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	<title>Toronto &#187; Evan Peaslee</title>
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		<title>Steve Pearce on Breaking Through an Early Season Slump</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/04/25/steve-pearce-on-breaking-through-an-early-season-slump/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2017/04/25/steve-pearce-on-breaking-through-an-early-season-slump/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 25 Apr 2017 11:02:43 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=10322</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO &#8212; Baseball can be a funny game. The harder you try the more the game tends to slip away from you. The entirety of the Toronto Blue Jays roster has frustratingly dealt with this all season with the team breaking out of the gates to a dismal 5-13 record. They know they’re a good [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO &#8212; Baseball can be a funny game. The harder you try the more the game tends to slip away from you.</p>
<p>The entirety of the Toronto Blue Jays roster has frustratingly dealt with this all season with the team breaking out of the gates to a dismal 5-13 record. They know they’re a good team, but when they press and try to overcome their slow art in a single game nothing seems to break right.</p>
<p>Few individually have felt this more than newcomer Steve Pearce. After a scorching Opening Day start where the 34-year-old got three hits and scored a run, Pearce managed to equal his first game output of three hits in his next 32 at-bats.</p>
<p>What Pearce has been trying to focus on during this rut is simple, “just getting better.”</p>
<p>“Bottom line we got to get better, individually and as a team.” Pearce said prior to the Jays’ 3-0 win over the Boston Red Sox last Wednesday night at Rogers Centre.</p>
<p>Pearce has admitted to pressing in the opening weeks of the season and trying to do too much at times. What he’s lost during that time is his feel for the game. The feel of the game coming to him instead of chasing it. Seeing the ball out of the pitcher’s hand and making solid contact on a consistent basis.</p>
<blockquote><p>“Bottom line we got to get better, individually and as a team.” &#8211; Steve Pearce</p></blockquote>
<p>As funny as it may sound, in baseball sometimes less is more. When you start to try to do too much you end up pressing and making things more complicated for yourself.</p>
<p>“That’s when everything gets tense. You can’t play the kind of game you want to play when you’re tense,” Pearce said. “The looser you are, the better you feel, the better your production’s going to be, the better you’re going to feel, the better chance you have to get a base hit.</p>
<p>“This game can move so fast. The pitchers are so good that you really have to be in the best position in order to get base hits. They’re throwing 95 mph and if you’re tense that’s going to get blown right by you. You need your body free, and you need to be able to see the ball and unload on it.</p>
<p>“You know what they say, ‘if you’re thinking, you’re stinking.’ …You got to go up there and just see the ball and hit the ball.”</p>
<p>Manager John Gibbons knows this too.</p>
<p>“Baseball’s a different sport. In other sports you can run harder, you can hit somebody harder, you can give a better effort and that can work to your benefit. (In) baseball the harder you try the worse it gets sometimes,” Gibbons said.</p>
<blockquote><p>Baseball’s a different sport. In other sports you can run harder, you can hit somebody harder, you can give a better effort and that can work to your benefit. (In) baseball the harder you try the worse it gets sometimes.” &#8211; John Gibbons</p></blockquote>
<p>For Pearce that has led to a dreadfully slow start to his season slashing a meagre .162/.205/.162. It’s not for lack of talent either as Pearce has averaged 93 games, 16 home runs, 41 RBIs with a slash line of .267/.347/.493 over the last three seasons. All spent in the AL East.</p>
<p>His familiarity of the division however has not benefitted the Lakeland, FL. native, despite all but two of Toronto’s first 15 games coming against the AL East.</p>
<p>Even left-handed pitchers, Pearce’s bread and butter, have kept his offense at bay. Pearce hit .309 with seven home runs in 81 at-bats last season against lefties, and has slashed .264/.347/.489 in his career versus southpaws, but is just 2-for-19 with eight  strikeouts against them this season.</p>
<p>The sample size is small, and the stats magnified this early in the season, but there’s no denying that the first few weeks of the season have been less than ideal for Pearce.</p>
<p>When he’s slumping Pearce relies on video, stats sheets, pitching tendencies, and any other source available to Major Leaguers these days to try and break out of it, but at the end of the day it essentially comes down to feel.</p>
<p>“It’s mostly about feel. You just got to find a feel,” Pearce said. “Your mechanics they could be on or off, but if you feel good that’s really the most important part.</p>
<p>“If you get in that box and you feel good it’s definitely a heck of a lot better than anything. You could be mechanically sound, you could have the perfect BP, the perfect cage swing, but underneath the lights it’s a completely different ball game.”</p>
<p>With three hits in his last four games, Pearce is is at his best production level since his first game as a Blue Jay. A baby step in the right direction.</p>
<p>It’s more than enough for his manager, who has full confidence in his team, and the men on it.</p>
<p>“Pearcey is going to hit,” Gibbons said. “He’s going to hit some home runs, he’s going to swing it for us pretty good.”</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: © Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>The True Legacies of R.A. Dickey and Josh Thole</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/11/03/the-true-legacies-of-r-a-dickey-and-josh-thole/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/11/03/the-true-legacies-of-r-a-dickey-and-josh-thole/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 03 Nov 2016 10:00:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[The Season That Was]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[alex anthopoulos]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[josh thole]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[r.a. dickey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=7759</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – The good, the bad, the ugly, and the great. That’s how Josh Thole described his time in Toronto over the past four years. It was a fitting description for the tumultuous times he and batterymate R.A. Dickey shared while in a Blue Jays uniform. The duo entered their time in Toronto with a [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – The good, the bad, the ugly, and the great.</p>
<p>That’s how Josh Thole described his time in Toronto over the past four years. It was a fitting description for the tumultuous times he and batterymate R.A. Dickey shared while in a Blue Jays uniform.</p>
<p>The duo entered their time in Toronto with a precipitous amount of fanfare and expectations thanks in large part to Dickey entering as the reigning NL Cy Young winner. They had a lot of ups and downs in the middle, and things ended quietly as they watched their teammates perform in the postseason without them.</p>
<p>Yet over those four years the landscape of Toronto Blue Jays baseball altered drastically; blue once again became a dominant colour on the uniform, Blue Jays fever swept the nation, an MVP became a household name, attendance skyrocketed and so did the wins. Both of those men were at the heart of it all.</p>
<p>Dickey started 130 games for the Jays over that stretch and threw 824 innings, and Thole played in 170 games, most of which came with Dickey on the mound. At this juncture, with their Toronto careers almost certainly over, their stats are a moot point. But what you’d find is a slightly above average innings-eater pitcher and a below average specialty catcher, the combination of which got a lot of scorn from Blue Jays fans and active social media users. But what fans also got were two trips to the postseason with two legitimate chances to advance to the World Series that fell just short.</p>
<p>“I take away in particular the last two years,” Dickey said reminiscing about his time in Toronto. “I mean, some of us have been together for four years so we have seen the process of how this thing has happened and getting to be in the playoffs in two of the last four years is a pretty remarkable feat in this day and age with how good these teams are.</p>
<p>“To be 50 percent of the time we go to the League Championship Series, that’s pretty good. Of course, you’re not satisfied, but it’s certainly a hard thing to do, so I really appreciate that.”</p>
<p>With the club achieving heights it hadn’t even sniffed in 21 years, the team’s success is the greatest argument for the duo despite what their personal stats might ultimately suggest. Even with neither making the 2016 postseason roster, without their accomplishments in the regular season the team simply doesn’t get to play beyond game 162 in either of the past two seasons.</p>
<blockquote><p>“To be 50 percent of the time we go to the League Championship Series, that’s pretty good. Of course, you’re not satisfied, but it’s certainly a hard thing to do, so I really appreciate that.” &#8211; R.A. Dickey</p></blockquote>
<p>However, the battery&#8217;s on-field performance is secondary to what their presence really meant to the Jays. Acquired from the New York Mets on December 17, 2012 by then-general manager Alex Anthopoulos for two elite prospects, Dickey and Thole were part of drastic shift in philosophy that aimed towards winning now. That move, along with the blockbuster Miami Marlins trade a month prior, influenced Blue Jays baseball more than any other and led directly to where the club stands today.</p>
<p>The first season with Dickey as the team’s presumptuous ace was underwhelming on the field, with the club finishing last in its division and with only a solitary win above than the previous year&#8217;s total. What paved the greatest dividends towards the win-now mode wasn’t the on-field product so much as attendance and a growing TV audience. Thanks in large part to the pre-season hype from those two trades, the Rogers Centre eclipsed 2.5 million paying fans in 2013 for the first time since 1997.</p>
<p>In the four years that Dickey and Thole were in Toronto the Jays averaged over 34,256 fans in attendance for home games, over 11,000 more per night than the average attendance in the four years prior to their arrival. In addition, this past season saw the team set a new record with over one million people per game tuning in to Blue Jays baseball on television.</p>
<p>With attendance at an unprecedented high for modern Rogers Centre times, and a surplus of money flowing in, Anthopoulos was allowed to stay aggressive on the trade market to keep the team competitive. Russell Martin, Josh Donaldson, Devon Travis, David Price, and Troy Tulowtizki followed, with today’s core of the club forming in large part because Anthopoulos was allowed to shed prospects for win-now talent &#8211; Something that wouldn’t have happened in the same aggressive and bold manner had the off-season of 2012 never happened.</p>
<p>Ultimately, those moves in the 2012 off-season precipitated the moves that followed, leading to the two most compelling seasons in recent Jays history.</p>
<p>“Special,” said Thole about his time in a Jays uniform over the last four years after being eliminated from the postseason by Cleveland in Game 5 of the ALCS. “Been through the good, the bad, the ugly, and the great. These last two years have been something you dream of. I’m not even on the playoff roster, but just to be part of it all season, it’s unbelievable.”</p>
<p>Now that their tenure in Toronto is likely over, and after experiencing two deep postseason runs with the Jays and a Cy Young campaign with the Mets, the ever intertwined duo are most likely headed for very different futures after seven years as batterymates that included 164 games together.</p>
<blockquote><p>“Been through the good, the bad, the ugly, and the great. These last two years have been something you dream of.&#8221; &#8211; Josh Thole</p></blockquote>
<p>“I mean, seven years together. Who knows what’s going to happen,” Thole said about their future. “He’s getting towards the end here. So, who knows. Who knows what’s going to happen. It’s unbelievable. Again, it’s something that you never dream of and it’s happened. I’ve been, you’re right, attached to him.”</p>
<p>“It’s hard to imagine a team without him because I’ve been with him seven years now,” Dickey said of Thole. “I consider him a friend before anything.</p>
<p>“He’s caught more of my starts than anyone in my whole career. I would venture to say he’s caught more of my starts than any catcher has caught somebody’s starts anywhere, regardless if they’re a knuckleballer or not. So, it’s been a special bond that we’ve had. We’ve been through a lot of ups and downs together. It’s been fun. I’ll miss it if it doesn’t continue.”</p>
<p>Without each other it’s unclear if there’s a place for them in Major League Baseball. One thing’s for sure though, the last two magical runs to the postseason don’t happen without them or the trade that preceded their arrival. Their on field performance may not have had the impact anyone envisioned when they were acquired, but their impact off the field and on management is unmistakable.</p>
<p>For that alone Jays fans should be thankful.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>An Early End to the Blue Jays Comeback (and Season)</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/20/an-early-end-to-the-blue-jays-comeback-and-season/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/20/an-early-end-to-the-blue-jays-comeback-and-season/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 20 Oct 2016 16:52:34 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[2016 ALCS]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cleveland Indians]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Pillar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marco Estrada]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Russell Martin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Troy Tulowitzki]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=7626</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – Well, that didn’t last long. The hope, the optimism, the belief &#8211; they all died quickly in the Blue Jays’ ALCS Game 5 matinee against Cleveland. Cleveland scored three times, once in the first, then again in the third and fourth, and the Jays hardly threatened, if ever. Ryan Merritt threw slop that [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – Well, that didn’t last long. The hope, the optimism, the belief &#8211; they all died quickly in the Blue Jays’ ALCS Game 5 matinee against Cleveland.</p>
<p>Cleveland scored three times, once in the first, then again in the third and fourth, and the Jays hardly threatened, if ever. Ryan Merritt threw slop that Toronto couldn’t hit, and then the bullpen came in and did bullpen things.</p>
<p>It was another exciting season in Toronto, but now it’s over. An offense that struggled all September reared its ugly head at the worst possible time. Even solid pitching up and down the Jays staff couldn’t help them. They needed to be perfect and they weren’t.</p>
<p>If you’re a Jays fan there’s a lot to bemoan. The team is better than it performed in the ALCS, and certainly better than their 11-16 September. But you also must tip your cap to Cleveland. With two fantastic starters out with injury manager, Terry Francona mixed and matched his way to a World Series berth.</p>
<p>“We grinded. We battled. The other team just did a bit more than us,” Russell Martin said. “They pitched extremely well all the way through the whole series – their starters, their bullpen, everybody, they played good defence. They didn’t make too many mistakes. I feel like they made one mistake and that was the game we won…But overall they deserved it, they played really well.”</p>
<p>With neither offense performing at peak levels it came down to pitching and key hits, and it seemed that more often than not Cleveland found a way to come through at critical times, especially early in games. In fact Toronto outhit Cleveland 32-25 in the series but were outscored 12-8 in an extremely low-scoring series.</p>
<p>The loss hit the players pretty hard. The clubhouse was very sombre after the game. A lot of man hugs and best wishes were given, and players were packing up and putting things into boxes, some knowing they may never be in that clubhouse again. Part of that mood stemmed from the attitude and belief that they were better than they performed, and had a whole lot more fight left in them. None of them ready for the season to be over.</p>
<p>“I wish we were still playing. This team had a lot left in it. Just came up a little short,” Marco Estrada said.</p>
<blockquote><p>“I wish we were still playing. This team had a lot left in it. Just came up a little short.” &#8211; Marco Estrada</p></blockquote>
<p>“I think not winning games is the biggest disappointment,” Kevin Pillar said. “We were in every game and that’s all you can ask for this time of year we just didn’t come up with a big hit.</p>
<p>“Each and every one of us, you can look at everyone in this room, everyone had opportunities to drive in some runs and it just didn’t work out that way. It’s unfortunate, but everyone’s going to go home, reflect on it, improve, and come back and look forward to doing it again.”</p>
<p>That was the overwhelming silver lining of a season now lost. There’s a returning core for the Blue Jays that should make them a viable playoff candidate regardless of what moves are made in the offseason.</p>
<p>The strength of the team, the rotation, stays fully intact &#8211; minus the likely departure of R.A. Dickey &#8211; with Francisco Liriano the heir to the fifth starter role. Josh Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki, Devon Travis, Kevin Pillar, and Russell Martin are also all under contract, meaning the defence up the middle and a part of the heart of the order will be returning. Lastly, the team’s best bullpen piece, closer Roberto Osuna, will continue to close out games and Joe Biagini and likely Jason Grilli will be there to help get him the ball. There’s a lot to work with even if Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, Michael Saunders, and Brett Cecil find work elsewhere. Those holes will be filled, but it all starts with starting pitching and defense, and the Jays should have that in spades entering 2017.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I’m sure there will be some disappointments and grumbling and complaining about how you fell short again, but that’s not coming from me, because I know what these guys did, and I think it’s a pretty good accomplishment.&#8221; &#8211; John Gibbons</p></blockquote>
<p>That, however, doesn’t take the sting out of Wednesday’s loss for fans. But after 22 years without a playoff berth, coupled with back to back trips to the American League Championship Series, there’s a lot to be thankful for too.</p>
<p>“The tough part is getting in (to the playoffs),” manager John Gibbons. “So many good teams out there. In the American League we look at it all the time. All the divisions are good and competitive. To stay on top or get close to the top, near the top, it takes a lot. A lot of things have got to go your way.</p>
<p>“I’m sure there will be some disappointments and grumbling and complaining about how you fell short again, but that’s not coming from me, because I know what these guys did, and I think it’s a pretty good accomplishment. The key is we want to take that next step on of these days, hopefully it’s next year. But these guys, they did a hell of a job.”</p>
<p>That doesn’t make the result any easier to swallow. Everyone wanted more; the fans, the players, the coaches, the staff. Everyone thought this team had more to give, but just like last season they fell just short. An admirable accomplishment, it’s just that they wanted more.</p>
<p>“Both times that we lost it sucked equally,” Martin said. “This sucks. It’s part of the game. Only one team goes home happy. Unfortunately it’s not us.”</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Blue Jays Bats Stay Silent</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/18/blue-jays-bats-stay-silent/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/18/blue-jays-bats-stay-silent/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Oct 2016 14:22:50 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[Russell Martin]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=7552</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – It’s no fun to pile on when a person is down, but so far in the American League Championship Series the Toronto Blue Jays have been completely outplayed in every facet. No one is going to point fingers at the Jays’ pitching, but a whole lot of weight falls on the shoulders of [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – It’s no fun to pile on when a person is down, but so far in the American League Championship Series the Toronto Blue Jays have been completely outplayed in every facet. No one is going to point fingers at the Jays’ pitching, but a whole lot of weight falls on the shoulders of an offense that simply isn’t getting it done.</p>
<p>The Toronto offense is Arctic cold right now; they have scored a season-low in runs over a three game stretch in the most important time of the year. If you’re a Jays fan there isn’t a whole lot to hang your hat on at the moment. They’ve squandered alarmingly favourable matchups the last two games, one of which came against 8.1 innings from the Cleveland bullpen and the other versus Josh Tomlin.</p>
<p>“They shut us down,&#8221; Jays manager John Gibbons said. &#8220;They did a great job going through a number of guys and did a good job shutting us down.</p>
<p>“I still believe our offense is due to erupt. It hasn’t happened yet, but I’ve seen it too many times. Hopefully (Tuesday) is that day, we’ll see.”</p>
<p>While certainly the Cleveland pitching staff deserves a ton of credit for making the Toronto hitters look completely lifeless at the plate, the simple matter of the fact is that some of the Jays&#8217; big bats are just missing pitches. Take the fifth inning of Monday’s game. The Blue Jays had just tied the game at two on a groundout by Ryan Goins that scored Ezequiel Carrera and the heart of the Toronto lineup was coming up to bat to face Bryan Shaw. All three of them had a pitch to hit, and only Josh Donaldson was able to do something with it.</p>
<p>Take a look at what Jose Bautista had to hit(below).</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/10/Bautista.gif"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-7565" src="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/10/Bautista.gif" alt="Bautista" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p>That blue dot is a cutter that Cleveland righty Bryan Shaw threw right down the middle of the plate. Bautista flied out to left field about 20 feet short of the wall.</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/10/eddie.gif"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-7566" src="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/10/eddie.gif" alt="eddie" width="500" height="333" /></a></p>
<p>That&#8217;s the cutter that Encarnacion missed(above). Typically he smashes those pitches if this heat map is any indication(below):</p>
<p style="text-align: center"><a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/10/slug.png"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-7567" src="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2016/10/slug.png" alt="slug" width="500" height="500" /></a></p>
<p>Now, these charts and missed pitches don&#8217;t mean all that much in the grand scheme of things. Just like pitchers, hitters miss sometimes. Baseball is an extremely hard and complicated game. The best of the best miss less often than everyone else, which Bautista and Encarnacion are certainly in that category. What it <em>does </em>indicate is what anyone can see with their eyes; the Jays&#8217; offense is off. The likelihood of either of them missing those pitches when they&#8217;re seeing the ball well is slim. However, even if both sluggers would&#8217;ve reached base versus Shaw it doesn&#8217;t mean the Jays would&#8217;ve won, but for a team that hasn&#8217;t even held the lead at any point in the the series, at least one hit could&#8217;ve gone a long way to building some form of momentum.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s not just the big bats that are missing either. Troy Tulowitzki, Bautista, Kevin Pillar, and Russell Martin are a combined 4-for-41 in the series, with Martin looking particularly lost at the plate. Dioner Navarro has as many hits as each of them, and that came in one at-bat. However, after the loss in Game 3 Gibbons didn&#8217;t sound like he was thinking about changing the lineup once again in hopes of sparking the offense.</p>
<p>“I may have already done that enough,&#8221; Gibbons said. &#8220;No, we’ll run the boys out there tomorrow that got us to this point. It’s a pretty good group. And they’re due. They’re due. We’ll see. We’ll see if it’s (Tuesday).”</p>
<p>The task will be a whole lot harder with Corey Kluber, the 2014 Cy Young winner on the mound for Cleveland. The man who escaped trouble in the first three innings of Game 1 before getting locked in and shutting out the Blue Jays over 6.1 innings and allowing just six hits.</p>
<p>While the task may be daunting, what the Jays need is pretty simple.</p>
<p>&#8220;We just got to play better,&#8221; Pillar said. &#8220;We got to figure out a way to get to their starting pitching early, get a lead, and play from ahead for once.</p>
<p>“This [team] is filled with guys that would damn near sell their soul to get to the World Series and we understand we still have that opportunity we just need to play better. It’s that simple.&#8221;</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Donaldson&#8217;s Bold Move Pays Off for Jays</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/10/donaldsons-bold-move-pays-off-for-jays/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/10/donaldsons-bold-move-pays-off-for-jays/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 10 Oct 2016 16:02:44 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[2016 postseason]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Josh Donaldson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kevin Pillar]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Saunders]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Texas Rangers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=7363</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – Ballsy. Reckless. Bold. Aggressive. Call it whatever you want, but Josh Donaldson’s decision to round third and attempt to score on a ball in the dirt that was laying at the feet of Texas Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland was certainly not your run of the mill play. As Donaldson laid out, doing [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – Ballsy. Reckless. Bold. Aggressive.</p>
<p>Call it whatever you want, but Josh Donaldson’s decision to round third and attempt to score on a ball in the dirt that was laying at the feet of Texas Rangers first baseman Mitch Moreland was certainly not your run of the mill play.</p>
<p>As Donaldson laid out, doing his best Superman impression, he touched the corner of home plate with his outstretched left hand to score the decisive run and win the ALDS for the Toronto Blue Jays.</p>
<p>“That’s a baseball player man,” Kevin Pillar said after the game as he and his teammates celebrated the Jays’ 7-6 walk-off win in Game Three of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers. “He’s got great instincts. Everyone wants to talk about what he’s able to do with his bat, or what he’s able to do with his glove, but what makes him an MVP type of player is his ability to run the bases.</p>
<p>“That’s a guy whose playing banged up. Probably not at 100 percent, but his instincts took over and he wanted it more than they did. That’s a play where someone can’t tell you to go, you just got to go on your own and he reacted, and boy it worked out.”</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Everyone wants to talk about what he’s able to do with his bat, or what he’s able to do with his glove, but what makes him an MVP type of player is his ability to run the bases.&#8221; &#8211; Pillar</p></blockquote>
<p>That it certainly did, as the Jays won the game on what was arguably the boldest baserunning decision in franchise history. When Donaldson broke for home, the Rogers Centre crowd held their breath as the play unfolded. Even last year’s MVP wasn’t sure he was going to make it home safely.</p>
<p>“That situation in the game, if he ends up throwing me out, making a great play you kind of have to tip your cap to him,” Donaldson said. “But I’m banking on the fact that I’m going to make it more times than not.&#8221;</p>
<p>While Donaldson was <i>relatively</i> sure his gamble was going to pay off, Michael Saunders was certain the game was over then and there.</p>
<p>“His instincts are off the charts. I had no doubt that he was scoring,” Saunders said. “When he makes up his mind on the base path it’s usually the right decision. He was aggressive. He understood the way the game was going that we needed to take our chances. The guy is an MVP for a reason.”</p>
<p>What may be more surprising than Donaldson’s decision to break for home in that situation was the fact that it’s no secret he’s nursing an assortment of ailments, some of which certainly affected his swing during a September where he hit .232 and only managed three home runs, but the 30-year-old looked awfully spry as he bolted for home.</p>
<p>“When you have 50,000 fans screaming it kind of numbs the pain a little,” Donaldson said. “It gives you that little extra jolt of adrenalin.”</p>
<blockquote><p>“When you have 50,000 fans screaming it kind of numbs the pain a little.&#8221; &#8211; Donaldson</p></blockquote>
<p>While the end result was what the Jays hoped for, the game itself wasn’t perfect. Few things in life are.</p>
<p>Aaron Sanchez struggled with his command all game &#8211; allowing six earned runs in his first postseason start, Kevin Pillar just barely missed a diving catch to end all diving catches that gave the Rangers a brief lead in the sixth, and the Jays only had two hits with runners in scoring position, scoring two of their seven runs on a wild pitch and an error.</p>
<p>That no longer matters. What matters at this time of year is simply the end result and that’s what the Jays are focused on.</p>
<p>“In the playoffs it’s all about getting wins,” Pillar said. “We just executed better and that’s what it comes down to in the postseason. We just played better baseball. We executed better.</p>
<p>“We’re going to enjoy the rest. It’s a long season. A lot of us are beat up. A lot of us are hanging on by threads. We’re going to enjoy the couple days off and take care of our bodies and we’ll be ready to go.”</p>
<p>Thanks to Donaldson’s bold baserunning decision the Jays get four days off before returning Friday for Game 1 of the ALCS against the winner of the Boston/Cleveland series &#8211; something that’s critical for the team at this time of year with so many bodies hurting.</p>
<p>“It’s been a long year. The extra days off will definitely benefit us as a team, I can tell you that,” Saunders said. “We’re just going to keep this momentum going. We’re going to enjoy some days off and come back ready to go.”</p>
<p>When they do come back the Jays will be looking for their seventh-straight victory, which would tie the club’s best mark of the season. Those types of streaks are awfully rare this time of year, but Toronto might be playing its best baseball at the most critical time.</p>
<p>Pillar talked before the Wild Card game about team’s who win that game tend to “ride that wave” of momentum into their next series. Thanks to Donaldson and company the Jays are still riding that wave and will look to continue to do so when the ALCS starts.</p>
<p>Friday. Be there.</p>
<p><i>Lead Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports</i></p>
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		<title>This is Why they Play the Game</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/05/this-is-why-they-play-the-game/</link>
		<comments>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/05/this-is-why-they-play-the-game/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 05 Oct 2016 13:20:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[wild card]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=7254</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – This is why they play the game. A common message that echoed through both clubhouses prior to Tuesday’s Wild Card game between the Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles. The pressure of the postseason, playing with everything on the line. Everything to lose but also everything to gain. No player would want it [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – This is why they play the game.</p>
<p>A common message that echoed through both clubhouses prior to Tuesday’s Wild Card game between the Blue Jays and the Baltimore Orioles.</p>
<p>The pressure of the postseason, playing with everything on the line. Everything to lose but also everything to gain. No player would want it any other way.</p>
<p>“This is the only reason a lot of us play,” Blue Jays centerfielder Kevin Pillar said. “This wasn’t what we had in mind getting to the postseason, but&#8230; we got a chance to do something special and it starts today.”</p>
<p>And do something special they did.</p>
<p>In a game that had it all: plenty of great defensive plays, spectacular performances on the mound, some gigantic moon shots, a plethora of nervous moments, and a curious pitching decision; this game will be remembered for one swing of the bat.</p>
<p>Already among the all-time hitters in franchise history, the man they call Eddy entered Blue Jays playoff lore with one swing of the bat on Tuesday night in Toronto. Like Jose Bautista, Roberto Alomar, and Joe Carter before him, Edwin Encarnacion can now count his name among Toronto legends after depositing a massive shot into the second deck in left field at Rogers Centre to win the Wild Card game for the Jays, 5-2 over the Orioles.</p>
<p>The long-term weight and significance of Encarnacion’s game-winning home run in the 11<sup>th</sup> inning of the team’s first ever Wild Card game will be determined by the success of these 2016 Blue Jays, but in the short term there’s not a single moment in all of baseball that stands bigger right now.</p>
<p>The always subdued 10-year veteran called his home run “a very special moment and very special opportunity for me to get. Thank God I did the job, and it worked out for us pretty well.”</p>
<p>Encarnacion is not one to give much recognition or praise to his own performances, but his teammates have no filter for their appreciation for the man who’s called Toronto home over the last eight seasons.</p>
<p>“He’s one of the elite hitters,” manager John Gibbons said after the game. “He’s done that many times for us.”</p>
<p>“I can’t say enough (about him). We had the right guy up at the right time,” Pillar said. “He’s been the one guy throughout the whole year that’s been in the lineup, healthy, carried this team when guys were out. He doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. This guy should be in the MVP conversation.”</p>
<blockquote><p>“He’s been the one guy throughout the whole year that’s been in the lineup, healthy, carried this team when guys were out. He doesn’t get enough credit for what he does. This guy should be in the MVP conversation.” &#8211; Kevin Pillar</p></blockquote>
<p>After a season that saw him finish third in Major League Baseball with 42 home runs, and second in the league with 127 RBIs, there’s no doubt he’ll garner some attention on the MVP ballot. But in reality, despite his terrific regular season, Tuesday’s swing is what people will remember most about his year barring further heroics. It may even end up his signature moment with this franchise.</p>
<p>This is why they play the game.</p>
<p>Every kid dreams of hitting that big home run, or make that perfect pitch when the stakes are highest. Encarnacion actually lived it. Even a Roberto Osuna, who was in the trainer’s room nursing an injury to the front of his right shoulder that he sustained in the 10<sup>th</sup> inning, couldn’t contain himself in that moment.</p>
<p>“I was so excited,” Osuna said. “I was jumping in the training room. I forgot that I have ice on my shoulder. George was like ‘Hey Osuna, stop jumping around.’ ”</p>
<p>Just five days ago no one could have ever envisioned this moment for Encarnacion. Following a disappointing 4-0 loss to these same Orioles last Thursday that put their playoff lives in jeopardy, Encarnacion left the Jays dugout worried he might have played his last game in a Blue Jays uniform at home. In that moment he took his time in the dugout, soaking up the moment and the gravity of the situation. When he finally left to the clubhouse he gave a subtle wave to the crowd on his way out.</p>
<p>Now, no matter how this season plays out or what the future holds, there will always be this moment. His own bat flip heard ‘round the world.</p>
<p>This is why they play the game.</p>
<p><i>Lead Photo: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports</i></p>
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		<title>The Blue Jays&#8217; Canadian Trio on the Playoffs in Toronto</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/10/03/the-blue-jays-canadian-trio-on-the-playoffs-in-toronto/</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 03 Oct 2016 11:22:01 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Dalton Pompey]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Russell Martin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=7157</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Toronto – The postseason is the biggest stage that Major League Baseball has to offer. It’s a time of high intensity, high pressure, and high stakes. Every little detail matters. In the course of a season, or even a game, a misplay or poor decision can go unnoticed. Lost in the greater context of events [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Toronto – The postseason is the biggest stage that Major League Baseball has to offer. It’s a time of high intensity, high pressure, and high stakes. Every little detail matters. In the course of a season, or even a game, a misplay or poor decision can go unnoticed. Lost in the greater context of events that a marathon season requires. In the postseason those decisions and plays are scrutinized to the Nth degree.</p>
<p>With those stakes comes a lot of pressure. Not just in the postseason but also those meaningful games down the stretch to get there. There’s not one player in the league that doesn&#8217;t want to be in that spotlight, living under the intensity of those must-win games.</p>
<p>Russell Martin has become no stranger to playing under the spotlight on baseball’s biggest stage. With the Blue Jays having clinched a playoff spot Sunday Martin will make his sixth straight postseason appearance and ninth overall in his 11-year career and he wouldn&#8217;t have it any other way.</p>
<p>“You battle your butt off all year to earn the right to play the most meaningful games possible,” Martin said last week. “Just the opportunity to play under those circumstances is all you need.</p>
<p>“Derek Jeter said it best ‘you have 162 games of practice before the real season starts.’ And that’s what it feels like. It’s like you earn your right to play under the big lights.”</p>
<blockquote><p>“Derek Jeter said it best ‘you have 162 games of practice before the real season starts.’ And that’s what it feels like. It’s like you earn your right to play under the big lights.” &#8211; Russell Martin</p></blockquote>
<p>While Martin has played nearly 50 games under those postseason lights for Michael Saunders Tuesday&#8217;s Wild Card game at the Rogers Centre versus the Baltimore Orioles will be his first. A sprinkler head in Spring Training last season spoiled his chances of embarking on Toronto’s historic run to the postseason in 2015, leaving the 29-year-old Canadian with bittersweet feelings and pinned to the Jays’ bench as the club’s biggest cheerleader.</p>
<p>After a healthy 2016 where he set career highs in at-bats, games played, and home runs, Saunders is looking forward to making up for last year’s freak accident and playing under those bright lights.</p>
<p>“(The playoffs), that’s what I’m looking forward to,” Saunders said. “I think I was more nervous than the guys were who were actually playing with me sitting on the bench and knowing all I could do was watch. That’s what I’m looking forward to. I know it’s what we’re all looking forward to. This year around, for me personally, actually being able to contribute and being on the field is a big deal for me.</p>
<p>“It’s why we train all off season, go through Spring Training, play five months every day is to try and play meaningful games in September.”</p>
<p>For Saunders this is only the second time he’s had the chance to experience firsthand impact games down the stretch. His old club, the Seattle Mariners, finished one game back of the Oakland Athletics for the second Wild Card in 2014. Through it all though the Mariners were never in the position the Jays were; controlling their destiny in their own hands with a mere handful of games left.</p>
<p>Despite having little experience in those type of games down the stretch Saunders refused to let the pressure or the high intensity of the game get to him, the game itself is the same after all.</p>
<p>“We don’t feel any pressure. This is why we play the game,” Saunders said before the Jays&#8217; 5-1 win over the Orioles last Tuesday. “To get to this level I feel like you&#8217;ve got to learn to slow your heart beat down a little bit, and not get too amped up. So for us, we understand the importance of this series but this is just another game for us.”</p>
<p>Martin, who’s seen just about everything in the postseason except the World Series, echoes Saunders’ sentiment.</p>
<p>“I don’t make any conscious changes (this time of year),” Martin said. “I think everybody is prone to reacting to their environment. The environment becomes a little bit more excited, a little more amped up. So that might affect me a little bit. But other than that I feel like I just go out there, play my game, play hard, and play to win.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I just go out there, play my game, play hard, and play to win.&#8221; &#8211; Russell Martin</p></blockquote>
<p>“It’s easy to get excited. When you rush things you tend to make mistakes. I think the best thing you can do sometimes is just step back, gather your thoughts, get your breathing where it needs to be, lower your heart rate if you need to do that. But ultimately you just go out there and do things that you&#8217;ve been successful at and keep doing those things.”</p>
<p>While that may be easy for veteran players like Martin and Saunders, for Dalton Pompey, who’s spent the majority of his 59 Major League Baseball games in high intensity moments in September and October, it doesn&#8217;t come quite as easy for him. He hasn&#8217;t had the time to establish himself as a Major Leaguer, and in reality is experiencing baptism by fire. He just has to hope all that he’s learned in the minors will translate to success at the game’s highest level.</p>
<p>As a result, nerves play a role for the 23-year-old Mississauga, ON native and he feels the pressure of the moment.</p>
<p>“Yeah, I do (feel the pressure),” Pompey said. “Every time I run out there to run for something I get nervous. But once I’m on the base it feels like any other game to me.</p>
<p>“You still feel it. You still feel nerves throughout the whole season any game that you’re in. I mean, if you don’t have nerves I don’t think you should really be playing.”</p>
<blockquote><p>“Growing up here I never really saw a winning team, so to be part of a winning team (in Toronto) for a change and actually be on the team is special to me, special to my family.” &#8211; Dalton Pompey</p></blockquote>
<p>While the elder Canadian statesmen of the team refuses to call it pressure, they admit that they can become over-excited and know the reality of the moment and in turn have to consciously try and stay calm and focus on what’s in front of them. With over 2,100 games between them they&#8217;ve had the luxury of dealing with these situations head on for years and have found their own method of dealing with it and mentally blocking out any form of pressure.</p>
<p>Despite appearing in less than three percent of the regular season games Martin and Saunders has, Pompey has already experienced more postseason time than Saunders and gone equally as far as Martin ever has. A quirky stat that has Pompey out hitting Saunders in the postseason despite just one at-bat in the game’s brightest lights. Having accomplished the feat with the team he grew up cheering for makes that reality even more special.</p>
<p>“It’s obviously a great thing to be part of a playoff roster, a playoff race,” Pompey said. “Getting that experience is only going to be invaluable to me for the rest of my career. Obviously, I’d like to be here more than just September, but I’m grateful to be here altogether because some guys don’t get that opportunity.</p>
<p>“Growing up here I never really saw a winning team, so to be part of a winning team (in Toronto) for a change and actually be on the team is special to me, special to my family.”</p>
<p>Postseason experience and individual accomplishments aside, this trio, along with their teammates have one goal in mind. Martin admits that despite his personal regular season success baseball is a team sport, and to accomplish greater things one has to look beyond personal statistics.</p>
<p>“Luck is definitely (a factor), because it’s not just one person that’s going to change the whole season,” Martin said. “It takes a group of guys that share the same mindset, that work together to achieve one goal. I think that’s what you have on this team. Obviously, this team is made up of individuals that have to accomplish their own things individually, but I think that we’re all united with the fact that we all want to win, and you can sense it in this room.”</p>
<p>With a Wild Card date looming, they&#8217;ll continue to work towards that ultimate goal.</p>
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		<title>Brett Cecil is Enjoying Playing Meaningful September Baseball</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/09/20/brett-cecil-is-enjoying-playing-meaningful-september-baseball/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Sep 2016 11:40:07 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
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		<category><![CDATA[Roy Halladay]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=6756</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – It took 22 seasons for the Blue Jays to make the playoffs after winning it all in 1993. For every player that played in the interim, meaningful baseball in September was merely a myth. For a fan base, that’s an eternity. For players, that’s the length of a career, and then some. None [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – It took 22 seasons for the Blue Jays to make the playoffs after winning it all in 1993. For every player that played in the interim, meaningful baseball in September was merely a myth.</p>
<p>For a fan base, that’s an eternity. For players, that’s the length of a career, and then some. None know this better than some of the long-time Blue Jays in those dark ages. Roy Halladay, Carlos Delgado, Vernon Wells, Adam Lind, and Casey Janssen were all drafted by the Jays, had varying levels of success in a Toronto uniform, endured the hardships, but never got to experience meaningful games down the stretch, despite their patience and faith.</p>
<p>For Brett Cecil, his patience is starting to pay off. A 2007 first round pick of the Jays, it took seven seasons and 276 Major League appearances before getting to experience it. With the club in the midst of another meaningful run in September and the American League East crown in the balance the left-hander is taking it all in.</p>
<p>“It’s a lot of fun playing in games like this, playing in September and playing in games that matter,” Cecil said last week before a game against the Boston Red Sox. “First four years or so of my career I was playing, I don’t like to call it meaningless baseball because you always want to try and improve yourself in some area every game that you go out… but, trust me, it’s a lot more fun to be playing real meaningful games and try to win a division.”</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;Trust me, it’s a lot more fun to be playing real meaningful games and try to win a division.”</p></blockquote>
<p>That shouldn’t surprise anyone, obviously any competitor wants to win, especially one who gets paid to help a franchise win games. However, what might surprise you is that the team’s struggles before their enchanted postseason run last season made the Jays’ recent success a little bit sweeter for Cecil.</p>
<p>“I feel like for myself, personally, it’s been good for me to have those struggles that I’ve had in the past and even now in your career because you look for ways to get better,” Cecil said. “You learn from your mistakes. You learn how to get better. You better yourself as a person. You better yourself as a pitcher.</p>
<p>“I don’t think anybody can have 100 % success in this game. There’s going to be some downfall at some point. Whether it’s a team, whether it’s your career personally. I think it’s great for everybody to have that.”</p>
<p>While the Dunkirk, Maryland native has experienced his share of losses and failures, both personally and as a team, he’s also had plenty of success at the Major League level, especially since converting full-time to a reliever in September 2012. In the three full seasons that followed Cecil revolutionized his game to become one of the best relievers in the game, posting a 2.67 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and 11.5 K/9 between 2013 and 2015.</p>
<p>Out of the bullpen Cecil has flirted with the club’s closer role on a couple of occasions, but nothing was quite as impressive as his stretch in the second half of last season. From June 24, 2015 and into the playoffs Cecil was arguably the most dominant reliever in all of baseball. Sporting a streak of 39 straight appearances without allowing an earned run that included a 0.68 WHIP, and 12.3 K/9.</p>
<p>It all came to a tragic end for Cecil in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the ALDS series against the Texas Rangers at Rogers Centre. After retiring the first two batters he faced, including a strikeout of Prince Fielder, Cecil gave up a single to Mike Napoli through the right side of the infield that scored Marcus Stroman&#8217;s inherited runner to tie the game at 4. Then Cecil caught Napoli off of first base with a pickoff attempt and became part of a run down between first and second. In the midst of tagging out the Rangers&#8217; first baseman for the final out of the frame he tore his left calf muscle. The injury forced him to miss the remainder of the playoffs, and left him cheering for his club from the sidelines as he voraciously attempted to overcome it.</p>
<p>While he chalked up just two innings of postseason experience as a result, it was more than a big enough bite for Cecil to want more. It’s that taste of success and finally experiencing meaningful baseball, combined with the club’s struggles earlier in his career that makes him want it even more this season.</p>
<p>“It’s both. It’s everything,” Cecil said. “It’s all the work you put off the field, in the weight room, and the off-season. You want it for your teammates. You want to do well for them</p>
<p>“We had a taste of it last year and we have a bad taste left in our mouth,”</p>
<blockquote><p>“We had a taste of it last year and we have a bad taste left in our mouth.”</p></blockquote>
<p>The Jays know how close they came last season, and that unfinished business has become a rallying cry for the team. But even with the contributions of Jason Grilli, Joaquin Benoit, and the ever-reliable Roberto Osuna at the back of the pen, a return to form by Cecil would drastically alter the Jays’ chances down the stretch.</p>
<p>The 30-year-old left-hander is trying to shake off an uncharacteristic season, and feels he’s almost there. Cecil, who hasn’t allowed a run since Aug. 21, now has a 1.72 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and 12.6 K/9 in 22 games since July 22<sup>nd</sup>.</p>
<p>“I feel like my stuff’s been good all year,” Cecil said, who now has a 4.26 ERA on the season, nearly two full runs more than in 2015. “I feel like this year more than not it’s been bad pitches or poor pitch selection (that has hurt me). I feel like I’m going to fix that.&#8221;</p>
<p>“I felt really good my last couple of outings. I was telling people the other day that I don’t remember the last time I was consistently 94, 93, 94, 94 94 for two outings in a row. … It’s good for me to see that. Then obviously I know my breaking ball is where it needs to be. It’s sharp. I keep telling them, ‘guys, I have 30 innings. Throw me every day. I can go every other day for the rest of the season if you guys need me or want me.’ I’m a fresh arm right now. I’m feeling good so hopefully we can stretch this thing for a while.”</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I have 30 innings. Throw me every day. I can go every other day for the rest of the season if you guys need me or want me. I’m a fresh arm right now.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Regardless of where Cecil is slotted in the bullpen depth chart as the season winds down, or what the stats say about his year, the six-foot-three lefty’s main concern is the team record. You can throw away any personal stats and ignore anything he’s accomplished this year. At this time of season, when it matters most, it’s all about what the team can do.</p>
<p>“This isn’t an individual sport,” Cecil said bluntly.</p>
<p>Taking matters further, Cecil knows his role and what it takes to be a successful reliever. Part of that is having a short memory on the mound and not letting anything affect you. The other part comes from some advice given to him by former Blue Jays ace and current special assistant to the club Pat Hentgen.</p>
<p>“Hentgen always told us ‘you got to treat every outing like its Game 7 of the World Series,’” Cecil said. “If you’re a reliever coming in the fifth and getting the last out of the fifth<sup> </sup>inning or you’re Osuna getting the last three outs of the game. Every single out is important.&#8221;</p>
<p>“I know this team. The team knows itself, they know they can comeback from a pretty big deficit. We can come back in a short amount of time. That’s why I say every out is just as important as getting three outs in the ninth or being down 11-2 and getting outs in the fifth or sixth. It’s just as important.”</p>
<p>Whether or not Cecil will actually see Game 7 of the World Series in the future is yet to be seen, but he’s going to treat every appearance like it is. Until he gets there himself, he’s going to enjoy some meaningful baseball for a second consecutive season after a long stretch of losing and will try to avenge last season&#8217;s disappointment to wash that bad taste out of his mouth.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Blue Jays have the Perfect Excuse to use Bautista as DH</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/08/25/blue-jays-have-perfect-excuse-to-use-bautista-as-dh/</link>
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		<pubDate>Thu, 25 Aug 2016 13:00:55 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John Gibbons]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jose Bautista]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Melvin Upton Jr.]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[ross atkins]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=5849</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – With the return of Kevin Pillar to the Toronto Blue Jays lineup Tuesday, and Jose Bautista expected to be back today it would seem that the club’s outfield picture just got a lot clearer. However, with further inspection it would seem that in actuality the water is about to become a whole lot [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – With the return of Kevin Pillar to the Toronto Blue Jays lineup Tuesday, and Jose Bautista expected to be back today it would seem that the club’s outfield picture just got a lot clearer. However, with further inspection it would seem that in actuality the water is about to become a whole lot murkier.</p>
<p>As my colleague <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/08/09/its-time-to-get-jose-bautista-out-of-the-outfield/">Matt Gwin suggested two weeks</a> ago, the logical move by the Jays might be to have Bautista, who is in the midst of an historically bad defensive season, stay out of the outfield altogether. This would let Melvin Upton Jr., Pillar, and Michael Saunders get the lion’s share of work.</p>
<p>Bautista is last on the club in defensive runs saved with -9, while Upton Jr. has +3 in his time in Toronto despite appearing in slightly more than a quarter of Bautista’s innings. However, the imminent return of Bautista likely won’t affect the club’s outfield hierarchy according to general manager Ross Atkins.</p>
<p>“(Bautista) will be playing every day.” Atkins said. “As long as his health is dictating that he’s feeling fine, recovering fine, he’ll be playing every day.</p>
<p>“BJ will be the guy that we acquired who can play all three (outfield spots), and when he’s not playing someone who can come off the bench and pinch hit, pinch run, pinch defensively, so providing depth.”</p>
<blockquote><p>“BJ will be the guy that we acquired who can play all three (outfield spots) and when he’s not playing someone who can come off the bench and pinch hit, pinch run, pinch defensively, so providing depth.&#8221;</p></blockquote>
<p>Maybe Atkins is toeing the company line and staying sensitive to a clubhouse leader who has been unselfish by putting the team first and his personal stats second time and time again this season. Maybe he even believes that for whatever reason (unannounced injuries, hitting ability, etc.), the Jays are better off with Bautista in the outfield.</p>
<p>At the plate the 35-year-old is batting just .129 with one home run, one RBI, and a .250 on-base percentage when not in right field this season, albeit in just nine games and 36 plate appearances. That could certainly be part of Atkins&#8217; decision, however historically his slash line is a tidy .267/.380/.503 with 14 home runs, 51 RBIs, and 44 runs scored in 288 at-bats as a designated hitter.</p>
<p>Whatever the reasoning behind it, it seems unlikely Bautista will move from his usual spot in the outfield. That is unless Gibbons has found a way to put his best defensive and offensive lineup out there with a convenient, and ego-saving excuse; Bautista’s left knee injury.</p>
<p>“When Jose comes back, he’s probably coming back Thursday, he’s going to need to DH a lot with his knee,” Gibbons said prior to his <a href="http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/08/23/recap-blue-jays-7-angels-2-blue-jays-break-seventh-seal-silence-angels/">club’s 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels</a> Tuesday. “It feels good, but I think it’s the smart thing to do.”</p>
<p>Admittedly, little has been revealed about the Dominican Republic native’s left knee injury outside of it being a grade-1 sprain, so maybe it’s still not fully healed and won’t be for some time. But it does make it a little bit easier for Gibbons to put Bautista at DH when he returns.</p>
<p>Furthermore, with Upton starting to find his stroke a little, hitting .290/.343/.581 over his last nine games and .255/.302/.447 with three home runs and nine RBIs in his past 14 games entering Tuesday, it would mean his spot in the batting lineup wouldn&#8217;t be a complete black hole devoid of offense and with limited returns.</p>
<p>Something else that Gibbons has noted is how Upton&#8217;s comfort levels with his surroundings, new city and teammates over the past little while are likely contributing to his recent success. This is something that would bode well for the future.</p>
<p>“I think he’s settled in here, he’s comfortable here,” Gibbons said. “I’ve said it before… you’re in a new environment you naturally want things to get off to a great start. Your tendency is to press and try to make things happen, in baseball that works against you. It always does, or always seems to.&#8221;</p>
<p>As the season continues Gibbons said that Upton&#8217;s &#8220;going to play a lot.”</p>
<p>Time will tell how much playing time Upton Jr. will see and in what role down the stretch drive. For Gibbons, however, it only makes sense to optimize your lineup with what works best for the club both offensively and defensively moving forward, and it appears there’s at least a possibility that Bautista will be found focusing more on his hitting and less on chasing down fly balls in the future if the manager has his way. He has the prefect excuse to make it happen.</p>
<p><em>Lead Photo: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports</em></p>
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		<title>Jason Grilli is Passionate About Winning in Toronto</title>
		<link>http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/2016/08/12/jason-grilli-is-extremely-passionate-about-winning/</link>
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		<pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2016 11:24:45 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Evan Peaslee]]></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Articles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jason Grilli]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://toronto.locals.baseballprospectus.com/?p=5440</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[TORONTO – If you’ve ever seen Jason Grilli pitch then you know he thrives on emotion. The bigger the moment, the greater the pressure, the higher the intensity, the more he likes it. Having spent the majority of the past three seasons as a closer, compiling 69 saves in 78 chances, it should come as [&#8230;]]]></description>
				<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>TORONTO – If you’ve ever seen Jason Grilli pitch then you know he thrives on emotion. The bigger the moment, the greater the pressure, the higher the intensity, the more he likes it.</p>
<p>Having spent the majority of the past three seasons as a closer, compiling 69 saves in 78 chances, it should come as no surprise that those are the moments he thrives on.</p>
<p>“I live on that,” Grilli said Wednesday prior to the Blue Jays’ 7-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre. “I’m an adrenaline junkie. I like performing in big situations.”</p>
<p>So when he made the move to Toronto thanks to a May 31<sup>st</sup> trade with Atlanta, and after Blue Jays manager John Gibbons promptly promoted him to the club’s setup man behind closer Roberto Osuna, it seemed to be the perfect fit for the 39-year-old’s intensity fuelled pitching prowess. Especially considering the games he would be seen in jumped immensely in pressure and importance after moving from the bottom-feeding Braves to an AL East division contender.</p>
<p>“The (Braves situation) was hard for me,” Grilli said. “I came back to win. My will to win parallels why I wanted to come back. I play, not for my salary, but I play to win. The people that know me, they see that passion out there, that’s what I’m about, and I try to bring that to the table every time I get the ball.”</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I play, not for my salary, but I play to win. The people that know me, they see that passion out there, that’s what I’m about, and I try to bring that to the table every time I get the ball.”</p></blockquote>
<p>The passion is definitely there. The emotion reminiscent of his time as a closer finishing out big games with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2013. But it’s his desire to win that has helped make the transition to Toronto a seamless one.</p>
<p>He quickly found a place in the Jays’ clubhouse in large part because the club’s desire of winning a World Series championship coincided with his own. As soon as he arrived he made it apparent he was fully on board with the Jays’ mission statement.</p>
<p>“You got to have that taste in your mouth,” Grilli said of the team’s aspirations of repeating last year’s success and wanting to improve on it. “Talking to some of the guys during batting practice that’s the feeling and the energy here. They want to see that again. We want to experience it again.</p>
<p>“I prided myself on just proving to these guys that I’m jumping on the bandwagon.”</p>
<p>What made it easier for the Royal Oak, Michigan native was putting aside his personal goals and focusing solely on the team’s success.</p>
<p>“There’s a lot of superstars around here that have been pretty damn good players in their own right,” Grilli said. “We can all put a feather in our cap with personal accolades, but the one thing I look at is I want to raise one of those World Series championship banners. I want to have a World Series ring. I want to do the World Series parade. The only way I get to do that is if we all do that, and I’m just one of many.”</p>
<p>He may just be one man on the roster, but his value to the club has been immeasurable since arriving in Toronto.</p>
<p>After another scoreless outing Wednesday, Grilli has a 1.90 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, .154 opponent’s batting average against, and a 12.5 SO/9. That’s without even mentioning the stabilizing effect he’s had on the bullpen itself.</p>
<p>In comparison, Grilli had a 5.29 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, .242 BAA, and a 12.2 SO/9 in Atlanta. Admittedly the sample size is small in both cases (17 IP in Atlanta and 23.2 IP in Toronto), but those are drastically different results for the veteran.</p>
<p>Although the passion and heightened emotions in the middle of a pennant race would seem to be exactly what’s fuelled his turnaround, any blanket theory that has been thought of to explain the discrepancy, the veteran isn’t having any of it.</p>
<p>“I always laugh when people dissect my season. Only because … the ‘I’m good now and I was horrible when I was with Atlanta’ (theory is) untrue,” Grilli said. “The skill set never left.</p>
<blockquote><p>&#8220;I want to have a World Series ring. I want to do the World Series parade. The only way I get to do that is if we all do that, and I’m just one of many.”</p></blockquote>
<p>“Despite what anybody thinks &#8211; the will power, the desire, just because I’m with a different team I didn’t need a change of scenery, they weren’t using me in the ‘closer role’ I was in and did very well in. I think people need to do their research before we start cross-sectioning whether I was good or bad. That’s an easy blanket statement in comparison to make.”</p>
<p>Although Grilli is adamant that nothing has changed, his slider has been extremely effective since coming to the Blue Jays, and he’s using it more as a result.</p>
<p>With Toronto Grilli’s slider is moving more than an inch more than his time with Atlanta. He’s averaging 6.93 inches of horizontal movement North of the border compared to 5.91 inches in Georgia.</p>
<p>Grilli’s also getting batters to swing at his slider more, 38.7 % of the time compared to 30 %. But the biggest difference is that his slider is now missing hitter’s bats at a much higher frequency. Entering Wednesday’s game Grilli’s slider was creating a swing and miss at a 56.4% clip &#8211; over 20% more than in Atlanta.</p>
<p>Surprisingly, the speed on his slider is only 0.7 MPH more now than with the Braves. The 2013 All-Star didn’t have any reason on why he’s used the slider more now than in Atlanta other than “it’s working.”</p>
<p>Although having fully recovered from a torn Achilles injury that cost him the last half of the 2015 season may be part of the reason for its success in Toronto.</p>
<p>Regardless, the one thing that has never changed since moving to Toronto is his desire to win.</p>
<p>“For me the last quarter turn is the final thing I need to check off that box,” Grilli said. “I’ve been to a World Series and lost, but I want to go to one and win.”</p>
<p><i>Lead Photo: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports</i></p>
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