While both pitchers involved in the trade had solid seasons, it looks as though the Blue Jays got the better deal, as Brandon Morrow appears to be a legitimate starter.  In his first full year as a starter, Morrow started 26 games and picked up 10 wins.  He was shutdown in the last month of the season because the Blue Jays’ organization did not want to risk injury, as he pitched a career high 146.1 innings.  Morrow struck out an impressive 178 batters on the season, which was also a career high.

The high point of Morrow’s season came on August 8th against the Tampa Bay Rays.  Morrow would strike out a career high 17 batters and came within one out of pitching the second no-hitter in Toronto Blue Jays history.

Here is a post-game interview after Morrow’s one-hitter.

Notable Birthdays

Steve Carlton, MLB – Born December 22nd 1944 (age 67) in Miami, Florida

Steve Garvey, MLB – Born December 22nd 1948 (age 53) in Tampa, Florida

Kirk Maltby, NHL – Born December 22nd 1972 (age 39) in Guelph, Ontario

Although he signed a four-year contract, Clemens lasted only two seasons in Toronto before being traded to the New York Yankees for starting pitcher David Wells, second basemen Homer Bush and relief pitcher Graeme Lloyd. However, Clemens did dominate in his short stint with the Blue Jays as he won the Cy Young award during both of his seasons in Toronto. In both years Clemens won the pitching triple crown as he led the American League in wins, strikeouts and earned run average.

Roger Clemens achieved personal success while with Toronto, but the team did not perform well around him, as they finished in last place in 1997 and third place in 1998, missing the playoffs both years. In his first two seasons with the Yankees, Clemens helped New York win the World Series for the only two championships of his career.

Here is a look at Clemens during his first year with the Yankees.

Notable Birthdays

Ferguson Jenkins, MLB – Born December 13th 1942 (age 69) in Chatham, Ontario

Sergei Fedorov, NHL – Born December 13th 1969 (age 42) in Pskov, Soviet Union

Ricky Nolasco, MLB – Born December 13th 1982 (age 29) in Corona, California

The Jays finished their 16th season going 96-66 during the regular season.  That was good enough to earn them the AL East pennant for the fourth time in club history.  They would go on to play the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS, beating them in six games to earn their first ever American League pennant.  Second baseman Roberto Alomar would earn honors as the ALCS MVP.

The Jays met the Braves in the World Series, and after losing the first game of the series, they would go on to win four of the next five games, en route to their first of two World Series titles.  Catcher Pat Borders hit .450 in the series with one home run.  That was enough to earn him honors as the World Series MVP.  The Jays would go on to win their second World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies the following season.

Here is a look at Coca-Cola’s tribute to the 1992 Toronto Blue Jays.

Notable Birthdays

Wayne Rooney, EPL -Born October 24, 1985 (age 26) in Liverpool, England

Brian Vickers, NASCAR -Born October 24, 1983 (age 28) in Thomasville, North Carolina

Corey Dillon, NFL – Born October 24, 1975 (age 36) in Seattle, Washington

During the seventh inning of yesterday’s game between the Jays and the Yankees at the Rogers Center, Eric Thames used his bat to inflict some damage upon himself, as a foul ball on an inside fastball came up and struck him in the face.

Thankfully, Thames appeared to be okay as his helmet took most of the damage, but the incident was still enough to have the Jays’ left-fielder pulled from the game.

Here is a look at Thames’ scary moment at the plate.

Hat Tip – [MLB.com]

Catcher Ernie Whitt would lead the charge as he would hit three home runs, while both George Bell and Rance Mulliniks chipped in with a pair of round-trippers.  Fred McGriff, Rob Ducey and Lloyd Moseby would hit one each to give the Blue Jays an even ten for the day, setting a new record, which still stands to this day.  The previous record of eight was held by many teams, including the Boston Red Sox, who tied the record against the Jays in their inaugural season of 1977.

While they have yet to hit ten home runs in a game this season, the Jays do find themselves among the league leaders in round-trippers, as they currently sit fourth in the Majors with 177 homers.  Forty-two of those homer runs belong to Jose Bautista, who is currently leading the Majors in that category.

Here is a look at MLB Home Run leader Jose Bautista doing his thing.

Notable Birthdays

Larry Brown, NBA – Born September 14th 1940 (age 71) in Brooklyn, New York

Tim Wallach, MLB – Born September 14th 1957 (age 54) in Huntington Park, California

Delmon Young, MLB – Born September 14th 1985 (age 26) in Montgomery, Alabama

That resulted in a hunt between several Jays fans who had flocked to the section in the upper deck of the Rogers Center near the left field foul pole in an attempt to locate the hidden ball.  And after a long search, and some help from the rest of the fans inside the Rogers Center, one lucky fan was finally able to come away with the ball and some television face time.

Here is a look at the hunt for Bautista’s foul ball.

Hat Tip – [MLB.com]

At first I thought it was a bunch of nonsense, but then I saw the following footage, which uncovers the identity of the white-shirted man.

Who would have guessed it would be former Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury?  Not me, seeing as how he passed away almost 20 years ago.  Although, his involvement does seem just about as (non)plausible as the initial claims made by the White Sox pitchers.

Amidst the ludicrous claims made by the Chicago White Sox bullpen that the Blue Jays batters may be using a white-shirted man in the stands to steal pitching signs, the Toronto fans took to the Rogers Center last night in order to flash a few more signs at the Jays batters during their game against the A’s.

I’m not sure if Brett Lawrie was looking at any of the above signs when he blasted his grand slam in the bottom of the sixth inning, but you can bet that had it come against the White Sox, Ozzie Guillen’s bullpen full of conspiracy theorists and whiners would have been crying foul.

Hat Tip – [The Star]

With the Jays trailing 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Lawrie stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded and only one out.  After taking the first two pitches, the Jays’ rookie unleashed on the third pitch he saw, sending it over the left field fence for his second Major League home run and his first grand slam.  That would put the Jays up by a score of 6-3.  After recording a double in the eighth, Lawrie would come around to score once again, as he finished the night going 2-for-4 at the plate with a homer, four RBIs and two runs scored.  His production at the plate led the Jays to the 8-4 victory, and it also earned the third baseman “The Stat Line of the Night” for Wednesday, August 10, 2011.

With a runner on second and his team trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the third, the Blue Jays’ All-Star and current home run leader took a Jake Arrieta fastball to the side of the helmet, knocking him to the ground in a daze.  The Jays training staff, along with manager John Farrell rushed to Bautista’s aid, as Arrieta looked on nervously.  Thankfully, Bautista would be able to walk off the field on his own power and has since stated that he feels no lingering effects and hopes to be back in the lineup today.

Here is a look at the frightening incident.