Double-A Trenton: L 4-5 at Richmond. L: Ramirez (0-2)

Walt Ibarra: 3/5, R, K (.340)
Tyler Austin: 0/5, 2 K (.241)
JR Murphy: 1/4, R, K (.286)
Kyle Roller: 3/4, 2 R, HR (6), K (.290)
Jose Ramirez: 1.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, K (2.10 ERA) Little implosion here.
Jeremy Bleich: 3.1 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, BB, K (3.96 ERA)

High-A Tampa: L 4-12 at Bradenton. L: Allen (4-2)

Mason Williams: 0/4, R, BB, K (.224)
Angelo “Gumbsy” Gumbs: 3/4, R, 2 2B, BB (.234) Now 12 for his last 30 (.400) with five doubles and a triple in the last seven games since returning from injury.
Robert Refsnyder: 0/3, 2 BB (.319) Going in the opposite direction as Gumbs, seven for his last 41 (.170). He did turn a double play today though.
Gary “Sanchize” Sanchez: 2/5, R, HR (8), 2 RBI, 2 K (.276) 13 for his last 40 (.325) with three homeruns.
Ben Gamel: 1/4, RBI, BB, K (.262)
Carmen Angelini: 2/5, R, HR (2), RBI (.310)
Dan Fiorito: 0/4, K (.301)
Scottie Allen: 3.0 IP, 10 H, 7 ER, 2 K, 3 HR (4.96 ERA)
Rigoberto Arrebato: 3.0 IP, H, 0 ER, 4 K (2.21 ERA)

Low-A Charleston: W 4-2 at Savannah. W: Enns (2-0), S: Paullus (1). Only win in the system tonight.

Jake Cave: 1/4, R, BB, K (.298)
Cito Culver: 0/5, 2 K (.213) Yikes, another bad season in the works.
Greg Bird: 2/5, K (.282)
Peter O’Brien: 0/3, 2 R, BB, K (.320)
Dante Bichette Jr.: 2/5, RBI, K (.208) Hit streak at eight games, 12 for his last 32 (.375)
Taylor Dugas: 2/4, RBI (.263)
Claudio Custodio: 1/4, SB (10) (.242)
Evan Rutckyj: 4.0 IP, 4 H, ER, 2 BB, 5 K (4.74 ERA)
Dietrich Enns: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 6 K (0.71 ERA) He’s been an absolute beast this season. 43 K in 25 IP (15.5 K/9)
Phil Wetherell: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 Er, 2 BB (3.41 ERA)
Ben Paullus: 1.0 IP, 2 H, ER, 0 K (3.60 ERA) First save of the season.

Tomorrow’s Pitchers: Brett Marshall (4.6 ERA), Nik Turley (4.46 ERA), Bryan Mitchel (4.10 ERA)

Today’s Tweets:

Rookie Davis ‏@rookdavis24: Make the best of your today’s, be the worst of your tomorrow’s. #hov

Jake Cave ‏@JakeCave8: I’m having chipotle withdrawals

Brett Marshall ‏@bmarshall90: Enjoying a relaxing day off! Plans for the day… Nothing! #BaseballLife

Jake Cave ‏@JakeCave8: This chic fil a tho >>

Slade Heathcott ‏@HeathcottSlade: Don’t laugh Jess, tiff, and others. First time in my life I have ran over a mile. 3 miles in 26:40. I know terrible time but it’s a start

After Toronto (with a little help from some awful umpiring) gifted a win to Tampa Bay last night, the team finds itself in a brutal position through 45 games:

Dead last in the AL East.

Nine games under .500.

Ten games back of the first place Yankees.

Seven games back of the second Wild Card.

In short, it’s not where anybody expected the team to be on the morning of May 22nd.  And I really do mean anybody – fans, experts, writers, and players.

So the question is – is this season over?  Faced with such an uphill climb (the Jays are only ahead of Houston in the entire American League), is there any hope that they can still earn the franchise’s first playoff spot since 1993?

I think there is.

Is the task ahead improbable?  Yes.  But is it impossible?  No.

Last season through 45 games, the Oakland Athletics had a better record than Toronto, but were still under .500 and trailed the first place Rangers by 5 games.  They finished the season 72 – 45 to claim the AL West title.  (For those counting, the 2011 Brewers, 2011 Diamondbacks, and 2010 White Sox were each under .500 at this point of the season and won 72+ games to the end of the year).  Yes the circumstances are different, but the same finish by Toronto would give them 90 wins.  Would that be enough for a Wild Card?  93 wins were required last year, so it might not be.  But it would still be close.

The main reason why I still think there is at least a little bit of hope is because 2013 has been for the most part a worst case scenario season.  Seriously – look at the best and worst case scenarios for several players:

Jose Reyes

Best Case – Proves he is still a beast at the top of the order

Worst Case – He’s injury prone and misses a big chunk of the season

R.A. Dickey

Best Case – Proves 2011 and 2012 were not flukes and dominates

Worst Case – Regresses due to new league and due to age

Mark Buehrle

Best Case – A solid #3 or #4 starter

Worst Case – Regresses due to new league and due to age

Melky Cabrera

Best Case – Plays with a chip on his shoulder and proves that he can hit without PEDs

Worst Case – Playing clean saps him of his power

Emilio Bonifacio and Maicer Izturis

Best Case – Provide solid defense at second base, get on base a lot, and score runs

Worst Case – Can’t handle second base, and prove awful at the plate

Josh Johnson

Best Case – In a contract year, has a career season

Worst Case – The injury prone pitcher hits the DL and misses a lot of time

For the seven new additions to the team, I would say that the worst case scenario has happened for ALL SEVEN!!!  But can that kind of bad luck really last?  Dickey and Buehrle have started to turn it around, and though Melky isn’t hitting home runs, he has started hitting a lot of doubles lately.  Both Reyes and Johnson will be back relatively soon.  And throw in guys like Brandon Morrow and Brett Lawrie who can’t possibly continue to play this badly, and you have a bit of reason for optimism.  Things have to get better!

So that brings us to the next question.  How can they turn it around?  Though it sounds like a cliche, the Blue Jays have to focus on one series at a time.  To look at the standings, to look at the record and the deficit they face in the division is too much.  To say they need to win 75 of the next 117 games is too much.  But to focus on one series at a time – that is an achievable and reachable goal.

Looking at the schedule, the Blue Jays have 117 games remaining.  One is this afternoon’s series concluding tilt with the Rays.  The remaning 116 games can be broken down into series. 

The Jays play three 2-game series, 26 3-game series, and eight 4-game series. (Note: the August 20-22 set in New York will most likely become a four-game series from August 19-22 after last weekend’s rain out).

If Toronto splits the 11 2-game and 4-game series, that gives them 19 additional wins.  If they then win each of the 26 3-game sets, that gives them an additional 52 wins, meaning they would finish 71-45.  Win today, and that matches Oakland’s win total from last year. 

Is it realistic that the Blue Jays will win EVERY SINGLE 3-game set the rest of the season?  No, probably not.  But if they lose five of them, they can just as easily win five of the 4-game series to make up for it.  Plus, don’t forget that Toronto has yet to play Minnesota and Houston, two of the worst teams in the AL.  They have 13 games upcoming against them.

The point is, breaking down the season into manageable 3 and 4 game sets makes the task seem much more achievable. 

I’m not saying it will happen.

But I’m saying that with 117 games left to play, I’m not ready to write-off the 2013 Blue Jays just yet.

And neither should you.

View and Vote

Scott wrote the first part of out 2013 draft preview yesterday by identifying some high floor/low upside pitchers around the Rays' range of draft picks. Today, I'll look at some of the higher upside pitchers that the Rays could draft with their first couple of picks.

"High upside" can be difficult to determine. How can you call a high school pitcher who is six years away from the majors a potential impact starter? How about a prep pitcher who throws around 90 mph range currently? The answer is that it is difficult, but there are several signs to look for. Generally speaking, a high upside prospect is one that displays (or has the potential to display) plus tools, or most often in a pitcher's scenario, plus stuff (pitches). The main component to look for is a fastball. Most of these guys either already have a good fastball, or they have the body type or quick arm that indicates that they could have a good fastball in the future. A feel for a breaking ball is also important, while the change up is of lesser importance. It is a held belief that a change up is a pitch that can be learned. As I already mentioned when discussing the fastball, body type helps determine a pitcher's potential. A tall pitcher with a loose arm excites scouts. A powerful build is more important for pitchers further along in the physical development curve. If the player can combine a projectable frame with the potential for plus stuff, then they are deemed "high upside" prospects. There is a lot of subjectivity involved, but in this post, I will use the opinions of online sources such as Baseball America, ESPN, minorleagueball.com, and Bullpen Banter.

Out of all the pitchers in the 2013 draft, only four should assuredly be gone by the time the Rays pick: Mark Appel (RHP, Stanford), Jonathan Gray (RHP, Oklahoma), Kohl Stewart (RHP, St. Pius X HS), and Braden Shipley (RHP, Nevada).

After that, I believe every pitcher has a chance of slipping to the Rays. The bonus of possessing two first round picks, as is the case with the Rays, is the ability to nab a player who has slipped in the draft. In the Rays case, they could select someone with the talent of a top 10-20 prospect in the draft, but who fell to pick #21 for a variety of reasons. Since the Rays have a bonus pool just exceeding six million dollars, they could allocate their resources to signing the high profile player while budgeting the rest of the bonus pool by signing less expensive players in the other slots. This could make someone such as Trey Ball affordable to the Rays.

Here are some of the high upside type pitchers (from both college and high school) that the Rays may take with their first few picks.

Trey Ball, Indiana H.S. (LHP, 6'6, 180 lbs.)

Best Attribute: A left handed pitcher with a fastball that sits in the mid to low 90's with plenty of projection is the makings of a tantalizing prospect.

Analysis: Prior to the season, there were serious questions about whether Ball would be drafted as a pitcher or as a positional player. However, improved stuff this spring accompanied by positive results have designated his future to be on the mound for now. Ball, in addition to his 90-95 mph heater, also has a feel for his breaking ball, although he only began throwing it with frequency this year. His change up also shows promise and is very advanced for a prep pitcher. There is still a slim chance a team could selects him as a positional player, but with his mix of strong pitches and excellent athleticism, his future appears brighter on the mound.

Stock: Ball's stock has risen throughout the spring as his velocity has increased and featured more consistency. It is highly unlikely that he is on the board when the Rays first pick, and there is a chance he is selected in the top five picks.

Sean Manaea, Indiana State (LHP, 6'5, 235 lbs.)

Best Attribute: Teams that draft Manaea will hope that he reverts back to his dazzling form in last year's Cape Cod League.

Analysis: Breaking out in the Cape Cod League last summer, Sean Manaea blew hitters away with an explosive fastball that routinely hit 96 mph and a wipe-out slider. This led to 85 strikeouts in only 52 innings, and he profiled as a number two starter. However, Maeaea has not been the same this year, battling through injuries while experiencing a regression in stuff. His fastball is still an above average pitch, ranging from the high 80s to 94 mph. However, his slider is very inconsistent and his change-up is only average. His command is not strong either, which makes him look like a future average starter.

Stock: He needs to prove that he is healthy and show some of the form he displayed last summer if he wants to be among the top 5 picks. Otherwise, he could go anywhere in the first round, most likely to a team that still sees the promise in his arm.

Ryan Stanek, Arkansas (RHP, 6'4, 190 lbs.)

Best Attribute: Stanek has the pitches of a top of the rotation starter, and a team that can help him improve his pitch selection could unlock his potential.

Analysis: It seems that every draft has a college pitcher in the first half of the first round who features plus stuff but is unable to get the expected convincing results. This year, that pitcher is Stanek. For his college career, Stanek has averaged around seven strikeout per nine innings, and he is often unable to dominate college lineups. This is despite his plus stuff, including a fastball that ranges from 92-98 mph, a big breaking slider, a nice curveball, and a solid changeup. Depending upon what source you read, either his slider or his curveball is the superior off speed pitch. Keith Law has speculated that Stanek's issues stem from poor pitch selection, while others suggest factors such as command and his delivery. This inability to get results has caused some to peg him as a future reliever.

Stock: Considered a candidate to go first overall before the year, Stanek has left evaluators confused over his future role and value.

Jonathan Crawford, Florida (RHP, 6'1, 205 lbs.)

Best Attribute: Jonathan Crawford features an impressive fastball/slider combination.

Analysis: Continuing the trend of pitchers whose stock has slipped, Crawford broke out last year in the Florida Gator's rotation but has regressed a little this year statistically. Crawford's best pitch is his fastball, which sits in the mid-90s. He backs the fastball up with a plus slider that he struggles to command. There are two main factors that lead evaluators to believe that Crawford will be a reliever professionally. First of all, his change up lags far behind the other two pitches. His delivery is also poor, and he struggles to find his release point.

Stock: Jonathan Crawford's stock has fallen a little, but he should still get taken somewhere in the middle of the first round.

Hunter Harvey, North Carolina H.S. (RHP, 6'3, 175 lbs)

Best Attribute: Hunter Harvey has a nice combination of projectability, present stuff, and eagerness to enter pro ball.

Analysis: Like most prep pitchers, Harvey relies mostly on his fastball, and he throws a good one. Although it was reported that he hit 97-98 mph, he most often sits in the 90-94 range. He also throws a curveball that needs work but shows potential. Because of the (lack of) quality of his opponents, his change up is not needed and only thrown during his bullpen sessions. However, it is considered a good pitch that will only improve with more usage.

Stock: It will be interesting to see where Harvery goes. Strictly on a talent basis, he should be selected in the Rays' range. On the other hand, his lack of a college commitment due to his desire to turn pro immediately may tempt teams to take him earlier.

Phil Bickford, California H.S. (RHP, 6'4, 185 lbs.)

Best Attribute: Few prep pitchers can boast a fastball as lively as Bickford's.

Analysis: No pitcher listed so far fits the high upside and low floor description better than Bickford. His fastball is already labeled an easy plus pitch, sitting at 90-93 but reaching the upper 90s. With his projectability, he has the potential to reach triple digits if he fills out. It is Bickford's lack of quality secondary pitches that takes him out of the elite prospect range; he does not have much of a feel for his breaking ball and his change up is raw.

Stock: The increasing velocity has raised his stock, and he is now viewed as a solid bet for the first round. He should be around when the Rays make their first pick, and very well could be around for the Rays second pick (#29 overall).

Chris Anderson, Jacksonville (RHP, 6'4, 225 lbs.)

Best Attribute: With his big body and strong delivery, Anderson delivers two pitches that should grade out as plus.

Analysis: Unlike a few of the players already mentioned, Anderson started the season strong, firing a mid-90s fastball and using a plus slider. However, over-usage by Jacksonville has caused him to slip as of late. Still, it is easy to see Anderson as a middle of the rotation starter who eats innings. The high floor with the solid ceiling should make him a very desirable option somewhere in the first round.

Stock: It is hard to envision Anderson slipping out of the first round, though there is a solid chance he is available for the Rays' first pick.

Hunter Green, Kentucky H.S. (LHP, 6'4, 180 lbs.)

Best Attribute: With a long, lanky build, Green can add velocity to his fastball.

Analysis: After coming out throwing his fastball in the 80s, Hunter Green has slowly built up his velocity to the point where it is now in the low-90s. The pitch has good movement, and he complements it with a change up and slider that either feature average or plus potential depending on the report.

Stock: Green's stock has been rising, but he should be available for the Rays first two picks.

Matt Krook, California H.S. (LHP, 6'2)

Best Attribute: Like many left handed high school pitchers, much of Krook's value comes from his projectability.

Analysis: Baseball America said in their report, "Krook had as much helium as any high school prospect this spring—no surprise considering how much scouts love lefthanders with his size and stuff." At the same time, Krook has been wildly inconsistent with his velocity varying greatly start from start. At his best, he shows a low-90's fastball that touches 95 mph and a hard curveball.

Stock: Krook needs plenty of work, but if the Rays want to take on a project with one of their first two picks, Krook could be the guy.

At this point in the draft, many of the high upside pitchers either are all projection or have serious flaws. In the third part of the 2013 draft preview on the pitching side, I will take a quick look at some of the high-upside guys who may be around for the Rays third, fourth, and fifth picks.

Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

New York Mets pitching prospect Rafael Montero made his first appearance in triple-A yesterday, making a start for the Mets’ minor league affiliate in Las Vegas. With Montero having a great season in double-A and now making an appearance in triple-A, there a chance that he could help out the Mets rotation, which is in dire need of some assistance.

In his start yesterday, Montero threw six shutout innings before being charged with two runs in the seventh inning and taking the loss, striking out five and walking just one. Montero’s start was reportedly just a spot start, but based on how well it went, keeping him in triple-A would be justified.

Before getting the call up to triple-A, Montero was 4-3 with a 3.47 ERA, although his ERA was inflated by one bad outing in which he gave up 10 runs. In six of his eight starts, he allowed two runs or less. Montero has pitched 46 innings at double-A, with 54 strikeouts and just six walks. He became a top-pitching prospect last year with a great season in Class-A, and Montero has followed that up nicely with a great 2013 season.

But even with a great start to this season, there are still concerns about whether or not Montero is ready to help the Mets in the majors. Since he has ascended through the Mets farm system so quickly, he is just 22 years old and just barely a quarter of the way towards the 200 innings major league teams want prospects to have in the upper levels of the minor leagues before coming to the big leagues.

A year ago, Montero was pitching in the South Atlantic League, the lowest level of the minors that plays a full season, so he doesn’t have as much professional experience as most rookies in the big leagues.

Montero’s biggest asset, his control, may also be a problem if he starts facing the best hitters in the world in MLB. Montero pounds the strike zone and doesn’t give up a lot of walks, which the Mets organization likes in a pitcher. However, throwing too many strikes could get him in trouble against more advanced hitters as his fastball has nothing more than average velocity, which is hittable when major league batters know it’s going to be in the strike zone.

Montero may have to learn how to use his command to pitch out of the strike zone in order to get hitters out, something he’s better off learning before he gets to the big leagues.

Even though Montero has risen quickly through the farm system and has now reached the highest level of the minor leagues, he’s still a ways away from helping the Mets rotation, no matter how desperate they are for some assistance. If Montero makes it to the big leaguers this season, it’ll be later rather than sooner. For now, he needs to gain more experience and learn how to pitch against more advanced hitters.

His numbers have been great, but don’t let that fool you. His stuff is barely above average, and so he needs as much experience as he can get before the Mets send him out to pitch on a big league mound. A major league call-up sometime in 2013 shouldn’t be ruled out, but don’t expect him at Citi Field too soon.

Bryan Zarpentine is a New York Mets writer at RantSports.com.  Follow him on twitter @BZarp and add him on Google+.

Joe Maddon has become known throughout baseball as an innovator. His latest innovation: expanding instant replay in baseball. MLB does have instant replay to review home runs, but for years fans have wanted more replay. Thanks to Maddon, that is now possible.

On Sunday, Matt Joyce hit a flyball down the right field line that hit off of something before landing back onto the field. The question was going to be what and the possibilities were manifold. It could have hit off the foul pole and been a home run, it could have hit off the top of the wall right in front of the foul pole and been a double, or it could have hit off the wall just to the right of the foul pole and been a foul ball. The umpires ruled it a double after it happened, but Joe Maddon wanted a review. That's where the fun began.

Maddon wanted assurances from the umpires that the play could only be ruled a double even if it was not a home run because only home runs are reviewable, not doubles. Had the play been ruled a home run, Maddon argued, then it could have been ruled a foul ball, but since it was a double, Maddon believed that the only two possibilities were double or home run. The umpires rebuffed him and Maddon was ready to hold the game in protest before Joyce's hit was ruled a home run. On Tuesday, the story continued.

Joe Maddon said that he heard from Andrew Friedman that the umpires were in fact right and home run reviews can be used to review other parts of plays as well. In Maddon's opinion, though, that is a ridiculous rule and opens up "a Pandora's box."

Maddon talked about how Tigers manager Jim Leyland could have asked for a home run review on the play where Jason Donald was incorrectly ruled safe at first base to ruin Armando Galarraga's perfect game so the umpires could overturn the call. Or on Monday, Maddon could have asked for a home run review on Henry Blanco's flyball so he could review the play at second base where Sam Fuld's throw was in time but C.B. Bucknor ruled Blanco safe. Clearly, according to Maddon, baseball's instant replay goes beyond the commonly-known and extends into the nonsensical.

In essence, Maddon said, there already is expanded replay in place. "It already exists, you didn't even know it," he said. "Other things are reviewable. You didn't even know that because once you ask for the home run to be reviewed then everything else is reviewable."

Congratulations, everyone who wanted extended instant replay in baseball. You got it. What, this isn't what you had in mind? In any event, look for Maddon to at least try to exploit this bizarre quirk in the rules when it helps the Rays the most.

If there is one saving grace here, it's that the umpires don't have to grant the manager a review, meaning that had Leyland requested a replay on the Galarraga play, there's no chance that it would have actually happened. But if there is ever a flyball to the outfield that is even slightly close that ends with a blown call at one of the bases, expect Maddon to go out and ask for a replay, and at that point, who knows what will happen.

Here are your links for today:

-Joe Maddon reversed course of the Yunel Escobar gesture saying that Escobar "did nothing wrong" and that he wants him to "remain the way he is."

-Maddon also said that Matt Joyce should be fine following his early departure from Tuesday's game with a left hamstring injury. He wasn't going to start against the lefty Mark Buehrle anyway.

-Within that same piece, the "other" Roberto Hernandez, the closer who is the Rays' franchise leader in saves, will represent the Rays at the MLB Draft. Creative and moderately hilarious move by the Rays.

-Keith Law discussed the 2003 MLB Draft, offering a re-draft and talking about the biggest busts. Delmon Young was surprisingly ruled a bust and Law has the Rays selecting Matt Kemp first overall in the do-ever of that draft.

-Rany Jazayerli and Jonah Keri ranted about the Royals' top prospect ineptitude.