Sports

Hicks trade can be big win for Blue Jays, even if Cardinals get more WAR

Published

1 year ago

July 31, 2023

TORONTO — By acquiring Jordan Hicks, the Toronto Blue Jays did more than address one of their biggest needs ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline. They also spent big in a rental market they’ve typically sidestepped while telling their fans and players that the current roster is worthy of meaningful upgrades.

With Hicks, the former Cardinals closer whose fastball averages 101 m.p.h., they added to the group of relievers they can trust in high-leverage situations. Toronto’s bullpen has been a strength this season, but with closer Jordan Romano on the injured list and three others ranking among the league leaders in games pitched, reinforcements will help. And, looking ahead a couple of months, winning four playoff rounds is a lot easier with an elite bullpen.

The cost — double-A pitchers Adam Kloffenstein and Sem Robberse — was described as high by rival executives, yet that was the price of doing business in a sellers’ market. Viewed purely through the lens of projected wins above replacement, the Cardinals destroy the Blue Jays in this trade. To borrow a phrase once used by Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins, the Cardinals get way more years of control here. If even one of those pitchers becomes a back-end starting pitcher, the Cardinals will accrue more WAR. Within their team context, it’s a good trade for St. Louis.

What does trading for a potential rental in Hicks, say about the Blue Jays’ front office?

Yet there’s more to life than piling up WAR and years of control, which is why the Blue Jays were willing to part with two talented young pitchers who the Cardinals immediately assigned to triple-A. Because even if there are scenarios where Hicks loses his command and this trade flops, even if the pitching prospects have a chance to turn into useful big leaguers by next year, there are also scenarios where Hicks is getting the final out of the ALDS. Or the ALCS. Or… you get the idea.

And ultimately, the success or failure of this Blue Jays season will be determined in October, so acquiring arms who can help them win when the stakes are highest makes sense for Atkins this summer. In a sellers’ market, the price was bound to be high. The Blue Jays determined that the 26-year-old Hicks was worth it.

In years past, the Blue Jays have preferred controllable acquisitions at the deadline, including Whit Merrifield, Anthony Bass, Mitch White, Trevor Richards, Adam Cimber, Jose Berrios, Ross Stripling and Francisco Liriano. Rentals like Joakim Soria, Taijuan Walker and Scott Feldman have been less common, and none cost quite as much as Hicks.

When he joins the Blue Jays, he’ll augment a pitching staff that already leads the American League with a 3.75 ERA. The Toronto bullpen includes Romano, right-handers Erik Swanson, Yimi Garcia, Trevor Richards and Nate Pearson plus left-handers Tim Mayza and Genesis Cabrera.

With righty Chad Green set to join triple-A soon as his rehab from Tommy John surgery progresses, the Blue Jays have a strong collection of relievers at their disposal. Yet by adding Hicks, they can ease the burden on some of their arms, including Swanson, who ranks third in the AL with 49 appearances and could use a break soon in the view of one scout.

Thanks to that triple-digit velocity, Hicks generates lots of strikeouts (59 in 41.2 innings) but he also allows plenty of walks (24). To this point in the season, he’s allowed only two home runs, one off his sweeper and one off his sinker. Even if the Blue Jays already have a closer in Romano, Hicks is a clear upgrade over Mitch White, who was designated for assignment to make space on the roster.

Why the Hicks acquisition is going to give the Jays a ‘shot in the arm’

Of course, there’s still more work to do for the Blue Jays. Beyond the pitching staff there’s a clear need for another bat before 6 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Yet with the Angels and Cubs deciding to go for it, high-end trade candidates like Shohei Ohtani and Cody Bellinger are no longer available, creating a shortage of hitters.

“No bats at all,” said one executive on a team seeking offence. “It’s crazy.”

With the Mets clearly in sell mode outfielders Tommy Pham and Mark Canha are considered available, as are Brent Rooker of the Athletics and perhaps Teoscar Hernandez of the Mariners. Those players could all fit on the Blue Jays, but there will be plenty of competition.

Perhaps a creative approach will unearth an unexpected hitter between now and Tuesday evening. After all, Merrifield wasn’t considered a likely target a year ago but he’s since performed at an all-star level, providing the Blue Jays with an excellent return for prospects Samad Taylor and Max Castillo.

A year later, more prospects are out the door as the Blue Jays map out another round of upgrades. If we’re judging this trade by years of control, the Cardinals have already won. But not all years are created equal and by acquiring Hicks, the Blue Jays front office took a significant step toward ensuring the 2023 season lasts as long as possible.

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Sports

Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

4 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

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Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

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Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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Vancouver Canucks star goalie Thatcher Demko working through rare muscle injury

Published

5 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Anne Joseph

PENTICTON, B.C. – Vancouver Canucks goalie Thatcher Demko says he’s been working his way back from a rare lower-body muscle injury since being sidelined in last season’s playoffs.

The 28-year-old all star says the rehabilitation process has been frustrating, but he has made good progress in recent weeks and is confident he’ll be able to return to playing.

He says he and his medical team have spent the last few months talking to specialists around the world, and have not found a single other hockey player who has dealt with the same injury.

Demko missed several weeks of the last season with a knee ailment and played just one game in Vancouver’s playoff run last spring before going down with the current injury.

He was not on the ice with his teammates as the Canucks started training camp in Penticton, B.C., on Thursday, but skated on his own before the sessions began.

Demko posted a 35-14-2 record with a .918 percentage, a 2.45 goals-against average and five shutouts for Vancouver last season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

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