SB Nation User Blog: Matty Gaul

Division III Baseball

Matty Gaul — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 13:57:02 -0000

Hey guys, I was just wondering if many baseball players who play Division III baseball get drafted into the MLB? Or if DII or DI colleges will notice you and want you to come to their school instead? How often/likely do those things happen? I'm asking this cause I have a friend who has a good shot at playing DIII baseball, and he was curious so I told him I'd ask it on here.

Thanks!

Few Notes

Matty Gaul — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 23:43:25 -0000

Pretty much an identical workout today compared to yesterday. We'll have to wait for pitchers and catchers to report to get a little bit more action.

Bryan: Thanks for the question. I wish I could say they look great, but I can't. Hill's struggling defensively, and Janssen isn't throwing quite as hard as I've seen him in the past. Although, there's still two months till the season, so we have lots of time for them to see them get better. Because it definitely will happen.

Andy Mc: Well, not quite. Although he's tearing up right now with the bat, he's still not hitting that many homers in BP. But then again, it is only BP...

Check back tomorrow guys, but on Friday I won't be around much. It's a very busy day for me with the pitchers and catchers reporting.

Today's Workout

Matty Gaul — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:06:53 -0000

Just got back to the hotel from today's workout. Both Snider and Lind are here early as well as Hill, Janssen, and Scutaro. The boys took their hacks in the batting cage today, and then did some infield/outfield drills. Not much else to report. It wasn't a very exciting workout, and it was only about an hour and a little bit.

If you guys have any questions, feel free to let me know. Sorry for short post, I'm pretty tired today.

Greetings From Florida!

Matty Gaul — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:38:20 -0000

When I left for Florida this morning from my parents' house in Canada, it was cold beyond belief and snowy like crazy. In Dunedin, there's not a cloud to be seen. Some days I really do love my job.

I'm all checked in to my hotel room which will be my home for just under two months. For those of you who know that my off-season home is in Orlando, and are asking why I just don't stay in that, is because it's too far of a drive for me everyday, and my buddy who works at the hotel I'm staying at gives me a discount. So I'm pretty fortunate and I would like to thank my friend right now! Thanks, Josh!

By the time I arrived in Dunedin, the early-arrivals workout had ended. My first taste of baseball will be tomorrow morning at roughly 10:00 A.M. Check back for an update later in the afternoon!

If you ever have any questions, feel free to post a comment in any thread asking the question. If I can't answer it, I'm sure Hugo or Rince will be more then happy to. But if it's Spring Training related, I will do my best to answer.

Just one further thing. I'd like to remind you all that from March 4th-18th, I will be taking my last vacation of the year, except a couple days off here or there in the season. Nothing too major.

One More Day

Matty Gaul — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 14:42:30 -0000

Hey guys, just checking up on the blog before my flight to Dunedin tomorrow morning. I wanted to post this morning because I know I'm going to busy packing/making preperations later today and early tomorrow morning. Are any of you guys going down to Spring Training this year? If you're on the fence about it, you should really consider going. There's no better atmosphere then down in Florida watching baseball and knowing there's a lot more baseball to come.

For Christmas, I recieved an iPod Touch and I decided to compile a Florida Playlist. Do you guys know any kind of songs that will put me in a vacation kind of mood, as well as a pump up mood for baseball? I listen to mostly hip-hop, but I also really enjoy any kind of rock, as well as alternative.

I just decided to post some random things that popped up in my head this morning. If I don't get a chance to post in this topic during some kind of discussion, my next post will be when I'm in Dunedin!

Important Spring Training Dates

Matty Gaul — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 23:13:11 -0000

Spring Training is getting nearer and nearer. I'm back in Canada now, spending some time with family until Monday, which is when I hop on a flight to Dunedin and begin covering the Jays during Spring Training, and then the rest of the year. With that in mind, here are some important dates coming up:

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Cito Gaston meets with reporters: Thursday
Pitchers and catchers report: Friday
First workout: Feb. 14
First full-squad workout: Feb. 18
First exhibition game: Feb. 25 vs. New York Yankees at Dunedin
Last exhibition game: April 4 vs. Florida Marlins at Jupiter
Opening Day: April 6 vs. Detroit Tigers at Toronto

Right now, I would like to point out that starting March 4th, and ending March 18th, I will be on vacation with little to no internet access. I'll try my hardest to get on and post updates, but it could be very tough. From the 4th-11th I will be in Tampa for lots and lots of meetings with various people, and then the newspaper is giving me yet another vacation (not that I'm complaining) before the long grind of the regular season.

Matty Gaul's 2009 Projected Lineup

Matty Gaul — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:59:23 -0000

After missing all that time earlier in 2008, I just can't stay away from the blog. Here is my prediction for the 2009 Starting Lineup with a small prediction for what:

1) Aaron Hill, Second Base
Hill is looking for a bounce-back season after his post-concussion syndrome ended his 2008 season very early. Look for him to play at almost 100% of what we expect of him. Hill will have less errors in 2009 then what most people expect him to have after last years incident.

2) Travis Snider, Left Field
Snider was a great addition to the club in the games he played in September last year. Snider will struggle early on in the season, but I can see him fiishing with a very respectable .285 average in his rookie season.

3) Alex Rios, Right Field
2008 was a bit of a down year for Rios in 2008. He needs to hit more homeruns if the Jays are going to compete this year. Mark him down for 28 homers in 2009.

4) Vernon Wells, Center Field
Another key component in the Jays hopes for success had a rough season last year. He's another guy we need to hit more homeruns, and knock in those crucial runners in scoring position. 115 RBI for Wells in 2009.

5) Adam Lind, Designated Hitter
I see Lind as a guy who can hit 19 homeruns in 2009. Although that's not really what you expect of your DH, it should still do the job.

6) Scott Rolen, Third Base
I thought last year was a solid year for Rolen at the hot corner. In a division that is loaded with homerun hitting Third Basemen (Rodriguez, Longoria, Lowell), the Jays need Rolen to start putting the ball into the bleachers. 24 HR from Rolen in 2009.

7) Lyle Overbay, First Base
The King Of Doubles, baby! Overbay is always good for a clutch double late in the innings. He's also a very effecient First Basemen. Expect Overbay to be up near 44 doubles in 2009.

8) Rod Barajas, Catcher
When Cito Gaston stepped in as Manager for the Jays, Barajas was his catcher, replacing Gregg Zaun. I personally like Barajas as a defensive catcher. In 2009, he will help our inexperienced pitchers adapt to big-league hitters, as well as limit his pass-balls.

9) Marco Scutaro, Shortstop
Rounding out the lineup, Marco Scutaro comes in and provides the defensive assurance we need at Shortstop. Scutaro will hit .268 in the 2009 season.

NOTES:

Lind and Snider are pretty much interchangeable in their positions (DH and LF), as well as the batting order.
The only thing that I don't like about my lineup is the lack of speed/base-stealing threat at the top of the order. Do you guys have any suggestions?

Taking A Short Break

Matty Gaul — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 21:46:36 -0000

I’m taking this week off before going to Dunedin for the start of Spring Training. I'll probably have a Spring Training preview post for you soon, looking at some roster battles, much like what Hugo and Rince have been doing recently.

I leave for Dunedin a week from today and then get a day off sometime in April. So this week is one final chance to relax before it’ll be baseball all day, every day for a long stretch. Not that I'm complaining!

See you all again on Saturday, more then likely!

Starting Rotation Question

Matty Gaul — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 14:49:07 -0000

Right now, we have Halladay, Janssen, Litsch, and Purcey in our rotation, by the soudns of things. Let's say that it stays that way through Spring Training and on to Opening Day. We're one starter short. Out of the following three, who do you pick to fill the last spot in the Jays Starting Rotation, and why?

Matt Clement
Mike Maroth
Scott Richmond

Feel free to give predictions for each pitcher, as well. I'll post my pick/predictions later on.

What Happens With JP?

Matty Gaul — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 18:45:56 -0000

With all of the big signings going around throughout the league, and the Jays being responsible for none of them, they have to consider axeing Riccardi, in my opinion. He seems content with watching all of the big names signing else where, and won't even make a play for a DH. It's extremely frustrating for a fan, not to mention a beat writer. Riccardi won't talk to anybody (but in all fairness, we haven't haven't had the initiative to talk to him, anyways). The Jays have to do something this off-season, or did JP forget they finished fourth in the division last year, with Wells leading the team with a mere 20 homeruns.

I can guarantee you one thing; as soon as I land in Dunedin in February, and I'm sure I speak for the rest of the beat writers here when I say JP's gonna be peppered with questions and second-guessings.