Back Finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm Back

Sorry Readers been busy with stuff for the last month but were back and here for the rest of the season.

What can you say about the Blue Jays after the first month they have been just amazing. 18-9 in the first month is nothing but awesome for a Jays fan. Their at the top of the division, the lineup is hitting, in fact in all aspects of hitting the Blue jays are in the top 5 of every American League category.

The pitching has been stellar considering we have what seems like a entire pitching staff on the DL. This weeks sweep of the Orioles is a perfect answer to that with Rob Ray who had 9.00 ERA in Triple A ball held the O's to 3 runs in 6 innings, and yesterday Scott Richmond the number 5 starter allowed 2 earned runs over 7 innings to improve to 4-0 on the season.

But the real question begins in May when the Blue Jays begin to play more teams in the AL East and if they can keep up this torrid pace. Especially when it comes to teams with deeper pitching and great lineups like the Rays, Yankees, and the Red Sox.

Until later I'm Out
DC

Matt Clement Retires

As reported today it seems that after being designated for assignment Matt Clement has decided that he is done.

According to bluejays.com and general manager J.P. Ricciardi who said on Sunday after talking to Clement."His heart wasn't in it, you could just tell. He's come back from so much. He's come a long way, and I give him credit for that. I think he was just tired of fighting, to be honest with you."

I'm kind of disappointed that Clement didn't have a comeback and make it back to the majors. Since watching the Jays and seeing Clement many times pitch for the Red Sox, as a baseball fan you knew that he was always a pretty good pitcher. His best year was in 2005 when he went 13-6 with a 4.76 ERA over 32 starts for Boston and made the all star game that same year.

Good Friday 1:05pm Start?

I know this isn't Jays news but I really think this is one of the more interesting stories that have come from the league in a while. The Detroit Tigers are planning to play their home opener on April 10th, 2009. For anybody who has forgotten what's happening on April 10th, it is the Catholic holiday of Good Friday. The 1:05pm start time directly conflicts with prayer and church services for many Catholics.

Tigers spokesman Ron Colangelo said Major League Baseball has a "monumental task" putting together a season's schedule. Detroit's climate makes a night game unrealistic this time of year, Colangelo told the Detroit Free Press

Now I know tons of time and planning goes into creating a MLB schedule, but is this the leagues fault for maybe not moving the game to a later time? Or even scheduling the home opener a week later and sending the Tigers on an extended road trip to begin the season, to maybe get some better weather?

I don't know, but personally I feel that if the league knows about an important holiday like Good Friday they should not just have one organization play their game during these times. Only for the reason that it puts much pressure on the organization in this case the Tigers. Who have already had to deal with the economic situation of the team in a city seriously suffering from the recession, and a team expecting already lower ticket sales throughout the season. But also especially after last year's disappointing results and their new problems this spring (Dontrelle).

Anyway please comment on this story, since as a baseball fan too I feel this is truly a unique one that everyone will have a different opinion on.

Dontrelle.jpg

2009 Look Alright for the Jays?

Once again the time is here, opening is right around the corner and this year's Jays look..........just like last year's team. I know for many Jays fans this offseason has been really uneventful and boring and being that the Blue Jays were the only major league team to not sign one free agent to a major league contract. But the additions that were added came at a bargain price, minor league deals sometimes tend to be diamonds in the rough.

Anyway here's the latest after being cut by the Padres, now the Blue Jays have let go of I would say the #1 busts of all draft picks Matt Bush. I guess hitting .219 in four years of Class A ball doesn't really help your odds at making any team in the MLB, and constantly acting up doesn't help your reputation either. Another addition Matt Clement suffering once again shoulder problems will start out in the minor leagues this season (triple a ball). Even though he's often hurt I think maybe this year he can hopefully return to his glory days when he becomes healthy again, and what better place to do it then in the AL East. The free agent additions which appear to be the most impactful will be Kevin Millar who brings experience and a veteran presence (also comedy), even with his backup role. The can be said with Michael Barret who as of today has won the backup catcher job to Rob Barajas.

The defensive I expect to look like this on opening day, and for most of the season will be:

Catcher- Rod Barajas

1st Base- Lyle Overbay

2nd Base- Aaron Hill

Shortstop- Marco Scutaro

3rd Base- Scott Rolen

Left Field- Travis Snider (Potential Rookie of the year)

Center Field- Vernon Wells

Right Field- Alex Rios

DH- Adam Lind

Bench: John MacDonald, Kevin Millar, Michael Barret, Jose Bautista

Although not the most star studded line-up but if Vernon can stay healthy and Rios hit like he did in 2007, they can be one of the best pair of outfielders in the American League. But the main concern has to be the infield not defensively since Toronto did only allow 610 runs last season, but offensively. Lyle Overbay has to become the double's champ that he was with the Brewers, and Marco Scutaro has to prove that he can be an everyday shortstop with the bat too. Since the Blue Jays have struggled offensively at the shortstop position for awhile now. Just think who they have had their before Scutaro, it was John MacDonald (defensively awesome), David Eckstein, Royce Clayton and Russ Adams. But more importantly can Aaron Hill rebound from that concussion he suffered and return to that awesome 2007 form where he hit 17 homers, 78 RBI and had a batting avg of .291. The Jays will need much more offense if they're gonna tend with the Bronx Bombers, Red Sox and now the Devil Rays.

Pitching wise can Toronto repeat its stellar performance from last year leading the American League in ERA. Right now I hope to say yes it can with the bullpen pretty much remaining intact from last year without Accardo who was sent to the minors after a terrible spring training. The focus comes in the rotation and of course Roy Halladay is gonna be the superman of the rotation. With Jesse Litsch becoming more impressive after every start proving that top two spots aren't much to worry about for Jays fans. It is what comes after which is David Purcey and Scott Richmond who are the three and five starters. These two last year in their seasons together had a combined ERA of 4.00 which is alright for September baseball. The number four starter seems to have the most pressure since it now belongs to Ricky Romero who so far hasn't justified being picked ahead of Troy Tulowitzki (and were stuck with Scutaro). This spring Romero had a 4.50 ERA in eighteen innings and struck out twenty batters, but he also walked eleven leaving his control to be an issue. Oh yah and if most people have never heard of Romero till now don't feel stupid because he has never pitched in the majors before!

 

ricky-romero.jpgSo in conclusion today learning that the Jays also have no interest to add Gary Sheffield (ugh!!!!!!) and keeping put with a team that has trouble scoring and producing runs. Most likely I see another year of Toronto doing well pitching and fielding but not so much hitting. But hopefully they get some pop this year in that line-up and make me out to be a dummy. But I still couldn't be more ready for opening day and wait to see what happens this year with the Jays playing in the hardest division in baseball. Sleeper Team?

Anyway I'm out for now GO JAYS

-DC

 

Welcome to The Birds Nest!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello to what I hope to be dedicated readers from this point on,

The Birds Nest is going to be a blog about the Toronto Blue Jays and generally anything really interesting around the MLB. First off let me say that I am also a Yankees fan (I know ridiculous) but still I am a Toronto native and lifelong Jays fan. I never thought I'd ever be blogging, but funny how things work out. My aim for the Birds Nest is that this is going to be a popular and fun blog that I hope people keep coming back to because it is informative but also ridiculous. I will be posting as much as I can, but I'm still currently in college and it's the end of the semester right now with the workload being extremely intense! I don't go to Arizona State so bear with me (although I wish I did http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5PZiHp7qoQ).

But by the end of the April and throughout the summer I'm hoping for this blog to be really the first popular Jays blog on MLB.com since really what do you American's care about the Jays for when you have the Red Sox, Yankees, Dodgers and the Cubs. Maybe even eventually more popular than Alyssa Milano's awesome blog (very very doubtful), but still come read enjoy leave comments links to other blogs let this be a place where we can seriously talk about the Jays and the MLB yet still goof off.

Alright good done the first post

Cheers, The Birds Nest