Blue Jays Morning Brew: Benoit, Dunedin, news and notes

The Toronto Blue Jays will send Francisco Liriano (8-13, 4.88 ERA) to the mound tonight to face Chris Tillman (16-6, 3.84) with pivotal Wild Card seeding on the line. A Blue Jays win would put them three games clear of the Orioles for the first Wild Card spot and home field advantage in the one-game playoff.

Here are some Blue Jays news and notes that you might have missed from earlier in the week:

“We’re not boring.”

Chade Headley of the New York Yankees took aim at Marcus Stroman following Monday’s benches-clearing brawl, expressing his distaste for the playoff-bound pitcher “frickin’ screaming” at hitters from the mound. As Scott Mitchell reported for the Toronto Sun, Stroman doesn’t seem to care.

“We play with a lot of passion, we play with a lot of heart — we’re not boring,” Stroman said after the game. “Boring people have problems with that. We’re not concerned with that.”

The Jays Nest Podcast: Ep. 92

Speaking of Monday, Shaun Doyle of Jays From the Couch and I gave our thoughts on the matter in the most recent episode of The Jays Nest Podcast. We also discuss the bullpen fallout and what Benoit’s injury means for Brett Cecil, who has been coming on strong.

The Jays’ Nest Podcast- Talking Toronto Blue Jays – Jays Nest #92- Toronto Blue Jays Ill Timed Bravado, Gibby & More!

John Gibbons’ future with the Blue Jays is also up for debate, but with another win against the Orioles, that conversation should quiet quickly. Subscribe below and have the weekly podcast delivered directly to your computer, phone, or tablet.

Subscribe for iOS / iTunes     –     Subscribe for Android

Benoit speaks on Yankees brawl

Reliever Joaquin Benoit had an interesting take on Monday’s events. When he spoke to Scott MacArthur of TSN, though, Benoit wasn’t bemoaning his injury. Instead, he took the opportunity to express his feelings on the current state of the game — especially in regards to pitching inside.

“I believe, as pitchers, we are entitled to use the whole plate if we want to, if that’s the way we’re going to succeed,” Benoit told MacArthur. “I believe that right now baseball is taking things too far; that, in some situations, most hitters believe they cannot be brushed out. Some hitters take it personally. I believe baseball is taking things too far.”

Dunedin Plans

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro and club representatives met with Dunedin city council recently to discuss the $81 million project to upgrade the existing spring training facilities. It was recently reported that the Blue Jays and city had agreed to a 25-year extension on their relationship that dates back to the founding of the organization. Shi Davidi has the most recent details at Sportsnet.

Related Story: Jays rebound: Takeaways from Sanchez's Tuesday dominance

Projecting the Wild Card

At TSN, Dirk Hayhurst sizes up four potential Wild Card opponents for the Blue Jays. The Baltimore Orioles are currently the likeliest matchup, and given Tuesday’s result from Aaron Sanchez, that may not be a bad thing.