|  Author | Topic: NEW FRONTPAGE ARTICLE!! (Read 193 times) |
nate128
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|  | NEW FRONTPAGE ARTICLE!!
« Thread Started on Mar 9, 2007, 9:42pm » | |
Big thanks to Brandon for putting the time and effort into it!
Here ya go:
Spring Training Update – Week 1
March 9, 2007
- Brandon E.M. Savage
As the first week of the Grapefruit League season comes to a close, let’s take a look at the surprises, disappointments and expectations for the Toronto Blue Jays.
As those of you who have followed baseball for any length of time can attest to, Spring Training stats mean absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of things, but for those of us who live and breathe baseball, it’s always an entertaining subject. Today, we’ll focus on the batters.
There are a couple of new faces in the Toronto clubhouse this spring, and a few have had good showings so far.
The Standouts:
Jason Smith. Toronto’s rule five pickup this winter figures to play the role of backup infielder and left-handed bat off the bench this season, and he has put on a show and made JP Richardi look like a genius with his selection. In his first week with the Jays he has managed to lead the team in Home Runs (Tied with Vernon Wells at 2), OPS (On Base + Slugging Percentage) at 1.615 and gone 6 for 13 with a double and a triple to go with his pair of dingers.
Jeff Duncan. A very overlooked signing this off-season without any fanfare at all, Duncan who at 28 was signed as a minor league free agent by Richardi, has gone 6 for 15 with a pair of triples and 3 RBIs. Duncan is capable of playing all three outfield positions, and he also provides a left handed option. Should he continue to impress, he could possibly supplant Matt Stairs, who was also signed this off-season, as Toronto’s 4th Outfielder.
Alex Rios. He’s been limited to DH duties for most of the first week, but has now made his first start in right field. He has handled the bat very well going 5 for 11 with 3 doubles and a home run for a .455 average.
Ryan Roberts. The tattooed middle infielder from the Syracuse Skychiefs has been impressive in his spring training time. He’s proved to be a versatile fielder playing third base as well as second and short, all the while going 4 for 10 with 2 walks. You might remember Roberts’ only hit as a 2006 September call-up as a solo home run in Yankees stadium.
Vernon Wells. A notorious slow starter, Wells has started to show that his off-season extension (7 years, $126 Million) is money well spent. One of the best Centre Fielders in the game with the glove, Wells has picked up where he left off in 2006 with the bat. He’s batting .333 with 2 home runs and a team leading 5 RBIs.
Aaron Hill. Aaron brought his solid bat with him to Knology Park this spring. He hit the first Jays home run of the grapefruit season, and is batting .364 after the first week of play.
The Disappointments:
Gregg Zaun. After some drama this off-season, Gregg Zaun has returned as Toronto’s number one catcher. The past two seasons, Gregg has made strides to “bulk up” and improve his power numbers, but so far this spring, he hasn’t been effective with the bat. 2 hits in 16 at bats this spring certainly isn’t what he hoped for, though he has managed 4 walks, a category in which he led the team in 2006.
Sergio Santos. Once the crown jewel in the Arizona Diamondbacks farm system, Santos has seen his stock fall dramatically, and was included in the trade that brought Troy Glaus to the Jays last season. In 9 at bats this spring he has yet to record a hit, reaching base only once with a walk.
Matt Stairs. Not much is expected of him save providing a left-handed bat off the bench. He was signed to be the 4th outfielder, but the 39-year-old Stairs hasn’t logged much time away from DH or First Base in the past few seasons. If he wants to fend off the advance of Jeff Duncan, he’ll have to do better than 1 for 9 the rest of the spring.
Troy Glaus. Not known for his average, Glaus is a power hitter through and through, but even by those standards, it’s a bit shocking to see him go 2 for 11 with only 1 home run so far this spring.
Royce Clayton. Signed to be Toronto’s primary Short Stop this winter, he isn’t really known for his bat, but he’d better hit above his current .231 clip if he plans to keep John McDonald and Jason Smith on the bench.
Too Early To Tell:
Frank Thomas. The Big Hurt made his Blue Jays official debut today; he went 1 for 2 with a walk. Yesterday Thomas participated in a “B” Game, and in his first at bat in a Jays uniform, he hit an RBI single. He ended the day 1 for 3 with a strikeout. Combining the official and un-official at bats gives Frank 2 for 5 with an RBI and a walk.
Reed Johnson. Reed sat out the early portion of spring training with tightness in his back. On Friday, he led off for the Jays v. the Huston Astros going 1 for 3. Expectations for Johnson are high after posting the highest On Base Percentage of all American League lead off batters in 2006. He’ll have to hope he continues to be an asset with prospect Adam Lind breathing down his neck from AAA.
Spring training continues for another 3 weeks. Some of the heroes may fall, and some of the goats may rise to glory, this is what makes March baseball so exciting and leaves us all longing for the regular season.
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Nate128
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| | Re: NEW FRONTPAGE ARTICLE!!
« Reply #2 on Mar 11, 2007, 9:06pm » | |
Awesome job Brandon...your my idol...your so rad
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nate128
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| | Re: NEW FRONTPAGE ARTICLE!!
« Reply #3 on Mar 12, 2007, 12:56am » | |
Brandon, you should post these articles on the official forums, and then tell them that they can catch your weekly spring trainign updates at bluejaysboard.com
Say you are a writer or some shit hahaha....
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Nate128
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Brandon The Tool
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| | Re: NEW FRONTPAGE ARTICLE!!
« Reply #4 on Mar 13, 2007, 9:18pm » | |
I am a writer (and rad, at that)
I just don't get paid for it...
I'm a writer in the sense that I am capable of stringing letters together into words, and then those words into some sort of coherant order...
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