Bloggin’ Blue: Jays Links 3/28/13

Feb 18, 2013; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (10) during photo day at Florida Auto Exchange Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY SportsJust four more days until Opening Day for our beloved Toronto Blue Jays. Everyone is getting ready for what hopes to be a very exciting season for a city (country for that matter) that has been dying for it. Add in the fact that we’ve been chomping at the bit since that very first trade of the winter brought with it hopes and expectations to the point where Opening Day couldn’t get here fast enough.

So do you need your fix of Blue Jays links to help get you to the finish line?

How about CBC Sports, where they pass on the news that Toronto’s favorite child and loyal Jays’ season ticket holder Geddy Lee will be throwing out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day. Will the Working Man enjoy his time in the Limelight? Will Tom Sawyer show us the way to Xanadu? Alright, enough with the Rush name-dropping.

The Tao of Stieb continues his look at 37 Jays, this time haunted by the Ghost of Dustin McGowan (Chance). No one knows what to expect from the one time uber-prospect, but Tao sums it up well:

Token Quote:

"The most likely scenario for this season is that McGowan pitches in some portion of the season, and might add his name into the growing and impressive list of hard-throwing right-handers. But does that mean five games? Or 10? Or 20?"

Southpaw Baseball goes On The Clock with a look at the division, comparing the various rosters in the AL East and ranking them by fWAR (Fangraphs). According to her study, the Yankees are actually the best team in the division, but she also makes sure to qualify that by stating these rankings don’t account for the many games the Yankees will lose due to injuries.

Token Quote:

"I could argue that any or all of four different Jays starters are projected at least 1.0 too low. Two of them workhorse guys for whom injuries are not an issue."

The Ricky Romero fall-out continues, this time at the Toronto Sun, where Mike Rutsey talks to pitching coach Pete Walker about how Romero took the news of his demotion. Understandable, the lefty did not take the news well, but Walker also notes that some of the blame should lie on him, for not instituting Ricky’s changes earlier in the spring.

Token Quote:

"“He was disappointed he wasn’t going to be there that’s for sure. But I think he doesn’t want to disappoint his teammates and the fans (with poor performances) and part of him feels like he did which is the farthest thing from the truth.”"