Blue Jays Baseball blog

YEAR 4 VOLUME XXIV, OCT. 5, 2015

GRIFF'S VIEW – BLUE JAYS LaTROY HAWKINS AND AN EMOTIONAL SUNDAY

            The emotions began to wash over LaTroy Hawkins the moment he slid into the front seat of the hotel shuttle for the short trip to Tropicana Field on Sunday morning. The Jays reliever is 99.9 per cent sure that he is going to retire, so this would be his last regular season ballgame as a major-league player, his last ride to the park, his last stroll out to the bullpen with his young teammates and his last time leaving the clubhouse, leaving an empty locker, but leaving with 21-years of memories.

            “I think I'm leaving a lot to the game,” Hawkins said. “All the people that I've touched and they've touched me. All the lives I've impacted. All the people that impacted my life. I'll be fine.”

YEAR 4 VOLUME XXIII, SEPT. 28, 2015

GRIFF'S VIEW – THE JAYS SHOULD NOT WAIT TO EXEND ANTHOPOULOS

            It says here that Blue Jays ownership should take advantage of the circumstances and the feel-good atmosphere of the moment, that on the day after they clinch the AL East Division title, they should announce GM Alex Anthopoulos has been extended for six more seasons, through 2021.

            The announcement could be made in Baltimore or Tampa, wherever it is that the magic number vs. the Yankees reaches zero and they are guaranteed to host in the ALDS. The extension would have a positive impact inside the Jays clubhouse and throughout the baseball world. The announcement should be made by incoming president Mark Shapiro, but with significant input from current club president Paul Beeston, whose contract, along with that of the general manager, expires on Oct. 31.

YEAR 4 VOLUME XXII, SEPT. 21, 2015

GRIFF'S VIEW – BLUE JAYS NOT THE SAME LINEUP WITHOUT TULOWITZKI

The Blue Jays may very well be capable of hanging on to win the AL East over the Yankees, but they are not ever going the distance to the promised land of a World Series championship in November unless they benefit from a healthy return by shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in time for a large portion of the playoffs. This team can get by without him, but can they win without him? It's not likely.

            An example of what the smooth, efficient, game-altering Tulowitzki means to the Jays was  seen on Sunday against the Red Sox in a tight 4-3 loss. It was the fifth inning. Mookie Betts grounded to shortstop Ryan Goins, who fed a stromng, accurate throw to Cliff Pennington at second. However the relay throw to first base was up the right field line, pulling Chris Colabello off the bag resulting in a fielder's choice. No, it wasn't an easy turn at second, but Tulowitzki and Goins would make that play.

YEAR 4 VOLUME XXI, SEPT. 14, 2015

GRIFF'S VIEW – BLUE JAYS HAVE DECISIONS WITH OCTOBER ROTATION            

            Perhaps Blue Jays' GM Alex Anthopoulos finally has this whole thing figured out, about the what you need to do to win your division while working on a finite player-payroll budget. Of course, the Jays haven't won the AL East quite yet and the Yankees should never be counted out, but recall that at the time of the Troy Tulowitzki acquisition on July 28, followed the next day by David Price, the Jays trailed the Yankees by eight games and now lead by 3.5. In that time-frame they are 7-3 head-to-head vs. the Bronx Bombers, including six of seven at Yankee Stadium. They believe in themselves.

            What is it, then, that Anthopoulos figured out? For the first time in his tenure, the Jays sixth-year GM went into the season with about $8-million (US) tucked away, ready to go at the deadline. In the past he has spent his cash all up front, so when July came around and he was able to figure out what were the missing pieces, he had no ability to do anything about it. This year, he realized he needed an upgrade at shortstop and a true starting ace and had the financial ability to make the moves.

RICHARD GRIFFIN'S BASEBALL BULLPEN

YEAR 4 VOLUME XX, SEPT. 8, 2015

GRIFF'S VIEW – BLUE JAYS LOOK TO BE MISHANDLING MARK BUEHRLE

YEAR 4 VOLUME XIX, AUGUST 31, 2015

GRIFF'S VIEW – ALLOWING BEESTON TO FINISH SEASON AS PREZ IS RIGHT DECISION

            The Blue Jays have finally found their man to replace Paul Beeston as club president. Ownership has gone about handling it the right way. At the end of the season, 48-year-old Mark Shapiro, currently president of the Cleveland Indians, will assume the role as the Jays new president. Until then, Beeston will be allowed to finish his term, as his contract is set to expire on Oct. 31. 

            Beeston deserves the opportunity to see this season through to the end, win or lose, without being shunted aside to make way for Shapiro. Recall when Beeston returned to the Jays for his second term as team president and chief executive office in Oct. of 2009, the Jays' brand was in trouble.

YEAR 4 VOLUME XVIII, AUGUST 24, 2015

GRIFF'S VIEW – THE SUBLIME CONTRIBUTION OF TROY TULOWITZKI

            Third baseman Josh Donaldson drifted into foul territory looking into a cloudless Sunday sky at Angels Stadium, battling the high sun. As he fought the glare, quietly at his left elbow in the coaching box was his shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, ready to help, to take over if Donaldson lost the ball or bailed at the last second. It was a routine play, but apparently no game detail is too small for Tulowitzki.  

            From first pitch to final out, the Jays new shortstop never takes a play off, even if the ball isn't hit in his direction. He's forever looking for an edge for his team, a way to contribute, to make a difference. If the Jays look back and examine their 21-4 record since Tulowitzki made his debut, on July 29, the reality is it's not about his bat as much as it is his towering presence as a defender. The pitchers have become better since the deadline, the starters, the bullen -- and the team is winning.