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Features Jays Claim Murphy From D'Backs
The Jays claimed Bill Murphy from the Diamondbacks and added him to the 40 man roster.

Casey Janssen was moved to the 60 day DL to make room.


And Blair is back to blogging today with many entries which wouldn't be complete without a Burnett barb.
Posted by Pistol on Monday, March 17 2008 @ 04:35 PM EDT.
Jays Claim Murphy From D'Backs | 32 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
CaramonLS - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 05:01 PM EDT (#181120) #
Why?  I see AAA spot starter material with a high WHIP.

Still surprised we didn't try to keep that dude who we claimed from the Cardinals (whose name escapes me) on our 40.  Instead we seem to enjoy picking up spare parts like this without a lot of upside.

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Mike Green - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 05:07 PM EDT (#181122) #
I don't have 2007 splits for  the lefty Murphy, but, oddly, left-handed hitters killed him in 2006. Small sample size warnings apply.
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Clifford - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 05:15 PM EDT (#181123) #

I don't see a fitting spot for these links so I'll put them here, if I may. The links will take you to a journalist's conversation with Pat Gillick centred on his life in baseball. Evidently this is Mr. Gillick's last year before hanging it up. The second link is to the reporter's blog about the discussion:

http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080316/SPORTS01/803160376/1002/SPORTS

http://www.delawareonline.com/blogs/2008/03/mar-16-gabbing-with-gillick.html

 

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Greg - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 06:31 PM EDT (#181126) #

http://www.thechronicle.com.au/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3766945

Jays signed Toowoomba "baseballer" Phil Vandernuet.  He sounds pretty excited 

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dan gordon - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 06:58 PM EDT (#181127) #
Rotoworld says B.J. Ryan felt soreness in his left elbow after today's game.
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Ryan Day - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 07:15 PM EDT (#181128) #
He's left-handed, he's got some good stuff (even if the control is iffy), a couple smart organizations have acquired him, and he's free. What's not to like? Besides, Ricciarrdi's had some good luck with nondescript relievers - no one was exactly cheering when he acquired Downs, Tallet, or Wolfe, but they've all become useful parts a the least.

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Simon - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 07:37 PM EDT (#181129) #
I'm excited about Vandernuet - always good to have another Second-base Man, even here at the highest of all club levels.

I'm sure he'll triumph in all his skirmishes.
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Greg - Monday, March 17 2008 @ 08:08 PM EDT (#181130) #

I also love his "initial" assignment to a Minor League team.

Merely a formality before he takes his place on the big squad next week.
I'm certainly going to follow him this season!

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VBF - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 10:04 AM EDT (#181133) #

Rogers Applies for BaseballTV licence.

Rogers, which is also the owner of the Toronto Blue Jays baseball franchise, said the digital-only channel would be devoted to the coverage of baseball.

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John Northey - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 11:21 AM EDT (#181134) #
Hey, I hope Rogers gets that license.  I'd love to have a baseball only channel that costs, say, $2-4 a month.  If it was $10 then forget it, but under $5 no problem.  Baseball movies would be shown given their 'drama' request, as would some other stuff that is marginally related I suspect but I'd take it. 

Heh.  Speaking of marginal baseball stuff, every movie or tv show we watch my wife catches a baseball reference in lately it seems.  And she always groans when it happens.  Anyone else's spouse groan at any mention of baseball?
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Mick Doherty - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 12:34 PM EDT (#181135) #
Yes, John, but it stopped when I started groaning at every pop culture reference to Martha Stewart.
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HollywoodHartman - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 12:56 PM EDT (#181138) #
To any fantasy baseball guy, this is one of the greatest draft tools I have ever seen. Especially for an auction. I have my first ever one Saturday and I found this just in time!
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alsiem - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 01:18 PM EDT (#181139) #
Happened to me last night.  I was watching 'How I met your mother' last night when one of the characters asked if they had to build a baseball field when it was suggested that they follow their hearts.  I thought it was funny, my wife was on the verge of anger.  Field of Dreams is a black hole of popular culture that cannot be mentioned.
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seeyou - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 11:08 PM EDT (#181152) #
According to the National Post, Brett Cecil will be starting against the Yankees on Thursday.

That MLB.TV subscription is already paying dividends.

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HollywoodHartman - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 11:27 PM EDT (#181153) #
It's also on Sportsnet tomorrow! Yay!
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Pistol - Tuesday, March 18 2008 @ 11:27 PM EDT (#181154) #
The Jays will be on ESPN both Wednesday and Thursday.
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Andrew K - Wednesday, March 19 2008 @ 12:21 PM EDT (#181162) #

Today's game was supposed to start at 12:05 ET, but has been delayed because of some internal red sox dispute about the Japan trip. Come chat, if you're watching or listening online. 

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VBF - Wednesday, March 19 2008 @ 12:29 PM EDT (#181163) #
This supports the notion that the Red Sox are clearly Communist.
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ChicagoJaysFan - Wednesday, March 19 2008 @ 08:32 PM EDT (#181174) #
I haven't seen it posted elsewhere and I know he was a favourite so it may not be news, but the Jays have decided to take Tallet North to start the season.
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ChicagoJaysFan - Wednesday, March 19 2008 @ 08:51 PM EDT (#181175) #

Still surprised we didn't try to keep that dude who we claimed from the Cardinals (whose name escapes me) on our 40.  Instead we seem to enjoy picking up spare parts like this without a lot of upside.

Do you mean Gosling?  If so, I think it's hard to say that Gosling has much more upside at this point than Murphy. 

Murphy is slightly younger (8 months) and Gosling seems stuck at this part-time AAA / part-time ML place in his career that he's been for the last 5 years.

When you pick someone up off of waivers, you're not usually going to get a Roger Clemens clone or something similar.  With Janssen's movement to the DL, the Jays had no other option, at least for the short-term, than filling that spot on the 40 by someone off of waivers.
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Jonathan - Wednesday, March 19 2008 @ 09:49 PM EDT (#181178) #
The Baseball Analysts have an interesting article on effectiveness of starters and relievers in inducing Groundballs and K's per batters faced. 
http://baseballanalysts.com/

Relievers:
  • While Jason Frasor failed at some crucial moments last year, he actually comes out as one of the top relievers in this study.
  • Downs and Accardo also do quite well.
  • Boy,  Saito and Broxton mean LA fans really can leave in the 7th and be assured a Dodger win.

Starters
  • Burnett is third best in the K and GB quadrant.  Bedard is number one.
  • McGowan is not far behind.
  • Halladay is on the list, but for high GB inducement, low K. 
  • That's a killer top three we have.




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ayjackson - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 12:22 AM EDT (#181182) #

Time for some fun with Spring Training numbers?

If ST was actually a competition for jobs, our starting lineup could be (OPS bracketed):

  1. CF  Buck Coats (1.071)
  2. RF  Adam Lind (.900)
  3. 2B  Aaron Hill (1.006)
  4. 3B  Scott Rolen (1.084)
  5. 1B  Lyle Overbay (.950)
  6. C  Rod Barajas (.774)
  7. DH  Matt Stairs (.833)
  8. LF  Shannon Stewart (.730)
  9. SS  Joe Inglett (.788)

(minimum 20 AB)

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John Northey - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 05:37 AM EDT (#181183) #
So, based on the article at bluejays.com we have a pen of Accardo/Downs/Tallet/Frasor for sure with Ryan likely available for every other day duty.  Two slots left in that case for League, Parrish, and Wells with Wells being a favorite to stick based on the article.  Looks to me like Parrish should hope Ryan isn't ready for opening day so he has a slot as League has been listed regularly as being 'impressive'.

Lets hope that pen is as impressive as it looks, or at least as deep.
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seeyou - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 10:41 AM EDT (#181187) #
Don't forget about Brian Wolfe.  I'd say he should have more of a lock on a spot in the pen than Frasor: he's pitched well this spring, and is coming off a season with an ERA under 3 and a WHIP under 1.  Maybe they'll try and stretch him out in AAA, but if not, he deserves a spot in the pen.  Then it gets even more tight with only ONE of Wells, League and Parrish making the team.  It'd be a shame if we had to let Wells go, you can't ask much more of a Rule 5 pick than what he's done this spring (5 IP, 4 H,  0 ER).
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timpinder - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 12:13 PM EDT (#181190) #

Based on this article, it looks like B.J. Ryan will start the year on DL:

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080320&content_id=2446170&vkey=spt2008news&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor

This likely moves Downs up to the set-up role, so the Jays will probably lean toward keeping a lefty (Parrish).  I imagine Accardo, Downs, League, Wolfe, Frasor, Tallet and Parrish will be the bullpen for at least the month of April. 

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Thomas - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 12:29 PM EDT (#181191) #
Do you mean Gosling? If so, I think it's hard to say that Gosling has much more upside at this point than Murphy.

I may be wrong, but I think he means Cody Haerther, the outfield prospect. I believe Gosling was claimed from Cincinnati. I agree that I'd rather have him than Murphy, but the team didn't have Janssen's 40-man spot free at that time. They did have a 40-man spot free and chose to expose Haerther, but that move was debated at the time and several posters expressed disagreement with the move.

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AWeb - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 01:19 PM EDT (#181192) #
I'm glad Ryan will start the year on the DL. Nothing will lead an intense thrower like Ryan to an even longer trip to the DL quicker than trying to throw it past people at 85-90% (a guess as to where he's at based on elapsed time since surgery). Early in the year, the bullpen should have no trouble absorbing the innings, and Accardo should slot right back where he finished last year (I haven't heard any news on him this spring, is it a case of no news = good news?). The Zambrano debacle last year (he needed to work his arm into shape, but ended up hardly pitching at all for a month) hopefully taught a few lessons to the front office and training staff. Pitcher's arms just can't be at less than full strength. A few nicks and pains on a full strength arm can be thrown through sometimes, but no amount of effort makes up for a weak arm.
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John Northey - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 01:49 PM EDT (#181194) #
I see Wolfe in AAA being stretched out as a starter, especially given the many choices for the pen. Thus Chacin is not the #6 (phew).
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Noah - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 01:53 PM EDT (#181195) #
In Blair's Blog he speaks about Marcum wanting to get a monkey and that Frank Thomas asked JP if he would be ok with the team having a "Clubhouse Monkey".

not even kidding, check it out.
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Mike Green - Thursday, March 20 2008 @ 02:10 PM EDT (#181198) #
If the Hall of Fame subpoenas Roberto Alomar, as it almost surely will, it will be with a Jays cap. Those were the days, my friend...
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SheldonL - Friday, March 21 2008 @ 01:46 AM EDT (#181237) #
OMG!

John Patterson got cut by the Nats!

The Jays definitely have to pursue this! If Patterson regains his form, he could push for the number 2 spot in the rotation. Imagine AJ Burnett being the 4th guy in the rotation! That's a dream rotation!

The Nationals are justifying the cut by comparing Patterson's situation to that of a rehabbing pitcher. If this is really the case, we can sign him to be the long guy(ie. 7th reliever in the pen) and if his stuff is re-found, then we insert him into the rotation.
I think he's well worth the $2mil or so gamble!
[ Reply to This ]
Jays Claim Murphy From D'Backs | 32 comments | Create New Account
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