King

Wow.. NJH killed it this week Congrats on the championship brah

Lansing team will arrive/be announced tomorrow

It was good. Highlight was probably the Braves/Orioles game @ ESPN Wide world of sports. Great game and great ballpark. Magic Kingdom was fun too. i'm in the Clearwater airport right now.

Kevin Vicuna

vs Tanaka (RHP) Reyes (4pts) - guylaroche5, BBBB, jays4life19, o2cui2i, Frenchsoup Martin (3pts) - Jonn Bautista (1pt) - King, Dylan Edwin (1pt) - LetTheBallFly, Abomination Donaldson (1pt) - Orgfiller, baseballsss Smoak (2pts) - Deadpool, GD, Angrioter Pillar (6pts) - bronson44 Pompey (6pts) - Atothe, Theblujay, 43211234 Travis (5pts) - Navarro (3pts) *fixed*

Blue Jays from away podcast from last week, featuring Greene, Pentecost and Smoral. Actual podcast doesn't start until ~2:48, I learned this the long way. http://www.bluejaysfromaway.com/podcast-episode-35-max-pentecost-conner-greene-matt-smoral/ Takeaways Pentecost - Asked about the switch from metal to wood bats and Cape Cod League, says growing up he was always more comfortable using a wood bat. Says going from the regular college season to cape cod league was a big jump, every pitcher up there was going to be really good. Made adjustments to his swing which helped him a lot in college. He got a lot better with the reps from better pitching. Asked how he adjusts from catching weaker pitching to better pitching (sharper curveballs), he said the way he adjusted was that he just relaxed more. Asked about what he had heard about Chad Jenkins (also from Kennesaw State) when he was in college, he says he heard a lot about how dominant he was and that he was a 1st rounder. His coach talked a lot about his work ethic and how much effort he put in to becoming an MLB pitcher. Asked about what it was like making the adjustment to pro ball (GCL) and eventually Vancouver, he says (regarding GCL) "I started out in the GCL, it was a little bit different experience than college, a lot like the Cape in that some pitchers throw really hard but their command might not be there. That was really tough hitting. Once I got to Vancouver, it was even more like the Cape. You've got the college pitchers who are older, have a little bit more command and feel for their pitches. In a way it almost became easier because it seemed like they were in the strike zone a little more." Asked about any pitcher he caught in Vancouver who was "just electric": "Castro. Miguel Castro, you probably saw the game last night where he dealed against the Yankees but he's got very very good stuff. I've never caught anyone with that live action fastball and it was a different experience you know it was one of those where it was tough to just go out there and catch him for the first time, I had to get comfortable with him and what his stuff did, his mechanics if they were off a little bit. He was real fun to catch and brought me into professional pitching." Asked about being more athletic and mobile than most catchers, often beating out the runner to 1B on a groundball he says that started when he was playing little league, his dad always wanted him to beat out the runner to 1B. Says it doesn't show very often , maybe once every 5 games but when it does show people notice it. Important to him to not slack on the little things of baseball. Asked about conserving energy on the hot summer days and long season, he says "I try to stay in real good shape for that reason. I love to run and sprint, for occasions like that so my body doesn't give out. Also, after a game I feel like if you rehydrate and get all the stuff back in the body that you lost during the game you can come back and prepare for the next day just as well." Asked about Vancouvers playoff run last season, he said that for most of the 2nd half of the short season he was in Florida rehabbing his shoulder but went to Vancouver for the last 2 weeks. Says it was an amazing experience, the fans were great and the stadium was packed as soon as the gates were open. Conner Greene Asked what he thought professional teams saw in him when they were scouting back him back in high school, he says "I was a long lanky test tube looking kid and I think they saw a lot of projectability. Some good things, decent velocity and some pitches that needed work but they definitely had a lot to work with so I am working on that now." Asked what it was like pitching in his first full pro season, "Good competiton, all the teams had good players everywhere and good coaching so if anything I could say it was a great experience getting out of the GCL and starting to pitch infront of fans and under the lights." Asked how he liked small town Bluefield being a kid from California, "It was a very nice experience because whether at the small town diner or anywhere you actually get recognition from the people. Being in a big city like Los Angeles where I am from you just got lost, so it's really nice having that small town feel." Asked about his modeling/acting career, "I had always had it as not a passion but something I enjoyed, baseball was always my #1. I've had a little help along the way, it's just an easy thing to do on the side. If a job opportunity is available, I am happen to take it. It's easy to fit into the offseason because of my free schedule, if I get an opportunity I can say yes or I can turn it down. Usually I don't because I like to take every job opportunity I can." Asked about his connections with Charlie Sheen, "Charlie is a real good guy. He's helped me along just with getting into the entertainment scene, good advice of the ins and outs. A good guy to have on your side." Asked if he takes any pitching advice from him (lol), "He's not much of a pitcher, but he's actually a pretty good hitter from the left side. I've taken some batting practice with him and you would be surprised the pop he has in that swing." Asked if there are any skills he can take from his acting job and apply it to baseball, "Definitely just controlling your nerves out there. I've actually probably implemented more of my baseball knowledge into the acting because you're out there and have your game face on, you can't show too much emotion out there. If I am nervous going into some extra job or something that I am doing, it helps to put my poker face on out there." Asked about what he was working on in his bullpen session (during that morning), "We are working a lot on extension side pitches. Just controlling that fastball, the arm and extension side. That's about it, I have a good feel of my changeup and curveball is coming along well." Goals for the upcoming season, "I would just like to keep on moving up. My ultimate goal is to never get stuck and never get happy with where I am." Matt Smoral Asked what he is going to do when he is finished working at the complex (during that day), "I would like to go out and do some fishing but today's actually my birthday. One of my uncles is coming up so I am going to have dinner with him, just relax and enjoy the day and get ready for tomorrow." Asked if there is something special about when the games start going, referred to Lansing where they start in April "There's no doubt, when you are playing under the lights and in a stadium with the fans, its' a completely different ball game. It's all about competing, it is a grind and tough on the body but that's what it's all about. Don't get me wrong, I think I speak for all of us when I say we love the game although it does get difficult at times there's nothing else I would rather be doing than trying to achieve my dream of making it to the big leagues one day." Asked about the playing conditions/difference between Bluefield and Vancouver, "It's a big difference. I loved Bluefield, I enjoyed my time there but to go up to Vancouver and be in that city, have every game sold out is an unbelievable experience. The fans up there are not just your typical fans, they are there to watch baseball and they know baseball, and really love the Jays so it was a fantastic place to play." Asked if there was a particular experience which stood out in Vancouver he might not have experienced in any other place, "Just being in the playoff race and being in the hunt. If you listen to the vancouver sports radio and listen to them talk about the team, and realize how big the team is in Vancouver. Getting to pitch in the clinching game and pitching in the championship, it didnt go as I would like. Just playing that kind of baseball, playing in the minor leagues you don't get that experience too often and it prepares you ultimately for what you want to do, get to the big leagues and win." "When I was drafted I had foot surgery that spring, I came in and rehabbed that. We took it real slow and I pitched at instructs so I didn't really get my feet wet that year. The next year I was able to stay down here (GCL) and I really learned a lot. I just want to keep progressing as my years go on and keep chipping away and refining my game, what it needs to be to play that game at that high level." Asked about what he needs to do to refine his game and keep moving up the ladder, "Definitely consistency. That's the biggest difference between some of us in the lower levels and the guys in AA/AAA. They are very consistent with their fastball command and breaking balls, so that's #1. 2nd is improving the fastball command and getting ahead of guys, when I am ahead of guys usually I don't have any trouble." Asked about his outing against the Phillies (day before interview), "First time this spring I got out there and didn't start as I would have liked, i think i got all that behind me and came out pitching in the 2nd inning like I did last year. I wasn't upset at all about the outing because I finished strong and I think I will be able to take that into my next out outing this spring." Asked if he discussed anything with coaches about his outing, "The mental approach when I am out there. Having that type of focus and intensity where you don't care what else is going on around you, all you are focused on is getting the hitter out. We haven't been in games for a while so that's a real big thing for me, the second inning going out there and just kind of refocus and dial in. I felt much better."

lol

Are you making the GDT on Monday

Probably nervous

Drafted as a senior

God damnit

Someone give a radar gun reading on Boyd please, apparently his fastball is up a few ticks this season (89-91 to 92-94 MPH) Thanks

Passed away last week

Despite my confidence that Sam Buelens would not head to the Dominican Republic ("I would bet my life savings" lol), that's where he has been for spring training the last month

Ben White retired

Ben White, Lydell Moseby, Eddy Alcantara, Luis Gomez, Andres De Aza released

Whats the limit for picking players in a week again, 2?

vs Tanaka (RHP) Reyes (4pts) - Martin (3pts) - Bautista (1pt) - King Edwin (1pt) - Donaldson (1pt) - Smoak (2pts) - Deadpool, GD Pillar (6pts) - Pompey (6pts) - Atothe Travis (5pts) - Navarro (3pts) - *copy/paste list.

No lol

I was at Braves vs Orioles today. Joe Benson 4/5 with a walkoff single! Seeing Orioles fans walk out with tears streaming down their faces was the highlight of my vacation so far.

lol

Another stupid f***ing thread

Dumb thread.

79.

Completely untrue. Caleb Gindl is hitting .349/.420/.581 and no one is saying he should be our starting first baseman.