[Official] Toronto Blue Jays Major League Baseball thread

[UnkNuk]

13 hours ago, RUPERTKBD said:

Things look pretty ugly right now, but to put things into perspective, the Reds threw a no-hitter yesterday against the Pirates....and lost....

You beat me to it.  I just came here to post about this.  I don't really follow baseball all that closely but the Reds' situation has caught my attention.

 

Here's a rather lengthy article about the Reds' woes:

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/05/14/reds-historically-bad-start?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_4278274

 

A main paragraph:

 

Winning is a communal experience. Losing is a collection of tiny, individual tragedies. And so far this season, Cincinnati has done a lot of losing. The team’s 9–24 start puts it on pace to lose 117 games, which would be the third worst season since the start of the 20th century. The Reds’ team ERA is last in the majors at 6.29; the Pirates, the next worst pitching team, have a 4.89 ERA. Recently, those Pirates have done their part to mask at least some of the ugliness. Cincinnati has its won three straight games, and six of its last eight, with five of those wins coming against Pittsburgh, another of the league’s worst clubs. At this time last week, following Greene’s shellacking and the last game before they played Pittsburgh, the Reds were 3–22, on pace to finish with a 20–142 record, which would’ve been eight more losses than the 1899 Cleveland Spiders—the worst team ever. At one point Cincinnati went 99 innings without holding a lead.

[Down by the River]

15 hours ago, UnkNuk said:

You beat me to it.  I just came here to post about this.  I don't really follow baseball all that closely but the Reds' situation has caught my attention.

 

Here's a rather lengthy article about the Reds' woes:

 

https://www.si.com/mlb/2022/05/14/reds-historically-bad-start?utm_source=Iterable&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=campaign_4278274

 

A main paragraph:

 

Winning is a communal experience. Losing is a collection of tiny, individual tragedies. And so far this season, Cincinnati has done a lot of losing. The team’s 9–24 start puts it on pace to lose 117 games, which would be the third worst season since the start of the 20th century. The Reds’ team ERA is last in the majors at 6.29; the Pirates, the next worst pitching team, have a 4.89 ERA. Recently, those Pirates have done their part to mask at least some of the ugliness. Cincinnati has its won three straight games, and six of its last eight, with five of those wins coming against Pittsburgh, another of the league’s worst clubs. At this time last week, following Greene’s shellacking and the last game before they played Pittsburgh, the Reds were 3–22, on pace to finish with a 20–142 record, which would’ve been eight more losses than the 1899 Cleveland Spiders—the worst team ever. At one point Cincinnati went 99 innings without holding a lead.

I feel like most professional athletes feel stronger emotions from losing than they do winning. I can't imagine being in that Reds' dugout. 

[RUPERTKBD]

So....I saw a story this morning saying that Robbie Ray didn't make the trip to Toronto. The M's didn't give an official reason, but there's a lot of speculation that Ray's vaccine status is the culprit. Not sure if that is the case, but if so, the fact the he didn't resign in TO (or join a different AL East team) makes a lot more sense.

 

BTW: The same report said that RR will pitch in the following series in Boston....soooo.....

[Gurn]

Jays win 3-0 now 20-17 in  3rd; 7 games behibd Yankees.

 

Was good to see Berrios pitching so well.

[shiznak]

Apparently executives around the league are saying the Nats are “compelled” on trading Soto.

Edited May 18, 2022 by shiznak

[RUPERTKBD]

I should feel confident about tonight's game....Kevin Gausman facing a 1-4 starter with a WHIP of a buck and a half.....and a lefty to boot....

 

....but the Jays never sweep....

Edited May 18, 2022 by RUPERTKBD

[Gurn]

Baseball movie, about the greatest pitcher to ever play-Nolan Ryan:

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Nolan Ryan was already striking out plenty of batters with his blazing fastball, and at age 22 pitched the last seven innings in the National League pennant-clinching game for the 1969 Miracle Mets and got what would be his only World Series ring.

If not for the encouragement and insistence of his wife to keep pitching, those could have been the few highlights of Ryan's career.

Without Ruth ... he might not have pitched for 27 years,” said Bradley Jackson, the director of ”Facing Nolan," a new documentary on Ryan.

And there wouldn't have been a first-ballot Hall of Fame career spanning those record 27 seasons, none of the seven no-hitters, and less than one-tenth of his 5,714 strikeouts and 324 wins. The right-hander who routinely threw more than 100 mph wouldn't have become the first baseball player with a $1 million annual salary, or pitch for both MLB teams in the Lone Star State.

Inconsistent with his control, and not always pitching regularly, Ryan wasn’t sure then that baseball would be a long career or even one that could support his family. A long way from his home in Texas, he spent off time in New York studying books on cattle, ranching and banking. His goal was to play long enough, about four years, and qualify for baseball’s pension plan.

“Facing Nolan” makes its national debut with a one-night showing on 850 screens in theaters across the country Tuesday, and the 105-minute documentary will be available for streaming later this year. There was a public showing following a Texas Rangers home game on May 1, the anniversary of Ryan’s seventh no-hitter in 1991 at age 44 and two seasons before he retired.

“When I watch the film, I really kind of reflect back on how long 27 years is,” said Ryan, now 75. “It almost made me tired, and the commitment that I had to make to compete for that long. But I took a lot of pride in being in shape and being able to compete with people that were half my age.”

The documentary shows plenty of highlights from Ryan's playing career. There are interviews with Hall of Fame players like George Brett, Rod Carew and Dave Winfield who had to face him, and fellow pitchers like Randy Johnson and Roger Clemens who admired him.

There is a segment filmed in the Astrodome with Craig Biggio, whose Hall of Fame career was mostly at second base, but was a 22-year-old catcher in his fourth big league game when he caught Ryan there in June 1988.

Carew, a .328 career hitter with seven batting titles and an All-Star in 18 of his 19 big league seasons, said he always felt like he would go 0 for 4 when facing Ryan. They were teammates in 1979, Carew's first with the California Angels and Ryan's last there before his million-dollar-a-year free agent deal with Houston.

Among stories discussed are the bloody lip — and blood-stained jersey —— after a comeback liner hit by Bo Jackson, and the headlock and punches delivered by Ryan when a young Robin Ventura decided to charge the mound against the Texan with the Rangers in his final season. Ventura declined to be interviewed for the documentary.

There is also plenty about Ryan's youth and his family, including his relationship with his high school sweetheart who has now been his wife for 55 years, and also convinced him to take part in the film project.

“I really thought that it would be more focused on on my career and what happened in my career. And I really didn’t know what to expect,” Ryan said. “I guess I really never even thought about the family aspect of it and the involvement with our children and our grandchildren. And I’m really thrilled that they did that.”

Still, the dozens of big league records he holds and lifetime statistics are mind-boggling. He struck out one out of every four batters he faced in his career, with 839 overall more than Johnson. Ryan also holds modern-day big league records with his 2,795 walks (962 more than second-place Steve Carlton) and 277 wild pitches. His 222 compete games included 61 shutouts and 12 one-hitters to go with the no-hitters.

“The number of years that he pitched ... that’s insane,” said Angels manager Joe Maddon, who never expects to see numbers like that again. “I don’t know it could ever, will be permitted to be accomplished again is the best way to describe it. Guys like that, when they came up, it was normally a four-man rotation, and sometimes five. They pitched on less rest and threw more pitches.”

Maddon said pitchers like Ryan, Bob Gibson, Sam McDowell were physical anomalies. Maddon was a young scout in the Angels organization when Ryan was overpowering guys and the average big league velocity was about 88 mph. That is about 93 mph today, still well below what Ryan did throughout his career.

The active major league strikeout leader is Max Scherzer with 3,079, just ahead of the 3,054 Justin Verlander, the 39-year-old whose 231 wins were the most among active pitchers going into Thursday's games. Only five other current pitchers have more than 2,000 strikeouts. There were only 50 complete games combined in the big leagues all of last season, with only eight pitchers having more than one.

“I think we have a gap, and with the young people today, that they don’t put a lot of emphasis or think about history,” Ryan said when asked what he hoped people would get out of the film. “I think that gives them an opportunity to kind of see what happened, and how the game has evolved to where it is today versus where it was back when I started.”

___

 

[Gurn]

Anderson" I feel like Jackie Robinson"

Donaldson " Ok Jackie"

Player "That's racist".

WAT?

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/tim-anderson-calls-josh-donaldson-s-jackie-comment-racist-after-benches-clear-in-white-sox-yankees-game/ar-AAXzGSR?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=19a9fcca86f846f2a431de7a4e3c31ed

he war of words between Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and New York Yankees designated hitter Josh Donaldson heated up Saturday afternoon, as the two again got into it, leading to both benches clearing and lots of pushing and shoving. 

In the fifth inning of New York's 7-5 victory, Anderson tried to run to home plate after seeing Donaldson arguing with White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal before his at-bat. Anderson had to be held back by teammates. 

“Believe me, you don’t want me to tell you guys what I told him,” Grandal said after the game.

From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.

When the two teams met in Chicago on May 13, Donaldson pushed Anderson off third base while applying a tag, and Anderson shoved Donaldson, leading to an exchange of words and the benches clearing.

After Saturday's game, Anderson said that Donaldson called him "Jackie," in reference to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in 1947 and whose jersey is retired by Major League Baseball.

Anderson said in a 2019 interview with Sports Illustrated, "I kind of feel like today’s Jackie Robinson. That’s huge to say. But it’s cool, man, because he changed the game, and I feel like I’m getting to a point to where I need to change the game."

Anderson said Saturday that Donaldson's comment was disrespectful and racist, following manager Tony La Russa's assessment, and that Donaldson said it earlier in the game. 

“I spared him that time, and then it happened again. I don't play like that," Anderson said. "I don't think it was called for. Nobody has time to be playing like that."

Donaldson admitted that he called Anderson "Jackie," but said there was no racist intent. 

"I called him Jackie," Donaldson said. "He came out with an interview that says he’s the new Jackie Robinson. We’ve actually joked about that. I’ve said it to him in years past, not in any manner than just joking around. My meaning of that is not any term trying to be racist by any fact of the matter. That’s not what I was trying to do by any manner and that’s what happened.”

Donaldson apologized and said he is open to meeting with Anderson and said he has talked to his Yankees teammates about it.

Major League Baseball said they will be investigating and talking to the players involved. 

[JM_]

6 minutes ago, gurn said:

Anderson" I feel like Jackie Robinson"

Donaldson " Ok Jackie"

Player "That's racist".

WAT?

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/tim-anderson-calls-josh-donaldson-s-jackie-comment-racist-after-benches-clear-in-white-sox-yankees-game/ar-AAXzGSR?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=19a9fcca86f846f2a431de7a4e3c31ed

he war of words between Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and New York Yankees designated hitter Josh Donaldson heated up Saturday afternoon, as the two again got into it, leading to both benches clearing and lots of pushing and shoving. 

In the fifth inning of New York's 7-5 victory, Anderson tried to run to home plate after seeing Donaldson arguing with White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal before his at-bat. Anderson had to be held back by teammates. 

“Believe me, you don’t want me to tell you guys what I told him,” Grandal said after the game.

From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.

When the two teams met in Chicago on May 13, Donaldson pushed Anderson off third base while applying a tag, and Anderson shoved Donaldson, leading to an exchange of words and the benches clearing.

After Saturday's game, Anderson said that Donaldson called him "Jackie," in reference to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in 1947 and whose jersey is retired by Major League Baseball.

Anderson said in a 2019 interview with Sports Illustrated, "I kind of feel like today’s Jackie Robinson. That’s huge to say. But it’s cool, man, because he changed the game, and I feel like I’m getting to a point to where I need to change the game."

Anderson said Saturday that Donaldson's comment was disrespectful and racist, following manager Tony La Russa's assessment, and that Donaldson said it earlier in the game. 

“I spared him that time, and then it happened again. I don't play like that," Anderson said. "I don't think it was called for. Nobody has time to be playing like that."

Donaldson admitted that he called Anderson "Jackie," but said there was no racist intent. 

"I called him Jackie," Donaldson said. "He came out with an interview that says he’s the new Jackie Robinson. We’ve actually joked about that. I’ve said it to him in years past, not in any manner than just joking around. My meaning of that is not any term trying to be racist by any fact of the matter. That’s not what I was trying to do by any manner and that’s what happened.”

Donaldson apologized and said he is open to meeting with Anderson and said he has talked to his Yankees teammates about it.

Major League Baseball said they will be investigating and talking to the players involved. 

he compared himself to Robinson? 

 

[Gurn]

8 minutes ago, JM_ said:

he compared himself to Robinson? 

 

Yep, then got ticked when Josh started calling him "Jackie"

Now Donaldson has to  deal with the fallout of being labeled a racist.

This could be a new episode for 'Star Trek's "Strange New Worlds" series, because it is a strange world out there.

 

Edited May 22, 2022 by gurn

[JM_]

1 minute ago, gurn said:

Yep, then got ticked when Josh started calling him "Jackie"

Now Donaldson has to  deal with the fallout of being labeled a racist.

This could be a new episode for 'Star Trek's "Strange New Worlds" series, because it is a strange world out there.

 

just read the article... the guy seems pretty full of himself. Donaldson maybe needs to be a bit smarter, but I don't see how he's racist at all in this. 

[Gurn]

6 minutes ago, JM_ said:

Donaldson maybe needs to be a bit smarter,

The guy says he "feels like the new Jackie" then gets ticked when someone calls him Jackie?

I don't think Donaldson's, intelligence is  the issue here.

The potential crap storm here is going to be interesting to watch.

I've seen places/people infer things like " Well that guy is black, so you should have known he'd take that badly" but if people are now expected to treat people differently based on those people's ethnicity- isn't that just racism?

example- the minor league hockey player suspended for an entire year because his "strong man" pose trying to mock a  non fighter; gets taken as an "ape man" pose by a coloured guy.

Verdict- the player should have known the dark guy would react that way. Suspended.

 

[Alflives]

28 minutes ago, gurn said:

Anderson" I feel like Jackie Robinson"

Donaldson " Ok Jackie"

Player "That's racist".

WAT?

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/sports/mlb/tim-anderson-calls-josh-donaldson-s-jackie-comment-racist-after-benches-clear-in-white-sox-yankees-game/ar-AAXzGSR?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid=19a9fcca86f846f2a431de7a4e3c31ed

he war of words between Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and New York Yankees designated hitter Josh Donaldson heated up Saturday afternoon, as the two again got into it, leading to both benches clearing and lots of pushing and shoving. 

In the fifth inning of New York's 7-5 victory, Anderson tried to run to home plate after seeing Donaldson arguing with White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal before his at-bat. Anderson had to be held back by teammates. 

“Believe me, you don’t want me to tell you guys what I told him,” Grandal said after the game.

From NFL plays to college sports scores, all the top sports news you need to know every day.

When the two teams met in Chicago on May 13, Donaldson pushed Anderson off third base while applying a tag, and Anderson shoved Donaldson, leading to an exchange of words and the benches clearing.

After Saturday's game, Anderson said that Donaldson called him "Jackie," in reference to Jackie Robinson, who broke the color barrier in 1947 and whose jersey is retired by Major League Baseball.

Anderson said in a 2019 interview with Sports Illustrated, "I kind of feel like today’s Jackie Robinson. That’s huge to say. But it’s cool, man, because he changed the game, and I feel like I’m getting to a point to where I need to change the game."

Anderson said Saturday that Donaldson's comment was disrespectful and racist, following manager Tony La Russa's assessment, and that Donaldson said it earlier in the game. 

“I spared him that time, and then it happened again. I don't play like that," Anderson said. "I don't think it was called for. Nobody has time to be playing like that."

Donaldson admitted that he called Anderson "Jackie," but said there was no racist intent. 

"I called him Jackie," Donaldson said. "He came out with an interview that says he’s the new Jackie Robinson. We’ve actually joked about that. I’ve said it to him in years past, not in any manner than just joking around. My meaning of that is not any term trying to be racist by any fact of the matter. That’s not what I was trying to do by any manner and that’s what happened.”

Donaldson apologized and said he is open to meeting with Anderson and said he has talked to his Yankees teammates about it.

Major League Baseball said they will be investigating and talking to the players involved. 

Clearly not racist.   Players should just shut the hell up and play.  

[4petesake]

3 minutes ago, gurn said:

The guy says he "feels like the new Jackie" then gets ticked when someone calls him Jackie?

I don't think Donaldson's, intelligence is  the issue here.

The potential crap storm here is going to be interesting to watch.

I've seen places/people infer things like " Well that guy is black, so you should have known he'd take that badly" but if people are now expected to treat people differently based on those people's ethnicity- isn't that just racism?

example- the minor league hockey player suspended for an entire year because his "strong man" pose trying to mock a  non fighter; gets taken as an "ape man" pose by a coloured guy.

Verdict- the player should have known the dark guy would react that way. Suspended.

 

Anderson disrespects the name of the hero he compares himself to. All of the actual real racial abuse that JR endured and turned a deaf ear to so others could follow in his footsteps and this charlatan blows his cool over a perceived slight? Comes off looking awfully soft and entitled in my eyes.

[Gurn]

3 minutes ago, 4petesake said:

Anderson disrespects the name of the hero he compares himself to. All of the actual real racial abuse that JR endured and turned a deaf ear to so others could follow in his footsteps and this charlatan blows his cool over a perceived slight? Comes off looking awfully soft and entitled in my eyes.

I hadn't even thought of it from that angle, but great point.

[JM_]

15 minutes ago, gurn said:

The guy says he "feels like the new Jackie" then gets ticked when someone calls him Jackie?

I don't think Donaldson's, intelligence is  the issue here.

The potential crap storm here is going to be interesting to watch.

I've seen places/people infer things like " Well that guy is black, so you should have known he'd take that badly" but if people are now expected to treat people differently based on those people's ethnicity- isn't that just racism?

example- the minor league hockey player suspended for an entire year because his "strong man" pose trying to mock a  non fighter; gets taken as an "ape man" pose by a coloured guy.

Verdict- the player should have known the dark guy would react that way. Suspended.

 

I mean smarter from getting into it with a person that arrogant, it can't lead anywhere good. Now he's playing the victim card, which could have been predicted. 

 

[shiznak]

Hot take: Robinson wasn’t THAT great of a baseball player, certainly not at the same level as a Trout, Prime Pujols, or even Prime Ichiro. So, Anderson comparing himself to Robinson isn’t out of the ordinary.
 

In matter of fact, if you compare Robinson’s first MVP season to Anderson’s last year stats, it’s pretty similar, aside from the RBIs and batting average. Although you have to factor in that hitting back in the 40s was way easier. Pitchers weren’t throwing 95+ mph heat and only had like 3 pitches in their arsenal. Anderson also played 25+ less games and had 60+ less at bats. 

You can say there’s like 5+ Jackie Robinsons playing in today’s game. 

Edited May 22, 2022 by shiznak

[Gurn]

Ump today has a horrible strike zone.

Blown at least 2 calls

And I've only seen 4 pitches.

[Mj2345]

Another opportunity to sweep and they come up short

[UnkNuk]

5 hours ago, Mj2345 said:

Another opportunity to sweep and they come up short

And, it must be said, against Cincinnati.