Results tagged ‘ Aaron Hill ’
‘Graphing the Jays’ power
During last night’s 11th inning win over the Tigers, the Jays got home runs from Jose Bautista (who else?) and Adam Lind. Right now, there are eight guys on the team who’ve hit at least 10 home runs this season, and two guys stuck at eight. This team has a real shot at getting 10 guys with double digits in home runs, which is amazing.
Here’s how I’ve done in getting autographs of these guys:
1. Jose Bautista (42): I sent to him during Spring Training, and haven’t received anything back yet. Here’s hoping!
2. Vernon Wells (23): Doesn’t sign TTM, as I found out back in the summer of 2006 when I first started this hobby. But I have a handful of certified auto’d cards of him.
3. Aaron Hill (19): I have four cards signed TTM from him. Two back in 2006 and two in 2008. I’ve got another couple out to him now, and hope to get them back this fall.
4. Adam Lind (18): Doesn’t sign TTM, but before he made it to the Bigs, I loaded up with a dozen or so of his certified autograph cards.
5. Alex Gonzalez (17): No longer with the team. I don’t have anything of his.
6. Lyle Overbay (16): After a horrendous start to the season, Overbay has been one of the club’s best hitters. I’ve got him three times over the years — once on a ball, once on a Topps card and this year on an 08 Ginter card.
7. John Buck (14): I don’t have anything of his.
8. Edwin Encarnacion (13): In addition to being unable to hit, he’s also unable to sign. He hasn’t responded to two TTM requests in the last two years.
9. Fred Lewis (8): I finally found a card of his (a rookie card, when he was with SF) and sent it off a couple weeks ago. He’s shown to be a good signer to other collectors, so I hope I get it back. He’s become one of my favourite Jays this season, and also one of the most exciting to watch.
10. Travis Snider (8): Snider goes through stages in which he signs, then goes a stretch without signing. I have one of his certified autos, but sent to him TTM a few weeks back on a Topps rookie card.
Hill for MVP?
I’m not going to say I told you so, but … well, I told you so.
I’ve been singing the praises of Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill for years. I’ve always admired his skill in the field. In 2006, I began to take notice of his defence during a campaign that saw him yield a .987 fielding percentage. I’m cautious to give praise where it’s not due, but I started telling anyone who would listen that Hill was Toronto’s best second baseman since Robert Alomar. And that’s saying a lot, because Alomar was my favourite player as a kid. But it’s also saying a lot because Alomar did a lot with his bat. Hill, prior to this season, has yet to hit better than .291. Would he make me eat my words?
No, thankfully. Hill has almost become a household name through the Jays’ first 30 games of 2009. He’s leading the Bigs in hits, has a batting average of better than .350 and on an offensive powerhouse team, leads the way in home runs. Wow. I’m not sure Hill will keep up this torrid pace, but he’s certainly silenced critics who were skeptical of how well he’d bounce back from last season’s concussion problems.
Hill’s fast start makes me want to compare him to Boston’s Dustin Pedroia, who won the 2008 AL MVP award. Make no mistake — Pedroia’s MVP-calibre season was impressive, but it was also controversial. If you had to build your team around one player, would it be Pedroia? If you had to build your team around one Red Sox player, would it be Pedroia? He’s not the guy I’d take, that’s for sure.
Hill’s quick start makes me see a lot of parallels between the two players. Obviously, they both play the same position, but they are blue collar types who can hit for power and average and are the complete package defensively.
We’ve got well over 100 games before we start discussing MVP-calibre seasons in earnest, but because the debate’s already underway, I think it’s clear that Hill should be in the discussion. Alomar didn’t win an MVP award, but if Hill can stay healthy, he should shatter his 2007 bests of 177 hits, 17 home runs and 78 RBI.
malcolmmacmillan
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