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In honour of my fourth anniversary with Hannah, I'm going to do something I haven't done in awhile.

Roundup

  1. Spencer Fordin discusses the long rain delay in "Rain puts damper on Jays' day":
      Some ballgames just seem to last all day. And then there was this one.

      The Blue Jays and Indians played a five-hour extravaganza on Saturday, a contest delayed by two separate rain delays totaling 139 minutes. Even with the drawn-out proceedings, the two teams were tied for most of the day.

      One swing changed that. Cleveland shortstop Jhonny Peralta ripped a solo homer in the seventh inning, giving the Indians a 3-2 win and a two-game edge in the current series.

  2. The same story from Cleveland's perspective can be found in Steve Herrick's "Rain can't damper Peralta, Tribe:
      It took until the middle of May, but the Indians can finally lay claim to a three-game winning streak.

      Saturday's 3-2 victory over Toronto, which came around two rain delays that totaled two hours and 19 minutes, means the Indians have won three straight for the first time this season.

  3. In probably the biggest Jays news yesterday, Spencer Fordin announced that Ted Lilly is now out of the rotation in "Jays pull struggling Lilly":
      They've seen enough.

      The Blue Jays acted decisively on Saturday, pulling Ted Lilly from his next start until they can sort out his pitching trouble. The southpaw's ERA has yet to go down this season, and he has lasted just five outs in each of his last two starts. That trajectory, combined with his past success, convinced the Jays that something has to change.

    Allan Ryan also gives his take on the game in "Blue Jays pay the price for leaving runners stranded".
  4. In Mike Ganter's "McDonald a student" John McDonald attributes some of his defensive prowess from watching Omar Vizquel:
      John McDonald did not see the field a lot in six years in Cleveland -- a total of 285 games, 100 of them at shortstop -- but he certainly put his time to good use.

      His defensive highlight-a-night reputation has its roots in all the sitting and watching he did playing behind Omar Vizquel in Cleveland.

  5. A must read article by Geoff Baker of the Star today in "Harvesting the Dominican diamond mine"
      There are only two reasons why a Dominican buscone would hold a baseball practice in the bushes and it soon became obvious why Victor Rosario was doing just that.

      Working out amongst trees and shrubs is a common tactic of this country's shady lot of unregulated street agents when hiding top prospects from other roving talent hunters. But talent theft was the last thing on Rosario's mind this sweltering morning, since the four scrawny pitchers under his tutelage, aged 15 to 17, had been given to him for free by another buscone looking to shed dead weight.

  6. Richard Griffin argues it's time for Vernon Wells to get a wake-up-call in "Fate of Blue Jays rests on shoulders of slumping Wells":
      It's now 43 days into the schedule and it looks like the Blue Jays are destined to be a .500 team, or below, unless Vernon Wells snaps out of his "I'm missing Carlos Delgado in the lineup behind me" funk. And, even though general manager J.P. Ricciardi now has the financial resources to go out and get another significantly salaried pitcher, that isn't going to happen until other teams are ready to give up, around mid-season or at the trade deadline. The task falls to Wells. Of course, the easiest way that the Jays can surprise the baseball world and rise back into the top dozen teams in the majors is if their $3 million (U.S.) centre fielder would get off his keister and perform the way everyone expected that he would, in filling the leadership void left by the departure of Delgado.
    Ouch!
Today's game: Halladay (5-2 3.38 ERA) vs. Sabathia (2-2 3.26 ERA) in Cleveland for a 1:05 PM EST start.
Indians 3 - Jays 2 | 13 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
BallGuy - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 09:17 AM EDT (#116642) #
I'm surprised Griffin didn't find a way to blame JP for Vernon's poor start.
I seem to recall Vernon struggled for a good portion of last season as well before finally hitting in the .270's. There is still time for him to do that. Yes the Jays might have more success if he were hitting .270 but it seems to me the whole team has had a lack of hitting since they were in Baltimore (KC doesn't count cuz they are brutal). This recent hitting slump has been a team effort and should not be pinned on Vernon. Methinks me sees a very Canadian past time at work with Vernon; put the hero on the pedestal and them tear him off it at the slightest imperfection.
This Jays team is probably going to finish around .500. I don't think Vernon's success or lack thereof will cost them a playoff spot. Grif needs to chill, as ususal. #10 will bounce back.
Pistol - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 09:29 AM EDT (#116643) #
In honour of my fourth anniversary with Hannah,

Congrats! I'm sure Hannah will love seeing the Roundup. What woman wouldn't love a bunch of baseball links?

The wealthiest buscones, such as Enrique Soto, finder of former American League MVP Miguel Tejada and whose son, Leance, 19, just signed a $675,000 deal with the Blue Jays, run virtual mini-camps. Soto had a half-dozen teams interested in his son before the Jays made one of their biggest Latin American expenditures in years on the third baseman.

Well, that one flew under the radar.

Cristian - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 09:56 AM EDT (#116646) #
Another Griffin nugget about Vernon:

This guy should be slamming helmets and beating down water coolers in dugout tunnels, like Eric Hinske.

Of course, this sort of action turned Hinske's 2003 and 2004 seasons around, didn't it? Frustrating article. I was Griffin-free for 2005 and then I had to go looking for trouble by clicking the round-up link.

VBF - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 10:39 AM EDT (#116649) #
Sorry to hi-jack:

Mike Bernardino of the Sun Sentinel had this to say about Jason Giambi's future.

...only a handful of AL teams figure to have any interest in a low-budget roll of the dice. Giambi's ties to Billy Beane and J.P. Ricciardi make Oakland and Toronto possible landing spots...

There is nothing to proove that Riccardi has interest in Giambi, but it is interesting to note that some speculation is out there. I am indifferent on the idea of Giambi in a Jays uni.

Dave Till - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 10:47 AM EDT (#116650) #
Bah. If Wells was beating water coolers and slamming down batting helmets, Griffin would be accusing him of immaturity, stating that this sort of behaviour is unbecoming for an ostensible team leader.

I found this interesting:

After working the count full, Wells took ball four and looked relieved to have actually reached base. They're not paying him that kind of money to take borderline pitches and trot down to first base with a satisfied smile.

Errm... reaching base is a good thing. He should be satisfied in such circumstances; it's mission accomplished, and beats the heck out of fanning on a low outside breaking pitch. If everybody were to reach base like this, the Jays would score buckets and scads of runs.

Since everybody has an opinion, here's mine: when Wells was going good, he never had to learn to be more selective at the plate, as he could hit anything pitched between his uniform letters and his shoetops for extra bases. Unfortunately, his batting form has gone just a little out of whack, which means that he has become vulnerable to certain types of pitches (mostly low outside breaking pitches). In an attempt to adjust to this, he's lost all his power.

All you can really ask of Wells is that he work as hard as he can to overcome his difficulties. Not knowing any more than I do, I would guess that he is putting in this necessary effort. Given this, since he is a talented hitter, he should snap out of his slump at some point - though, as with Hinske, it might take him a while.

Magpie - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 11:51 AM EDT (#116652) #
For the record, Wells' numbers on May 14 in each of his four seasons. One of these is very unlike the others:

2002 3 HR, 16 RBI, .248, .279, .372
2003 9 HR, 37 RBI, .268, .312, .512
2004 3 HR, 15 RBI, .272, .359, .415
2005 4 HR, 12 RBI, .206, .263, .326
Maybe the guys's just what they used to call a hot-weather hitter.
Jdog - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 01:08 PM EDT (#116654) #
Sorry if this post is inapropriate.

I am at work and I can't join the chat due to firewalls or whatever, but i usually follow along. Anyways this Wellshater character who is chatting is a tad annoying, saying Wells bad start is due to not having Delgado behind him. I'd just like someone to ask him why Renteria is struggling with Manny and Ortiz behind him. I agree that having a big bat behind you may help now and then , but its not as huge as he makes it out
King Ryan - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 01:25 PM EDT (#116655) #
Remember last year when Carlos was injured and Wells batted with "no one protecting him?"

He hit .333 with a .370 OBP, 3 HRs and 3 doubles in 50AB's.

Then of course, he got hurt himself, and when he returned he struggled for a month and a half with Carlos Delgado hitting behind him, before tearing it up in September.

I am not worried.

mendocino - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 01:55 PM EDT (#116656) #
a couple of articles some might find interesting.

Scott Eyre
"I cried like a little baby" shortly after then-Blue Jays manager Carlos Tosca shocked the Cyprus High graduate with the news that he was being released in August 2002."

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_2736444

Dennis/Kenny Holmberg

Schiavo case touched player deeply

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/03NewsHEAD04BBC051505.htm

Holmberg bio

http://daytona.embryriddlesports.com/roster.asp?playerid=203&sport=2

stats

http://daytona.embryriddlesports.com/Sports/bball/2005/bbstats.asp
garth - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 03:58 PM EDT (#116657) #
Vernon must have read griffin's story today.

Yah, that's what happened.
Nick - Sunday, May 15 2005 @ 04:16 PM EDT (#116659) #
In reference to the Baker article and the mention of the Jays signing Leance Soto for $675,000, I googled "Leance Soto" and this was the only story I found:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3713-2004Sep7_2.html

It is from September 2004 and simply states that Soto had a tryout with the Orioles and was seeking representation from Tejada's agents. It also says that he would try out with a few more teams before making a decision. I'd be very curious to find out more information about this transaction if anyone has anything.
binnister - Monday, May 16 2005 @ 02:30 PM EDT (#116740) #
Thanks Pepper! Appreciate the effort here. Oh, how I've missed the Giffin-bashing.

Any chance we could talk you into making the Round Up a 'Week End Report'? You'd have enough time for that, right? right?
binnister - Monday, May 16 2005 @ 02:38 PM EDT (#116742) #
Re: Dennis/Kenny Holmberg

Gosh, just read that article about the wife/mother in a vegetative state. I just can't begin to fathom the impact it had/has on that family.

Thanks for the link.
Indians 3 - Jays 2 | 13 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.