Kuzul

Correction: The Prodigal Son does not return.  You can thank the G20 Summit and the infinite wisdom of Rogers Media (owners of the Toronto Blue Jays) for that.

So, instead of a bittersweet moment that would have, could have, had some legitimate intrigue and injected greater interest into a jaded fan base, we get a downtown core that looks like 1942 Berlin.

This is an issue that’s been beat to death already, so I won’t add to the cacophony of discontent in this piece.  In the end, it would only be white noise anyways.

—————-

Roy “Doc” Halladay was drafted by Toronto 17th overall in 1995, and he made his MLB debut on September 20th, 1999. 

Halladay then pitched his first Complete Game on his next start, September 27th, against Detroit.

It would prove to be a harbinger of things to come.

Early in Halladay’s career he was more of a power pitcher, constantly trying to strike hitters out at the cost of control and pitch counts.

After a retooling in the minors, Halladay came back a completely new pitcher.  The “Doc” was born.

With a now league-renowned work ethic, Halladay transformed himself into an innings-eating control pitcher.  He consistently showed incredible command of his pitches, including a low-90′s tailing fastball, a knee buckling change up, and a tight curve with a huge bite that can be thrown at any point in the count.

Furthermore, Halladay thrived in the toughest division in baseball for the better part of a decade. 

Twice a 20-game winner, Halladay won 16 or more games six times with the Blue Jays and went to six All- Star Games

In 2003 Halladay won a Cy Young and narrowly lost out on his second in 2008.  He arguably would have won last year if not for some poor bullpen work limiting him to just 17 wins.

The only thing missing was post-season play.

At the time of his departure, Roy Halladay stands as the Jays all time leader in winning percentage at .661 and second only to Dave Steib in wins (148) and CGSO’s (15).

The NHL Entry Draft is tonight, and I haven’t missed one in fifteen years.  However, wild horses couldn’t drag me away from the TV as I watch the Jays face Roy Halladay.

Jesse Litsch takes the mound for the Jays.  No pressure, kid.

Halladay has actually been roughed up in his last few outings and has allowed five home runs his last two games.  He’ll need to harness his control tonight as the Jays lead the majors with 111 dingers.

As for Litsch, he’ll need to keep his nerves under control as he’ll be matched against his idol and mentor. 

Making just his third start of the season due to an injury, Litsch was destroyed in his return on June 13th, allowing seven runs in 2.2 innings to the Rockies.  However, he redeemed himself with seven scoreless innings against the Giants last Sunday.

Last season the Jays swept the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, but with the red hot Chase Utley and Jason Werth absolutely mashing the ball lately, Litsch will need to be at his absolute best.

Someone text me if the Leafs make a trade.

For Halladay lovers, read this.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

With the non-waiver trade deadline just over a month away, the rumor mill machine is starting to build considerable steam.

Once again the A.L. East is the most competitive division in baseball with the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays in a triple threat death match for the pennant.

But hold on, the Toronto Blue Jays are making some serious noise as well.

With an exciting young pitching staff and a hodge podge offense that hacks now, ask questions later, the Jays are literally bombing their way into contention.

What will these teams do to improve their post-season chances? Who’s on the block and what can they offer in return?

The Baltimore Orioles also play in the division. That is all.

The following slide show takes a look at who the buyers and sellers are in the A.L. B-East.

Begin Slideshow

How does this guy get so much tail?

His head looks like it was built with Lego blocks.

However, he probably nailed the photographer after this photo shoot. It’s the Jeter way.

Which leads me to the following list.

I ranked these putrid mugs in descending order from least of the gross to the King of the gross.

The Mt. Everest of Ugly, if you will.

Without further ado.

Begin Slideshow

With four picks in the first round and the first compensation round, the Blue Jays loaded up with a collection of exciting pitching prospects.

Deck McGuire at No. 11, Aaron Sanchez at No. 34, Noah Syndergaard at No. 38 and Asher Wojciechowski  (pictured) with the 41st pick all were drafted by Toronto early in the 2010 MLB Draft.

With that in mind, it would be logical to assume GM Alex Anthopoulos and Scouting Director Andrew Tinnish would have focused on position players as the next round(s) commenced yesterday.

You know what they say about those who assume.

Three of the Jays next six picks were pitchers, and of the 36 players the Jays selected in the first 30 rounds, 21 were pitchers.

This draft imbalance actually makes sense when you look at the state of Toronto’s pitching depth beyond the starting rotation. Aside from Kyle Drabek and Chad Jenkins, there isn’t a projectable MLB pitcher in the system.

Say what you will about the likes of Brad Mills and Robert Ray, but they are at best fringe prospects. Counting on them to produce for us on the big club just doesn’t make sense.

However, the farm system is full of intriguing reliever/closer types with the likes of David Purcey, Zach Stewart and Tim Collins leading the way.

Digging even further into the pitchers Toronto just drafted, its interesting to note that nine of the 21 are lefties. Considering that statistically righties outnumber lefties by almost two-to-one, selecting so many southpaws provides an intriguing insight into the Jays’ draft strategy.

Another interesting aspect of this draft class is the number of high schoolers in it.

One of the first things Anthopoulos did when he took over the GM duties was to triple the scouting staff. Now with AA and Tinnish conducting their first draft together, the evidence of the changes this new philosophy will bring are clear with the selection of 22 high schoolers among their 36 picks.

Some draftees of note*:

No. 61 Griffin Murphy, LHP, Redlands East Valley HS, California:

A tall left-hander with a fastball that touches 93 mph, Murphy also possesses a hard-breaking curve and a solid changeup.

His command has been an issue in the past, but the 18-year-old’s three average-to-above-average pitches made him too difficult to pass on. Murphy has a delivery reminiscent to that of the Angels’ Scott Kazmir.

No. 69 Kellen Sweeney, 3B, Jefferson HS, Iowa:

The brother of A’s outfielder Ryan Sweeney, Kellen figures to be a solid gap-to-gap hitter with above average plate discipline. While he primarily played at shortstop at Jefferson HS, the Jays have listed him as a third baseman.

Toronto hopes Sweeney, who is not an above average defender, can polish his defensive skills and remain in the infield. One red flag is that he underwent Tommy John surgery in 2009.

No. 80 Justin Nicolino, LHP, University HS, Florida:

The 6-foot-3 southpaw has an average fastball that sits between 89-92 mph, coupled with an average curveball and an above-average change up.

The RivalsHigh prospect ranking had Nicolino 84th among the top 100 high schoolers. The left-hander has committed to play baseball at Virginia this fall.

This pick was obtained due to the departure of current Red Sox shortstop Marco Scutaro.

No. 93 Christopher Hawkins, 3B, North Gwinnett HS, Georgia:

Much like Sweeney, Hawkins played primarily at shortstop in HS, but will be listed at 3B in the Jays organization.

Hawkins has plus speed, with a little bit of pop. He should hit for a high average, as he hits the ball with conviction to all parts of the diamond. He has the upside to be a solid Major League player.

No. 156 Dickie Thon, SS, Academia Perpetuo Socorro HS, Puerto Rico:

Many thought Thon would be selected earlier in the Draft due to his strong showing in the Puerto Rico Skills Showcase this spring.

To go along with his baseball bloodlines (Dad, Dickie Thon Sr. had a 14-year MLB career), Thon is also an outstanding athlete with a smooth swing and slick glove.

The high schooler has committed to play baseball at Rice University this fall.

The Jays also selected three Canadians on the draft’s second day: junior college outfielder Marcus Knecht of Toronto, a compensation pick in the third round; high school outfielder Dalton Pompey of Mississauga, Ont., in the 16th round; and Texas Tech left-hander Jay Johnson of Sussex Corner, N.B., in the 28th round.

The potential jewel of these Canucks is Knecht. The 6’1″ left fielder, who grew up playing triple-A hockey against current National Hockey League stars John Tavares and Steven Stamkos (who was drafted by the Brewers in the 23rd round in 2008), was projected as the 50th best prospect by the Perfect Game scouting service. He could have gone Monday night, but slipped to the Blue Jays at the 113th selection.

And finally, the Jays may have had the steal of the late rounds with the selection of 3B Kris Bryant in the 18th round.

Many draft experts suggested Bryant was worthy of a pick in the first five rounds, with a real good head on his shoulders. Although his defense needs some fine-tuning, the youngster hit 22 home runs this season, the third most in Nevada history.

The 6’5″, 210-pounder was also named Nevada’s Gatorade Baseball Player of the year for the 2009-10 season, in which he had a .484 batting average with 22 home runs, 51 RBIs and a 1.312 slugging percentage.

But before we get too excited about any of these players, we need to remember that at least half these kids will never play a single game in the majors and perhaps just a handful of them will play more than 100 games.

Nonetheless, it looks like AA and Tinnish really did the extra leg work it takes when scouting high school players. Now the challenge of signing these kids begins.

Speaking of which, John Paxton and Jake Eliopoulos, the two Canadians we drafted last year at 37th and 68th overall respectively who refused to sign, had massive falls in this year’s draft.

Paxon fell to 132nd (Mariners) and Eliopoulos to 472nd (Dodgers).

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.

for a detailed look at the Jays first round picks, read this .

*scouting reports provided by mlb.com

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The first round of the 2010 MLB Draft has just ended and Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos decided that his minor leagues weren’t playing with a full Deck.

Last name pun, I swear.

The Blue Jays had four picks in the first round and selected four pitchers.  Two were big upside high school hurlers who will take time but project very high.  While the other two were top ranked college pitchers who could play on the big club as early as next season. 

Here’s how the picks break down (scouting reports provided by mlb.com).

#11.  Deck McGuire RHP.  Georgia Tech.  DOB 6/23/89.  6’6″ 218 lbs.

Pro Comparison: John Lackey

McGuire throws his fastball in the 91-93 mph range with little movement.  His best pitch is a power slider, up to 86 mph, and it has the chance to be an above-average to plus pitch.

McGuire is big and broad shouldered and is a fair athlete with a good feel for his changeup and his command is excellent.  In addition, he has plus makeup and excellent mound presence.

Strengths: Outstanding command, three good pitches, quick to big leagues. Excellent competitor.

Weaknesses: Limited ceiling, lack of life on his fastball.

Summary: McGuire may not have the highest ceiling of the pitchers in this draft class as he profiles as a No. 3 type starter.  However, he might be the safest college arm to choose from.

He’s got a good three-pitch mix and excellent command that comes in a big, durable body. He’s always been successful and has shown the ability to compete and win even without his best stuff.

While he’s not an ace in the making some teams might look for, he should be the type of advanced arm that can get to the big leagues in a hurry and be a very important innings-eater in the middle of a rotation.

Scouting Video: go here

#34. Aaron Sanchez RHP. Barstow HS (CA). DOB 7/1/92. 6’3″ 170 lbs.

Pro Comparison: Orel Hershiser

Sanchez is a tall, projectable right-hander who is starting to fill into his body. He has three pitches and his fastball runs up to 93-95 mph with some natural run and sink to his ball.

He showed a straight curve and in the past he’s used it as a go-to pitch to get the count back in his favor. As of now its just an average pitch, as is his change up.

He’s a little inconsistent with his delivery, which can lead to command issues. However, he shows very good poise on the mound.

Strengths: Projectable frame, upside with fastball velocity.

Weaknesses: He’s had a history of command issues and he’s far from a finished product.

Summary: While not considered to be at the top of the high school pitching crop, Sanchez is one of those tall, projectable right-handers that do get some attention.

He’s already got plenty of fastball and as he continues to fill out his frame, there’s likely to be more there.

He’s got a curve ball that’s average now and has shown some feel for a changeup. With command issues the biggest problem, he’s not very polished.

Scouting Video: go here

#38. Noah Syndergaard RHP.  Legacy HS (TX). DOB 8/29/92. 6’6″ 215 lbs.

Limited information as he wasn’t ranked in the top 100.  However, according to a report from a June 2010 start, he threw a 94 mph fastball  with a decent change up and curve.

Quote from (unnamed) high school pitching coach:

“His physical ability has always been there… He is so tall that his fastball has a steep angle headed to the plate. He has also been able to add and develop a curveball, which makes his fastball that much tougher to hit.”

Take from that what you will.  This was clearly a projection pick and it seems that Anthopoulos’ scouts saw something in this kid if they selected him this high.

#41. Asher Wojciechowsky RHP. The Citadel. DOB 12/21/88. 6’4″ 235 lbs.

Pro Comparison: Jonathan Papelbon

Wojciechowski is big all over with a strong, durable frame.

He’s dialed his fastball up to 94 mph and has the chance to add another tick or two on the radar.  However, the pitch has below-average life.

Wojciechowsky throws an above average slider at 83 mph and his change up is decent but inconsistent.

He’s had command issues but he counters that with good mound presence and goes right after hitters.

Strengths: Strong, durable frame, above-average fastball to go along with an improving slider.

Weaknesses: While he has the body and durability to start, the command might not get to where it needs to be for him to fill that role long-term. He doesn’t have the cleanest delivery in the world, though it’s not the worst scouts have seen.

Summary: Wojciechowski is a big, strong right-hander with plenty of arm strength. He’s got plenty of fastball and an improved slider to go along with it.

He’s durable enough to start, but the concern is that his command isn’t where it needs to be to fit into a rotation long-term. The good news is he could gain a few ticks on that fastball in a short relief role. He could be the type of college arm that shoots through a system and one day sets up or closes at the big league level.

Scouting Video: go here

Grades:

Deck McGuire: A-

He most likely will not contend for any Cy Young awards but his value to the Jays will be consistent performance for the next decade.  If McGuire can win 14-17 games a season then this ends up a great pick.

Aaron Sanchez: B+

I would have liked to see a position player taken here.  Nick Castellanos, Bryce Brentz and Yordi Cabrera were still on the board.  Nonetheless, Sanchez projects very high and provides the club with an exciting prospect

Noah Syndergaard: C-

I can’t really fail this pick as I don’t know anything about the kid.  However, Castellanos and pitchers Anthony Ranaudo and Luke Jackson were still on the board.  Could Syndergaard not be had in the second round?

Asher Wojciechowsky: B-

Big, durable, power fastball.  Probably won’t start but if he pitches to his potential he could be closing games for the Jays by 2012. 

However, Nick Castellanos was still on the board.  I guess the Blue Jays scouts know something I don’t as they passed on him four times.

——–

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The MLB Draft is just a day away and for the Jays, the anticipation is palpable.

After suffering through almost an entire decade of J.P. Ricciardi’s mostly inept stewardship, Alex Anthopoulos, the Blue Jays new GM, heads into his first draft looking to put his stamp on this team.

With three first round picks (11th and two in the supplemental round), Toronto has a great opportunity to inject some legitimate talent in to the team’s minor league system.

After putting together a mock draft and an analysis of the Jays needs (links provided at the end of this slide show) I decided to have some fun and look at the best first round picks in team history.

Here we go.

Begin Slideshow

On June 7th, the bashful brother of the big four amateur drafts (the other three being the NFL, NBA, and NHL) is set to begin.

Unlike its kin, the MLB draft occurs in relative anonymity.  Aside from the top three or four picks, even the most dedicated, hardcore baseball fan will be hard-pressed to name even a half dozen prospects beyond the top guys.

You won’t find thousands of blogs, chat rooms, and other online communities arguing over who the Cardinals are picking at No. 25 or who the better West Coast prep school outfielder may be.

However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t resources out there to quench your draft thirst.

I’ve culled information from well over two dozen sites and read literally hundreds of scouting reports to bring you this mock draft. 

The one consistent element I noticed was that there was no general consensus beyond the first pick.  It all seemed so completely arbitrary.

So I’ve attempted to add criteria such as team need and player sign-ability (see Boras, Scott) so the list has some semblance of logic to it.

Of course, I’m probably completely wrong on every pick, but at least you now know who these guys are.

So without further ado, here is your 2010 MLB Mock Draft (picks 1-11).

1. Washington Nationals: C Bryce Harper (pictured) – 6’3″, 205 lbs. – Southern Nevada College

Bryce has been touted as perhaps the best positional (non-pitcher) prospect ever .  High praise indeed, but in one game during the JC World Series, he hit for the cycle and then the very next game went 6-6 with four mammoth HRs and a ridiculous 10 RBIs.

He may not end up a catcher in the pros, but I doubt Washington cares.

2. Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP James Taillon – 6’5″, 215 lbs. – The Woodlands HS (TX)

No one consulted had Taillon outside the top four so that tells me about the consensus on this young man’s talent.

I’ve also read that the Pirates may not want a prep school arm. However, Dave Perkin of Baseball America referred to Taillon as “…a near perfect pitching prospect” and drew comparisons to John Lackey and even Stephen Strasburg.

When was the last great Pirate pitcher?  I thought so.

3. Baltimore Orioles: SS Manny Machado – 6’2″, 180 lbs. – Brito High School (FL)

Machado is very athletic, but lacks high-end speed so his range at SS is somewhat limited.  He should still stick there as a pro since his hands, arm, and instincts are excellent.

Offense will be his ace, however, as he is already a great fastball hitter and projects to have above-average power with great bat speed.

4. Kansas City Royals: LHP Drew Pomeranz – 6’5″, 231 lbs. – U of Mississippi

Drew is the top ranked lefty in this draft and the top overall college arm.  He throws a mid-90s fastball with an already deadly 12-6 curve that clocks in at around 80 mph.

He has had a small consistency issue and his high release makes him easy to steal on, but lefties with his stuff are just too good to pass on.

5. Cleveland Indians: 3B Zack Cox – 6’0″, 215 lbs. – U of Arkansas

This is the point in the draft when it becomes anyone’s guess.  However, Cox is the most MLB-ready bat in this draft and unlike Matt LaPorta, he has the ability to stay at 3B.

Besides, Jhonny Peralta is not exactly a cornerstone at the hot corner.

6. Arizona Diamondbacks: RHP Deck McGuire – 6’6″, 223 lbs. – Georgia Tech

The D-Backs love their college arms and reigning ACC Player of the Year, Deck McGuire, has the tools to be a top pick.

His crisp slider and mid-90s fastball are already pro-worthy and his change-up and curve ball are nearly there.  He won’t need too much time in the minors and could be in the show as early as 2012.

7. New York Mets: C Yasmani Grandal – 6’2″, 210 lbs. – Miami

I was tempted to go pitcher here as this is a deep draft for hurlers, but catcher was just too glaring a need for the Mets.

Grandal will play catcher in the pros as his arm is above average and he already calls a smart game.  However, it’s his bat that has scouts drooling.

A switch hitter with raw power, he’ll need to work on his mechanics as he progresses.  Nevertheless, this kid has massive upside.

8. Houston Astros: 3B Nick Castellanos – 6’4″, 200 lbs. – Archbishop McCarthy HS (FL)

The Astros traded away their last two 3B prospects and are now stuck with retreads like Chris Johnson and Pedro Feliz.

Enter Nick Castellanos. 

Nick will need time to develop but he has big-time power as a right handed bat and his frame/defense combo project as a top-flight MLB third baseman.

9. San Diego Padres: LHP Chris Sale – 6’6″, 172 lbs. – Florida Gulf Coast University

It’s tough to predict what a new management team will do, but 6’6″ lefties who remind some of Randy Johnson are tough to pass up.

Keith Law of ESPN feels he could struggle against righties without making an adjustment and has a below average curve. However, he does have an electric mid- to high-90s fastball and tight slider that are MLB-ready.

10. Oakland Athletics: OF Bryce Brentz – 6’0″, 185 lbs. – Middle Tenn State

How perfect is this?  A four-year collegiate starter who could contend for a roster spot next year going to Billy Beane’s Athletics.

Its a match made in Moneyball heaven.

It also doesn’t hurt that the kid is a dynamite defender with a cannon for an arm and is already a pro-style hitter.

11. Toronto Blue Jays: RHP Karsten Whitson – 6’4″, 190 lbs. – Chipley HS (FL)

And the Alex Anthopoulos era has begun. Now armed with a full compliment of scouts (predecessor J.P. Ricciardi despised dissenting opinion and purged dozens of scouts during his tenure), AA no longer has to fear high school pitchers.

Karsten is considered by many to be the second-best pitcher in this draft (behind Taillon), but is much more raw.

However, his mechanics and easy arm action allow him to throw a heavy, sinking fastball in the mid-90’s with good command.  Also, his low-80s slider bites hard and his change-up is improving.

Karsten has all the potential to be an inning-eating ace, but the Jays will need to be patient.

Picks 12-22 coming later today.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

This past Saturday, Roy Halladay of the Toro…Philadelphia Phillies pitched the 20th perfect game in Major League Baseball history.

As a life-long Torontonian and die hard Blue Jay fan this was, to say the least, bittersweet.

I equate it to running in to your old high school girlfriend and finding out she’s engaged and has a fantastic new career. 

Meanwhile, your still single, getting fatter by the day, and stuck in a dead in job.

Oh yea, her fiancé (you know, the guy who replaced you) is way better looking than you are.  Awesome.

Anyways, here’s my letter to a lost but never forgotten friend.

Dear Roy,

I remember when we first met.  It was September 27th, 1998 and the Detroit Tigers were in town.  Mutual friend Gord Ash (then Blue Jays GM) had finally decided to invite you to the party.

I’ve always eschewed clichés as I found them to be silly euphemisms for even sillier people.  But on this day I got very silly; for if first impressions are the most enduring then 09/27/98 made a very lasting one indeed.

After 8.1 innings of no hit ball, known puppy hater and Satan worshiper Bobby Higginson decided to pee in the cornflakes of Blue Jay Nation.  He took your fastball over the left field fence to ruin your debut.

Nonetheless, a complete game one hitter is a great way to say hello.

Over the next few seasons our relationship had its typical ups and downs.  Some friends of mine even tried to persuade me to break it off, telling me you were overrated.

I knew better.

Then in 2002 you decided to take our relationship to the next level.  Love was in the air throughout the Summer and it culminated in a 19-7 record with a 2.93 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP.

Just when I though it couldn’t get any better, the very next year you surpassed all my lofty expectations.

22W-7L. 266 IP. 3.25 ERA. 1.07 WHIP. 204 K’s. 32 BB’s.  Cy Young Award.

Roy, you’re much too humble to care about personal stats but allow me to put this season into perspective.

Using the following benchmark: 200 IP, 20 W, 200 K (min), 40 BB (max), do you know how many pitchers have ever had such a season? 

The answer is four.  Cy Young, Walter Johnson, Pedro Martinez, and You.  They all did it once, but in 2008 you did it a second time (246/20/206/39).

Inexplicably, you didn’t win the Cy Young that year.  Even though you had more strikeouts and led the league in complete games, shutouts and WHIP.

Not that you needed to impress me, you had me at Strike One.

However, all good things come to an end.

Late last year we traded you to Philly.  I understand why we broke up and I’m not bitter.  We didn’t give you what you wanted and even though we still love each other, you deserve that ring.

It just breaks my heart that you’ll get it in a different jersey.

I wish you all the best Roy.  Long may you run.

Love, Jeff (on behalf of Jay fans everywhere)

P.S. I heard Bobby Higginson was spotted mopping the floor of a peep show in Flint, Michigan.  Weird, huh?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Mercifully, the Dana Eveland experiment is over.

Recently sent to the minors, the Blue Jays now have 10 days to either trade, release, or place him on waivers.

Maybe we can get Rios back?

I kid, though just slightly.

Eveland’s last start was abysmal. 1.1 innings of soft tossing BP where he gave up (handed over?) eight runs on eight hits and two walks.  In fact, only once this season did he strike out more batters than he walked: a six inning relative gem where he allowed two runs while striking out four (a season high) and walking only three.

Remember the time when Dana Eveland wasn’t a Blue Jay?  That was pretty cool.

But I digress.

Enter David Purcey.

THE WILD CARD IS OURS!!

Take it easy, Purcey is definitely a better option, but that’s not saying much.  Eveland was so bad he made me long for the days of Josh Towers and Luke Prokopec .

However, he’s not a starter.  Not anymore.

Purcey has been in Las Vegas rediscovering his inner Nuke LaLoosh but as a long reliever, not a starter.  So regardless how well he pitches, his time here may be short.

Eveland’s next turn in the rotation would have been June 1 so we can expect a reliever for starter swap with Vegas.  Its either Purcey or Josh Roenicke who will most likely be sent down.

So who is the lucky winner of the No. 5 Rotation Spot Sweepstakes (N5RSS)?

The money is on one of Brad Mills or Robert Ray.

Mills has been the Las Vegas 51’s most consistent pitcher.  With a 4-3 record and 3.60 ERA, his numbers seem to warrant a call up.  Although his 9.1K/9 ratio is tasty, he’ll need to watch his control as his 4.5BB/9 just won’t cut it on the big club (see Eveland, Dana).

Ace in the Hole

In 2008, Mills had a microscopic 1.95 ERA and 159 K’s in 147.1 minor league innings.

Ray, on the other hand, has had an up and down season but has maintained a respectable 3.83 ERA along with a 3-3 record.  However, he does have the 51’s only complete game of the season thus far (a shutout).

One area of concern is the trending drop in strikeouts.  Over Ray’s last three seasons he’s had a K/9 ratio of 8.6, 7.9, and now 6.4.  He’ll need his control to be extra sharp if he gets the call.

Ace in the Hole

Recently named PCL (Pacific Coast League) pitcher of the week.

My money’s on Millsie.  I like his pedigree. Besides, I’ve always had a soft spot for carny-esque (5’11”) strikeout pitchers.

In other news. Hey No. 12, who are you and what have you done with Edwin Encarnacion?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

If nothing else, the 2010 edition of the Toronto Blue Jays may be the most exciting team in Baseball.

Off to their second best start in 15 years, this year the team isn’t using smoke and mirrors or benefiting from mediocre play from the Yankees and Red Sox.

They are literally HAMMERING their way to a 25-17 record—good enough for third in the AL East and a mere one game behind the Yankees for the AL Wild Card.

With power arms and even more powerful bats, this team is starting to make the rest of the league take notice.

Can the Blue Jays maintain this torrid pace? With a roster filled with journeyman and young, inexperienced players, the conventional logic says no.

But this team is far from conventional. In fact, they may just take this league, and this city, by storm.

Here are the Top Ten reasons why the Toronto Blue Jays can win the Wild Card

Begin Slideshow