Title: So, Uhhh, Remember Alex Rios?
Date: May 17, 2010
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: A year after the jays had let Alex Rios walk to the White Sox via waivers, I took a look at Rios’ hot start to the 2010 season to show that, while grossly overpaid, he had resurfaced as a valuable baseball player.
Read the full article!
Title: How to Split the Playing Time When E5 Returns
Date: May 14, 2010
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: After another lapse in articles, I returned to take a look at how the Jays’ playing time should break down with Encarnacion, Bautista, Snider, and Lewis all battling for at bats. Looking back, this is one of those “looks good, looks bad” pieces since Edwin is now a legitimate slugger, but I seriously underestimated Bautista’s ability to maintain his hot start beyond a platoon role.
Read the full article!
Title: Is Roy Halladay the 2009 Cy Young Winner?
Date: October 1, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: I put homerism aside to try and judge the 2009 AL Cy Young race between Roy Halladay, Justin Verlander, and Zack Greinke.
Read the full article!
Title: American League Playoff Races
Date: September 4, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: With no American League playoff races tight in early September, I pointed out that some schedule quirks down the stretch could still make for some interesting battles.
Read the full article!
Title: Who is New Blue Jay Randy Ruiz
Date: August 18, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: The Jays’ called up a portly and interesting non-prospect in Randy Ruiz, and while his Quad-A tag kept expectations low, his story was worth a read.
Read the full article!
Title: What Did Jeremy Accardo Do Wrong?
Date: August 17, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: Jays’ reliever Jeremy Accardo had a semi-successful stint as a fill-in closer in 2007, but had since become the organization’s Black Sheep. I took a shot at figuring out why Accardo wasn’t being utilized by the club despite his prior successes.
Read the full article!
Title: Arroyo’s Strange and Refreshing Honesty
Date: August 14, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: With Bronson Arroyo revealing that he basically has no idea what he puts into his body. I discussed whether this was refreshing honesty or run-of-the-mill idiocy.
Read the full article!
Title: AVG, OBP, or OPS for Fantasy Leagues?
Date: August 10, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: I took a look at how value for players fluctuates depending on if AVG, OBP, or OPS is the rate stat used in fantasy leagues. While most use AVG, I’m a proponent of OPS myself.
Read the full article!
Title: Waiver Claim Made on Rios; Jays Have to Decide
Date: August 7, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: After the Jays had placed overpaid outfielder Alex Rios on waivers, he was shockingly claimed by the White Sox, leaving the Jays with a tough (not really) decision to make on Rios’ future.
Read the full article!
Title: Looking at Ben Zobrist’s Breakout Season
Date: August 7, 2009
Original Source: The On Deck Circle
Synopsis: As The Zorilla emerged as a legitimate star for the Tampa Bay Rays, I examined exactly how this seemingly unpredictable break-out could have occurred.
Read the full article!
Blake Murphy Sports Writing 