? Just give me the correct 6 numbers (from 1 to 49) and I'll happily share my winnings with you. I know - I'm a prince - what can I say.

TamRa - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 07:26 PM EST (#247416) #
If my predictive skills were other than random, I would already be insanely wealthy (I believe the last powerball was almost $300 mil)

Sadly, my skills are inadaquate
sam - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 11:47 PM EST (#247437) #
Richard Griffin really lets himself down with articles like his most recent. His narration of trade dialogue is a neat little piece of info, however, this notion that Anthopoulos' honeymoon is over and he has to "win now" to satisfy a growing dispassionate fan base is severely off the mark. I mean, the fan base I would argue has been reinvigorated since he arrived with great trades and excellent front office work. He's built up the farm system and make shrewd acquisitions when opportunity presented. Griffin seems to be saying that if the Jays don't make some huge blockbuster trade that brings in a talent that fans will grow tired of Anthopoulos. It's worth noting that the players mentioned in Griffin's article that would satisfy the fans are a prospect (Alonso), a young pitcher with a 2:1 K/BB ratio (Gonzalez), and a 24 save closer (Bailey). Hardly pieces that will guarantee playoff success and have fans running to the box office.

Look, I want a big blockbuster trade that brings in a star just as much as the next guy, but if AA doesn't bring someone in it'll probably be because the price was simply to steep and my view of him or the ball club will not have changed. I'm excited to see Nestor Molina and Drew Hutchison (hopefully) pitch next season in Toronto. I'm equally excited to see a full season of Brett Lawrie, Henderson Alvarez, Eric Thames/Travis Snider, and hopefully a return to 2010 form for Colby Rasmus. I think Griffin needs to understand that Jays fans know their baseball and appreciative of AA and excited for this ball club irregardless of major trades.
Richard S.S. - Tuesday, November 29 2011 @ 11:49 PM EST (#247438) #
Kelekin - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 02:58 AM EST (#247441) #
Does the minor league season start yet? sigh. 

I'd love to know if they are going to try Stilson as a starter, or keep him as a reliever.  If he's a reliever, Dyson and Stilson will certainly be on the fast-track to relief roles in the bullpen.  But AA will have quite a solid rotation.  I don't want them to rush Molina, Hutchison, or McGuire, but seeing a combination of them in the big leagues by mid-season I wouldn't be opposed to.  And what do we do with Biggy Jenkins?
jgadfly - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 03:31 AM EST (#247442) #

 "... this notion that Anthopoulos' honeymoon is over and he has to "win now" to satisfy a growing dispassionate fan base is severely off the mark." 

  The two questions facing the Jays  is not whether the "honeymoon is over" or that they have to "win now" but how much damage did the changes to the new Collective Agreement do to their blueprint, their plan for going forward, and their yet unfinished foundation with its cornerstones not yet firmly set in place ... and the second is the oft asked, oft unanswered question that will not go away, "where's the money ?"

       I believe the approach that the Jays and AA  had favoured (stockpiling draft selections, building the farmsystem by spending on the draft and signing International prospects and slowly upgrading, position by position, at the major league level ) suffered a real seismic shift.  The timing of their move to serious contention got bumped forward and they should react to this new landscape. They won't be as able to refill the depth of their prospect pool to the same level as they had hoped to after the further ML roster upgrades which were probably scheduled to happen to a greater extent at the July 31st trading deadline and after the third round of AA's draft plan. The changes to the draft will not only cause constrictions on the quality of the replacement draftees but quantity as well (No more overpaying guys like Norris, Dean and Comer in the lower rounds by buying out their university committments).   This change of schedule will also shorten the time to properly evaluate and assess the first two draft classes and will not allow them to build more value . The monies budgeted for the 2012 draft and international underage market should be recalculated and reallocated to the present free agent market . The Jays require "a big bat" and they must recognize that it cannot be filled internally by their farmsystem and that it likely cannot be acquired via trade (Votto not withstanding) without prematurely gutting the prospect list.  I think that their push starts now and that Rogers has to honour their commitments to Jays fandom, "show us the money" . The Blue Jay priority, much as I was initially opposed, should  be a Cecil Fielder contract . This should take the jaundiced pallor off of Rogers and have Jays fans standing in the aisles.

ayjackson - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 09:48 AM EST (#247446) #

Look, I want a big blockbuster trade that brings in a star just as much as the next guy, but if AA doesn't bring someone in it'll probably be because the price was simply to steep and my view of him or the ball club will not have changed. I'm excited to see Nestor Molina and Drew Hutchison (hopefully) pitch next season in Toronto. I'm equally excited to see a full season of Brett Lawrie, Henderson Alvarez, Eric Thames/Travis Snider, and hopefully a return to 2010 form for Colby Rasmus.

*slow clap*

ayjackson - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 09:50 AM EST (#247447) #

The Blue Jay priority, much as I was initially opposed, should  be a Cecil Fielder contract .

This would be a monumental step backwards in my opinion.  Like 20+ years backward.

Ryan Day - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 10:37 AM EST (#247450) #
I dunno, Cecil Fielder seems like a great "buy low" opportunity.
MatO - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 11:04 AM EST (#247456) #
Last I heard, Cecil would be happy to sign for the minimum.
jgadfly - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 11:27 AM EST (#247460) #
Thanks Ryan and MatO, I guess Cecil would be attempting cartwheels down at the Skydome if he were offered a contract... mea culpa.  All I can say in my defence is it was late and I'm perhaps older than I think I am .
92-93 - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 11:33 AM EST (#247461) #
All kidding aside, I'd still sign Barry Bonds to DH. If JP signs Bonds in 2008 instead of the retreads he sent out to LF who knows.
jgadfly - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 11:37 AM EST (#247462) #

oh and thanks to AYJ as while ( or is that well )... I'm still not awake and I totally missed your meaning upon my first three reads of the 20+ years stepping backwards ...

John Northey - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 01:09 PM EST (#247468) #
Bonds sure could hit right up until no one would pay him the minimum. If he does poorly in the HOF vote I wonder if he'll hunt down teams to try to get to play again so he can push his eligiblity back. Heck, given his bat at the end if he did get in he could be the first baseball HOF'er to earn his way back to the majors, if the teams would actually look at him rather than going 'evil...eeeevvvviiillll'.

Rickey Henderson tried but no one would bite (he played 2 years in the independent minors after 'retiring' hitting in the 270's with an OBP around 460 and Slg% over 400).
MatO - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 01:27 PM EST (#247469) #

I guess Cecil would be attempting cartwheels

I'd pay to see that.  Um, maybe not.

greenfrog - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 03:51 PM EST (#247474) #
I don't think the new CBA amounts to a seismic shift that requires AA to drop everything and scramble to sign someone like Fielder. The farm is currently deep and is stocked with a lot of good young prospects - this trend should continue with the 2012 draft. I think he'll look to make a few strategic additions via trades, FA and IFA, but the basic plan will be the same - building from within via good scouting, drafting, trades, etc. There will still be ample opportunities out there for a smart GM to add talented prospects. After all, there will still be talented young players vying to break into baseball - it might as well be AA who corrals them (or more than 1/30th of them:)).
Mike Green - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 04:36 PM EST (#247478) #
That is certainly an optimistic take on things, greenfrog.  I was sure that all of the talented young baseball players in the developed world were about to be sucked into the European debt vortex. 

What I do not like about Griffin's take on things is the expectation that somehow Anthopoulos should be expected to deliver a winner in the AL East double-quick while under severe budget restraint.  If moves are not made and the Jays take the Tampa Bay 7-10 year route to long-term competition, the finger ought to be pointed at Rogers. 

ogator - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 05:06 PM EST (#247479) #
  I completely agree with where Mike Green would like to point our collective finger.  Rogers continues to cry poor and like a parent who doesn't like the question, continues to say, "maybe tomorrow."  Anthopoulos got rid of the ugly contracts, restocked the farm system and brought some very interesting young players to the Major Leagues.  It is now time for Rogers to hold up their end and to stop this charade that they are somehow supposed to be seen as a philanthropic but overly-matched small time kindly company doing business in some backwater hick town.  Rogers continues to make gobs of money which they pour into advertising to convince people that they really want to help us by taking all of that useless money clogging up our pockets.  It is time Rogers supported the Major League team by spending some money.
greenfrog - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 05:28 PM EST (#247480) #
Rogers is certainly going to have to spend for the Jays to be competitive, but for God's sake, don't go throwing $200M at some lumbering first baseman in the hope that it's going to solve all your problems (let alone placate the Richard Griffins of the world, who earn their salaries by rabble-rousing every few months).
ayjackson - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 05:36 PM EST (#247482) #
This is the first I've heard of Roger's crying poor.  I thought the official line from Beest and AA is "Roger's has told us the money will be there when we want it.  We haven't asked for it yet."  All along the plan has been to build up the internal strength of the organization before loosening the pursestrings to fill the gaps (likely via trade).  While I'm as skeptical as the next guy as to whether that day will come, there's nothing inconsistent in the story yet.
bpoz - Wednesday, November 30 2011 @ 07:26 PM EST (#247490) #
I worry about developing SPs in LV.

First, we have to be brave enough to send a good SP prospect to LV.
Then a guy like B Mills learned to succeed there but by using a pitching style that hurt him in the Majors IMO. I am not sure but I think he kept the ball up more in LV and it worked with those hitters. But the ML hitters killed him. Alan Ashby was constantly criticizing Brett Cecil for also keeping the ball too high.

If we do not have 5 good SP prospects in the rotation at LV, then rather than fill in with M MacDonald or such, I was wondering if we could have RPs like C Beck, Farquar, Magnuson etc pitch 2-3 innings each rather than go 1 inning. This way they may develop better by using more types of pitches. Of course they would have to pitch every 3rd day rather than every 5th day. It would be more of a long man from the pen type role.
TamRa - Thursday, December 01 2011 @ 12:12 AM EST (#247506) #
" I believe the approach that the Jays and AA had favoured (stockpiling draft selections, building the farmsystem by spending on the draft and signing International prospects and slowly upgrading, position by position, at the major league level ) suffered a real seismic shift. "

I rather believe that Beeston (and thus AA) had a farily solid read on what was coming and was planning for something like this all along.

Pump up the system to an extreme degree while it was possible, then slam into a different gear and work on refining what they have into a long term contender via trades (mostly) and free agency (where it seems smart)

Beeston has been telegraphing that for 2 years now - "when the time is right" = "when the new CBA forces us to"
bpoz - Thursday, December 01 2011 @ 10:57 AM EST (#247518) #
An excellent point Tamra.
To me is seems obvious that for the last 3 years the Jays have not been trying to win. In Richardi's last year, 2009, he seemed to know that he was on his way out. He made very few splashy moves IMO.
AA's 1st year was "Asset Acquisition" mode & his 2nd year was "building" mode. While the 2010 team seemed to compete a little, IMO it was not really built to. I don't know what happened in 2011, building mode, seemed to be transition mode, with a lot of hope tied up in Snider, JPA, Drabek & Reyes to become important pieces and Lawrie joining soon.

If the extra wild card starts in 2012, then 2012's mode may be to hope we can stay close. I don't know how that can be marketed. I am fairly sure that AA still wants to build a 96 win team. IMO the 2012 team will not win 96 games but 88-91 should be achievable. I like the veteran & talented presence of Bautista, Escobar and the proven potential of EE & Lind. Also the very talented youth in the rest of the line up except 2B looks good to me. So I expect lots of patience there. IF things break right 88-91 wins. Also the SP should be in constant competition to keep their jobs, because in June I can see some minor league pitchers producing hard to ignore numbers. The pen could be even more ruthless.

It will be real interesting to see how this plays out.
10 Photos - Jays Vs O's 9-11 | 35 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.