Blue Jays News

Go, J.P.
2 Comment
October 11
Toronto Sun
 columnist Randy J. Wile
"Great! Another year of J.P. Ricciardi, the man who launched a thousand excuses. Ricciardi convinced Paul Godfrey to hire him as Blue Jays general manager because he knew how to win on a small budget. He quickly fired one of the top scouting staffs in baseball. These scouts under Pat Gillick and Gord Ash had produced more major leaguers than anyone, except the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Chicago Cubs have done quite well with ex-Jay Tim Wilken at the helm of their scouting department, while Ash has done an admirable job in helping rebuild the Milwaukee Brewers. The Jays farm system is now considered one of the worst in baseball for depth. Not that Ricciardi isn't a good ..."
Talks in Toronto helped Tampa
0 Comment
October 10
Toronto Sun
 
"Believe it or not, the foundation for 2008 American League East championship season was laid inside the Rogers Centre. Now don't get too excited, Blue Jays fans. It happened in the visiting clubhouse. The Tampa Bay Rays dropped two of the final three games of the 2007 season, 5-4 and 4-3, before beating A.J. Burnett in Game 162 for their 66th win. "At the conclusion of the last year, when we were having our exit meetings in Toronto, we really emphasized how important our last off-season would be heading into this year," said Rays manager Joe Maddon, who held one-on-one meetings with each player. We doubt that visiting clubhouse manager Lenny Frejlich will receive a post-season share, ..."
A.J. Burnett in no hurry to talk to Blue Jays
0 Comment
October 10
Toronto Star
 
"The Toronto Blue Jays may have to wait well into November before they can begin negotiating with A.J. Burnett, the player they’ve called their top off-season priority. During the campaign’s final series in Baltimore, Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi said he wanted to start discussing a new deal with Burnett “a couple of days” after the season ended. It’s been nearly two weeks and Burnett’s agent, Darek Braunecker, said there have been no substantive discussions. More important, Braunecker said he will not talk terms with Toronto until Burnett decides whether or not to exercise the opt-out clause in his current deal."
Jays' Lacava to interview for Mariners GM
0 Comment
October 9
Globe and Mail
 
"The Toronto Blue Jays could be losing one of their own - and, no, this time we're not talking about pitcher A.J. Burnett. Tony LaCava, the Toronto Blue Jays' assistant general manager for player personnel, is one of five candidates who will be interviewed for the general manager's position with the Seattle Mariners. LaCava would not discuss the matter when contacted yesterday. Paul Godfrey, the Blue Jays' president and chief executive officer, confirmed he has been contacted by the Mariners seeking permission to speak with LaCava about the job. LaCava has two years left on his Blue Jays contract. "In fairness to Tony, if there's a chance for promotion, my philosophy is never stand in the ..."
Jays announce Vegas coaching staff
0 Comment
October 9
Globe and Mail
 
"The Toronto Blue Jays have shored up their coaching staff for Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas 51s. Mike Basso will lead the 51s next season as field manager, with Dave LaRoche (pitching coach), Ken Joyce (hitting coach), and Jon Woodworth (team trainer) joining him at the Pacific Coast League club. It's Basso's seventh season in the Jays organization. The 44-year-old played parts of four seasons for the Las Vegas franchise as a member of the San Diego Padres organization. He has 10 years of experience as a manager, including four in the Blue Jays system, and a minor league managing record of 692-644 (.518)."
Blue Jays add pitcher
0 Comment
October 7
Globe and Mail
 
"The Toronto Blue Jays have claimed right-handed pitcher Dirk Hayhurst off waivers from the roster of the San Diego Padres. The 27-year-old appeared in 10 games, including three starts, for the Padres this past season, posting a 0-2 record with a 9.72 earned run average. The 6'3", 200-pound pitcher spent most of 2008 with Portland (AAA) of the Pacific Coast League, going 2-3 with two saves and a 3.75 ERA in 46 games. He added 98 strikeouts in 84.0 innings pitched. The native of Canton, Ohio, was an eighth-round pick of the Padres in 2003 and has posted a 32-33 record with a 4.05 ERA in six minor league seasons."
Cheek a frick finalist again
0 Comment
October 7
Toronto Sun
 
"Former Montreal Expos broadcasters Jacques Doucet and Dave Van Horne and late Toronto Blue Jays play-by-play man Tom Cheek were selected as finalists yesterday for the Ford Frick award. Doucet, the Expos' French radio play-by-play voice from 1972 to 2004, finished second in fan balloting with 10,282 votes, behind only former Cincinnati Reds broadcaster Joe Nuxhall (19,547). Cheek, who called more than 4,300 consecutive regular-season games for the Blue Jays prior to his death in 2005, earned 8,992 votes. He'll appear on the ballot for a fourth consecutive year. Nuxhall, a 135-game winner during 16 major league seasons spent almost entirely with the Reds, died last year of cancer. Van ..."
Canadian content in hall voting
0 Comment
October 7
Toronto Star
 
"Tom Cheek has some Canadian-content company on the list of finalists for baseball's Ford C. Frick Award, which is presented annually for excellence in baseball broadcasting by the Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, N.Y. The late Blue Jays announcer, who voiced 4,306 consecutive games before being sidelined by illness, is up against nine other finalists, including Jacques Doucet, for 34 years the French-language voice of the Montreal Expos, and Dave Van Horne, who was for 33 seasons the Expos' English-language voice before moving to the Florida Marlins eight years ago."
Mottola new Jays minor-league coach
0 Comment
October 6
Toronto Sun
 
"Chad Mottola will be the Blue Jays new minor-league hitting instructor next season. Mottola takes over for Dwayne Murphy, promoted when Cito Gaston was named the Jays manager in June. Murphy will coach first base in 2009. A minor-league hitting legend, Mottola drove in 56 runs at triple-A Syracuse in 2007 to become only the second active player with more than 1,000 runs in the minors. At the time, only Ernie Young had more than 1,000 RBIs among active players in the minors. Mottola retired after 2007 and spent this summer as a coach with the rookie-league Gulf Coast Blue Jays. The Jays hired Mottola with his one season of coaching experience over both triple-A Syracuse hitting coach ..."
Blue Jays' Overbay creates a heartwarming moment
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October 5
Toronto Sun
 
"Of their love of baseball, a man's love of his wife and a son's love of his mother. Mark, the son, we met a few years back as he proudly watched his father being honoured at the Hockey Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. Scott, the father, we met munching Stan Obodiac's finger sandwiches in the old press room at Maple Leaf Gardens in the early 1980s, and we later broke bread at the Lindell AC in Detroit during the 1984 World Series. Scott took his son to the Rogers Centre on Aug. 21 to see the Blue Jays host the Yankees, with Mark wearing an official No. 17 jersey of his favourite player, Lyle Overbay. "He's the only one on the Jays with a glove like mine," Mark explained on why Overbay ..."
Blue Jays not in Gillick's plans
0 Comment
October 5
Toronto Sun
 
"This year's World Series, if it goes the distan