There weren’t any minor league games in the Blue Jays’ organization yesterday, so let’s get right to today’s preview!
It’s Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts which, as usual, corresponds to the Boston Marathon and morning baseball for the Red Sox. All of New England will also be quite electric today while the world supports their friends in Boston one year after the Boston Marathon bombing. We, at Blue Jays from Away, wish Bostonians all the best. We also wish the marathoners and their family a safe, healthy run.
I lived for two years in Boston, including one year right on the Boston Marathon route. Watching the Boston Marathon was one of the most inspiring things I’ve ever seen. At the time, I was a runner but normally confined my runs to about five miles or so, along the Charles River and its bridges (a particularly beautiful place to run, especially in the summer). Watching the Boston Marathon inspired me to run the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon in 2008. My ultimate goal is still to qualify for the Boston Marathon which is a difficult process. I’m still trying!
The way that Boston has picked itself up after a disaster is also inspiring and I hope that I’ll be able to run the Boston Marathon in a few years, not only to have a chance to go back to a great city in which I spent a nice chunk of my life but to support the organizers and runners of the 2013 marathon.
April 21 Preview
Buffalo Bisons (9-6)
Marcus Stroman is the big prospect name going to the hill today as he faces the Pawtucket Red Sox in a buzzing Pawtucket, Rhode Island, which neighbours Massachusetts. Despite some shakiness earlier, Stroman was lights out in his last appearance against Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, striking out nine with no walks in 5 1/3 innings. He faces Brandon Workman, a minor league starter who has been a major league reliever in his time with the Red Sox over the past two seasons. He hasn’t been good in only 3 1/3 innings of work but he’ll probably be more formidable than he was last time out.
New Hampshire Fisher Cats (5-9)
The Fisher Cats are doing a little bit better lately and send Scott Copeland (0-3, 6.55 ERA) to the mound to face the New Britain Rock Cats in another New England town in Connecticut. Local boy Pat Dean is pitching close to home, having grown up in Waterbury, Connecticut and is off to a very good start for the Rock Cats this season with a 2-0 record, a 4.11 ERA but a WHIP under 1.00 and 13 strikeouts in 15 2/3 innings. Let’s just say that Scott Copeland’s season hasn’t gone well but the numbers obscure his one solid start on April 11 in Binghamton. Let’s hope that he’s able to find that magic again today.
Dunedin Blue Jays (13-3)
The D-Jays send Taylor Cole (2-0, 2.55 ERA) to the bump when the club heads to Lakeland to take on the Flying Tigers and Jordan John. John, 23, got shelled in his last start against Brevard County and hasn’t been particularly good so far in the early going. On the other hand, Cole has been excellent, racking up strikeouts like crazy (23 in 17 2/3 innings) while maintaining the type of control that saw him dominate in Vancouver two years ago.
Lansing Lugnuts (4-11)
The Lugnuts are back home today after a travel day that saw them return from Wisconsin. Alberto Tirado gets the start and he’ll be followed (eventually) by Jairo Labourt. Tirado has had mixed results so far with no record but a 3.38 ERA. That ERA is somewhat deceptive because he has a 2.00 WHIP but has struck out 13 batters in eight innings. So far, you’ve never been able to predict which Tirado would come to the mound: the one who walked three and only pitched one inning (which I saw on April 9) or the one who struck out seven in four innings on April 4 and six in three innings on April 16. Kime, one of Cleveland’s top prospects has struggled in his second professional year and his first in full-season ball. He’s getting hit hard with 20 hits in 10 1/3 innings pitched and only seven strikeouts with six walks.
Who are these players? Find out in The 2014 Toronto Blue Jays Minor League Handbook, now available as an ebook at Smashwords.com for $7.99 US. It’s coming soon to Amazon, Apple iBooks, Kobo and other fine retailers. You can purchase and preview the book at our Smashwords.com page! If you like us here,“like” us on Facebook!
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