Vlad wins it with walk-off home run
MONTREAL• Everybody talks about Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s skill and talent.
But what about his sense of the dramatic?
The son of former Expos great Vlad Guerrero, Vlad Jr. — who was born in Montreal and spent much of his childhood hanging around Olympic Stadium — hammered an offering from St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Jack Flaherty with two out in the bottom of the ninth and deposited it into the stands in left-centre to lift the Toronto Blue Jays to a 1-0 victory over the Cards in Toronto’s final game of the pre-season.
Afterwards, with 25,816 fans at the Olympic Stadium on their feet and screaming, Vlad Jr. came out of the dugout and tipped his cap to his “hometown” fans.
HERNANDEZ TO TRIPLE- A... FOR NOW
Toronto Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins says he “can’t say enough” about outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.
“He’s been unbelievable,” Atkins said prior to Tuesday night’s pre- season game at Olympic Stadium against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Unbelievable as he may be, the one thing Atkins won’t say about Hernandez is that he’ll be named to the 25-man roster as the Jays head into the regular season on Thursday against the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre.
Despite his eye- opening play l ast September and red- hot spring training, the 25- year- old will likely start the year at Triple- A Buffalo. And that has Jays’ supporters up in the arms. There’s a growing sentiment that the Jays should find a way to keep Hernandez with the big team. The four outfielders that will begin the season with the Jays is set — Kevin Pillar in centre, Randal Grichuk in right and Curtis Granderson and Steve Pearce platooning in left. Of all the positions on the field, the Jays seem to have the most organizational depth — at least at the high minor league level — in the outfield, starting with Hernandez.
“Oh yeah, I think he’s earned the right to make the team,” Jays manager John Gibbons said. “He arguably had the best spring ( of anybody). And he was good last September. But I don’t anticipate him (being down for long). I would expect he is going to do something to help us. Whether he’s forcing his way in there or something.”
Hernandez, whom the Jays acquired last July from Houston for LHP Francisco Liriano, was called up last September and in 88 at-bats, had eight home runs (many of the epic variety), six doubles and recorded 20 RBI. This spring, he hit .365 with a 1.104 OPS in 52 at-bats and four homers and also three stolen bases.
Pearce is also having a good spring ( hitting . 310 with a homer in 29 at- bats), but given his limited range in left, he may not be a better option than Hernandez. But Hernandez has options. Still, many fans would love to see Atkins orchestrate a trade to give the 6-2, 180-pound Hernandez, and Anthony Alford when he’s healthy, a chance to play every day at the Major League level. That’s not going to happen anytime soon. Gibbons thinks the platoon of Granderson and Pearce in left could be dynamite this season. Pearce certainly proved last year that when he’s healthy, his bat is a plus.
“And I’ ll tell you what, if Pearcie gets to the ball, he’s going to catch it,” said Gibbons. Unfortunately f or Pearce, every time he boots a ball in left, calls for Hernandez to be promoted will only intensify. “It’s tough,” said Gibbons. Hernandez said he has heard the fan support and is grateful.
“I can control just what I can control and I just play my game and try to do the best that I can, and let’s see what will happen at the end,” he said. “But it feels really good when everybody is saying good things about you, and to those fans that are cheering for me, I appreciate that.”
AROUND THE HORN
Former Buffalo Bisons announcer Ben Wagner has been officially announced as the new voice of the Jays on the Sportsnet Radio. Dan Shulman will also work a “collection” of games while Mike Wilner will continue to host Blue Jays Talk. The announcement has to be a major disappointment for Wilner, who has been hoping to do more play- by- play work. Now he may not do any. Sportsnet treated Wilner rather shabbily during the auditioning process. He essentially had to sit back and be a good boy and a team guy while the company auditioned the likes of Wagner, Scott Richmond and Rob Fai during spring training. Former Jays catcher J. P. Arencibia is dropping hints that he’ll be returning to Toronto soon, likely as a broadcaster ... Gibbons’ daughter Jordan and her band The Barrens will be playing on Thursday night at the Final Four in San Antonio at a media event. ... John Gibbons is pleased with the way Simcoe, Ont., native John Axford performed in spring training and the fact that he earned a spot in the Jays’ bullpen. Gibbons has been saying all spring that it would be great to have another Canadian in the lineup.
STRO SHOW READY TO GO
All systems are a go for Jays right- hander Marcus Stroman to make his regular season start on Sunday against the Yankees. Stroman pitched 4.2 innings in the Jays’ 5- 3 loss to the Cardinals on Monday, striking out six while allowing three hits and two earned runs. He had his spring training limited to just two starts because of right shoulder inflammation, but said after Monday’s game that he is “ready to rock.” His catcher Russell Martin thinks the same.
“I liked his pace, liked his command, feel like he made one mistake that was in the middle of the plate. There are days when you get away with that, (Monday) the guy hit a homer (Marcell Ozuna),” said Martin. “Overall, I liked the command on the fastball, the action on the fastball, I like how he was messing with guy’s timing, the hesitation, pausing in there, quick-pitching in there. Liked the change- up too. Feel like the fastball- change up combo is going to be really good for him.”