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	<title>Jays Journal &#187; Michael Crouse</title>
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		<title>Blue Jays Prospect Hot Sheet: Week Sixteen-ish</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/08/14/blue-jays-prospect-hot-sheet-week-sixteen-ish/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/08/14/blue-jays-prospect-hot-sheet-week-sixteen-ish/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 14 Aug 2012 18:39:27 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle Matte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthony DeSclafani]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Christian Lopes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[D.J. Davis]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Javier Avendano]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Kellen Sweeney]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcus Knecht]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Mike McDade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Popular]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=11798</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>After a multi-week hiatus the Blue Jays prospect hot sheet is back, and will be covering games from August 1st through 12th. The upper levels of the minor leagues have been decimated by call-ups, injuries, and trades, forcing the prospects in the lower levels to step up. They performed admirably, but the elite, high-end performances [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2012/08/14/blue-jays-prospect-hot-sheet-week-sixteen-ish/">Blue Jays Prospect Hot Sheet: Week Sixteen-ish</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>After a multi-week hiatus the Blue Jays prospect hot sheet is back, and will be covering games from August 1st through 12th. The upper levels of the minor leagues have been decimated by call-ups, injuries, and trades, forcing the prospects in the lower levels to step up. They performed admirably, but the elite, high-end performances were definitely lacking, as the list is dominated by lines that would mostly be classified simply as strong. With such a long break between posts I’ve bumped it up to the hottest eight prospects, but we’ll revert back to the usual five or six next week.</p>
<p>1. <strong>RHP <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=descla001ant">Anthony  DeSclafani</a></strong> (LAN)</strong>: 1-0, 17 IP, 15 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 14 K</p>
<div id="attachment_11799" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 250px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/08/anthonydesclafani.jpg"><img src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/08/anthonydesclafani-240x300.jpg" alt="" title="Anthony DeSclafani" width="240" height="300" class="size-medium wp-image-11799" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">Lansing right hander Anthony DeSclafani pitching for the University of Florida during the 2011 season (Rob Foldy, GaterCountry.com)</p></div>
<p>Since being separated from <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=synder001noa">Noah  Syndergaard</a></strong>, Anthony  DeSclafani has flown under the prospect radar down in Lansing. Over the past two weeks, however, he’s been the most dominant arm on the staff. DeSclafani made three starts, and despite being fantastically dominant, the Lugnuts offense could only give him one win. He maintained his season long exceptional command, walking only two in his 17 innings, but displayed strikeout prowess we haven’t seen since he pitched in relief earlier this year. In July, DeSclafani struck out only 9 batters in 27 innings, a number he’s already bested in just three starts. He struck out seven on August 12th, which was the second highest total of his season (8, on May 17th). I still feel his ultimate future lies in the bullpen where his fastball/slider combination should allow him to flourish, but the fact the Blue Jays have kept him in the rotation to receive extra innings for development is a huge plus for the long term.</p>
<p>2. <strong>CF <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=davis-000dj-">D.J.  Davis</a></strong> (GCL)</strong>: 25 AB, .240/.424/.440 (.864 OPS), 3 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 5 SB, 5/11 BB/K</p>
<p>Toronto’s top pick in the 2012 draft has started his career off very smoothly. Davis’ athleticism was without question, but there was plenty to debate about his offensive game. He’s quelled some of those concerns early on, as he’s managed 11 extra base hits in 39 games as well as an acceptable .248 batting average. The speed has been as advertised, as with 18 stolen bases, he’s leading the Gulf Coast League. Complex league statistics are basically meaningless and should be taken with a grain of salt, but it’s good to see Davis having some success.</p>
<p>3. <strong>LF <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=knecht001mar">Marcus  Knecht</a></strong> (DUN)</strong>: 30 AB, .300/.417/.467 (.883 OPS), 5 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 SB, 3/9 BB/K</p>
<p>Knecht was the one of the three 2011 Lansing outfielders to make the jump to Dunedin this year, and was the median player in terms of production. Now in August, he’s the only of the three still with the team. Marisnick received his promotion to Double-A last month, while Crouse was demoted back to Single-A. The season has been a continuum of mediocrity for Knecht, as outside of a dominant May, he’s struggled to keep his OPS in the .700’s. His secondary stats (9.8 BB% and 182 ISO) have remained strong, but contact has been a serious issue, with his strikeout rate soaring to 28.9%. Knecht’s August has started with a bang; we’ll have to see if he can maintain it through to the end of the year.</p>
<p>4. <strong>3B <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=sweene001kel">Kellen  Sweeney</a></strong> (VAN)</strong>: 41 AB, .268/.362/.488 (.850 OPS), 4 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 1 SB, 5/4 BB/K</p>
<p>Sweeney has been one of the system’s biggest disappointments this year, as many – myself included – were looking for him to take a big step forward. The Blue Jays were clearly onboard as well, as they assigned him to full season Lansing with only 25 career games under his belt. He was awful for the Lugnuts, and after a demotion he was even worse through his first few weeks in Vancouver. Sweeney has begun to turn things around, as with an .850 OPS to start August his overall Vancouver line is up to .212/.320/.364 (.684 OPS). His power has been far better than expected, particularly given the large dimensions of the park the Canadians play in, and the walks, as expected, are plentiful. There’s still a long way to go, but it’s good to see him finishing the year on a positive note.</p>
<p>5. <strong>RHP <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=avenda001jav">Javier  Avendano</a></strong> (VAN)</strong>: 2-0, 16 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 19 K</p>
<p>I still don’t really know what to make of Javier  Avendano. He had four strong years in the Cardinals organization, and despite being just 21, they allowed him to be taken in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft. With Toronto, Avendano opened the year in relief with Single-A Lansing, and performed very well. As a reward, the team decided to demote him to Vancouver, where he’s shifted to the rotation. The numbers improved, as evident by his dominance in August listed above, raising his season totals to a 1.53 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 10.60 K/9 through a career high 88.1 innings. His performance earned him the Northwest League pitcher of the week award. What the Blue Jays ultimately plan on doing with Avendano is a mystery, but he’s handled everything the team has thrown at him so far.</p>
<p>6. <strong>2B <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=lopes-000chr">Christian  Lopes</a></strong> (BLU)</strong>: 33 AB, .364/.364/.515 (.879 OPS), 5 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 0/3 BB/K</p>
<p>Lopes has been one of Bluefield most consistently productive hitters this season, which is significant given the insane prospect depth on the roster. His .813 OPS this year is better than that of <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=nessy-001san">Santiago  Nessy</a></strong> (.730), Matt Dean (.657), <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=thon--002ric">Dickie  Thon</a></strong> (.646), <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=smith-000dwi">Dwight  Smith</a></strong> Jr (.629), and <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=anders004jac">Jacob  Anderson</a></strong> (.603). A lot of that has been driven by his extra base power, as he’s first on the team in triples, and his doubles total (16) is twice the total of the team’s second highest player (Nessy, 8). Lopes was mostly overlooked when offseason prospect rankings were written, but should find himself in the top 30 this winter.</p>
<p>7. <strong>1B <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=mcdade001mic">Mike  McDade</a></strong> (LAS)</strong>: 45 AB, .356/.375/.511 (.886 OPS), 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 11 RBI, 0 SB, 2/5 BB/K</p>
<p>After being the lone offensive prospect in New Hampshire for much of the year, McDade finally received a promotion to Las Vegas. The problem is, d’Arnaud is injured, Snider and Thames were traded, and Gose, Sierra, Hechavarria, Cooper, and Gomes are in Toronto. Long story short, he’s once again in a very thin lineup. Big Mac has gotten off to a very hot start with the 51s, with five multi-hit games already in August. Unfortunately, McDade was placed on the minor league disabled list this week, so both his season – and the Las Vegas offense – take yet another blow.</p>
<p>8. <strong>RF <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=crouse001mic">Michael  Crouse</a></strong> (LAN)</strong>: 28 AB, .250/.364/.571 (.935 OPS), 0 2B, 0 3B, 3 HR, 5 RBI, 0 SB, 5/8 BB/K</p>
<p>To say Crouse’s 2012 season has been a disappointment would be a colossal understatement. After producing an .827 OPS in the Midwest League last year – arguably the hardest of the minor leagues in which to hit – Crouse joined Knecht and <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=marisn001jac">Jake  Marisnick</a></strong> in Dunedin, where he did next to nothing. In parts of three months, he maintained a batting average around the .200 mark with an on-base percentage below .300. Both his power and speed, which were superb last season, vanished. Even a demotion back to Lansing wasn’t enough to rekindle the spark – at least until this week. Crouse smashed three home runs, which is the greatest total of anyone on the hot sheet.</p>
<p>Honorable mention:<br />
<strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=vega-r000jor">Jorge  Vega-Rosado</a></strong> (BLU), <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=gonzal014jes,gonzal015jes,gonzal006jes&#038;utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker">Jesus  Gonzalez</a></strong> (GCL), <strong><a target="_blank" href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&#038;utm_medium=linker&#038;utm_campaign=Linker&#038;id=nicoli001jus">Justin  Nicolino</a></strong> (LAN)</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Talking prospects with Tony LaCava, Blue Jays VP of Baseball Operations</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/05/23/tony-lacava-interview-blue-jays/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/05/23/tony-lacava-interview-blue-jays/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 24 May 2012 01:51:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jared Macdonald</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Interviews]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Aaron Sanchez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adonys Cardona]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Griffin Murphy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[John Stilson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Nicolino]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Popular]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tony LaCava]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Yan Gomes]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=11404</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Upon arriving at Cooley Law School Stadium on Monday, May 7 for the first game of my second trip to Lansing, Mich. to see the Lugnuts, I was surprised to discover multiple members of the Blue Jays&#8217; front office in attendance. Joining vice president of baseball operations and assistant general manager Tony LaCava were senior [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2012/05/23/tony-lacava-interview-blue-jays/">Talking prospects with Tony LaCava, Blue Jays VP of Baseball Operations</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Upon arriving at Cooley Law School Stadium on Monday, May 7 for the first game of my second trip to Lansing, Mich. to see the Lugnuts, I was surprised to discover multiple members of the Blue Jays&#8217; front office in attendance. Joining vice president of baseball operations and assistant general manager Tony LaCava were senior advisor Mel Didier, minor league field coordinator <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/davisdo02.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Doug Davis</a></strong>, and pro scout <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=ebarb-001rog" target="_blank">C.J. Ebarb</a></strong>, who signed Lugnuts left-hander <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=rollin001dav" target="_blank">David Rollins</a></strong> and right-handers <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=stilso001joh" target="_blank">John Stilson</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=gabrys000jer" target="_blank">Jeremy Gabryszwski</a></strong> in last year&#8217;s draft. By the end of the week, major league scout Sal Butera and even general manager and senior vice president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos had stopped by.</p>
<p><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/05/lacava2.jpg"><img class="alignright size-full wp-image-11406" title="lacava2" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/05/lacava2.jpg" alt="Tony LaCava" width="212" height="271" /></a>So after digesting the wealth of Jays knowledge now at the stadium, I made it a priority to talk to LaCava after Tuesday&#8217;s game to see if he would be willing to answer a few questions before the end of my trip. I was actually taken aback at how nice and accommodating he was, as he was willing to answer questions right then and there. We made small talk and briefly discussed Rollins, who LaCava said conceals the ball while working at a quick pace, and <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=descla001ant" target="_blank">Anthony DeSclafani</a></strong>, who he called &#8220;another Blue Jays special&#8221; before bringing up <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/marcush01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Shaun Marcum</a></strong>.</p>
<p>I had left my recorder up in the press box, though, so after discussing a few other tidbits, I was going to have to connect with LaCava later in the trip for the interview instead, which turned out to be just prior to Thursday&#8217;s game. Considering the amount of front office staff in attendance, not to mention that Lugnuts manager John Tamargo Jr. was absent for the first two games of the week, LaCava was, as expected, very, very busy on this trip with things to do and so many people to talk to. I&#8217;d like to sincerely thank Mr. LaCava for giving me the time of day amid his hectic schedule not just once but twice, and for being so gracious in his responses as well.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed hearing his insight to the questions below, and I hope you do as well. My questions are in bold, with LaCava&#8217;s answers in plain text.</p>
<p><strong>Sticking with Lansing first-off, a guy like <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=nicoli001jus" target="_blank">Justin Nicolino</a></strong>, obviously he has the plus change and a good curveball too. Fastball velocity, though, is it an issue at all? Or do you see him adding a couple of ticks to it?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Well, I think there&#8217;s more in there. He&#8217;s just turned 20, or he&#8217;s turning 20, and physically there&#8217;s still some growth, if you look at him he&#8217;s got more future growth I think. Already he&#8217;ll show you 92, he doesn&#8217;t pitch at 92, but his velocity&#8217;s creeping up since he signed, so I wouldn&#8217;t be surprised if there&#8217;s a little bit more fastball. Not that he needs it, because honestly with the angle that he pitches at, the changeup, and the improving curveball, we think he&#8217;s got the weapons to be one heck of a starting pitcher in the big leagues right now, even if he doesn&#8217;t get more velocity.</p>
<p><strong>Speaking of weapons, <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=sanche001aar" target="_blank">Aaron Sanchez</a></strong>. In terms of that changeup, that third pitch, how&#8217;s it coming along?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;We think it&#8217;s going to be the third plus pitch that he has. Fastball velocity it keeps getting better, and movement, and angle, and command of it just continues to get better and better. His breaking ball is an out pitch, it&#8217;s a knockout curveball, and his changeup is, at times, plus also. So that&#8217;s three out pitches we think, and he&#8217;s just 19.</p>
<p><strong>It&#8217;s pretty easy to get excited about him.</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Oh yeah, yeah. We think he&#8217;s got a great future.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Keeping with the Lansing starters, how did the whole piggybacking concept come to fruition this season?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Well piggybacking&#8217;s been done in the past in other organizations, especially with younger pitchers. It&#8217;s a way to get a five-month season out of pitchers who normally, if you just let them go full go, would run out of innings by, at the latest, mid-July. We&#8217;re trying to get them into a mindset of going five months which is a full minor league season &#8212; ultimately we want them to go six months &#8212; and to protect them during their teenage years where they&#8217;re being asked to do more and they&#8217;re still growing, they&#8217;re still physically growing. It&#8217;s our way of making sure we do the right things by them from a health standpoint.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Going all the way down the ladder to the Gulf Coast League, a guy like <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=murphy001gri" target="_blank">Griffin Murphy</a></strong>, the top prep left-hander of the 2010 draft, he&#8217;s not getting talked about much with guys like Nicolino and Daniel Norris in the system right now. How&#8217;s he coming along?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;I haven&#8217;t seen him since spring training, but in the spring it looked like there had been some improvement, the velocity was starting to get back into that 90 range. Right now it&#8217;s just more of an opportunity and waiting. The guys that we wanted to come here we deemed were more ready for this level, and we haven&#8217;t really sat down and done the short-season rosters yet, but I&#8217;m hopeful that he&#8217;s going to, obviously, be a part of one of those teams.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong><strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=anders004jac" target="_blank">Jacob Anderson</a></strong> and Dwight Smith Jr., they get lumped together a lot. Can you expand a bit on each player individually?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Well they&#8217;re very different. I mean Jacob is 6&#8217;5&#8243; and a longer muscle guy, and Smitty is more of a compact, stronger-type build. Anderson&#8217;s got future physical development, and Smith does too, but not as much projection on the body. So physically, there are big differences. Smith we feel is going to be able to play center field, so we&#8217;re going to have him do that, and Anderson will be on a corner, and it looks like it&#8217;s going to be right field. So he&#8217;s got enough for a right field arm.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>A guy like <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=cardon000ado" target="_blank">Adonys Cardona</a></strong>, there&#8217;s a ton in there, he&#8217;s just starting to get noticed it seems. Do you think that&#8217;s because he&#8217;s an international signing and because of his age?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Yeah, he&#8217;s that much younger, he&#8217;s two years younger than these guys here [in Lansing]. He&#8217;s 18, and these guys are turning 20 at some point, 19/20. He&#8217;d be a junior at high school here in the States. He&#8217;s just a little under the radar but he&#8217;s got just great potential. He&#8217;s got an extremely quick arm, a very, very athletic body that&#8217;s projectable as well. He&#8217;s got a chance to throw really hard some day. He already, as a 17-year-old, was throwing 94 and even 95, so we think he&#8217;s got a really bright future as well.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>With rookie league numbers, the consensus is to not read too much into them and take them with a grain of salt. At what point or level, if at all, do the Blue Jays pay attention to a player&#8217;s statistics?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;I think we certainly look at the numbers in the low levels too, but obviously the further away from the major leagues, the less the numbers mean. You can go back to amateur baseball, for instance, you go to a high school game, and we don&#8217;t really know how to evaluate numbers in high school baseball. But certainly at the major league level, at the other end of the spectrum, it is what it is: a guy&#8217;s numbers are his numbers, and you just work backwards. The further away from the major leagues, the harder the numbers are to predict in future performance, but you can still gather information. I think we&#8217;re probably more concerned by bad numbers than we are impressed with good numbers.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>With the draft coming next month, how do you feel about it both talent-wise and having five selections in the first 60 picks?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Well Andrew Tinnish, our scouting director, is the point man on the draft. Alex, myself and Perry Minasian, our pro scouting director, have seen some players from the draft for Andrew, but I don&#8217;t really have the pulse on it like I would like to, to really comment on the strength of it and things like that.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>I was talking to C.J. Ebarb about John Stilson, and he said that Stilson wants to almost cut your throat out when he&#8217;s on the mound because he&#8217;s just that fierce. He&#8217;s starting right now in Dunedin, is that the long-term plan or vision for him, to give it his all as a starter?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;With all the kid pitchers we get, we&#8217;d like to at least explore starting just to see, because starters are so much more valuable than relievers. If you can get 200 innings as opposed to 60, those 200-inning guys are so hard to find, so you want to make sure that you explore that. We think Stilson has the weapons to start, and we&#8217;re going to give him a chance. We&#8217;re going this year and we&#8217;re going to evaluate him periodically, but so far so good.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>I heard <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=crouse001mic" target="_blank">Michael Crouse</a></strong> had a very good spring. I was only down there for a week, but there were whispers that he had a great spring overall. Can you give an update on him?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;I haven&#8217;t seen him yet, in fact going there next, but obviously Michael is a talented kid. It&#8217;s only been six weeks down there so it&#8217;s really hard to put a lot of stock into such a small sample, but obviously I look forward to seeing him when I get there. He had such a good year here, and we expect him to do the same down there.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>To me, he just screams upside.</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Yeah, he&#8217;s a toolsy, very talented kid. He can run, he can throw, he&#8217;s got power, and he&#8217;s getting better each day, he&#8217;s rapidly improving. From the day he signed to this point, he&#8217;s come a long way.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Shifting up to Vegas, <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gomesya01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Yan Gomes</a></strong> has started to play third base. Has he boosted his stock, especially given his versatility?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Yeah he definitely has. He&#8217;s put himself on the map, on the radar so to speak. We&#8217;ve been blessed to have all this catching with <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arencjp01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">J.P. Arencibia</a></strong>, <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=darnau001tra" target="_blank">Travis d&#8217;Arnaud</a></strong>, [A.J.] Jimenez, [Carlos] Perez, and you&#8217;ll hear about [Santiago] Nessy, who was a kid in the Gulf Coast League last year. Yan has just kind of flown under the radar but he had a really nice spring training, a great camp, and we felt like he deserved to go to Triple-A and that he earned the opportunity to go to Triple-A. But with Travis there we didn&#8217;t know how to get him the playing time, and he had played a little bit of corner infield in the past, so we felt that we could have him do that and get more at-bats in, and then when Travis has a day off he gets some catching as well. So it was two-fold, one to increase his versatility, and the other to get him more playing time in Triple-A.&#8221;</p>
<p><strong>Is the hitting environment in Las Vegas frustrating from a developmental perspective when it comes to evaluating a player&#8217;s progress?</strong></p>
<p>&#8220;Ideally you&#8217;d like it to be more of a fairer environment, for both hitters and pitchers. In this case it&#8217;s tough on our pitchers and a little easier on our pitchers, but there are ways to normalize the numbers. Our guys up in the office, [Baseball Information Analyst] Joe Sheehan and [Assistant General Manager] Jay Sartori, they&#8217;re always trying to, I guess, translate what happens in Vegas and normalize the numbers. They only play half their games there, so we do get the benefit of seeing them in other places. It certainly favors the hitters there, there&#8217;s no question about that, but the league&#8217;s been out there forever and Vegas has been a minor league affiliate for a long, long time, and the cream of the crop will come to the top, right?&#8221;</p>
<p>Also, after the interview and while sharing a quick elevator ride, <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=nessy-001san" target="_blank">Santiago Nessy</a></strong> was brought up again (I forget how). I asked about some of the whispers that the young catcher could eventually move out from behind the plate given his body type, and LaCava quickly dismissed that, stressing that Nessy&#8217;s future is behind the plate and that &#8220;he&#8217;s not going anywhere&#8221;.</p>
<p>- JM</p>
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		<title>Blue Jays Prospect Hot Sheet: Week Five</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/05/14/blue-jays-prospect-hot-sheet-week-five/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/05/14/blue-jays-prospect-hot-sheet-week-five/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 14 May 2012 23:12:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle Matte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adeiny Hechavarria]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthony Gose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Carlos Perez]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jake Marisnick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcus Knecht]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Popular]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=11283</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays prospect hot sheet this week covers games between May 7th and 13th and had the best group of performances we’ve seen since the first week of the year. Nine players had legitimate claims to the top five positions, with more than one .900+ OPS position player failing to make the cut. Not [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2012/05/14/blue-jays-prospect-hot-sheet-week-five/">Blue Jays Prospect Hot Sheet: Week Five</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The Blue Jays prospect hot sheet this week covers games between May 7th and 13th and had the best group of performances we’ve seen since the first week of the year. Nine players had legitimate claims to the top five positions, with more than one .900+ OPS position player failing to make the cut. Not only was the positive performance widespread, but it encapsulated a number of names who have yet to make their presence known on the first four hot sheets of the year. Leading off the list is…</p>
<div id="attachment_11292" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 310px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/05/60456862.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-11292" title="MLB: Toronto Blue Jays-Photo Day" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/05/60456862-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">March 2, 2012; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Adeiny Hechavarria (3) poses for a portrait during photo day at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-US PRESSWIRE</p></div>
<p>1. <strong>SS <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=hechav001ade" target="_blank">Adeiny Hechavarria</a></strong> (LAS)</strong>: 26 AB, .462/.517/.615 (1.132 OPS), 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 SB, 3/6 BB/K</p>
<p>Not only is the slick-fielding Cuban shortstop finally swinging the bat, he’s doing so with authority. With two extra base hits in six games this week, Hechavarria is up to 16 in 36 games on the year, good for a .146 ISO. Perhaps even more impressive than the boost in power is his improved plate discipline, as his three walks raised his season total to 14. The Las Vegas 51s were 4-2 this week – now 9-3 in May – and the offense has been the driving force behind that impressive record. Hechavarria has been the catalyst while playing the leadoff position, producing four multi-hit efforts in the week’s six games.</p>
<p>2. <strong>C <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=perez-010car,perez-011car,perez-012car,perezca01,perez-008car,perez-004car,perez-007car&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Carlos Perez</a></strong> (LAN)</strong>: 20 AB, .350/.409/.700 (1.109 OPS), 4 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 6 RBI, 0 SB, 2/5 BB/K</p>
<p>The 2011 season was heartbreaking for both Carlos Perez and prospect fanatics alike, as he disappointed tremendously after three big years in short season ball. Unsurprisingly, he was reassigned to Lansing to open 2012, and while he hasn’t returned to his 2008-2010 level of performance, the improvements from last year are significant. The augmented power has been noteworthy, as after hitting only 26 extra base hits (17 2B, 6 3B, 3 HR) in 95 games last year for a .99 ISO, he’s already hit 14 in 27 games this year (11 2B, 2 3B, 1 HR) for a .171 ISO. This week’s performance was a big part of that, as despite playing in only five games, Perez had five extra base hits, including his first home run of the year. Now 21 years old in his second go around of the Midwest League, this is a very important season for Perez, and he’s starting it off well.</p>
<p>3. <strong>LF <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=knecht001mar" target="_blank">Marcus Knecht</a></strong> (DUN)</strong>: 23 AB, .304/.360/.652 (1.012 OPS), 2 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 0 SB, 2/5 BB/K</p>
<p>After producing a vomit-inducing April line of .159/.245/.318 (.563 OPS), Marcus Knecht is finally showing a pulse. The power has been there all year, but simply making contact has proved extremely difficult for the Canadian left fielder. His struggles can almost entirely be tied into his 30.1% strikeout rate, which is significantly higher than the 23.5% mark he had during his breakout 2011 season. His statistics this week were fueled almost entirely by his monster May 8th performance against Fort Myers. Knecht went 4-for-5 with 2 HR and 5 RBI to help lead the D-Jays to a 16-4 victory, and earned Baseball America’s “Hitter of the Night” award for his effort.</p>
<p>4. <strong>CF <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=gose--001ant" target="_blank">Anthony Gose</a></strong> (LAS)</strong>: 26 AB, .346/.346/.654 (1.000 OPS), 0 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 3 SB, 0/4 BB/K</p>
<p>For the second time in as many weeks, Anthony Gose had made the Blue Jays prospect hot sheet. Last week, his performance was a combination of plate discipline and speed. This week it was all about the power. The stolen bases were still there – Gose was a perfect 3-for-3 on attempts this week – but his extra base power was the story. Gose now has three home runs on the year, all of which have come in the past eight days. So, while only two count for this week’s hot sheet, it’s fairly obvious that he has rediscovered the power stroke that led to 16 bombs in 2011. His .327/.393/.551 slash line in May has boosted his season total to .252/.329/.371, which, while still uninspiring, is a huge improvement from his horrible April. Hitting primarily in the two-hole, Gose and Hechavarria are providing a huge boost at the top of the lineup for the suddenly surging 51’s.</p>
<p>5. <strong>RF <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=crouse001mic" target="_blank">Michael Crouse</a></strong> (DUN)</strong>: 20 AB, .300/.440/.500 (.940 OPS), 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 5 RBI, 1 SB, 5/4 BB/K</p>
<p>Having all three Dunedin outfielders in my top six this week was a great thing to see, as Crouse’s teammate <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=marisn001jac" target="_blank">Jake Marisnick</a></strong> was the final cut for the hot sheet. The trio hadn’t been off to a great start, and Crouse had been the worst of the group. Even after his big week, his batting average is still below the Mendoza line, and his OPS is a <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdonjo03.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">John McDonald</a></strong>-like .616. The one thing Crouse had been doing well was taking his walks, a trend he continued this week with five base-on-balls. This is a good sign, as it shows a lot of maturity. Many struggling hitters will go to the plate trying to smash the ball for at least an extra base hit to boost their season numbers back to respectability, but only find themselves walking back to the dugout with their bat in hand. Crouse hasn’t fallen into that trap, and as long as he continues to walk to the plate with a calm mind and sound approach, the hits will come.</p>
<p>Honorable mention: Jake Marisnick (DUN), <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=hawkin002chr" target="_blank">Chris Hawkins</a></strong> (LAN), <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=synder001noa" target="_blank">Noah Syndergaard</a></strong> (LAN), <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=nolin-001sea" target="_blank">Sean Nolin</a></strong> (DUN)</p>
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		<title>Toronto Blue Jays Top Tools: Power</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/03/23/toronto-blue-jays-top-tools-power/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/03/23/toronto-blue-jays-top-tools-power/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 23 Mar 2012 15:19:52 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Kyle Matte</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Featured]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jacob Anderson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Matt Dean]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Popular]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travis d'Arnaud]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=10936</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>The power tool has become somewhat of a lost art in the modern era of baseball. The slow, three true outcome sluggers have given way to youthful exuberance and athleticism, giving today’s game more flow than the station-to-station offenses many of us grew up with in the late 90’s and early 21st century. Toronto’s own [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2012/03/23/toronto-blue-jays-top-tools-power/">Toronto Blue Jays Top Tools: Power</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>The power tool has become somewhat of a lost art in the modern era of baseball. The slow, three true outcome sluggers have given way to youthful exuberance and athleticism, giving today’s game more flow than the station-to-station offenses many of us grew up with in the late 90’s and early 21st century. Toronto’s own <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/player_search.cgi?results=bautijo02,bautis005jos&amp;utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Jose Bautista</a></strong> has led the majors in home runs each of the past two seasons with totals that were commonplace less than five years ago.</p>
<p>While the game appears to be shifting away from power hitters, one might argue that that actually makes young hitters with power potential even more valuable, as they can contribute in a way few others can. Toronto has four players in the minor leagues with game changing power, and they’ll lead off the power division in our Top Tools series. One thing to remember, however, is the significant difference between potential power and actualized power. Potential power (PP) is a projection based upon size, strength, and swing. Actualized power (AP) is what a player can do right now. These rankings are based upon both values.</p>
<div id="attachment_10937" class="wp-caption alignleft" style="width: 209px"><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/03/6106730.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-10937" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2012/03/6106730-199x300.jpg" alt="" width="199" height="300" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">March 17, 2012; Lake Buena Vista, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays catcher Travis d&#39;Arnaud (15) bats in the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Champion Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Shirey-US PRESSWIRE</p></div>
<p>1. <strong>C Travis d’Arnaud</strong> (Above average AP, plus PP)</p>
<p>The system’s best present and future power hitter lives behind the plate, which on the surface seems strange. While catching has seen a bit of a paradigm shift towards offense, it’s been more of an improvement in contact ability and plate approach than raw power. Out of all the full-time catchers in baseball (with <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/napolmi01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Mike Napoli</a></strong> omitted, as he made only 57 starts at catcher in 2011), <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/santaca01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Carlos Santana</a></strong> had the most home runs with 27, which was the lowest total of any positional leader. d’Arnaud has the plus power potential required to rank at or near the top of that list.</p>
<p>d’Arnaud generates his power through quick hands, exceptional bat speed, and a compact swing, though he has yet to fully utilize his leg strength in his swing. In only 114 games with Double-A New Hampshire in 2011, he mashed 33 doubles to go along with his 21 home runs – good for a 231 ISO. That puts him in elite company within the Blue Jays organization. <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/a/arencjp01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">J.P. Arencibia</a></strong>’s breakout year came as a 22-year-old when he totaled 510 at-bats between Dunedin and New Hampshire, producing a 229 ISO. That jumped to a 263 ISO in his two years in Las Vegas &#8212; d’Arnaud’s destination for the 2012 season. Another injury-free year could bring him one step closer to meeting his immense power potential and succeeding Arencibia as Toronto’s starting catcher.</p>
<p>2. <strong>1B/OF <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=anders004jac" target="_blank">Jacob Anderson</a></strong></strong> (Solid-average AP, plus PP)</p>
<p>In Jacob Anderson, the power is coming from a more traditional position. Though he played a lot of first base in high school, Anderson appears destined for a corner outfield role with the Blue Jays. His offensive game is more than capable of handling either position, as the 6-foot-4 19-year-old uses his height to his advantage, creating massive leverage in his swing. Anderson’s bat speed is excellent, though his swing plane is more conducive to line drives than high arching fly balls, suggesting a lot of the power early in his career could materialize into doubles. It may take a few years for his in-game home run power to fully blossom, but in batting practice and derbys – Anderson won the 2010 Under Armor All-America Home Run Derby at Wrigley Field – the raw potential is clearly there.</p>
<p>3. <strong>3B Matt Dean</strong> (Average AP, plus PP)</p>
<p>While he has yet to make his professional debut, this 2011 draft pick (13th round) has plenty of power to go around. Dean has a long and powerful swing with a significant uppercut, but excellent bat speed thanks to quick hands and a sturdy, 6’3” frame &#8212; though he still has room to fill out. After beginning the year in extended spring training, Dean will be assigned to a short season league where he can begin to show off his power in actual games. His power could translate into an ISO in the 150-200 range as early as this season, and should sit consistently in the 200-250 range once he fully develops. If forced to say who on this list has the best chance at being a 30+ home run hitter, Dean would be my answer, but with an inconsistent final high school year and no professional data, anything beyond plus potential power would be irrational to suggest.</p>
<p>4. <strong>RF <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=crouse001mic" target="_blank">Michael Crouse</a></strong></strong> (Average AP, fringe-plus PP)</p>
<p>A former high school football player, Crouse’s power – both actualized and potential – has taken a huge leap forward over the past two seasons. In his first two years (62 games), Crouse managed only nine doubles, five triples, and two home runs. In his two most recent campaigns (157 games), he’s belted 38 doubles, 10 triples, and 20 home runs. Strength has never been an issue, as at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, there’s ample muscle mass. Unlike d’Arnaud, who swings primarily with his upper half, Crouse uses his strong lower half to help his arms power through the strike zone with good bat speed and plenty of loft. His swing is short and quick, but lacks smoothness and fluidity. Crouse is the perfect example of how power can only go as far as the bat skills will allow, as it took years of professional instruction with the bat for him to begin flourishing as a power hitter, and his ultimate power ceiling is contingent upon continued growth as a hitter.</p>
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		<title>John Sickels &#8220;All (Blue Jay) Questions Answered&#8221;</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/03/01/john-sickels-all-blue-jay-questions-answered/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2012/03/01/john-sickels-all-blue-jay-questions-answered/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 02 Mar 2012 01:40:31 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator></dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Scouting]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Top Prospects]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Anthony Gose]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brett Lawrie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deck McGuire]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Nicolino]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcus Knecht]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael McDade]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Popular]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travis d'Arnaud]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Zack Greinke]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=10728</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>John Sickels of minor league ball held another &#8220;all questions answered,&#8221; and I&#8217;ve taken the time to pull out all of the Jays related Q and A&#8217;s for you. On Travis d&#8217;Arnaud: Q: Which one (Blue Jays prospect) has the most raw power? A: Close. I’d go D’Arnaud, with Matt Dean and Marcus Knecht tied for second. [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2012/03/01/john-sickels-all-blue-jay-questions-answered/">John Sickels &#8220;All (Blue Jay) Questions Answered&#8221;</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>John Sickels of <a href="http://www.minorleagueball.com/">minor league bal</a>l held another &#8220;<a href="http://www.minorleagueball.com/2012/3/1/2834434/all-questions-answered-open-9-am-cst">all questions answered</a>,&#8221; and I&#8217;ve taken the time to pull out all of the Jays related Q and A&#8217;s for you. <a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2012/03/01/john-sickels-all-blue-jay-questions-answered/#more-10728" class="more-link">(more&#8230;)</a></p>
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		<title>Complete Prospect Report: &#8220;End of the Regular Season&#8221; Edition (Sept. 4-5)</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/09/06/complete-prospect-report-end-of-the-regular-season-edition-sept-4-5/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/09/06/complete-prospect-report-end-of-the-regular-season-edition-sept-4-5/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:17:49 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jared Macdonald</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Minor League Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Deivy Estrada]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jonathan Jones]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Hampshire Fisher Cats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=8809</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>With all minor league clubs having concluded their regular seasons, here&#8217;s a rundown of what transpired among the Jays&#8217; affiliates over the last two days. I&#8217;ll be doing season-in-review posts separately for each affiliate in the coming days, instead of blending them in here. Highlights include the Fisher Cats closing out the year with a [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/09/06/complete-prospect-report-end-of-the-regular-season-edition-sept-4-5/">Complete Prospect Report: &#8220;End of the Regular Season&#8221; Edition (Sept. 4-5)</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>With all minor league clubs having concluded their regular seasons, here&#8217;s a rundown of what transpired among the Jays&#8217; affiliates over the last two days.</p>
<p>I&#8217;ll be doing season-in-review posts separately for each affiliate in the coming days, instead of blending them in here.</p>
<p>Highlights include the Fisher Cats closing out the year with a three-game win streak, a tough walk-off loss for Dunedin to end the year, a pair of one run games with good pitching in Lansing, the Vancouver Canadians in playoff action in their first season, and a tough championship loss for Bluefield.</p>
<p> <a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/09/06/complete-prospect-report-end-of-the-regular-season-edition-sept-4-5/#more-8809" class="more-link">(more&#8230;)</a></p>
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		<title>Complete Prospect Report: June 1-2</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/06/03/complete-prospect-report-june-1-2/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/06/03/complete-prospect-report-june-1-2/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:47:19 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jared Macdonald</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Minor League Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chad Beck]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dunedin Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Josh Roenicke]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lansing Lugnuts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Las Vegas 51s (AAA)]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[New Hampshire Fisher Cats]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wil Ledezma]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=7940</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Excluding the Dominican Summer League, all Jays affiliates played games each of the last two days, good for a total of eight games worth reviewing. Highlights include a complete game by Brett Cecil in Vegas, a trademark start by Joel Carreno in New Hampshire, impressive rehab showings by Adam Lind in Dunedin, and a wild [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/06/03/complete-prospect-report-june-1-2/">Complete Prospect Report: June 1-2</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Excluding the Dominican Summer League, all Jays affiliates played games each of the last two days, good for a total of eight games worth reviewing.</p>
<p>Highlights include a complete game by <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cecilbr01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Brett  Cecil</a></strong> in Vegas, a trademark start by <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=carren001joe" target="_blank">Joel  Carreno</a></strong> in New Hampshire, impressive rehab showings by <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lindad01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Adam  Lind</a></strong> in Dunedin, and a wild walk-off win in Lansing.</p>
<p><em>Also, in minor league news and according to the Jays&#8217; official site,  <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/roenijo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Josh  Roenicke</a></strong> was claimed off waivers by Colorado when he was removed  from the 40-man roster, likely for some Canadian stud at Triple-A. In  his final appearance as a part the Blue Jays organization, Roenicke struck out  all four batters he faced on Wednesday in 1.1 innings. Before Wednesday though, Roenicke had a 6.43 ERA and 5.96 FIP in 15 appearances this season.</em></p>
<p> <a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/06/03/complete-prospect-report-june-1-2/#more-7940" class="more-link">(more&#8230;)</a></p>
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		<title>Lugnuts Manufacture Runs in Wild Win</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/05/18/lugnuts-manufacture-runs-in-wild-win/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/05/18/lugnuts-manufacture-runs-in-wild-win/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 19 May 2011 01:32:25 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jared Macdonald</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Minor League Recaps]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Danny Barnes]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Jake Marisnick]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lansing Lugnuts]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sean Nolin]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Steve Turnbull]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=7720</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>Despite going 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and managing just six hits, the Lansing Lugnuts were able to squeak out a 5-3 win over the South Bend Silver Hawks due to strong overall pitching and a late rally to take the lead in the eighth inning. Wins/Losses: 22-16 &#124; Streak: W1 &#124; T-2nd in [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/05/18/lugnuts-manufacture-runs-in-wild-win/">Lugnuts Manufacture Runs in Wild Win</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Despite going 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and managing just six hits, the Lansing Lugnuts were able to squeak out a 5-3 win over the South Bend Silver Hawks due to strong overall pitching and a late rally to take the lead in the eighth inning.</p>
<p> <a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/05/18/lugnuts-manufacture-runs-in-wild-win/#more-7720" class="more-link">(more&#8230;)</a></p>
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		<title>Oh Canada! Canucks Becoming Sought After Baseball Players</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/26/oh-canada-canucks-becoming-sought-after-baseball-players/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/26/oh-canada-canucks-becoming-sought-after-baseball-players/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Jan 2011 14:15:05 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Mat Germain</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Popular]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Adam Loewen]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ali Simpson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brett Lawrie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Dalton Pompey]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Justin Atkinson]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcus Knecht]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Peter Bako]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Skylar Janisse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tom Robson]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=4281</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p> The Jays are one of many clubs that are starting to pay more attention to talents coming out of the great white North. And who can blame them when the likes of Joey Votto &#8211; who just landed a $39 million extensionafter taking off like a rocket in 2010. If they can grab some of [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/26/oh-canada-canucks-becoming-sought-after-baseball-players/">Oh Canada! Canucks Becoming Sought After Baseball Players</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p> The Jays are one of many clubs that are starting to pay more attention to talents coming out of the great white North. And who can blame them when the likes of <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vottojo01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Joey Votto</a></strong> &#8211; who just landed a <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2011-01-16/votto-signs-three-year-extension">$39 million extension</a>after taking off like a rocket in 2010. If they can grab some of that talent a little earlier than has been the case, maybe they can land the next great Canuck!  Since the Jays have seemingly increased their chase for Canadian talent, drafting a few guys in 2010 and chasing both <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker&amp;id=lawrie001bre" target="_blank">Brett Lawrie</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/martiru01.shtml?utm_source=direct&amp;utm_medium=linker&amp;utm_campaign=Linker" target="_blank">Russell Martin</a></strong>, I thought it would be important to keep close tabs on what Canadians are out there to be had. It&#8217;s obvious that the Jays are now focused on finding the next Canadian gem and to make headway in getting Canadians all over to think of the Jays as Canada&#8217;s team. </p>
<p>First, here&#8217;s an updated list of MLB, Minors, and Just Drafted Canadian Talent in Baseball. I&#8217;ll also touch on the best future talent available in the 2011 draft. </p>
<p><strong>Canadians in MLB or on the brink of being in MLB <a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/26/oh-canada-canucks-becoming-sought-after-baseball-players/#more-4281" class="more-link">(more&#8230;)</a></strong></p>
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		<title>Top 50 Jays Prospects, Jays Journal Edition: #27 Marcus Knecht</title>
		<link>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/17/top-50-jays-prospects-jays-journal-edition-27-marcus-knecht/</link>
		<comments>http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/17/top-50-jays-prospects-jays-journal-edition-27-marcus-knecht/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 18 Jan 2011 00:06:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>Jared Macdonald</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Blue Jays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brett Lawrie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marcus Knecht]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Michael Crouse]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Toronto Blue Jays]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://jaysjournal.com/?p=4293</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>A smooth swinging Canadian outfielder drafted by the Jays in 2010 comes in at #27&#8230; #27: Marcus A. Knecht Outfielder / 20 years old / 6′3″ 210 lbs Born: June 21st, 1990 in North York, Ontario, CA Bats: Right    Throws: Right High School: St. Michael&#8217;s College School College: Connors State College Drafted By: The [...]</p><p><a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/17/top-50-jays-prospects-jays-journal-edition-27-marcus-knecht/">Top 50 Jays Prospects, Jays Journal Edition: #27 Marcus Knecht</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal</a> - <a href="http://jaysjournal.com">Jays Journal - A Toronto Blue Jays Fan Site - News, Blogs, Opinion and More</a></p>]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>A smooth swinging Canadian outfielder drafted by the Jays in 2010 comes in at #27&#8230;</p>
<div id="attachment_4295" class="wp-caption alignright" style="width: 238px"><strong></strong><strong></strong><strong><a href="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2011/01/toronto-star.jpeg"><img class="size-full wp-image-4295" src="http://cdn.fansided.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/39/files/2011/01/toronto-star.jpeg" alt="" width="228" height="325" /></a></strong><p class="wp-caption-text">Image courtesy of the Toronto Star</p></div>
<h2><strong>#27: Marcus A. Knecht</strong></h2>
<h2><strong> </strong></h2>
<p><strong> Outfielder / 20 years old / 6′3″ 210 lbs</strong></p>
<p><strong>Born:</strong> June 21st, 1990 in North York, Ontario, CA</p>
<p><strong>Bats:</strong> Right    <strong>Throws:</strong> Right</p>
<p><strong>High School: </strong><a href="http://www.stmichaelscollegeschool.com/">St. Michael&#8217;s College School</a></p>
<p><strong></strong><strong>College:</strong><strong></strong><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.connorsstate.edu/pagew.php?p=baseball">Connors State College</a><strong></strong><strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><strong></strong><strong>Drafted By: </strong>The Toronto Blue Jays in the 3rd round (113th overall) of the 2010 First-Year Player Draft</p>
<p><strong>Jersey Number:</strong> #19 for the <a href="http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/index.jsp?sid=t458">Auburn Doubledays</a></p>
<p><strong><img src="../wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" alt="" /><img src="../wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" alt="" /><img src="../wp-includes/js/tinymce/plugins/wordpress/img/trans.gif" alt="" />Quick Facts:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Named 2010 Canadian college baseball player of the year, receiving 49 of 51 first-place votes <a href="http://jaysjournal.com/2011/01/17/top-50-jays-prospects-jays-journal-edition-27-marcus-knecht/#more-4293" class="more-link">(more&#8230;)</a></li>
</ul>
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