YourVanC’s Weekly – Episode 22 – Shane & StroShow!
After taking basically the entire summer off, missing out on the Vancouver Canadians season, our primary talking point on YourVanC’s ‘Weekly’, Greg and I hit the studio last night to slobber over the Blue Jays. Which we did for 18 and change minutes before taking a call from the always excellent Jesse Goldberg-Strassler, the radio […]
Vancouver Canadians Chat on Around the Nest
Given the lack of effort on Greg’s and my behalf in regards to our flagship YourVanCs podcast. I’ve had to go out to the street to look for Blue Jays — and their minor league affiliates — chat. Luckily the Vancouver Canadians hall of fame broadcaster Rob Fai was busy, broadcasting, this past Friday when […]
Is the Blue Jays’ Jorge Flores a Prospect?
Regular readers of my stuff will know that the question posed in this post’s title is a difficult one for me. At 5’5″ and 160 pounds, terms like ‘projectability’ and ‘loud tools’, you know, the ones you want to use when discussing a prospect, don’t apply to the 2012 Vancouver Canadian. Jorge Flores was fun […]
Blue Jays Minor League Review – Movers, Makers, Surprisers
After focusing my last minor league review piece on the pitching side of the ledger, specifically four arms, I promised to use this platform to talk hitting. Something I was quite excited about, since, well, for the first time in awhile there are a few hitters in the Jays system to be excited about. Before […]
Blue Jays Minor League Review – The Aftermath
The title of this post and the reason it’s a day or two late (although, let’s be honest, me saying I’m going to do an ‘on time’ weekly piece is rather amusing) is, of course, in reference to the debut of Jays 2014 first round pick Jeff Hoffman. I know everyone knows the story, but […]
Blue Jays Minor League Review – Hoffman Week
Because I believe everything that legendary Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez says, I’m officially coining the term Hoffman Week as Toronto’s 2014 first round pick is *supposed* to be activated Wednesday and assigned to Dunedin. (as part of my usual routine now, to cover up dated opening paragraphs, I’m lazily inserting a note rather than re-writing […]
Blue Jays Minor League Review – May Flowers
I’m not exactly certain what trajectory a lead balloon will take if dropped from a higher place, say CN Tower for example, but I’m willing to guess it plummets. Quickly. Similar to my feelings on the Blue Jays season. Of course, I’m a raging optimist, and at a mere two games under .500 heading into […]
Blue Jays Minor League Update – First Few Weeks
I wish someone would draw a hard and fast line in the sand as to when small sample sizes end and we can start reading far too much into what 20 year old kids are managing in the lower echelons of minor league baseball. With most of the Jays affiliates almost 20 games deep into […]
What to Make of Blue Jays Minor League Assignments
The Blue Jays minor league affiliates got their seasons started late last week and I didn’t write anything. Nothing. Crickets. Not for lack of want mind. But my auld enemy time (and a personal goal to actually finish my top prospects list) was against me once again. That all being said, there wasn’t really a […]
Notes From Blue Jays Minor League Camp – Part Three
There’s going to be a lot of firsts for the younger Blue Jays over the next weeks/months. First trip to Montreal, where I really hope Miguel Castro tried poutine. A lot of it. First opportunity to play in Yankee stadium (although not for Dan Norris as Buck Martinez found out during yesterday’s interview): Opening day […]
Notes From Blue Jays Minor League Camp – Part Two
Yesterday I focused on the pitching, especially as it pertained to who could end up in Lansing, when writing up the notes I took after speaking to a Jays minor league coach. Â Today it’s about the hitters. Â Well, two in particular. Let’s hearken back to my (still yet to be completed) Jays top prospect list, […]
YourVanCs “Weekly” – Episode 10
Greg and I were able to quickly get over the euphoria of the Vancouver Canadians clinching their fourth straight Northwest League playoff appearance as members of the Toronto Blue Jays organization, finish our beers, and get our game faces on for a classic edition of Your Van Cs Weekly. We take some time breaking down […]
A Minor Review of the Toronto Blue Jays Top Prospects
I recently had the pleasure of tipping back a few pints with a fellow Blue Jays blogger where, funnily enough, the conversation revolved mainly around Toronto’s affiliates. Specifically, we picked each others brains for what we thought our respective 2015 Jays top prospects list could look like. Neither of us had the time (or inclination in my […]
YourVanCs Weekly – Episode 8
In celebration of British Columbia’s birthday (ah hell, I’m guessing there,I don’t know what B.C. day really celebrates) Greg Balloch and I felt a long weekend podcast was necessary. The Canadians have only played five games since we last spoke, losing three of them. Not terrible at first glance but two of those three losses included […]
Ryan McBroom to Break First Base Trend?
When I wrote (and included video) recently about the Canadians hitting prospects, I only included the two that, in my opinion, will make some serious headway through the Blue Jays system. Surprisingly, to some, that didn’t include the C’s offensive leader in most major categories, first basemen Ryan McBroom. I have to admit, he was close to […]
Ex Canadians to Get All-Star Experience
In case you missed it, two highly touted Toronto Blue Jays prospects are on their way to this year’s MLB Futures Game taking place during the all-star break festivities. Although not at the same time, both Daniel Norris and Dalton Pompey were briefly members of the 2012 Vancouver Canadians. Making them (and my research on […]
Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Housekeeping
With the full season Blue Jay affiliates at, or just finishing, their all-star breaks the Toronto brass got to work re-shuffling the deck in terms of the teams rosters. Some of the moves are worth shouting about while others are mainly to fill spots vacated by those we are shouting about. Whatever they may be, […]
Talking Toronto Blue Jays on the Team1040 – Sanchez Domino Effect
I joined the Lion King Matt Baker this past Thursday to discuss all things Blue Jays on the Team1040. With the Jays slumping, and inspired by this rather humorous tweet: Juan Francisco pumpkin alert – Last 18 games – .146/.212/.354 2 HR. First 26 games – .292/.373/.629 8 HR. — Ian Hunter (@BlueJayHunter) June 12, […]
Daniel Norris Taking the Fish to Fisher Cats?
With only one more sleep until the Vancouver Canadians kick off their fourth straight Northwest League championship season the rest of the Blue Jays affiliates are keeping themselves busy, and in the news, with a flurry of roster moves. The most exciting being the promotion of Toronto’s consensus number one prospect and all-round stud Aaron […]
Your Van C’s Weekly Podcast – June 9th
Greg Balloch and myself kicked off a new venture this week with the first episode of Your Van C’s Weekly. A weekly podcast focusing on the Vancouver Canadians while also looking to the Blue Jays and their other affiliates (aside from maybe the Dominican Summer League team as I really know nothing about them). To kick […]
Talking Toronto Blue Jays on the Team1040 – May 25
Last Friday, I joined the night owl, and American camping expert, Matt Baker for our usual rundown of the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates on the Team 1040. Obviously the Jays recent hotstreak made for a fairly positive discussion, but there was still a few things we could nitpick. Including mentioning the […]
Notes From Toronto Blue Jays Extended Spring Training
It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to dig up any dirt from Blue Jays extended spring training. Seems my source has met himself a nice young lady down there in Dunedin which leaves precious little time to speak to ol’ Charlie. Plus, and this was covered during the mechanics piece, extended is an absolute grind, and […]
Talking Toronto Blue Jays on the Team and
A busy week leaves this piece a bit late to the post but I joined the indomitable Matt Baker last friday for our usual discussion buffet on the Toronto Blue Jays and their minor league affiliates. A couple of the topics we covered have turned out to be quite prescient. Our Buffalo chat focused on […]
Blue Jays Minor League Chat on the Team 1040 and the ChazMan
I caught up with all ’round good guy Matt Baker on the Team 1040 this past Friday following a particularly disappointing Blue Jays loss (aren’t they all?) versus the Angels. Given the tough start on the night from Dustin McGowan, compounded by a terrible one against Cleveland last night, the injured (perennially so, it seems) […]
