TORONTO – Three-and-a-half hours before Wednesdays series finale with the Yankees, the Blue Jays issued a surprising media release announcing the demotion of Kevin Pillar to Triple-A Buffalo. Yeezy Shoes . This is far from an earth-shattering move, Pillar was the 25th-man, but the shock lies in his return to the Bisons just 48 hours after his latest recall and in the reasons why hes Buffalo-bound. Pillar and Anthony Gose were supposed to be the right-field platoon while Jose Bautista recovers from a mild strain of his left hamstring. The contract of outfielder Brad Glenn, a 23rd-round pick in 2009, has been purchased. “Were looking for a little more sock from the right side,” said manager John Gibbons. “Weve got three left-handed pitchers coming in from the White Sox and Glenn, hes been on fire down there, as well. So this is his opportunity.” When pressed for more, Gibbons acknowledged Pillars behaviour in the eighth inning of Tuesday nights game played a part in the decision. The score was 6-6 at the time. The Jays had loaded the bases with one out. Pillar was due up but the Yankees flame-throwing set-up man, Dellin Betances, was on the mound. Gibbons pinch hit Anthony Gose. Pillar reacted. He stormed into the dugout. Footage shows him angrily tossing his helmet and ripping off his batting gloves as he walked from Gibbonss end of the dugout to the other. He then tossed his bat, underhanded, down the tunnel leading to the clubhouse. “It didnt help him at all,” said Gibbons. “This is a team game, you know. Theres no room for selfish play. But weve been thinking about Glenn for a while now, anyway.” Glenn has given the Blue Jays plenty to ponder. In 113 at-bats with Buffalo since his promotion from Double-A New Hampshire, the 27-year-old has hit .381/.421/.575 with four home runs and eight doubles among his 43 hits. To make room for Glenn on the 40-man roster, the Blue Jays designated infielder Jonathan Diaz for assignment. THE OUTSIDE CORNER Play a baseball game and inevitably someone will have something to say about the home plate umpires strike zone. Pitchers and hitters develop reputations, to the positive or negative, which can influence the way the game is called. What goes less noticed is how one pitch called incorrectly can affect the remainder of an at-bat. Take Colby Rasmuss three-pitch, caught-looking strikeout in the second inning of Tuesday nights 7-6 win over the Yankees. The first pitch was a David Phelps cut fastball off the outside corner of the plate for a called strike. This is the pitch that changed the at-bat. Pitch two: A knuckle-curve Rasmus fouled off. Pitch three: A cut fastball on the inside corner. The pitch crossed the plate, therefore it was a strike. The correct call was made. The problem: Rasmus was forced to adjust his approach after the first pitch to account for the wide strike zone. “Colbys told me he starts getting bigger to protect and then he starts chasing balls all over the place,” said hitting coach Kevin Seitzer. “I said, ‘Do not change your zone and if they call it, they call it, but you cant change your zone. Do not expand. If they throw three out there and get called, come back and sit down by me.” When pressed for comment, Rasmus politely declined. Good move on his part - he doesnt need the trouble. Adam Lind has also fallen victim to calls off the outside corner. Its common around the game, certainly not exclusive to the Blue Jays. “They both have really good eyes and they look for pitches on the plate and thats what theyre geared to do mentally and I dont want that to change with any of our hitters,” said Seitzer. “Its just a part of the way games always been. (Umpires) are human. Theyre not perfect. Theyre going to make mistakes. You cant expect them to be perfect but I dont want our hitters to change their zone ever in any way, shape or form.” Both Rasmus and Lind have laid-back personalities. Its rare to see either be demonstrative with an umpire. Seitzer appreciates their respectful approach, but he wants them to converse. If a pitch was off the plate, hes encouraged Rasmus and Lind to let the umpire know. Seitzer will accept from his hitters called third strikes on pitches out of the zone. He firmly believes Rasmus, whos prone to the swing-and-miss, having struck out in 33.5 per cent of his plate appearances this season, ends up offering at pitches he otherwise wouldnt due to frustration. Seitzers been a sounding board for his frustrated charges. “All I can do is be supportive,” said Seitzer. “Youve got a great eye. Its not a pitch you want to go on, so you cant go. And you cant even think that theyre going to go back out there because of what happens there, you get locked up on paint inside.” LINDS FOOT Adam Lind fouled a pitch off his right toe in the seventh inning of Tuesday nights game. “Ouch. Thats what I said,” said Lind. Surely he must have cussed? “It was more just deep breaths.” Lind returned to the starting lineup on Monday for the first time since fouling a pitch off the top of his right foot on June 14 in Baltimore. He had three pinch-hit appearances in the seven games in between. Linds wearing a guard on his shin, which extends to the top of his foot. In Wednesday nights series finale versus the Yankees, Lind made his first start at first base since suffering the injury. TOLLESONS EYE Blue Jays utility infielder Steve Tolleson is dealing with an eye problem that cropped up on the last road trip. Hes got dryness and blurriness, especially in his right eye.Tolleson had laser eye surgery five years ago, but its unclear if this is a factor in any way.Hell be seeing a cornea specialist on Thursday, marking a fourth-straight day that hell see an eye doctor of some description. yeezy black friday . And, just for good measure, lets say the lottery team finishes the game short-handed because two starters come down with the very same injury. Cheap Yeezy From China .com) - Wayne Simmonds, Scott Laughton and Jakub Voracek each posted a goal and an assist as the Philadelphia Flyers thumped the Carolina Hurricanes, 5-1, on Saturday.There have been many major leaguers who switched from being pitchers to position players; Babe Ruth, "Smokey" Joe Wood and Tim Wakefield just to name a few. A few went the other way from position player to pitcher, such as Blue Jays reliever Sergio Santos, who started as a shortstop and is trying to earn another shot with the Blue Jays pitching in relief for Triple "A" Buffalo. This story takes the conversion process one step further. You, no doubt, remember the name of left-hander Adam Loewen. The strapping 66 Vancouver native was taken fourth overall by Baltimore in the June 2002 draft. That was the highest a Canadian had ever been selected since our country was first included in the draft in 1985. Loewen made it to the bigs with the Orioles in 2006 at age 22, but he had his struggles over the next three seasons, compiling an 8-8 record with a 5.38 ERA over 35 appearances, including 29 starts. Worse than that were the injuries; suffering stress fractures to his left elbow in 2007 and 2008. At that point, Loewen wondered where to turn. He remembered he had been a pretty good hitter in his younger days and decided he might be able to re-establish himself as a position player. In 2009, he signed on with the Blue Jays organization and finally got a shot with the big club when the rosters expanded in September 2011. Loewen didnt look out of place in the outfield but in 14 games, he hit only .188 with one homer, a double and four runs batted in. In 2012, he played in the Mets minor league system and then bounced back to the Jays organization last year, spending the bulk of the year at Double "A". That brings us to this season. After playing winter ball in Venezuela, Loewen wondered if his time had come and he wasnt going to get another major league offer. At that point, seven years after his first elbow injury, he decided to give pitching another shot when he returned home to Arizona. After a short while, scouts from four teams checked him out. Then the Phillies took a look-see. Finally, Loewen got a call from Pat Gillick, who still works in the Phils organization, and ultimately received an offer of a minor league contract and an invitation to extended spring training in Clearwater. Loewen moved ahead to the Phillies "A" ball franchise in Clearwater and then jumped to the Double "A" Reading Fightin Phils of the Eastern League. While not mind blowing, his numbers arent that bad and he has been improving steadily. Loewen has made 12 starts and has one complete game. Hes 2-4 with a 3.45 ERA, 49 strikeouts and 32 walks. He had arguably his best start yet on Monday night this week against the Harrisburg Senators. He pitched into the eighth inning in a 5-1 victory, giving up five hits while striking out four and walking three. Replica Yeezy . Time clearly is not on Loewens side with about a month to go in the minor league season. But he is a lefty and he has incredible determination. On top of that, the Phillies are a last place team that needs help in multiple areas and just might give him a look in September. What a story it would be if Loewen could make it all the way back after all hes been through. --- The Colorado Rockies will equal an unusual record, if you want to call it that, which most probably didnt know existed on Tuesday. They are due to send left hander Brett Anderson to the mound. This game will mark the 20th straight game the Rockies have started a southpaw and will equal the mark of the 1982 Kansas City Royals. The 82 Royals included lefties Paul Splittorf, Bud Black, (Padres Manager), Vida Blue and Larry Gura (known as a Blue Jays killer). Colorados southpaws include Jorge De La Rosa , Brett Anderson, Tyler Matzek, Franklin Morales and Pedro Hernandez. The left hand tilt hasnt really helped the Rockies. Theyve dropped seven out of 10 and have a dismal record of 44-67 - second worst in the majors to Texas at 43-69. The record wont be broken, though, as Colorado intends to use right hander Jordan Lyles on Wednesday night. The Texas Rangers have a chance to make a little history of their own. They are just short of the pace needed to become only the third team in major league history to go from 90 wins one season to 100 the next. The other two teams were affected by ownership tightening the purse strings. In 1914, Connie Macks Philadelphia As made it to the World Series but the next year the "outlaw" Federal League started bidding for players and stealing other teams stars. Mack refused to go dollar for dollar with the Feds and his team lost a number of quality players. They went from 99 wins to 109 losses in 1915. In 1997, the Florida Marlins won their first of two World Series in seven years. But after 97, owner Wayne Huizenga ordered a massive payroll rollback and the 1998 Marlins fell from 92 wins to 108 losses. The Rangers problem hasnt been spending or lack thereof. Theyve just been brutalized by injuries and a very tough division. The Blue Jays have 49 games left - 28 at home, but the next nine could go a long way towards making or breaking their season. Starting Tuesday night, they are home to AL East leading Baltimore followed by three games at home against Central leading Detroit, and then they kick off a road trip with three against Seattle - a team just two games behind them in the race for that second Wild Card position. Going 6-3 in this stretch should keep them in the thick of the postseason battle with 40 games to play. ' ' '
