Blue Jays News

Rolen's rocking but he knows the pain of a slump
Comment
July 3
Toronto Sun
 
"Scott Rolen and Vernon Wells may be on the same team, but that's about all they have in common these days. Rolen, the Blue Jays third baseman, is hitting like he's never hit before, and is riding a career-high 19-game hit streak into New York for a four-game showdown against the Yankees. Wells, meanwhile, has hit the pits as he has just two hits in his past 19 at-bats after finishing the homestand going 8-for-32. In June, the veteran centre fielder hit .212 with just two homers and 11 RBIs."
Jays set to play in new park
Comment
July 3
Toronto Star
 
"Tonight, the Blue Jays play their first game at the new Yankee Stadium, but you won't catch Cito Gaston reminiscing about the old one. That might seem a little strange, given that most afternoons Gaston supplements his pre-game media briefings with anecdotes about the old days, either managing the Jays or playing in the majors. But he's not at all nostalgic about the original Yankee Stadium, which was built in 1923 and closed after last season. While many baseball purists found the stadium quaint, Gaston just found it creaky."
Swaggering Romero shuts down Rays
Comment
July 2
Toronto Star
 
"Protecting a 2-0 lead against the Tampa Bay Rays, Blue Jays starter Ricky Romero walked second baseman Ben Zobrist to load the bases with one out in the seventh inning. Sensing a game-changing moment, veteran catcher Rod Barajas walked to the mound to reassure the rookie pitcher that the situation wasn't as dire as it seemed, and that Romero could escape the inning unscathed if he could make the right pitches to Pat Burrell, who was digging in at home plate. After the game, Barajas said the focus in Romero's eyes and the confidence he exuded on the mound even as three Rays waited on base showed him the 24-year-old left-hander didn't need much pumping up, and Romero quickly delivered the ..."
Tampa Bay Rays are shut out by Blue Jays, ending seven-game winning streak
Comment
July 2
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Right-hander James Shields has found himself on the wrong end of some hard luck this season. The Rays ace leads the staff with 10 quality starts, but his offense hasn't always backed him up. That was the case in Wednesday's 5-0 loss to the Blue Jays in front of a spirited Canada Day crowd of 30,533 at Rogers Centre, snapping the Rays' seven-game winning streak. Shields gave up two earned runs through the first seven innings before getting tagged for two solo homers in the eighth. But that was more than enough for Jays rookie left-hander Ricky Romero, who has now pitched 20 consecutive scoreless innings, including shutting down the Phillies and Rays in back-to-back starts. "We just got ..."
Rays, Shields draw blanks
Comment
July 2
Tampa Tribune
 
"This particular script is getting old for James Shields. Once again Wednesday afternoon, the Rays' Opening Day starter pitched well enough to win, holding the Blue Jays to two earned runs through seven innings before they tacked on a pair of solo homers late. And once again both he and the Rays came up frustratingly short, their 5-0 loss at the left hand of rookie starter Ricky Romero snapping a season-high seven-game winning streak. As Manager Joe Maddon said the previous evening after a hard-fought victory, success generally begins and ends with pitching. But the Rays - rather adamantly - found no fault with Shields' work in the series finale. "It's like I told him - you're not going to ..."
Snap, cracking, bad
Comment
July 1
Toronto Sun
 
"The Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays appear to be two teams moving in opposite directions. That doesn't bode well for the hometown Jays as they are the team that is heading south. With last night's 4-1 loss, the Jays have dropped four in a row and seven of their past 11 while the rocketing Rays have won seven in a row and ended June with a 19-7 record, second best in the majors. Of more concern to the Jays, they sport losing records against the big three in the AL East as they are 2-4 vs. Boston, 1-2 vs. the Yankees and have dropped the opening two in this three-game series, the first meeting between the clubs this season."
Jays see deja vu in loss to Devil Rays
Comment
July 1
Toronto Sun
 
"The Blue Jays and Tampa Rays appear to be two teams moving in opposite directions. That doesn't bode well for the hometown Jays as they are the team that is heading south. With last night's 4-1 loss, the Jays have dropped four in a row and seven of their past 11 while the rocketing Rays have won seven in a row and ended June with a 19-7 record, second best in the majors. Of more concern to the Jays, they now sport losing records against the Big Three in the Al East as they are 2-4 vs. Boston, 1-2 vs. the Yankees and have dropped the opening two in this three-game series, the first meeting between the clubs this season."
Jays keep on tumbling
Comment
July 1
Toronto Star
 
"At the time that the Jays were cruising along in first place back in April, they were beating up on teams from the AL Central and West. They claimed not to be overly concerned about the many games coming against the very tough and very deep AL East. Following last night's 4-1 defeat at the hands of the AL champion Rays, in front of 15,477 restless fans at the Rogers Centre, it's time for the Jays to be worried. It seems that lineup changes are on the way."
Upton and Crawford a potent 1-2 punch
Comment
July 1
Toronto Star
 
"Looking at just the raw batting numbers and the consistency of their contributions, the leadoff tandems of the Jays (Marco Scutaro and Aaron Hill) and the Rays (B.J. Upton and Carl Crawford) seem quite similar. It's only when comparing raw speed and the stolen base numbers that the differences show. Entering last night, the Rays' dynamic 1-2 hitters had scored 101 runs, with Upton showing a .771 OPS (on base plus slugging) and Crawford at .846. Meanwhile the surprising Jays' pair, both of whom have played like all-stars, have combined to score 106 runs. The leadoff man, Scutaro began the night with a .795 OPS, while Hill checked in at .846."
Doc looks good in return, but will he stay?
Comment
June 30
Foxsports.com
 
"No one would blame J.P. Ricciardi if he complained. His Blue Jays play in baseball's deepest division, and the Yankees outspend them by more than 2-to-1. He has six pitchers on the disabled list. His highest-paid outfielders, Vernon Wells and Alex Rios, are underperforming. But he was in a good mood Monday afternoon. "I'm lucky," the Toronto general manager said. "Every fifth day, I get to watch Doc." He was referring, of course, to ace Roy Halladay, who was about to make a start of some significance. Halladay hadn't pitched since June 12, when a groin strain halted his outing against the Marlins after three innings. Halladay was facing the Tampa Bay Rays to open this country's most ..."
Niemann, Rays outduel Halladay, Jays
Comment
June 30
Tampa Tribune
 
"As Jeff Niemann entered the start that would mark the halfway point of his season Monday, the Rays weren't sure what they would get from the towering right-hander. That sense that the game could break one way or another in a hurry remains with Niemann, even when he isn't matched up with one of the sport's elite pitchers. And perhaps it was the experience of pitching against Roy Halladay that helped draw out the Niemann who can be awfully impressive himself when he's on. Because on this night, aided by pitch-count restrictions on Halladay in his first start off the disabled list, the Rays got the better of Toronto's ace, handing him only his second defeat of the season as they prevailed ..."
Doc's return spoiled
Comment
June 30
Toronto Sun
 
"Roy Halladay's return was just about everything the Blue Jays could have expected, victory excepted. After 15 days on the disabled list with a mild groin strain, the doctor came back as dominant as he had been pre-injury in amassing the best record in the American League. Unfortunately for Toronto, as good as he was on this night, Halladay wasn't the most effective pitcher in the game. That distinction went to Tampa Bay's Jeff Niemann, who frustrated the Blue Jays lineup, allowing just four hits over 71/3 innings on his way to a 4-1 decision. In the first meeting between the Jays and an AL East opponent in nearly a month, the game swung, essentially, on rare back-to-back mistakes by ..."
Doc Halladay dinged in return
Comment
June 30
Toronto Star
 
"The Blue Jays have bigger things to consider than coming up with a popgun offence and ruining Roy Halladay's comeback game last night. Indeed, they couldn't hit a lick against Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann in a 4-1 loss at the Rogers Centre. But the Jays are also a falling star in the American League East. In coming up with only two hits in support of their ace and five overall, the Jays dropped their third consecutive decision and fourth in the past five games. Over that span, they've been getting smaller in the Rays' rear-view mirror. Tampa, behind Carl Crawford's two-run blast off Halladay in the third, claimed their sixth straight win and are now firmly in command of third place in ..."
Rays ruin Halladay's return
Comment
June 30
Boston Globe
 
"Carl Crawford and Pat Burrell homered and the Tampa Bays Rays ruined Roy Halladay's return with their sixth straight victory, 4-1 over the Blue Jays last night in Toronto. Halladay (10-2) came in having won his past seven decisions, the longest streak in the majors, but lost for the first time since April 21 against Texas. The Blue Jays have dropped three straight. Halladay was starting for the first time since June 12 against Florida, when he left two pitches into the fourth inning with a sore groin that landed him on the disabled list. The righthander allowed two runs and five hits in six innings, failing to pitch at least seven innings for only the second time in 15 starts. He walked ..."
Doc dealt 2nd loss in return from DL
Comment
June 30
Toronto Star
 
"The Blue Jays have bigger things to consider than coming up with a popgun offence and ruining Roy Halladay's comeback game last night. Indeed, they couldn't hit a lick against Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann in a 4-1 loss at the Rogers Centre. But the Jays are also a falling star in the American League East. In coming up with only two hits in support of their ace and five overall, the Jays dropped their third consecutive decision and fourth in the past five games. Over that span, they've been getting smaller in the Rays' rear-view mirror. Tampa, behind Carl Crawford's two-run blast off Halladay in the third, claimed their sixth straight win and are now firmly in command of third place in ..."
Niemann, Rays up to the challenge
Comment
June 30
Tampa Tribune
 
"As Jeff Niemann entered the start that would mark the halfway point of his season Monday, the Rays weren't sure what they would get from the towering right-hander. That sense that the game could break one way or another in a hurry remains with Niemann, even when he isn't matched up with one of the sport's elite pitchers. And perhaps it was the experience of pitching against Roy Halladay that helped draw out the Niemann who can be awfully impressive himself when he's on. Because on this night, aided by pitch-count restrictions on Halladay in his first start off the disabled list, the Rays got the better of Toronto's ace, handing him only his second defeat of the season as they prevailed ..."
Improved two-strike approach helping Tampa Bay Rays offense rank among baseball's best
Comment
June 30
St. Petersburg Times
 
"LF Carl Crawford may have delivered the biggest hit of Monday's game, a two-run homer in the third inning off Blue Jays ace RHP Roy Halladay. But it was his single up the middle with two strikes in the first that served as an example of what manager Joe Maddon calls one of the club's biggest improvements since last season and a reason why the Rays are among the majors' best in several offensive categories. Tampa Bay entered Monday's game with the majors' second-best two-strike batting average (.213), behind only Toronto (.218), a huge jump from last season, when the Rays ranked 23rd at .182. "Our two-strike batting average has been great," Maddon said. "I've been really looking at that ..."
Niemann outpitches Blue Jays ace Roy Halladay
Comment
June 30
St. Petersburg Times
 
"Rookie right-hander Jeff Niemann admits he's still a "work in progress in terms of being consistently good." The 6-foot-9 Texan has shown flashes of dominance, such as in a complete-game shutout against the Royals. He also has dealt with the struggles that often come with young pitchers. But though Niemann, 26, is still adjusting to the big-league learning curve, he passed a big test Monday night against the Blue Jays. Niemann was impressive in outdueling Jays ace Roy Halladay, giving up just one run in 71/3 innings to lift the Rays to a 4-1 victory over Toronto in front of 15,665 at the Rogers Centre. Not only did Niemann pick up his staff-leading seventh win, veteran reliever Randy ..."
Jays choke in ninth
Comment
June 29
Toronto Sun
 
"Bottom of the ninth, one-run game. First and second. None out. Struggling closer Brad Lidge on the mound. How easy would this be for the Blue Jays? Not very. Eight pitches later, the threat was gone, Lidge survived the nervy ninth and the Philadelphia Phillies scored a 5-4 win over the Blue Jays before 36,379 fans at Rogers Centre yesterday afternoon. The Jays finished interleague play with 11 losses in 18 games against the supposedly weaker National League. Raul Chavez began the bottom on the ninth against Lidge, who has blown six of 13 save opportunities, with a bunt single. Then Marco Scutaro worked a walk as Lidge's 3-2 pitch wasn't even close, moving pinch-runner John McDonald to ..."
Rally gone like magic
Comment
June 29
Toronto Sun
 
"Rally gone like magic"
Hill's got all-star stats, but no spot on team
Comment
June 29
Toronto Star
 
"Aaron Hill demonstrated yesterday that he has almost everything an all-star needs – power, fielding, impact on his team. One thing he lacks, though, is fan votes. After a 5-4 setback to Philadelphia yesterday, Hill put himself squarely into the debate over who deserves to be an all-star second baseman for the American League."
Hill's big game wasted
Comment
June 29
Toronto Star
 
"It was an aggressive play, and it would have been considered gutsy and smart had it worked according to plan. Instead, the Jays' attempted ninth-inning steal of third base yesterday became yet another fumbled opportunity in a 5-4 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at the Rogers Centre. "You're trying to read the pitcher there, and I thought I did the job I was supposed to do, I got a good lead. ... Maybe it was too good and I got myself too far off the bag," said a frustrated John McDonald, who bolted to third on a planned steal, but wound up being picked off by a crafty move from Phillies closer Brad Lidge."
Lidge seals Phils' win over Jays
Comment
June 29
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"Brad Lidge felt nervous at first, entering today's game in the ninth inning with a one-run lead.The closer who was perfect last season had not earned a save since June 1, spending most of the month on the disabled list with a sprained right knee. He had blown six saves before that, but the Phillies suffered in his absence, losing 12 of 16 games.The Phils, trying to reverse the worst stretch of their season, received a much-needed save from Lidge, who picked a runner off second base and closed a 5-4 win against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.The Phillies scored four of their runs in a fourth inning that included a two-run triple by Chase Utley. They took two of three in Toronto ..."
Barajas to test right hamstring Monday
Comment
June 28
MLB.com
 
"Blue Jays catcher Rod Barajas expects to know by Monday whether or not he will need to go on the disabled list because of his strained right hamstring. On Sunday, the catcher said he would test the hamstring Monday and make a decision based on whether he's able to run without discomfort. Barajas left Friday's 6-1 loss against the Reds in the second inning after tweaking his hamstring while running to first base. The Jays planned to put him on the 15-day disabled list, but did not file the paperwork with the league, and decided not to shelve Barajas after the catcher said he felt better Saturday. "I got the treatment done right after the game, and I was surprised at the lack of discomfort I ..."
Jays Buzz
Comment
June 28
Toronto Sun
 
"QUICK HEALER As it turned out, the news Friday night about catcher Rod Barajas being placed on the disabled list with a tweaked right hamstring was premature. It was the Blue Jays' intention to do so, but when Barajas awoke yesterday morning he informed the club that he felt a lot better. The Jays had not filed the paperwork so they decided to keep Barajas on the roster and hope that, in a few days, he'll be ready for action. In the interim, backup Raul Chavez will be behind the plate and the Jays will pray nothing happens to him. "Barajas would go back in," manager Cito Gaston said when asked what happens if Chavez gets injured. "If it was a blowout, I could have Johnny Mac (McDonald) ..."
Phils drill Mills
Comment
June 28
Toronto Sun
 
"Brad Mills may one day be a quality pitcher at the major-league level. However, as he proved yesterday afternoon in a 10-0 thumping by the Phillies at the Rogers Centre, right now he is not ready for prime time. Mills, in the rotation because of the shoulder soreness that plagues Casey Janssen, made his second big-league start against Philadelphia and, much like the first one, it wasn't pretty. The Phillies' Jayson Werth, who at one time was a Jays prospect, certainly didn't mind seeing Mills again. In the second inning, with a man on, he pole-axed a 2-2 pitch and watched it rattle off the first row of seats in the fifth deck down the left-field line. As actor Kevin Costner, playing ..."
Everything clicks for Phils
Comment
June 28
Camden Courier-Post
 
"As he sat in front of his locker Friday night and listened to manager Charlie Manuel speak during a 20-minute, closed-door team meeting, J.A. Happ could think of only one thing. ``Why can't I be the guy to stop this (losing streak)?" he recalled. And after the Phillies hammered the Blue Jays 10-0 here Saturday, and the music and smiles finally returned to the clubhouse after being largely absent for two weeks, it would've been easy to declare the meeting a success, to say the defending World Series champs are rehabilitated from a June swoon that nearly knocked them out of first place. That would be premature. Sure, the Phillies' offense pounded out 14 hits, eight against rookie starter ..."
Jays decide not to put Barajas on DL
Comment
June 27
MLB.com
 
"Rod Barajas isn't on the disabled list after all. On Saturday morning, the Blue Jays catcher felt better after tweaking his right hamstring one night earlier and the club decided against placing him on the shelf for two weeks. Following Friday's 6-1 win over the Phillies, Toronto announced that Barajas was going to be placed on the 15-day DL. The Jays did not file the paperwork with the league office on Saturday morning, choosing to wait and see if Barajas really needed that much time to recover. "He feels good today," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston said. "To go and throw him on the DL for 15 days when the guy could be OK in a couple days, that would be a waste. So, we're just going to see ..."
Hamels, Lidge, Phils, Losers
Comment
June 27
Camden Courier-Post
 
"The losing ways continued against Toronto Friday night with both the Phils' ace and freshly-healed stopper both having poor outings in a 6-1 loss. They were no hit for 6 innings, shut out for 8 and frustrated for all 9. Hamels was tagged for four runs in 4 2/3 innings, threw more than 100 pitches in that time and when he was pulled from the game by Manuel, added a pee-oed postscript by getting into an argument with the home plate umpire while walking off the mound. Hamels was relieved of the ball and ejected from the game. Later, Lidge made a mess of his much hoped for return - he gave up two runs in 2/3 of an inning in the eighth and uncorked a wild pitch while getting work in a non-save ..."
Happy Halladay as Blue Jay ace ready to go
Comment
June 27
Toronto Star
 
"It was good news all around yesterday for the Blue Jays and ace Roy Halladay. He came through a bullpen session with flying colours and pronounced himself ready to start Monday's game. "I feel like it's completely gone, so we're going forward with our plan to pitch Monday," said Halladay after the final test of the groin injury he suffered June 12. "It was a full 'pen, full effort and I didn't feel anything, so I'm encouraged.""
Romero tosses off-speed gem for Jays
Comment
June 27
Toronto Star
 
"Ricky Romero may have among the best off-speed pitches on the Blue Jays pitching staff. The young lefty, just 10 starts into his major-league career, has shown changeups, curves and sliders to be reckoned with. It's a high compliment when Romero's company includes Roy Halladay (any of his pitches), or Jason Frasor's "fosh" changeup. But the 24-year-old is walking the walk in the majors and his off-speed stuff is helping pave the way. Last night was another of several recent examples. A two-hit gem through seven innings in a 6-1 win over Philadelphia. A no-hitter through six innings. The Phillies didn't even get a ball out of the infield until the fifth inning. "If you're wondering if I was ..."
Bastardo likely to miss start
Comment
June 27
Philadelphia Inquirer
 
"The Phillies do not yet know the severity of Antonio Bastardo's shoulder injury, but expect the pitcher to miss at least one start.Bastardo, 23, exited Thursday's loss in the fourth inning with a strained left shoulder. He traveled with the team to Toronto but was to fly back to Philadelphia this weekend and be examined by team physician Michael Ciccotti on Monday.After Thursday's game, Bastardo said he had felt tightness in his shoulder during his last few starts. Pitching coach Rich Dubee seemed surprised by that information yesterday. "He told us he hurt it throwing to first on a pickoff" on Thursday, Dubee said.Bastardo missed almost two months last year because of inflammation in his ..."
Hard-luck Hamels ejected as struggling Phillies fall to Blue Jays
Comment
June 27
Philadelphia Daily News
 
"For roughly 20 minutes, the doors remained shut, bottling up whatever emotion lay percolating inside. It isn't clear what exchanges took place inside the Phillies clubhouse last night - manager Charlie Manuel politely sent word that he would not be making any postgame comments for the first time this season - but when the room finally opened to reporters, the only discernible sound was the ringing of a cell phone from inside the pocket of a clubhouse attendant carrying a pile of dirty uniforms to a bin across the room.Manuel had spent much of the previous week warning of a bursting of the dam, and after a 24-year-old rookie held the Phillies hitless for six innings en route to a 6-1 loss ..."
Slump goes on for Phillies
Comment
June 27
Camden Courier-Post
 
"In the bottom of the seventh inning here Friday night, while the Phillies were being defeated again, Ryan Howard stood on the artificial turf near first base with his hands on his hips. Behind him, in right field, Jayson Werth crossed his arms and stared blankly at nothing in particular. Yeah, it's been that kind of month for the Phillies. Another loss, 6-1 to the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, marked their third consecutive setback and their 11th in 13 games, all against American League teams. And as lousy as the results have been, it's the way the Phillies have been losing that has manager Charlie Manuel wondering if the road to recovery is as simple as the merciful end of interleague play ..."
Online balloting to decide '09 All-Stars
Comment
June 26
MLB.com
 
"We, the people, are deciding who goes to the 80th All-Star Game July 14 in St. Louis.We are ready for the mad rush.We are entering that Validation Key over and over, submitting our 25 allotted votes in the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Online Ballot at MLB.com.We punched those Walt Disney Pictures G-Force All-Star Game paper ballots and left those little chads all over ballparks, and now those last paper ballots are being collected tonight at Pittsburgh and Houston as it goes online-only for the homestretch.We know it's the final week to decide starters. Our deadline as empowered fans is 11:59 p.m. ET on Thursday, and we know that only because we have been staring at this javascript voting app ..."
Mother's Day bats now up for auction
Comment
June 26
MLB.com
 
"It has been a big first half of baseball for current American League All-Star first baseman vote front-runner Mark Teixeira, and that included that memorable Mother's Day game back in his hometown of Baltimore, where he crushed a two-run homer for the Yankees.He was swinging a pink bat."It's obviously huge -- I think that's the first home run I've hit with a pink bat, so I'm going to go bring that to Mom right now," Teixeira said on May 9, referring to Margy, a breast cancer survivor who had been diagnosed when he was a freshman at Baltimore's St. Joseph's High School. "As soon as I hit it, I thought about it. It's pretty special to me."Margy may have gotten that pink bat, but another one ..."
Jays to evaluate Halladay on Friday
Comment
June 26
MLB.com
 
"The Blue Jays will decide on Friday whether ace Roy Halladay can be cleared to start against the Rays on Monday at Rogers Centre. Halladay is currently on the 15-day disabled list with a mild right groin strain. Toronto manager Cito Gaston said that Halladay is scheduled to throw off a mound on Friday and that bullpen session will help determine whether the pitcher is recovered enough to be activated as planned. If Halladay still experiences any discomfort, though, right-hander Scott Richmond will likely be given the nod to start on Monday. "Let's hope it's Doc -- nothing against Richmond," Gaston said. Halladay, who is tied for the Major League lead with 10 wins and has a 2.53 ERA, felt a ..."
Leafs finally find their road map
Comment
June 26
Toronto Sun
 
"The Toronto Maple Leafs have finally got things going on the road, at least for one night. Rick Meinhold struck out 12 batters in eight innings and Kyle Degrace had four hits to pace a 13-hit attack, leading the Leafs past the Kitchener Panthers 9-6 in Intercounty Baseball League play last night. The win improved the Maple Leafs record to 13-6, but was just the third road win in seven games for the club this season. Toronto plays at Mississauga tomorrow and hosts the Guelph Royals on Sunday (2 p.m.) at Christie Pits."
Homeboy hammers Jays
Comment
June 26
Toronto Sun
 
"With apologies to Julius Caesar, last night was a case of Votto, Vini, Vidi, Vici. Joey Votto, Toronto's native son, who is staging a comeback of his own from the demons of anxiety and depression, put a dagger in the Blue Jays comeback hopes with a four-hit, three-RBI performance that lifted the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-5 victory. Like Caesar, he came, he saw, he conquered. "I always want to play well, but it's extra special in front of your family and friends," Votto said. ROLEN'S HOT In doing so, the Reds salvaged one win in the three-game series and spoiled a terrific night for Jays third baseman Scott Rolen. In the early innings, the Jays PR staff handed out sheets listing the ..."
Close but no cigar as rally gets wasted
Comment
June 26
Toronto Star
 
"Jays rookie lefty Brett Cecil was beaten. Apparently, the Jays offence wasn't. There was a smattering of the Vernon Wells of old, and more of the wonderful hitting and fielding wizardry shown by Scott Rolen over the past month, as the Jays bounced back from a 5-1 deficit last night against the Cincinnati Reds, but ultimately lost 7-5. There was no heroic ending – Toronto's Joey Votto coming up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, and some brilliantly executed smallball saw to that – as the visitors claimed victory to avoid being swept in the three-game series. Votto, the slugging native of Etobicoke, drove in three runs, including a seventh-inning homer that stood up as the winner. An ..."
Votto helps Reds avoid sweep against Jays
Comment
June 26
Dayton Daily News
 
"The Cincinnati Reds came back from Canada with more than a pocket full of loonies and toonies they forgot to exchange for U.S. $1 bills. They came back with something much more precious of Canadian value - a happy, functioning, fire-breathing Joey Votto, the Canadian-born first baseman who just came off the disabled list. On a muggy Ontario night, Votto stroked hits his first four times and drove in three runs, breaking a tie in the seventh inning with a home run that lifted the Reds to a 7-5 victory. What made it all the more refreshing for the Reds as they zipped through customs en route to Cleveland was: They snapped a four-game losing streak. They gained a game on all three teams ..."
Votto helps Reds stop losing streak
Comment
June 26
Cincinnati Enquirer
 
"Joey Votto went from not being sure he could make it through nine innings to carrying the Reds to victory, all in the space of 72 hours. Votto, playing in his third game since spending three weeks on the disabled list, went 4-for-5 with a homer, double and three RBI. It added up to a 7-5 Reds' victory over the Toronto Blue Jays before at Rogers Centre. "The beautiful thing about baseball is there's always a new day, always a game," he said. "It kind of parallels life. It was nice feeling good without thinking about the problems I've been having. I felt like yesterday was a good step and today was even a better step." Votto put more significance in the win than his big night. "I would have ..."
GM gives updates on injured pitchers
Comment
June 25
MLB.com
 
"While right-hander Shaun Marcum is recovering well from elbow surgery and could pitch this season, fellow righty Dustin McGowan faces a tougher road ahead as he tries to heal his ailing right shoulder, according to Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi. Before the Jays' Wednesday night tilt with the Reds, Ricciardi updated the status of several of the club's injured starting pitchers. The GM said there still is no timeline for McGowan's return. McGowan underwent surgery to repair a frayed labrum in his right shoulder last May, and his recovery has stalled recently. "Dustin is slow. He's been a slower process," Ricciardi said. "I don't know when he'll come back." When asked if McGowan ..."
Ricciardi optimistic about Marcum, uncertain of McGowan
Comment
June 25
MLB.com
 
"While right-hander Shaun Marcum is recovering well from elbow surgery and could pitch this season, fellow righty Dustin McGowan faces a tougher road ahead as he tries to heal his ailing right shoulder, according to Blue Jays general manager J.P. Ricciardi. Before the Jays' Wednesday night tilt with the Reds, Ricciardi updated the status of several of the club's injured starting pitchers. The GM said there still is no timeline for McGowan's return. McGowan underwent surgery to repair a frayed labrum in his right shoulder last May, and his recovery has stalled recently. "Dustin is slow. He's been a slower process," Ricciardi said. "I don't know when he'll come back." When asked if McGowan ..."
Five reasons Jays may not make it
Comment
June 25
Toronto Star
 columnist Richard Griffin
"Summer has finally arrived in T.O.– clear skies, warm temperatures and mounds of accumulating garbage. As the amount of sunlight and the number of games in the Jays season begin to shorten, the Jays still believe they are poised to make a second-half run at a post-season berth. Is such a goal realistic? One of the positives they point to is the fact that they have hung tough in the AL East for three months despite a nine-game losing streak and the loss to the disabled list of nine important pitchers for various periods of time, including Roy Halladay. Despite the fact this edition of the Jays for the most part plays an entertaining brand of baseball (like last night in an 8-2 win over the ..."
Five reasons Jays may not make it
Comment
June 25
Toronto Star
 
"Summer has finally arrived in T.O.– clear skies, warm temperatures and mounds of accumulating garbage. As the amount of sunlight and the number of games in the Jays season begin to shorten, the Jays still believe they are poised to make a second-half run at a post-season berth. Is such a goal realistic? One of the positives they point to is the fact that they have hung tough in the AL East for three months despite a nine-game losing streak and the loss to the disabled list of nine important pitchers for various periods of time, including Roy Halladay. Despite the fact this edition of the Jays for the most part plays an entertaining brand of baseball (like last night in an 8-2 win over the ..."
Blue Jays hammer Arroyo
Comment
June 25
Toronto Star
 
"The Blue Jays hit more home runs in the first inning last night than three players in the Cincinnati Reds lineup have managed individually this season. In other words, this wasn't much of a baseball wrestling match. It was more like a body slam. On a hot but not-so-muggy night that made the Rogers Centre a great place for long balls, the Jays launched three of them in the first during an 8-2 win over the Reds. There was a sense of déjà vu about the whole thing, too. The Jays faced Reds starter Bronson Arroyo last night, a year to the day from the game in which they waxed Arroyo here for 10 first-inning runs. That one made Arroyo just the sixth pitcher in major-league history to give up 10 ..."
Wells and Co., add to Arroyo's Rogers Centre nightmare
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June 25
Toronto Sun
 
""What's wrong with Vernon Wells?" Dusty Baker was asking prior to last night's game at the Rogers Centre. Well, some scouts say he tries to pull everything and swings at the first pitch too often. "The first pitch might be the best strike you see in the whole at-bat," said Baker, the Cincinnati Reds manager. "Did anyone complain (on Tuesday night) when he hit the first pitch in the seventh to left for a double and scored?" Last night, Wells pulled the first pitch he saw from Reds' straight-legged, long-locked, right-hander Bronson Arroyo to left for a solo homer as the Jays went deep three times in the first on the way to an 8-2 win before 15,409 fans. "The fans were calling me by my ..."