May 12, 2013; Boston, MA USA; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Munenori Kawasaki (66) during the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

It’s a gorgeous Friday evening here in Toronto, and it’s also a long weekend for us Canadians, so you know what that means? Mailin’ it in for most of this post that’s what.

After their second day off in their last 4 (thanks MLB scheduler), the Blue Jays are off to the Big Apple to open up a 3 game set with Vernon Wells and his New York Yankees. If you’re looking for a rundown of what to expect for the series, the always informative Jeff Morten lays it down for us here at Jays Journal, and I make my podcasting debut with our FanSided Brethren over at Yanks Go Yard to give my take.

With Toronto sports fans on the rebound after being left at the altar of the second round of the playoffs, the Blue Jays 4 game winning streak could not be better timed to recapture the hearts and hopes of this success starved city. Not to get ahead of ourselves here but a 3-game sweep will have the Blue Jays just 4 games below .500 on the season, a record while not ideal seems completely manageable for mid-May.

News & Notes

McGowan was transferred to Triple-A Buffalo after two innings of work with Dunedin. In those 2 IP, he had 4Ks, one hit and a walk. #BlueJays

— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) May 17, 2013

This is interesting…despite the fact he hasn’t pitched meaningful MLB innings in years I would love Dustin McGowan on this team as opposed to bums like Brad Lincoln.

Line Ups

.@bluejays lineup:Cabrera-LFBautista-RFEncarnacion-1BArencibia-CLind-DHLawrie-3BRasmus-CFBonifacio-2BKawasaki-SSBuehrle-P

— Blue Jays-Official(@BlueJays) May 17, 2013

5/17 @yankees lineup vs @bluejaysGardner CFNix SSCano 2BWells LFFrancisco DHOverbay 1BAdams 3BIchiro RFRomine CKuroda P

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) May 17, 2013

Question of the Day

Game Updates

It’s a long weekend up here in the Great White North and that means I’m going to a cottage. Therefore I’m taking this game in the old-fashioned way, over the radio! While I’ll attempt to make updates as I go, cell phone signals can be perilous in the rural wasteland that is central Ontario. You’ve been warned!

May 5, 2013; Arlington, TX, USA; Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz (34) follows through on his home run swing against the Texas Rangers during the first inning at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Mandatory Credit: Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees

- Despite the team’s continued ability to win despite the injuries, all is not good in Yankeeville. According to ESPN New York, there was a small spat between future Hall-of-Famer Mariano Rivera and fellow reliever Joba Chamberlain on Saturday. Chamberlain apparently took offense when Rivera asked Chamberlain and his family to keep their voices down when Rivera was being intereviewed. I’m sorry Joba but when the Sandman tells you to shush, you shush.

- The Yankee injury train may finally be returning to the station, as the first of the injured stars are set to return according to PinStriped Bible. Outfielder Curtis Granderson, who has been out since getting plunked on the arm in the team’s first spring training game (by J.A. Happ no less), is expected to rejoin the team on Tuesday. So much for taking advantage of the Yankees while they were down and out huh?

Baltimore Orioles

- Young third baseman Manny Machado has been one of the better stories in baseball this season, so much so that some people are trying to point out out that Machado belongs in a more elite class of players. Cole Stevenson at Opposing Views makes a good point that Machado, 20, deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as other elite youngsters Bryce Harper and Mike Trout. A .323 batting average, 28 runs, 24 RBI, and a .876 OPS from a 20-year-old that never played an inning at Triple-A should be enough evidence to get that discussion started.

- With top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy on the shelf and the Orioles pitching staff struggling, it may be another rookie that makes the jump. MASN points out that righty Kevin Gausman (MLB.com 36th ranked prospect) is making his case at Double-A Bowie. Despite a 1-4 record, Gausman is posting a strong 3.35 ERA and a 8.9 K/9 ratio. What is even more impressive is that Gausman has walked just 4 batters in 40.1 innings this season.

Tampa Bay Rays

- The Tampa Bay Rays are pushing themselves back into the division picture after a solid week, and as usual, they are doing it with surprisingly solid performances from bargain-basement pitching. As MLB Trade Rumors points out, that may bode well for Roberto Hernandez, the man formerly known as Fausto Carmona. After signing a one-year, $3.25 million deal with the Rays to boost his value, Hernandez has enjoyed some mixed results thus far, posting a 1-4 record with a 4.66 ERA. However, his 9.1 K/9 ratio and his 2.7 BB/9 ratio show that his peripherals are strong., and an xFIP of 3.25 shows that better things may be coming.

- And you can’t talk about the Rays without discussing their available trade bait, as this piece from Bleacher Report does. With a seemingly unending train of pitching prospects to pull from, this piece points to the availability of both David Price and Jeremy Hellickson, and how they could be used to facilitate the team’s need for high-upside hitting prospects.

Boston Red Sox

- At one point, the Boston Red Sox had the problem of having too many closers, with both Joel Hanrahan and Andrew Bailey on the roster. With Bailey already on the DL with a biceps strain, the Red Sox announced on Saturday that Hanrahan will now miss the remainder of the season after electing to undergo surgery to repair his damage flexor tendon in his pitching elbow. That leaves Junichi Tazawa handling the closer duties until Bailey returns.

- Speaking of returns, the return to high production levels has at least one Boston area reporter questioning whether David Ortiz is on the juice. On Tuesday, the Boston Globe’s Dan Shaughnssey published a column where he justified accusing Ortiz of steroid usage because the player is a) Dominican, B) Coming back from injuries consistent with steroid usage, and C) getting better with age. That lead to an outpouring of racial stereotyping claims against Shaughnessy, by Ortiz (via CBSSports) and Shaughnessy’s cohorts in the media.

Weekly AL East Standings (Overall Standings)
New York 4-2 (22-13)
Baltimore 4-2 (22-15)
Boston 2-5 (22-15)
Tampa Bay 5-2 (18-18)
Toronto 4-3 (14-24)

It’s happened again. For the 15th time this season (give or take all of them) the Blue Jays are facing a MUST WIN game. I mean if they lose again today, these bums will let another series go by without winning a series and you know what? April ain’t for long my friends and then what will people say? “Don’t worry its May?” RIDICULOUS. No team has ever been struggling in MAY and made the playoffs!

2012 playoff teams with records at or below .500 in May: OAK, DET, STL, TEX, ATL, NYY. Lucky for them April means so much more, huh?

— Andrew Stoeten (@AndrewStoeten) April 25, 2013

Well thanks for ruining that point…what are you guys going to tell me next, that a team doesn’t even have to have a winning record in June to make the playoffs?

#Athletics on June 1: 22-30; July 1: 38-42; Aug. 1: 56-48; Sept. 1: 75-57

— Jane Lee (@JaneMLB) September 2, 2012

Ok, so the Athletics were 8 games below .500 on June 1st of last season, and got a little better, but they didn’t have to play the Red Sox and Yankees amirite?

Wow. RT @buster_espn: Since June 1 of last year, Oakland is 80-40 in the regular season, easily the best record in the majors.#Athletics

— Kate Scott (@katetscott) April 12, 2013

Ok, I get it, the A’s struggled early and have been the best team in baseball since last June 1 when everyone thought they were awful, but I mean the AL West is a joke right? We have to deal with the Yanks and Sox! Yeah I guess Lyle Overbay is starting at first base for the Yankees…and I have to admit that a line up with Mike Trout, Albert Pujols, and Josh Hamilton is pretty good…but have you seen Vernon Wells this year!

FINE. You win. Just because a team is struggling early doesn’t mean the season is completely and utterly lost. I suppose we can stop this ridiculous #firegibby campaign on Twitter. Maybe next time R.A. Dickey starts instead of fretting over every little thing that happens, I’ll just sit back, relax and enjoy the fact that the reigning NL Cy Young winner whom throws one of the coolest pitches you’ll ever see is toeing the rubber for the Toronto Blue Jays…come June 2nd though, PANIC TIME.

News & Notes

And the beat goes on: Josh Johnson to miss tonight’s #BlueJays start with triceps tightness, Aaron Laffey to start.

— John Lott (@LottOnBaseball) April 26, 2013

Well I suppose I deserve this after writing that condescending introduction seen above before this news came down. My bad! On a side note, I love this picture:

Apr 25, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (10) argues a reversed call with umpire Chad Fairchild (75) during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Yankees won 5-3. Mandatory Credit: Debby Wong-USA TODAY Sports

Line Ups

Tonight’s @bluejays lineup:Davis-DHRasmus-CFBautista-RFEncarnacion-1bCabrera-LFArencibia-CLawrie-3bIzturis-2bKawasaki-SSLaffey-P

— Blue Jays-Official(@BlueJays) April 26, 2013

4/26 @yankees lineup vs @bluejaysGardner CFNix 3BCano 2BWells LFCervelli CIchiro RFNunez SSOverbay 1BFrancisco DHNova P

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) April 26, 2013

Question Of The Night

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.
Things That Are Happening

I’ll be updating all game long with what’s going on, my thoughts on these things, and probably some inane ramblings because it’s Friday night and I’m live blogging a baseball game for a team that’s 9-14! Have any thoughts on the game or your very own inane ramblings because you’ve spent your Friday night reading mine? Let me know in the comments below or send me some love via the Twitter machine to @travisb31

Apr 23, 2013; Baltimore, MD, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (left) is congratulated by Jose Bautista (right) after hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. The Orioles defeated the Jays 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

What do we have on the go for the upcoming series against the never say die New York Yankees?

Starters:
Game 1: Mark Buehrle (1-0, 5.87 ERA) v/s Hiroki Kuroda (2-1, 2.35 ERA)
Game 2: Josh Johnson (0-1, 6.86 ERA) v/s Ivan Nova (1-1, 6.14 ERA)
Game 3: J.A. Happ (2-1, 3.68 ERA) v/s C.C. Sabathia (3-2, 3.34 ERA)
Game 4: R.A. Dickey (2-3, 4.66 ERA) v/s Phil Hughes (0-2, 5.14 ERA)

Game 1 is a rematch of last weekend where Kuroda and Buehrle both pitched great games but ultimately resulted in a 5-3 loss for the Jays. Kuroda has been just as dominant as last year and Buehrle has been…well Buehrle: lots of hits and a higher than normal ERA but a guy who knows how to keep his team in the game. Kind of like a 21st century Jack Morris. With Buehrle’s track record we should see that number continue to drop closer to his career norm of 3.84 and feeding off of some replacement players should help him just fine as long as he keeps the ball in the park.

Game 2 sees the enigma Josh Johnson hitting the mound for Toronto. He has had quite the season so far. This is not the Josh Johnson of old. His pitches seem flatter and that extra bite he has had in the past is still trying to find it’s way to his pitches. He had a stellar outing versus the Chi Sox but then lost it against the Yankees at Rogers Centre. He needs to relax and let his natural talent come out. Unless he is nursing an injury, we should start to see the real Johnson stepping up for us.

Johnson’s counterpart, Ivan Nova, seems to be going through the motions and those motions include high pitch counts, lots of walks (8 in 14.2 innings) and short outings having not gone more than 5 innings in any of his starts so far. If we exhibit some patience at the plate it seems we may be nicely rewarded.

Game 3 sees our most consistent start J.A. Happ taking the ball. Happ has by far the best starter’s ERA on the team and is coming off 6 innings of shutout ball against the Orioles. Every game it seems that Happ has to prove himself but he has been consistent and very average which is what you would expect out of your 5th starter. He keeps us in games and works very hard.

It won’t be easy going up against CC. Sabathia is still an inning eating, strikeout inducing ace of the fabled franchise. He has not gone lower than 5 innings and has gone 8 twice already this year. Couple that with a 3:1 K/BB ratio and you see he is having his usual stellar season.

To wrap up the 4 gamer we will send our prized ace R.A. Dickey up against the always baffling Phil Hughes. Dickey seems to be tossing a lot of pitches this year. He has yet to get into the 7th inning in any of his starts and is walking an alarmingly high number of batters in the early going (14 in 29 innings). I hope his stiff neck and shoulder account for this and as it loosens up we will see the Cy Young winner we traded for.

Hughes has been getting scorched so far this year. A .337 BAA and a 1.57 WHIP are the hallmarks if the baffling Phil Hughes. Is he the 16 games winner of a year ago who finally seemed to be putting it all together or is he just another flash in the pan pitcher? He has a 10.27 ERA this year in day games and the game is at 1:05. Hmmmmmm….

Line-Ups:

The following are the probable line-ups for both squads.

Toronto Blue Jays:

1. DH: Rajai Davis
2. SS: Munenori Kawasaki
3. RF: Jose Bautista
4. 1B: Edwin Encarnacion
5. LF: Melky Cabrera
6. C: J.P. Arencibia
7. CF: Colby Rasmus
8. 3B: Brett Lawrie
9. 2B: Maicer Izturis

New York Yankees:

1. CF: Brett Gardner
2. DH: Ben Francisco
3. 2B: Robinson Cano
4. LF: Vernon Wells
5. C: Francisco Cervelli
6. RF: Ichiro Suzuki
7: SS: Eduardo Nunez
8. 1B: Lyle Overbay
9. 3B: Jayson Nix

The Blue Jays can thank the bullpen for keeping them in games, like the four innings of shutout ball yesterday. Brett Cecil has become sort of a re-born Scott Downs type: a lefty who can mow them down. Our bullpen overall must be given some props. With the starters all struggling to get out of 6 innings and with the team in the midst of 21 games in a row, they have been the glue that has kept the team from sliding into oblivion. Sure we are 9-13 but all teams struggle. The way we won the game with small ball was a blessing. 4 homers is great but if they are all solo shots then we are still going to struggle. If we keep working the counts like they did in that fantastic 11th inning then it should plant the seeds of confidence.

The Yankees (11-9) are coming off a 3-0 drubbing at the hands of Alex Cobb and the pesky Tampa Bay Rays. After outduelling the Jays over the weekend, the pinstripes only managed to score 5 runs in the three game set down in Florida. Perhaps we are finally seeing the injury replacements playing like injury replacements. Any team that loses Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Curtis Granderson and Mark Teixeira should feel the loss of power and yet the Yankees sit 1st in the AL in home runs (Toronto currently sits 2nd) thanks to Robinson Cano, Travis Hafner and Vernon Wells (???). Can they keep it up?

The Final Word:

Potential is great and all but when it stays as such there isn’t much to hope for going forward. If the starters can feed off one another this go through the rotation and give our bullpen a rest we should be able to take this series. This Yankee team seems ripe for picking and a sweep would settle our stomachs down and allow the team to re-focus and exude the talent that they collectively have. With only one series win still in this young season and a chance to vault up the standings against some suspect Yankee bats and pitching, it could be the beginning of a surge that is desperately needed.

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Joining me for the series preview is Andrew Corselli, Lead Writer on FanSided’s great Yankees site Yanks Go Yard, and he’ll be adding everything on the Yankees after the jump. Here’s everything you need to know:

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Once we’ve worked with the writers from BoSox Injection (Red Sox), Yanks Go Yard (Yankees), Birds Watcher (Orioles), and Rays Colored Glasses (Rays) to select the best team we can muster, the AL East roster will face off against the AL Central and AL West All-Division teams in a fan vote hosted by our MLB site Call to the Pen. The AL winner will then advance to face off against the NL division selected by the same method and another fan vote will be held.

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Image courtesy of MLB.com

#22: Darin Paul Mastroianni

Center Fielder / 25 years old / 5′11″ 190 lbs

Born: August 26th, 1985 in Huntersville, North Carolina

Bats: Right    Throws: Right

High School: Fox Lane H.S.

College: University of Southern Indiana

Drafted By: The Toronto Blue Jays in the 16th round (505th overall) of the 2007 First-Year Player Draft

Jersey Number: #23 for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats

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A second round pick by the Jays in 1982, Wells returned to the Blue Jays organization in 1999 after being part of the trade that send Roger Clemens to the New York Yankees.

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