The Toronto Bluejays

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Standings last updated: (5/29/07) Toronto Blue Jays 24-27 3rd AL East

1. Boston 36-16 .692% (.)
2. Baltimore 27-27 .500 (10.5)
3. Toronto 25-28 .471% (11.5)
5. New York 22-29 .431% (13.5)
5. Tampa Bay 22-29 .431%(13.5)

Featured Jays Update
Halladay Pitches gem for 100th win

TORONTO -- Roy Halladay had plenty of time over the past three weeks to sort through a few issues. Besides simply recovering from the emergency appendectomy he underwent on May 11, Toronto's ace wanted to find a way to improve his already impressive pitch arsenal. Halladay spent hours in the video room, poring over and dissecting footage of his previous trips to the mound. The former American League Cy Young Award winner also sought advice for strengthening his cut fastball -- a pitch that had helped lead to much of his career success, but hadn't been as effective earlier this season.
During down time before games, Halladay began discussing the issue with Toronto's veteran backup catcher, Sal Fasano, who offered a few subtle suggestions for altering the pitch. Fasano's tips worked, evidenced by Halladay's dominating performance on Thursday, when he came off the disabled list and outdueled Mark Buehrle in a 2-0 victory over the White Sox at Rogers Centre.
"We had been talking about different things in the outfield, just kind of tossing things back and forth," Halladay said about the discussions with Fasano. "It's something he brought up and I tried it. I think, regardless of where you are, or who you're talking to, you're always open to ideas. It's just a matter of filtering what's going to help you and what's not."
The change in Halladay's cutter wasn't drastic, by any means. Fasano said that he offered a few tips about varying finger pressure with the grip that creates different types of movement with the pitch. Halladay instantly saw an improvement in the pitch when he toyed with the placement of his index finger on the baseball.
"It just goes to show you the willingness to try stuff by Doc," said Fasano, referring to Halladay. "Finger pressure put in a different position can make a ball dance a different way. I've caught [Yankees closer Mariano Rivera] and I've had guys with great cutters before. It's just an easy transition to make when you know how he throws it and you can say, 'Try this.'"
After trying the revamped pitch in bullpen sessions and a simulated game, Halladay (5-2) used it again in his first start since May 10 for the Jays (25-28). The right-hander cruised against the White Sox, striking out seven and walking none over seven innings en route to his 100th career win.
"To come back with seven shutout innings right out of the gate after three weeks off," Toronto manager John Gibbons said, "when they were talking four to six weeks to begin with, with limited work during those three weeks, I don't know if there's anybody else out there who can do that."
Chicago's hitters were equally impressed.
"He's Roy Halladay -- let's be honest, he's as good as it gets," Sox catcher A.J. Pierzynski said. "He's won a Cy Young for a reason. It doesn't matter, DL, no DL, or whatever, the stuff he was firing out there tonight, the way his ball moves, he just didn't make any mistakes."
"He's kind of found a new weapon," he continued. "He used to throw a cutter, but it used to not be as hard. Now, he's throwing it 92 [miles per hour]. It's tough as a lefty, and as a righty, because he doesn't throw anything straight."
Buehrle (2-2) was nearly as effective against Toronto, allowing just two hits over eight innings for the Sox (24-25). Those proved to be the most damaging in the fast-paced affair, which was the quickest game of the year for either team at 1 hour, 50 minutes. In the second inning, Jays second baseman Aaron Hill sent a 1-1 pitch to deep center field for a solo homer to put Toronto ahead, 1-0.
Then, after Buehrle retired the next 16 hitters in a row, Toronto's Frank Thomas sent a pitch to the second deck in left field. That blast marked Thomas' 495th career homer, and his 243rd as a designated hitter, which put him into a tie with Edgar Martinez for first on the all-time list for home runs as a DH.
"We were just kind of hoping that the one home run would hold up," Toronto first baseman Lyle Overbay said. "That's what yo'ure going to get with both [Halladay and Buehrle]. They're not going to give a lot of hits and they're not going to give a lot of runs. It kind of worked out for us."
The closest the White Sox came to scoring against Halladay came in the third inning, when Rob Mackowiak and Juan Uribe opened the frame with consecutive hits. With runners on second and third with no outs, Chicago's Darin Erstad chopped a pitch to Overbay.
The first baseman quickly threw Fasano at home to retire Mackowiak, who was attempting to score. Fasano then caught Erstad stealing -- one of two runners the catcher threw out in the game -- before Halladay induced a ground ball off the bat of Chicago's Tadahito Iguchi to end the threat.
"That saved me pitches, plus runs," Halladay said about Fasano's performance behind the plate. "[Throwing out Erstad] in the third inning, that's a game changer. [Fasano] is absolutely my MVP for today."That forced a smile from Fasano."He's mine, believe me," Fasano replied. "He's a special player. You get around a guy like him once in a while, so you just have to take advantage of the time you get to spend with him."

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Toronto Blue Jays were founded in 1976. Jays won two world series in 1992 and 1993 and have had several baseball greats on their team.Post Season Appearances:
1985- L: Kansas City
1989- L: Oakland
1991- L: Minnesota
1992- W: Oakland W: Atlanta
1993- W: White Sox W: Philladelphia

Toronto Blue Jay Award Winners

BATTERS
MVP
1987 - George Bell
Hank Arron Award
2000 - Carlos Delgado
Rookie of the Year
1979 - Alfredo Griffin, 2002 - Eric Hinske
Home Run King
1986 - Jesse Barfield, 1989 - Fred McGriff
Gold Glove
2b: Roberto Alomar [5] (1991-95) Orlando Hudson (2005) ss: Tony Fernandez [4] (1986-89) 3b: Kelly Gruber (1990) Of: Jesse Barfield [2] (1986-87), Devon White [5] (1991-95), Shawn Green (1999), Vernon Wells [3] (2004-06
Silver Slugger
Vernon Wells (2003) DH: Dave Winfield (1992), Paul Molitor (1993), José Canseco (1998) 1b: Fred McGriff (1989), Carlos Delgado [3] (1999-2000, 2003), 2b: Damaso Garcia (1982), Roberto Alomar (1992) 3b:Kelly Gruber (1990), OF: Lloyd Moseby (1983), George Bell [3] (1985-87), Jesse Barfield (1986), Joe Carter [2] (1991-92), Shawn Green (1999), Vernon Wells (2003)
Pitchers
CY YOUNG
1996 - Pat Hentgen, 1997 - Roger Clemens, 1998 - Roger Clemens, 2003 - Roy Halladay
Playoffs
ALCS MVP
1992 -2b: Roberto Alomar, 1993 -Sp: Dave Stewart
World Series MVP
1992 -C: Pat Borders, 1993 -dh: Paul Molitor
Blue Jay links:
mlb.com
Bluejays.com
Jays on Wikipedia
Bluejay Dugout (cool jays blog)

Books:

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