Results tagged ‘ Blaine Neal ’
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK (7/16 – 7/22)
BATTER OF THE WEEK: OF Adam Lind is picking up where he left off when he was promoted to Toronto in April. Lind went 7-for-21 (.333) this week with two doubles and triple. Also tack on three runs batted in for the University of South Alabama product. Lind fell a home run short of the cycle with a 4-for-4 night on the 19th against Rochester.
Honorable Mention: SS Ray Olmedo had a higher batting average over the last week than Lind (.375) going 6-for-16 with a double, five runs scored and two runs batted in. Meanwhile OF Wayne Lydon set a season-high with two stolen bases yesterday. Lydon put together an 8-for-25 (.320) week with a pair of doubles and four runs scored.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK: Pretty much a no-brainer after the week RHP Josh Banks had. Banks made two starts going 1-1 with a 1.29 ERA. In 14.0 innings Banks gave up ten hits and two runs with one walk against five strikeouts. Banks lost on the 17th against Rochester but pitched 8.0 innings giving up three hits and one run. The lone run came against the first batter of the game who homered. Banks settled down to retire the final 10 batters he faced. He picked up where he left off tossing 6.0 innings against Buffalo Sunday yielding one run while scattering seven hits.
HONORABLE MENTION: RHP Blaine Neal picked up two saves and a win over the past seven days. Neal threw 3.2 innings in relief not giving up a run. He earned a win on the 18th and a save on each the 16th and 22nd.
DUNEDIN NOTEBOOK
The Toronto Blue Jays lost to the Philadelphia Phillies tonight in Dunedin, 10-6, on a beautiful 70 degree night at Knology Park. Righthander Josh Towers took the loss, allowing 5-runs in 4 2/3 innings. Towers, who is battling for the 5th spot in the Jays rotation, actually pitched better than his line would indicate. With John Thomson now out of the mix with tightness in his shoulder, Towers could claim that spot behind Halladay, Burnett, Chacin and Ohka.
Ryan Roberts launched a 400 foot double off the center field wall and was robbed of a base hit in the 9th. Rob Cosby, Justin Singleton and Jeff Duncan all saw action in tonight’s game.
Righty Jeremy Accardo was touched for a two-run shot by Chase Utley, while Blaine Neal also gave up 2 runs in the ninth on 4 hits. Brian Wolfe pitched another scoreless inning and remains in the mix as a non-roster invitee. Wolfe was acquired from Milwaukee last season in the Corey Koskie trade. Last season he began the year in Dunedin and finished up with New Hampshire.
Chiefs season ticket holder Peter White and his lovely wife attended tonight’s game in Dunedin – his second contest of the day. Peter tells us that he will be at tomorrow’s game,Pirates vs Blue Jays, before his return to Syracuse for the Home Opener on April 14.
JAYS BEGIN TO DELETE ROSTER
The Toronto Blue Jays minor league camp opened last week and games for their four affiliates will begin on Wednesday vs the Philadelphia Phillies organization. At the major league level, the parent club has begun sending down players including seven pitchers. Lefty Jo Matumoto joins righthanders Beau Kemp, Josh Banks, Ismael Ramirez, and yesterday Ryan Houston, Jean Machi and Tracy Thorpe found their way back to the Englebert Complex.
Only shortstop Sergio Santos and catcher Erik Kratz have been assigned from the group of non-pitchers.
First glance at the Jays pitching staff only Roy Halladay, A.J. Burnett, Gustavo Chacin, B.J. Ryan, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, and Brian Tallet seem to be locks. That leaves probably five spots available and righthanders Jeremy Accardo and Brandon League if healthy will take up two of those. The other three spots, two are starting pitchers and one long reliever.
The candidates, Tomo Ohka, John Thomson, Josh Towers and Shaun Marcum are leading contenders with Victor Zambrano, Pete Walker and Geremi Gonzalez also in the mix. Francisco Rosario is out of options and can’t return to Syracuse.
Pitchers most likely left out and headed back to Syracuse include Dustin McGowan, Davis Romero, who was injured early in camp, Matt Roney, Ty Taubenheim, Lee Gronkiewicz, Blaine Neal, and Brian Wolfe.
