Results tagged ‘ Vernon Wells ’
‘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.
Blue Jays 10, Athletics 2
The Blue Jays showed off their good friend the long ball yet again, this time going yard three times in a 10-2 win over Oakland. Alex Gonzalez, who is the biggest positive surprise of the early season for Toronto, hit a pair of long shots to give him seven on the year, while Vernon Wells went deep for his eighth. Brandon Morrow pitched well in a six inning outing, fanning nine batters and allowing just two earned runs.
The Good:
Alex Gonzalez: Drove in four runs, hit two home runs and scored twice. He’s back from his slump.
Vernon Wells: Three hits, two RBI, one home run and two runs scored to boost his average to .337.
The Bad:
Fred Lewis: Went 0-for-5 and left four runners on. When you consider there was no one on base the first time he came up, that’s four runners LOB in as many plate appearances. His average is now down to .200.
Cito Gaston: I’m a Gaston guy, but his calls have been sketchy this season. With A-Gonz swinging a hot bat, Gaston elected to pinch hit John McDonald … who promptly hit into a double play.
Buck Watch: Yikes. Buck was in fine form during this one:
Pat Tabler: “Did I read somewhere that [Oakland starter] Cahill was a shortstop?”
Buck: “A lot of these guys are athletic and were shortstops, yeah.”
Way to just give an answer that means nothing. But that wasn’t his best gem on the night.
Buck, after Gonzalez’ first home run: “With six home runs in the month of April, Alex Gonzalez sets Toronto’s new franchise record for home runs by a shortstop in the month of April, breaking the previous record of five set by Marco Scutaro in 2003.”
Scutaro, of course, was in the New York Mets system in 2003, playing just 48 Big League games and spending the rest of the campaign in the minors. His big home run season was last year with Toronto.
Royals 4, Blue Jays 3
The Blue Jays failed to sweep their home series against Kansas City yesterday, with a 4-3 loss in 10 innings. After trailing until the eighth inning, the Jays tied the score at three to push for extras. But Scott Downs gave up a two-out, solo home run to Royals third baseman Alex Gordon in the 10th and the Jays failed to equal things in the home half of the inning. All in all, it was a sub-.500 homestand, but not bad considering the absence of Aaron Hill and Edwin Encarnacion.
Hill will rejoin the club tomorrow in Tampa, while Encarnacion and Brian Tallet were added to the 15 day DL yesterday, retroactive back to the day after their last games.
The Good:
Fred Lewis: The speedy fielder had perhaps his best game as a Jay, with a hit, and RBI, a steal and a run scored.
Alex Gonzalez: After cooling off a bit, the shortstop swung a hot bat again in the loss, hitting his fifth home run of the season in the fourth inning (a two-run shot).
Shaun Marcum: He’s still looking for that elusive first win, but in seven innings of work, was strong with six hits allowed and only three runs against, while fanning six batters and only walking one.
The Bad:
Lyle Overbay: Went 0-for-4 again, with three strikeouts.
Vernon Wells: See Overbay’s line.
Buck Watch: N/A. This one wasn’t on TV, so I caught a wonderful radio broadcast by Jerry Howarth and Alan Ashby. You can’t beat baseball on the radio!
From my Vernon Wells collection …
With Vernon Wells having a tremendous start to the season, I thought it’d be fun to share a couple of my favourite Wells cards from my collection.
Both are Leaf Limited; the one on the left is my most recent addition. It’s from 2004, and includes a V-Dub autograph with a white jersey swatch. It’s numbered 27/50.
The one on the right is from 2005, and includes a chunk of Wells’ bat as well as a three-colour jersey patch from his jersey. This is a cool swatch because it’s from the previous jersey style the team used to wear. Stay tuned for more baseball card updates in the days ahead!
Blue Jays 4, Royals 3
The Blue Jays picked up their second straight win over Kansas City last night, improving to 9-6 on the season. Dana Eveland didn’t get his third win of the young campaign, but pitched pretty well. Shawn Camp, who came on in relief and pitched 1.2 innings, got his first win of the season, while Kevin Gregg earned his fourth save.
The Good:
Vernon Wells: Toronto’s slugger continues to swing a hot bat. He hit his seventh home run of the season last night in only Toronto’s 15th game. How many games last season did it take him to get to seven? 73.
Lyle Overbay: He’ll take a 1-for-3 night with a double any day. Slowly, it looks like Overbay’s climbing out of his slump.
The Bad:
Mike McCoy: The fill-in second baseman went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts, and is perhaps feeling the heat of Aaron Hill, who may return on Friday against the Rays.
Buck Watch: Muted again, but he’ll get a shot to impress today, when I should be able to watch most of the afternoon game.
Watchability: Two-and-a-half baseballs out of five. Outside of Wells’ three hits, Toronto had just five others, and it was a slow-paced game that the Jays were fortunate to win.
Home opener notes
You can’t win ‘em all, I suppose. It was too bad to see the Toronto bullpen squander a good chance to win, but that pen has been good enough all season that it’s bound to lay an egg every now and again. Poor Jason Frasor, with two blown saves already. We expect more out of him, and I’m sure we’ll see it.
The Good:
Vernon Wells: Another big game for V-Dub, who blasted his fifth homer of the season. If he keeps it up like this, he’ll shatter last year’s mark before the long weekend in May.
Adam Lind: The slugger keeps rolling after a career year last year. After picking up his Silver Slugger award in a pre-game ceremony, Lind picks up a pair of hits and drives in three. He also had three Ks, but without his RBIs, the Jays wouldn’t have even reached extra innings.
The Bad:
John Buck: I’m not on an anti-Buck crusade, really. I was glad when the Jays signed him and happy to see him hit one out last night. But 0/4 on runners stealing is Zaun-esque, and Buck needs to improve in that area.
Edwin Encarnacion: Three errors this season already?
Buck Watch: Buck was back, which made for a lot of muting of my TV. I haven’t quite yet turned to the radio broadcast, but that day is coming. I’m not sure how Encarnacion’s mother pronounces his last name, but for years, MLB announcers have pronounced it “En-carn-a-see-own.” Cool. But Buck goes with something like “En-carna-syonne.” It’s awkward when Buck is saying it one way and Pat Tabler is saying it the other way.
Are you familiar with White Sox pitcher Sergio Santos, who used to play in Toronto’s system? Anyway, he began his pro ball career as an infielder, and switched to pitcher for the start of 2009. Pretty cool. Anyway, as Santos is warming in the pen late in the game, we get this gem from Buck: “Sergio Sanchez, a converted pitcher, warming up.” Thanks.
Watchability: Despite a loss, the Jays continue to be an exciting team, and offence is always fun to watch. The vibe at the home opener was electric. Four out of five baseballs.
Wells off to a fast start
Vernon Wells’ big game on Opening Day was just what he needed. It’s a make or break year for V-Dub. He needs a big 2010 to win back the favour of Toronto fans and earn some of that $126 million salary he’s in the middle of.
Here are a couple cards from my Vernon Wells collection:
On the left is an SP Chirography autographed card from 2000 UD SP Authentic.
On the right is a Locker Room Collection autographed card from 2000 Bowman’s Best.
Game 1 notes
Final score:
Rangers 5, Blue Jays 4
This was a game of ups and downs, just as the Blue Jays season will likely be. But given the loss, were there more downs in this one? Not really. The late innings were frustrating, but Toronto did a lot of things well and despite moving to 17-17 all-time on Opening Day, this was a good showing.
The good:
Shaun Marcum: With a no-no into the seventh, Marcum left little doubt he’s no longer feeling the affects of his Tommy John surgery. He looked in control with six strikeouts and
Vernon Wells: V-Dub was clutch with a first-inning two-run home run with two outs. In the eighth, he added a clutch RBI to restore Toronto’s lead after Texas had made it 3-3.
Adam Lind: 3-for-3 with a home run. About as good an Opening Day as you can ask for.
The bad:
Travis Snider: 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. Yikes.
John Buck: 0-for-4, but the real problem was his leaving four runners on base.
Jason Frasor: He gets the loss after his blown save, but I thought his pitch selection was good. He battled well in the ninth and will hopefully be better next outing.
Numbers Game: Frasor’s ERA on the day ends up the same as his jersey number: 54, ugh.
Buck Watch: What did anyone think of the debut of Buck Martinez? I didn’t understand Sportsnet’s decision to “reassign” Jamie Campbell, as I always thought Campbell made for a good call and had a natural play-by-play voice. Martinez, on the other hand, has a grating voice that gets under my skin. Sure, he’s got great knowledge of the game, but his mispronounciation (“Jason Frazier?”) and head-scratching comments (“Marcum had a Tommy John injury?”) make me wonder if it’ll be a long season. I don’t know what the over/under on me muting my TV and tuning into the Jays’ radio broadcast is, but it might be before long.
Watchability: This game was exciting, with a potential no-hitter going into the seventh inning and late-game heroics. I give this four baseballs out of five.
Cards, volume II
It’s Thursday again, which means it’s time for another update of what Jays cards I’ve picked up in the last week. This week was another good one for discount cards, and here’s what’s either in my possession or on the way.
Let’s start with Brandon MaGee. He’s a prospect, but because he’s a prospect, I can get his cards for a low price. I’m not sure what kind of Major Leaguer he’ll turn out to be, but a Jays autograph card for a couple bucks is always worth grabbing.
Next up we have one of the top young hitters in the MLB — Adam Lind. Luckily for me, I’ve been collecting Lind for a few years, and already have about 10 of his autograph cards. They’re climbing in price but I still managed to pick up this Topps Moments & Milestones auto. That’s the thing about prospecting; sometimes it turns out, and other times, it doesn’t. That’s the fun of the hobby, though.
Next, we’ve got a Vernon Wells autograph, which is only my second auto card of V-Dub. It’s back from the 2000 season, and even though he’s struggling right now, he’ll turn it around and have a great season.
Last, but not least, is an awesome card on its way to me. I can’t wait to get this one in my collection. It’s a Bowman Sterling dual auto of Alex Rios and Travis Snider. It’s my first autograph card of Snider, and because he’s a very hot name in baseball today, his stuff’s going for a fair bit of money. This one was my most costly eBay acquisition this week, but I’m glad I picked it up.
Jays need to steal win tonight
You knew it was bound to happen: the slump.
Well, I can hardly call it that, but now that the Jays have dropped a pair to Boston, things aren’t as rosy as they were three days ago. Then, Toronto had swept four straight over Chicago and were sitting pretty atop the AL East standings. They still are, but it’s little closer now. With one game against the BoSox left, the Jays are just 1.5 games up, and tonight’s contest will be a big one.
With Jon Lester on the bump for Boston tonight, going against Toronto’s Robert 
Ray, the Sox appear to have the edge. But Lester is just 2-4 and has looked rough at times this season. Ray, meanwhile, has been satisfactory. The big factor will be how Toronto’s bats respond tonight. The Blue Jays offence has scored just four runs in the first two games against Boston, and needs to explode tonight in the rubber match.
Will they? You bet. This is far too talented an offence to stay quiet for three games straight.
I’m predicting Lyle Overbay will have a monster of a game and Vernon Wells will break out of his rough stretch.
malcolmmacmillan
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