February 28, 2006

Hello My Name Is: B.J. Ryan

Personal Stats
Name: Robert Victor (B.J.) Ryan
Age: 30
You Might Remember Me From: Putting up 36 saves for the Orioles last year
Most Resembles: Former WWF wrestler Big John Studd
Why the Jays Picked Him Up: Will act as a long overdue replacement for former mascot BJ Birdie who was cut in favour of Ace and Diamond prior to the 2000 season. Will be asked to save games in addition to occasionally riding an ATV into the outfield wall.

Career Plus/Minus
Plus: Saved 36 games in 69 appearances for the Baltimore Orioles in 2005 (ranked 7th in the AL)
Minus: Saved a total of 6 games in 336 appearances prior to 2005

Plus: Led the Orioles in strikeouts in the 2004 season with 122. It's the first time in the majors since 1991 that a reliever led his team in Ks.
Minus: The last reliever to lead his team happened to be Duane Ward with the 91 Blue Jays. In fact, Ryan and Ward have an eerily similar career path. Once given the closer job, Ward excelled and led the Jays to their 2nd World Series title in 1993, picking up 45 saves along the way. However, he played a total of 4 more games in the majors after his one and only season as the closer. With a 5-year big money deal, we'll have to cross our fingers that this is where Ryan and Ward's career paths differ.

Plus: Had 12.61K/9IP in 2004 and 12.80K/9IP in 2005. That was good for 3rd in the majors in each season - behind studs like Eric Gagne and Brad Lidge.
Minus: There's no downside here. Having someone at the end of a game who can blow away batters is going to be a huge improvement this season.

What To Expect in 2006
Gives the Jays a much needed presence at the end of games. We haven't had a dominant closer since Ward was lost to injury and I've had to repress memories of all the late game failures since. In my humble opinion, a closer has been the biggest need on the team since the World Series days, and Ryan will be expected to fill that void. You can expect lots of saves, lots of Ks, and lots of Bodyslam Challenge matches between Big John Ryan and Andre the Giant.

Sweetbody Says: Don't Forget About #11


Welcome once again to "Sweetbody Says"
With all the fantastic winter moves that J.P and the Blue Jays made, things are looking great for 2006! How could they not be with the players we added?!? But wait..we are perhaps overlooking a brilliant change that this has also created.
This year will be the Return of #11, no I'm not talking about King George Bell, I'm talking about Eric Hinske!! Some will say that he should have been traded for a set of used bases..or that he's here because nobody wanted him, or that they would be happy to sit on the bench and earn millions of dollars like Eric will. But,,,BUT he isnt sitting around!
Last season when he was bumped at 3rd base with Koskie being signed, Eric moved to 1st to help fill the void without uttering one complaint. Now he is without a home in the infield..ok, he grabbed an outfield glove and has been working on tracking fly balls ever since. Still without a complaint.
Imagine how you would feel if you were constantly being moved at your job?..Ever seen Office Space? Hinske wont be burning the office down anytime soon, instead he will be lighting up right handed pitchers!
There may not be a return to his Rookie of the Year totals in a platoon role but come on now, this guy has some good stats over his 4 years in the Major Leagues..http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/baseball/mlb/players/6645/

I'm picking "Mr.11" to be the Blue Jays comeback player or 2006.
'nuff said.

why?..cuz Sweetbody Says

February 24, 2006

World Baseball Classic - Who's In


As you probably already know, MLB has introduced the first World Baseball Classic to be held this year at the beginning of March. The WBC is essentially a baseball version of the World Cup, without the hooligans, diving, and general public interest. It'll be regular season teammate vs teammate, and it could lead to some interesting matchups. Wouldn't it be sweet to watch K-Rod (Venezuela) try to close out a game against Vlad (Dominican Republic)? Or how about new Mets closer Billy Wagner (USA) trying to sneak one by new teammate Carlos Delgado (Puerto Rico)?

The problem with the WBC is that it's right at the beginning of Spring Training, when players are just starting to get themselves in shape. At this time of year, players are usually worrying about losing 10 pounds, strenghtening their arms, and finding the closest nudie bar (not neccessarily in that order). The early part of Spring Training is when pitchers throw for two innings max and position players are in the showers after their second at-bat. Basically, the bodies of major league ball players are not accustomed to playing serious games for serious stakes in the middle of March. The potential for injury is enormous and that's why so many teams are pressuring their stars to back out, especially the pitchers. If a big name player goes down in the WBC, how do you think his team is going to feel about missing him for the real season?

With that in mind, I thought I'd let everyone know what the Jays have riding on this thing. Who's playing? For which team? And what happens if that guy gets injured?

Blue Jays Participating in the WBC

Frank Cattalanotto (Italy) - Born and raised in New York, the guy has seemingly no ties to Italy other than his last name. Oh well, the rules around what country you can play for are so relaxed A-Rod is now saying he will probably play for Australia because he used to have a pet hamster named Sydney.
How Much to Worry: Not much. If the Cat gets injured, we'll have less of a logjam in the outfield. He's a servicable player but hardly a guy we're counting on to lead the team this year. Forza Cat. Buona fortuna.

Guillermo Quiroz (Venezuela) - After a dreadful season full of injuries, Quiroz is no longer being touted as a can't miss prospect. Q Ball seems to be pretty low on the depth chart at catcher for Venezuela.
How Much to Worry: Not at all. Molina+Zaun=No need for Quiroz this year.

Vernon Wells (USA) - As mentioned before, many teams are pressuring their star players to take a pass on the WBC. With expectations for the Jays through the roof right now, it's no surprise that V Dub has pulled up lame and is questionable for the first round of the tourney. For the record, JP says that it's an unfortunate incident and the Jays fully support Vernon's decision to play, but I smell a rat.
How Much to Worry: Keep your fingers crossed. I really don't think he'll play at all. His 2 week injury will be slow to heal and the USA team will move on without him. However, if he's really injured and he tries to rush back to play, it could be big trouble for T.O. This is the one guy that we can't afford to lose from the lineup for an extended period of time.

Gustavo Chacin (Venezuela) - It's nice to see that Gussy is excited to represent his country in the WBC. The Venezuelan team has a ton of pitchers on it's roster and Chacin appears to be in line for a bit of action.
How Much to Worry: Not much. Gussy is projected as the 3rd or 4th guy in the rotation this year and it's not off-base to expect 15 wins out of him. However, I can't see him being counted on for much more than an inning here and an inning there in the WBC. The important innings will go to Johan Santana and K-Rod and Gus probably won't pitch more than he would if he were in Dunedin.

Shea Hillenbrand (Netherlands) - I'm sure Shea was just as surprised as you to find out that he's playing on the Dutch team. Once again, this is an example of the citizenship rules being as loose as Annie Savoy at a minor league all-star game. Does your name sound Dutch? You're hired! The team includes guys born in Holland, Michigan and South Holland, Illinois (I guess that's close enough for MLB).
How Much to Worry: A little bit. With Overbay and Glaus added in the offseason, Shea is slated to be the DH and a backup at both 3B and 1B. We have more depth than last year, so losing him won't kill us, but he's a professional hitter and the type of guy that gives you a 100% effort every inning. He'll be expected to provide some pop for the Netherlands along with Andruw Jones, but they'll be gone after the first round and he'll be back in Dunedin before you notice he's gone.

Alex Rios (Puerto Rico) - A.Ro is part of a dangerous Puerto Rico team. They've got a lot of MLB players but they don't neccesarily have the studs to win this thing. The P.R. outfield will include Carlos Beltran, Rueben Sierra, Bernie Williams, Juan Gonzalez, and Jose Cruz Jr. Other than Beltran, those guys are about as reliable as a schizophrenic on crack, so Rios may be asked to carry a bit of a load.
How Much to Worry: Only a bit. As one of the top prospects in the organization, it would be unfortunate if he were to get injured. However, he was a bit of a disappointment last season and this year he's projected to platoon in right with Hinske. An injury might dampen his long-term prospects with the Jays, but it shouldn't impact too much on this season.

This Just In: Our Bullpen Is Good

More news and notes about our beloved Jays and their chances this year.

Olney: Blue Jays' bullpen a strength (espn.com) - Feb 24
John Donovan: AL East Preview (cnnsi.com) - Feb 24

Welcome to: Sweetbody Says



Hello fellow Blue Jays Fans..yes, I still call them the Blue Jays.
Thought I would take a moment to introduce myself as part of Spring Training here @ Is it a Flyball or Seagull.
I have been a life long Blue Jays fan and have followed them every step of their journey during their first 30 years. (although the first few years are fuzzy due to my age)
There have been many great experiences so far...meeting the 'Greatest Jay Ever'.. Dave Stieb when I was 13, Winning the Draw Your Favorite Jay contest in the Toronto Sun Newspaper when I was 12, travelling to Spring Training when I was in my early 20's, watching the team for an entire weekend in Cleveland in 2004 and having a few drinks with Jason Kirschner..or what about camping outside the Skydome for about 30 hours to get a seat in the Hard Rock Cafe to watch Joe Carter hit his World Series Winning Homerun!! There are so many more chapters to add!
What to expect from me??
  1. An upfront and never waivering opinion of the Blue Jays progress through the 2006 season.
  2. No bandwagon jumping..ever
  3. Photo's from trips to see the Blue Jays
  4. Me never leaving a game before the final out.
  5. Not giving up on Eric Hinske

Thats about it for now, please feel free to ask any questions anytime.

And remember, not just anybody can be a sweetbody.

February 23, 2006

Hello My Name Is: A.J. Burnett

This is the first in a series of articles intended to bring you up to speed on all the new Jays.

Personal Stats
Name: Allan James (A.J.) Burnett
Age: 29
You Might Remember Me From: Seven years with the Florida Marlins
Most Resembles: Lowell Mather from Wings
Why the Jays Picked Him Up: J.P. has some kind of unhealthy infatuation with initialized first names (and the sweet fastball doesn't hurt).

Career Plus/Minus
Plus: A career 3.73 ERA is nothing to sneeze at
Minus: Inability to translate good ERA into wins with a career 49-50 record

Plus: Threw a no-hitter against the Padres in 2001.
Minus: Set a team record for walks in the same game with 9 (also hit a batter). His 10 baserunners in a no-hitter is the second most in MLB history.

Plus: Won a World Series with the 2003 Florida Marlins.
Minus: Blew his elbow out on April 29th of the same season, so his contributions to the Championship were significantly less than the dude who carries around the jar of pickle brine for Josh Beckett's blisters.

Plus: Had a seven game winning streak from July 19 to August 19 of 2005.
Minus: Followed up the win streak by losing his last six decisions of the season.

Plus: Holds the Marlins team record for career wins (49), complete games (14), shutouts (8), and Ks (753).
Minus: Kicked off the Marlins at the end of the 2005 season after badmouthing the team and his manager in a post-game rant.

What To Expect in 2006
Projected to be a solid #2 starter behind Roy Halladay in the Jays rotation. His reunion with all-time favourite pitching coach Brad Arnsberg is expected to propel him into the upper-echelon of starting pitchers. The injury history is a bit of a concern, as is his sub .500 career record, but to borrow an old cliche, you can't teach a 98mph fastball. Along with B.J. Ryan, you can expect an increase in Ks, and you can expect a lot more interest in the pitch speed posted on the Jumbotron.

39 Days and Counting

With Spring Training now underway, it's time to start getting excited for the new baseball season. As a Jays fan, I have to say that I'm very excited and optimistic going into this season and I suppose I'm not the only one with such optimism. The Jays have been the talk of the MLB off-season. They're the trendy pick to win the AL East and they've got more media attention than Paris Hilton and TomKat combined (at least in the media that I pay attention to). If you've been busy watching hockey, basketball, or the Olympics, or if your name is Willie and you've been napping for the last couple months, I'll try to bring you up to date on what you've missed.

Off-Season Jays Buzz From South of the Border

Revamped Blue Jays looking for big year (MSNBC.com) - Feb 18
Stark: Blue Jays All About Change (ESPN.com) - Feb 7
McAdam: Soaring expectations (ESPN.com) - Jan 24