like Drew Hutchison and Kyle Drabek
Barry Bonds, for whatever you may think of him or his methods, still holds the all-time record for home runs in the month of May. He slugged 17 back in May, 2001. The Jays Edwin Encarnacion has brought back memories of that prodigious feat by cranking out 11 homers in 21 games so far this month, including five in his last four games. Encarnacion has nine games left in May -- all in the homer-friendly Rogers Centre -- to take a run at Bonds mark. Thats six homers to tie or seven to break Bonds record in nine games. Not likely to happen, but not impossible either. Inspired by Encarnacions power display, I decided to go back through Blue Jays history and look at the numbers for some of the Jays all-time home run leaders. I decided to take their three peak home run seasons with the club and add them up to get a read on where Encarnacion stands. Over his past three seasons, Encarnacion has hit a total of 95 homers but that includes 17 in 2011. With 13 already this year, he can easily supplant that total and push his three year peak to well over 100. In the mid to late 80s, the Blue Jays go-to guys for homers were Jesse Barfield and George Bell. Barfield led the American League in \"round trippers\" in 86 with 40 and his three-year total from 1985 through 1987 was 95; the best three-year run of his career. Bell hit a then club record 47 in 1987 and beat out the Tigers Alan Trammell for the American Leagues Most Valuable Player award. Bells peak three-year total was 102 homers. Next up the ladder is the \"Crime Dog\" Fred McGriff. The tall, rangy first baseman belted a three-year total of 105 homers from 1988 to 1990 before being dealt, along with Tony Fernandez, to San Diego in the most important trade in franchise history for Hall of Famer Roberto Alomar and Joe Carter. Interesting to note; McGriff went on another great three-year power run, unlike the others from 91-93 with San Diego for two-and-a-half seasons and then a half season with Atlanta. He smacked another 103 homers over that span and finished his career with 493. Joe Carter, another key player in those back-to-back World Series victories, hit an even 100 homers from 1991 through 1993. Jose Canseco had one magnificent season with the Blue Jays in 1998, where he hit 49 homers and stole 29 bases. But since it was only one season with the Jays, I dont consider him to be part of the mix in this storyline. Next up is Shawn Green. From 1997 through 1999, the tall wiry right fielder hit 93 homers, including his top total of 42 in 1999, just before he was dealt to the Dodgers for Raul Mondesi. But Green was just getting started. In L.A from 2000 to 2002, he belted 115 homers, including 49 in 2001 and 42 in 2002, but for the purposes of this story, only the Blue Jays years count. Finally, we get down to the two men who so far have had the best three-year home run in franchise history. Carlos \"the Captain\" Delgado hit 124 from 1999 through 200, including 44 in 99 and 41 the following season. Delgado wound up his career just 27 shy of 500 with 473. That brings us to Jose Bautista, who equaled Delgados three-year run with 124 homers from 2010 to 2012, including a franchise record 54 in 2010. So to break that obscure mark of 124 homers over a three year period, Encarnacion would have to hit 47 home runs this season. In other words, he needs 34 more over the final 114 games, including 60 at home, to be considered the elite slugger in franchise history over his peak three years. Its not a milestone many would even consider that important but it should be a fun chase to watch nonetheless. The Blue Jays, on the strength of a 14-7 month of May, have bumped their record to four games over .500 at 26 and 22 entering Friday nights three-game set at home against West Division-leading Oakland. They already have more victories than they did over the entire months of April and May a year ago, when they went 23-32. Sad to see Texas out-right J.P Arencibia to their Triple \"A\" Round Rock affiliate earlier this week. In his first game with the \"Express,\" Arencibia was the DH and went for four with a strikeout. Arencibias final game with the Rangers was last Friday night at Arlington, when he caught Yu Darvish. Arencibia went without a hit in that one and Drew Hutchison out-dueled Darvish and pitched a complete game shutout. Ironically, in Darvishs next start against Detroit on Thursday at Comerica Park, Chris Giminez - the catcher called up to replace Arencibia - came up with the first four-hit game of his career. He had never even had a three-hit game before. Texas won 9-2, as Giminez also caught Darvish for the first time in his career and did a solid job behind the plate. All of that came on the same day the Rangers announced that Prince Fielder had opted to undergo season-ending neck surgery to have two discs fused in his neck, and 2B Jurickson Profar was likely gone for the rest of the year as well with a torn shoulder muscle. Fielder was the prized acquisition by the Rangers in the offseason in the Ian Kinsler trade with Detroit. The funny thing about that is, according to the Dallas Morning News, Fielder had mentioned to people in Detroit he had problems with neck pain when he was still in Motown. Yet, neither team asked for physicals for either player before the deal was made. Strange to say, the least. A couple of more notes on Arencibia. Since he broke in with the Jays on that magnificent day on August 7, 2010 with two homers in that wild 17-11 victory over Tampa Bay, there are only eight players left from that roster still with the organization just 4 years later. The eight include Encarnacion, Bautista, Adam Lind, Brandon Morrow (whos on the DL), Casey Janssen, Brett Cecil and two pitchers stranded at Buffalo in Kyle Drabek and Ricky Romero. Talk about turnover! Interesting too, that one of Arencibias teammates at Round Rock is a Canadian -- 34 year old right hander Scott Richmond, who hails from BC. Richmond had a stint with the Blue Jays before Arencibia arrived. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins is drawing ever closer in his quest to become the franchises number one hits man. He needs just 17 more to pass Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt. 16 of the Phils next 22 games are at Citizens Bank Park. The Phils have got to be hoping Rollins can reach the milestone in front of the home fans. Husain Abdullah Womens Jersey . 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Katz, 62, purchased an expansion franchise in the Northern League in 1994 and named the team the Winnipeg Goldeyes, a name which was originally used by an affiliate of the St.For the last couple of weeks, there has been a strange and somewhat sad story unfolding in the Philadelphia Phillies camp. Jimmy Rollins, who should go down as one of the all-time great Phillies, is being questioned about his attitude and whether he is hurting the franchise by refusing to allow himself to be traded. Rollins is 35 years old and has played in Philadelphia his entire career. Hes a three-time All-Star and a four-time Gold Glover. He won a Silver Slugger Award and was named the National League MVP in 2007, in addition to winning a World Series with the Phils in 2008. Rollins has one year, plus a vesting option for another year, left on his contract. He is a \"5/10\" man, that is, he has played 10 years in the Majors and five consecutive years with his current team, so he has the power to veto any trade. Its no secret that the Phillies are an older, veteran team that may have one more shot at glory or, more likely, is heading for a blow-up and a major rebuild. Rollins, perhaps bothered or jaded by the teams struggles the past couple of years, was accused in so many words of not hustling enough or providing enough leadership. At one point, his previous manager, Charlie Manuel, benched him to send a message and this spring, his current manager, Ryne Sandberg, sat Rollins for three days after he said that spring training games were basically meaningless. The Detroit Tigers need a shortstop since Jose Iglesias is likely gone for the season with stress fractures in both of his legs. Rumours began that the Phils might try to deal Rollins to the Tigers. Rollins responded by saying he is unmovable because, at this time, he doesnt want to go anywhere. Phillies general manager Ruben Amaro, Jr. angrily shot down the rumours, saying there never was any talk of trading Rollins in the first place. One of Rollinss motives for wanting to stay in Philly is his pursuit of the franchises all-time hits record. He needs just 60 more to break Hall of Famer Mike Schmidts mark of 2234. Rollins is fourth on the list right now behind Schmidt, Richie Ashburn and Ed Delahanty. Even with a subpar season, Rollins will pass all three as long as he stays healthy. Jimmy Rollins is accused of being selfish for not allowing a trade for the good of the franchise. In Toronto, Mats Sundin and Carlos Delgado took the same kind of heat from Leafs and Blue Jays fans when they refused to be dealt in the final years of their contracts. Rollins is already the Phils career leader in doubles, but the hits record is something special to him. As he put it, only 30 players in baseball can say they lead a franchise in base hits. Is he being selfish? Not if he gives everything hes got to the Phillies every time hes on the diamond. Rollins wouldnt be the first to hang in to attempt to reach a career milestone. Two of the greatest pitchers in Major League history hung in past their primes in order to reach 300 wins. Lefty Grove, in some pundits minds the greatest pitcher of all-time, came back in 1941 needing seven wins for 300. He won his 299th on July 2 of that season. Essentially down to being a once-a-week pitcher for tthe Boston Red Sox at that time, he didnt get number 300 until July 25 and it wasnt pretty.dddddddddddd Grove went all the way in a 10-6 victory over Cleveland giving up five earned runs on 12 hits. He never won again that season and called it a career on December 7, 1941, the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Early Wynn, Tom Cheeks original partner on the Blue Jays radio broadcasts, went 7-15 with the Chicago White Sox in 1962 and finished that season with 299 victories. He came back with the Cleveland Indians, the club with which he had most of his greatest seasons, in 1963 at age 43 for one last shot at number 300. On July 13, he finally got it , but hardly in grand and glorious style. Wynn left the game after five innings with Cleveland holding a 5-4 lead over the Kansas City Atheltics. Earlys roommate, Jerry Walker, took over and held KC scoreless over the final four innings. Wynn became the first pitcher to have won 300 since Lefty Grove in 1941. There was one other case that I can recall of a player hanging in to get a record. Carlton Fisk, then of the Chicago White Sox, broke Bob Boones all-time record for games caught behind the plate with his 2,226th on June 22, 1993. Six days later, in what was perceived to be a heartless move, Fisk was released by the club. Is Jimmy Rollins selfish? No less so than any of the above three Hall of Famers. As long as the effort and the desire are there, I say more power to Rollins. He has a contract and the rules of baseball say he cant be traded. The one last twist to this story: Mike Schmidt is an icon in Philadelphia and will be working on home-game telecasts on Sundays this season. There are a lot of Philllies fans who dont want to see him lose this record. Rollinss position in all of this reminds of the heat Roger Maris was taking in his successful pursuit of Babe Ruths single season home run record in 1961. Some never forgave him for hitting 61 in 61. Jimmy Rollins doesnt deserve to receive the same kind of scorn. If he breaks the record, hes earned it. - Its hard to get into the idea of the season opening this weekend in Australia. The Los Angeles Dodgers are taking on the Arizona Diamondbacks in two games before returning to Arizona for the remainder of spring training. The really strange thing is, thanks to the time difference, the season effectively opens as a day-night doubleheader for us. The first game starts at 4am et/1am pt on Saturday morning and the second one at 10pm et/7pm pt on Saturday night. - One sad note out of the Blue Jays camp: the team released lefty reliever Luis Perez to make room for utility sluggerMatt Tuiasosopo, who was picked up on waivers from Arizona. Two years ago, Perez, for my money, was the best all-around reliever in the Jays bullpen. But then he blew out his elbow and needed Tommy John surgery. Perez was supposed to be back this season like Drew Hutchison and Kyle Drabek, however, he had a set back in the offseason and needed further surgery to remove scar tissue. Now at 29, his career is in limbo. Heres hoping he can make it back all the way to the Bigs somewhere. Cheap Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China ' ' '