Just a couple things since we're in that fallow period before those sweetest of words, Pitchers and Catchers Report.
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Yes, yes, birthdays are celebrated on the date of the arrival -- so your Blue Jays will turn 35 this coming April. But did you know that it was exactly 36 years ago today, 2/6/76, that the AL granted expansion franchises to Seattle (to replace the departed Pilots, ever since brewing in Milwaukee) and to the first-time NLB city, Toronto, future home of your Blue Jays?
It's a little bit like celebrating a child's birthday on the anniversary of his or her conception, so let's make this day an official holiday to Blue Jays Nation, the Feast of the Torontonian Conception, with our patron saints of the holy shortstops, the only two men to reach the big leagues named Concepcion, All-Star Red Davey and later Royal reserve Onix. Netiher ever played for the Blue Jays, but thanks to today's goings-on in 1976, they could have!
Anyone remember hearing the news? Tell your story!
In which three Box scribes discuss the bullpen, the AL Central, and the State of the Franchise. Listen here. (Note: iTunes subscribability in process!)
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JaysVision explains the topic for this POTD...
The Toronto Blue Jays honoured Dave Stieb on the 20th anniversary of his no-hitter in Cleveland August 29, 2010.
The Toronto Blue Jays honoured Dave Stieb on the 20th anniversary of his no-hitter in Cleveland August 29, 2010.
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We've been having a lot of discussions about 2012 and the starting rotation seems to be the biggest question (with honourable mention to LF and 1B). How bad was 2011's rotation and what would it take to improve it?
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Relief pitchers in most cases are the left-overs. In general, teams put their priority players in the starting pitcher spots and if you are not a priority player you are usually a reliever. This often changes in AA or AAA where players need to change roles in order to succeed. Some players have bullpen roles due to an unusual delivery, Danny Farquhar, or due to being injury prone, Alan Farina. As the Jays accumulate pitching prospects, some good pitchers will be forced into relief roles. They can try to pitch their way out of the pen, or show their worth as a future major league reliever, or make themselves attractive to another team. There is always an opportunity on a baseball team.
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Starting pitchers are the biggest group in our review and the most subject to change. Invariably by the start of the season there will be a half dozen pitchers on the disabled list including several starters. We will forecast an excess of starters and hope that within that mix we will find five to stick.
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Is today the greatest and most important shared birthday in major league history? No, we're not going to build an all-1/31 team here, though we certainly could, but rather, just take a look at this ....
Today's birthday produced two absolutely no-doubt-about-it slam-dumk Hall of famers in Nolan Ryan (alll-time leader in strikeouts pitched and no-hitters among other categroies, not to mention one of the most improbably successful front-office figures in recent memory) and Ernie Banks (arguably the greatest power-hitting shortstop of all time and the iconic "Mr. Cub" of one of the sport's flagship franchises) -- and oh by the way, a third Hall of Famer who might be the most important player in the sport's history, Jack Roosevelt Robinson.
That's not to mention ...
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Today's POTD looks at the 11-time Gold Glove award winner, who signed a minor league deal with Toronto recently.
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The Toronto Blue Jays held their annual State of the Franchise event at the Dome Monday night for season ticket holders and it revealed an interesting nugget or two among some of the inane and long-winded soliloquies/questions.
Some fans seemed to be angry, much like the Blue Jays logo of 2004 to 2011.
Some fans seemed to be angry, much like the Blue Jays logo of 2004 to 2011.
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Today we take our final look at the position players by predicting where the outfielders will land. The outfield projections vary from simple to complex by team.
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The Blue Jays have released their promotional schedule for the upcoming season. The highlights include three bobblehead giveaways, a baseball card set and the return of the magnetic schedule after a one-year hiatus.
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Today's POTD looks at a pair of new acquisitions by the Blue Jays, who were teammates with the Los Angeles Angels from 2007-2009.
Darren Oliver fires away against the Blue Jays in May of 2010.
Darren Oliver fires away against the Blue Jays in May of 2010.
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There has been a lot of talk about how great the Jays minor league system is and how many top prospects there are. Naturally we are all getting excited but what have the top Jay prospects done in the past?
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We finish our tour of the infield minor league assignments with a look at third base. This is not a position of strength in the Jays minor league system and you could see the same players in the same spots to start 2012 as played in 2011.
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