Better or Worse?

The Jays pulled off a trade today with the Diamondbacks that included a pair of infielders. John McDonald and Aaron Hill were sent to Arizona for fellow second baseman, Kelly Johnson. Honestly, this might just be the worst trade Alex Anthopoulos has ever made. Yeah, I know Aaron Hill hasn't been doing anything lately and McDonald is just a filler on random days but Kelly Johnson hasn't been showing any signs of life either! Johnson does have a good burst with his bat as he has 18 home runs but he has a .209 average. You could also throw in the argument that Aaron Hill is only hitting .225 this year but to me, I just can't see the upgrade in acquiring  Johnson. Aaron Hill has the potential to hit as much, if not more, home runs than Kelly but I guess potential can only take a player so far. And to Johnny Mac, i'm actually sad that he got traded. He is a reliable player and was a phenomenal defender. His services will be missed dearly. I might be kind of biased to this trade because Hill and McDonald have been on the roster for so long. I don't really know. Did the Jays get better or worse? I know the Diamondbacks did. Hopefully Johnson creates some magic and help this Blue Jay team reach the top.

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in your Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)

Jays Future is Bright

Today was another great day for Toronto blue jay fans across the world because we got to witness another young prospect making a major league debut this season. This season has been a good one so far for the Jays in every aspect of baseball. Their record is among the middle tier teams in the league sitting at 57-55 but remember, they sit in a tough A.L East division where the behemoths of baseball lurk. If the Jays were in another division, I would have no doubt in my mind that they will be sitting in 1st or 2nd in it. Now, back to the main topic....A new prospect call up! This time it's Brett Lawrie. We should've seen his debut months ago but it was unfortunately postponed due to a hand injury. But now it's time!

We've seen the likes of David Cooper, Eric Thames and Luis Perez called up for the first time in their careers but Brett Lawrie seems to have that "thing". I can't explain it but you know what I mean right? Actually, I don't know. Yeah, I don't know. I probably sound stupid by using "thing" to describe Lawrie. BUT anyways, Lawrie has that thing. He has that vibe about him that shows people that he can be a very special player. He has a swagger and an aggressive personality which makes him all that more great! He is also one of the most confident or some might say, cocky people on the roster which is a pretty good trait to have if he uses that in a positive way. Earlier today, the Jays entered play against the Baltimore Orioles and they set up Brett to hit 9th. The first thing I noticed about him was that he was HUGE. I'm not trying to sound sexual but he is a big dude! The man has muscles and I swear he had veins all over his arms. The dude is built. I just had this feeling that he was going to hit a home run at his first at bat by just looking the part. Isn't it sad that the most i've described so far was his body? Weird. Anywho, he quickly learned how hard it was to be an infielder in the MLB. In one of his first defensive plays, a grounder was hit to third base while Lawrie was set up so far. As the ball was speeding through the ground, Lawrie somehow caught up to it and threw an inaccurate, but strong ball. That play alone showcased that athleticism that everyone was talking about. BUT, on the next ball sent his way, he got a little excited or something and he messed up an easy grounder. The ball was bouncing happily towards Brett and then it hit right off of his glove. ERROR! But, at least he balanced his infield error with an RBI Single as his first ever major league hit. It was belted into shallow centre field. He even seemed like he was a good runner! He also included another hit to his resumé today and helped the Jays win 5-4. All he needs to work on is his defense but that'll come along when he gets more comfortable.

This Jays squad is as young as ever. This team of youngsters are probably the best crop of young men grown by the Jays organization in a very long time. The outfielders are all young guys with Snider, Rasmus, and Thames. I guess you can say Bautista is young because it's really only his second year as a reliable player meaning he still has a lot of juice left in him as the ball club grows. The infield does show promise also. Lawrie is aligned to a young-ish Escobar and two savvy veterans in Hill and Lind. Sadly, Hill is declining and we need a new 2nd baseman! Please, someone take him off our hands! I used to love this guy but its awful watching him now! Arencibia, the catcher, is also pretty young as this is his first major league campaign also! Oh golly gee, and we have Kyle Drabek, David Cooper, and Travis D'Arnaud in the minors?! This is getting me excited for the future. We got ourselves a nice looking team in 2-3 years. I have big hopes for this kid and the rest of the blue jays.

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in your Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)

Only One of a Kind

 What kind of bird has ever showcased remarkable instincts, amazing leadership , and flew swiftly wherever it went? The answer is a Blue Jay. But, it isn't any normal Blue Jay, its the rarest one of its kind. Its the enlightened type of figure in the band of  jays, a leader that the whole squad looks up to in the toughest situations. It's a jay that has taken the whole world by surprise and showcased the hard work put in to succeed. This blue jay was special and is being finally recognized for it.

 This blue jay's name is Roberto Alomar. Alomar, for those who don't know, is a Puerto Rican born baseball player who played in the MLB for 15+ years. He played for several teams but his most notable team was the Toronto Blue Jays. He had his best years in a blue and white uniform leading them to not one, but two World Series championships. Robbie Alomar really defined how a 2nd baseman should play. His flashy catches in the infield, his amazing double play turns, and his determination to improving everyday really set the tone. Not only was he a golden glover consistently throughtout his career, he was also an amazing switch hitter. He was consistent at the plate and did not crack under pressure. When the Jays needed a hit, Robbie was the one who did that. When the Jays needed runs, he wanted to be the go ahead runner. And most of all, when the Jays needed a miracle, he didn't fail to find one. His clutch home run against closer Dennis Eckersly of the Oakland A's was the most defining moment in Blue Jays history. Every Torontonian knows the reaction that Alomar had as soon as he swung that bat.He raised his arms and pointed up at the sky with joy. That hit alone created a buzz in the baseball world and everyone knew this man was going to be one of the best. Now, he is enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. He is arguably the best second baseman to ever play this game and is no doubt the best player to wear a blue jay uniform.

 I witnessed history today and I felt like I was in the presence of greatness. The Rogers Centre exploded in cheers for the Hall of Famer and the most important people to Roberto which included former jays players. I was really starstruck to see many Blue Jay greats on the field at the same time. The likes of Cito Gaston, Devon White, Paul Beeston,etc. all enlightened the blue jays crowd. It brought back memories of the glory days in '92 and '93. We relived the greatest moments all over again for a split second. From Alomar's speech, I could really tell how much Toronto means to him. He always said that Toronto was his home away from home and that he never ever regretted anything he did in  his time spent here. Everything happens for a reason right? He was destined to be the greatest blue jay ever and he accomplished that goal.

 Also, I found a little  Alomar story interesting about how an announcer back in the 90s saw how much potential Alomar possessed. When the trade was pulled off by the Jays and the Padres, that announcer said  "the Padres just traded a future hall of famer." (Sorry, that announcer's name escapes me). That is a really big thing to say about a player and what a prediction that was! Anyways, back to Robbie's life.. No matter how popular he was and how much accolades he received, he still stayed humble. Being humble was a lesson taught by his parents and he lived his life and worked through his career using this lesson as his biggest moral.

 Even though I wasn't born to see Alomar and the Jays win the series, I do know how much he means to Toronto and the Jays organization. Now, his number 12 is hung above the rafters and will be forever remembered. I was glad to be a part of such a historical event. Moments like this do not come along often and an accolade of this magnitude are only given to extraordinary people. We are all witnesses. Sorry Lebron, that line doesn't suit you at all!

Roberto Alomar...... the greatest 2nd baseman and the best blue jay ever is now a Hall of Famer. How great is it for the city of Toronto? How great is it for blue jay fans? Only one word can sum up a day like this: Special.  

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in your Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)