Blue Jays Morning Brew: MVP! MVP! MVP!

The Blue Jays hit the road today for their final seven games of the 2015 regular season, leaving the Rogers Centre with an absolute bang. MVP chants are still echoing around the concrete convertible after Josh Donaldson capped off the Blue Jays home field dominance in poetic fashion.

Trending now: Donaldson gives new generation of fans their “moment”

First stop is in Baltimore where the Orioles and Jays will clash in a four-game set before the season comes to a close with three in Tampa Bay. All this clinching and walk off excitement can make it hard to come back down for a regular season game the very next day, so if you like, we’re offering the Morning Brew in decaf.

Mr. 200  –  It seems like manager John Gibbons intends on getting Mark Buehrle his 200 innings by the end of next weekend. Gibby has said that he’d like to avoid being the manager Buehrle loses his amazing streak under, and according to this tweet from Arden Zwelling, he could throw him back out for the final game on Sunday if he needs one or two more.


I might be surprised if Buehrle is up for this, but then again, he could just as easily surprise us with a complete game in his one remaining start and turn this into a non-issue. Some will turn their nose up at this as stat-padding, but if a manager can decide to limit a starter’s innings, why can’t he also choose to increase them? If he wants it, Buehrle’s earned it.

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Anthopoulos speaks  –  Some great insight here courtesy of Erika Gilbert of the National Post, who brings us some honest answers from GM Alex Anthopoulos regarding the journey this organization has taken to success. It’s interesting to consider not just the great trades and fantastic signings, but the mistakes that preceded those and how they shaped Anthopoulos. My favorite quote, though, was a fashion statement.

“(We had) those godawful black sparkly Jays jerseys and 1.5 million in the stands, Anthopoulos said, marvelling at how far the organization has come since he first arrived in 2004. “Our uniforms are amazing right now€.” Preach, Alex. preach.

Living for the now  –  Another good piece here from Shi Davidi of Sportsnet on the Blue Jays focusing on the present as they approach playoff baseball. It’s well worth the read, but one passage I’ll highlight seems to imply that Mark Buehrle realizes he may be on the outside looking in at a four man playoff rotation.

“I think they need to look at who’s throwing the ball the best right now, who’s feeling the best, Buehrle said. For sure they’ll talk to us, I’ll talk to them, that’s their decision to make.”

Next: Pop the champagne! A look inside the Jays clinching party

More from Jays Journal

• Matt Chapman has been exactly what the Blue Jays needed
• Blue Jays: The goalposts are moving in the right direction
• Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays advance to the Championship Series
• Blue Jays: Comparisons for Alek Manoah’s Second Season
• Blue Jays: Adam Cimber, the unlikely decision King