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Vlad be nimble: Is Guerrero on track for 3B? – MLB.com

Published

4 years ago

December 10, 2020

TORONTO — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t excel at third base as a rookie, but this offseason, he’s been working to swing that narrative.
The Blue Jays are entertaining this campaign for a few different reasons. There’s value in having Guerrero as an option at third base if he can even

TORONTO — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t excel at third base as a rookie, but this offseason, he’s been working to swing that narrative.

The Blue Jays are entertaining this campaign for a few different reasons. There’s value in having Guerrero as an option at third base if he can even play a passable brand of defense, but beyond that, Toronto simply believes in his physical tools, especially as he improves his physique. This means his throwing arm, his hands and, well, his feet.

“He can probably dance,” said general manager Ross Atkins on Thursday. “He’s got good feet. I’m sure he can dance.”

• Vlad Guerrero Jr. celebrates with a dance

Guerrero’s defense was more square dance than ballet in 2019. He stepped on some toes — often his own — but those brief flashes are what keep the Blue Jays hanging on to this idea. Guerrero does have a strong arm and good hand-eye coordination, and while he isn’t about to trade in cleats for tap shoes, he’s more nimble than most think.

The defensive problems have arisen when Guerrero tries to put it all together in a live game. When these fundamentals all come together, particularly when Guerrero was forced to charge balls, his defense was less than the sum of its parts. Atkins believes that can change, though, particularly with the work Guerrero is putting in.

“If you have the hands and you have the footwork and you have the confidence, not only in your arm strength, but your arm accuracy, then you can slow things down,” Atkins said. “Many infield experts actually think it starts with the arm, the strength and the accuracy. Vladdy has one of the stronger arms in the game. His arm strength is elite. It’s not too dissimilar to his bat speed.”

Atkins described all of this as a lofty goal that Guerrero is “on track to reach.” Part of Guerrero’s campaign is playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic with Leones del Escogido, where he’ll see the majority of his reps at third base. A majority share of third base with the Blue Jays remains difficult to envision, but the flexibility to play there once a week could be considered a win.

Let’s not forget, though, that Guerrero wasn’t exactly Keith Hernandez at first base in 2020. Is there any concern for the Blue Jays, then, that Guerrero’s push to return to third is costing him valuable development time at first?

“Yes. Of course,” Atkins said. “We have to balance that, but it’s worth it. It’s worth the concern. It’s worth the risk for the upside of him being able to play third base.”

Sense of ‘momentum’ difficult to project
Atkins, like assistant general manager Joe Sheehan on Monday, said that Toronto feels a sense of momentum growing through the virtual Winter Meetings. Pinning down just how close the Blue Jays are to a deal is more complicated, though.

“It doesn’t feel like we’re weeks away. Having said that, sometimes it still takes weeks even when things get close,” Atkins said. “Some of the people and agents I respect the most, they say the exact same things to me as we talk about timelines. There’s too many factors for us to say that we think something is going to happen in a certain time period.”

The market has been slow across baseball. If George Springer, J.T. Realmuto and DJ LeMahieu were all off the board, worry would be warranted, but the Blue Jays still need to be ready to pounce when decision time rolls around. They did reach that stage earlier in the offseason on a potential deal, with the club putting out an offer that they told the player’s representatives was “the best we can do,” but it wasn’t enough in that situation.

“We feel very good about opportunities getting closer to decisions that need to be made,” Atkins said.

• MLB Free Agent & Hot Stove Tracker

Areas of strength in Minor Leagues
As the Blue Jays explore potential trade opportunities, their own farm system, ranked No. 7 in the league by MLB Pipeline, could be a strength. The club is particularly deep with starting pitching prospects, catching prospects and shortstop prospects.

“The group of young pitching and the portion of our roster that hasn’t graduated yet to the Major Leagues is an area that has been attractive to the industry,” Atkins said, “and it certainly is to us.”

Keegan Matheson covers the Blue Jays for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @KeeganMatheson.

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Champions Trophy host Pakistan says it’s not been told India wants to play cricket games elsewhere

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.

“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”

Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.

The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.

Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.

“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”

Pakistan hosted last year’s Asia Cup but all India games were played in Sri Lanka under a hybrid model for the tournament. Only months later Pakistan did travel to India for the 50-over World Cup.

Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.

“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”

The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.

“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”

Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.

“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.

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Dabrowski, Routlife into WTA doubles final with win over Melichar-Martinez, Perez

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.

Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.

The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.

The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.

Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.

Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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Winger Tajon Buchanan back with Canada after recovering from broken leg

Published

1 day ago

November 8, 2024

Anne Joseph

Inter Milan winger Tajon Buchanan, recovered from a broken leg suffered in training at this summer’s Copa America, is back in Jesse Marsch’s Canada squad for the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinal against Suriname.

The 25-year-old from Brampton, Ont., underwent surgery July 3 to repair a fractured tibia in Texas.

Canada, ranked 35th in the world, plays No. 136 Suriname on Nov. 15 in Paramaribo. The second leg of the aggregate series is four days later at Toronto’s BMO Field.

There is also a return for veteran winger Junior Hoilett, who last played for Canada in June in a 4-0 loss to the Netherlands in Marsch’s debut at the Canadian helm. The 34-year-old from Brampton, now with Scotland’s Hibernian, has 15 goals in 63 senior appearances for Canada.

Midfielder Ismael Kone, recovered from an ankle injury sustained on club duty with France’s Marseille, also returns. He missed Canada’s last three matches since the fourth-place Copa America loss to Uruguay in July.

But Canada will be without centre back Derek Cornelius, who exited Marseille’s win Sunday over Nantes on a stretcher after suffering an apparent rib injury.

The Canadian men will prepare for Suriname next week at a camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

“We are looking forward to getting the group together again with the mindset that there is a trophy on the line,” Marsch said in a statement. “We want to end 2024 the right way with two excellent performances against a competitive Suriname squad and continue building on our tremendous growth this past summer.”

The quarterfinal winners advance to the Nations League Finals at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., with the two semifinals scheduled for March 20 and the final and third-place playoff March 23, and qualify for the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Thirteen of the 23 players on the Canadian roster are 25 or younger, with 19-year-old defender Jamie Knight-Lebel, currently playing for England’s Crewe Alexandra on loan from Bristol City, the youngest.

Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies captains the side with Stephen Eustaquio, Jonathan Osorio, Richie Laryea, Alistair Johnston and Kamal Miller adding veteran support.

Jonathan David, Cyle Larin and Theo Bair are joined in attack by Minnesota United’s Tani Oluwaseyi.

Niko Sigur, a 21-year-old midfielder with Croatia’s Hadjuk Split, continues in the squad after making his debut in the September friendly against Mexico.

Suriname made it to the Nations League quarterfinals by finishing second to Costa Rica in Group A of the Nations League, ahead of No. 104 Guatemala, No. 161 Guyana and unranked Martinique and Guadeloupe.

“A good team,” Osorio said of Suriname. “These games are always tricky and they’re not easy at all … Suriname is a (former) Dutch colony and they’ll have Dutch players playing at high levels.”

“They won’t be someone we overlook at all,” added the Toronto FC captain, who has 81 Canada caps to his credit.

Located on the northeast coast of South America between Guyana and French Guiana, Suriname was granted independence in 1975 by the Netherlands.

Canada has faced Suriname twice before, both in World Cup qualifying play, winning 4-0 in suburban Chicago in June 2021 and 2-1 in Mexico City in October 1977.

The Canadian men, along with Mexico, the United States and Panama, received a bye into the final eight of the CONCACAF Nations League.

Canada, No. 2 in the CONCACAF rankings, drew Suriname as the best-placed runner-up from League A play.

Canada lost to Jamaica in last year’s Nations League quarterfinal, ousted on the away-goals rule after the series ended in a 4-4 draw. The Canadians lost 2-0 to the U.S. in the final of the 2022-23 tournament and finished fifth in 2019-20.

Canada defeated Panama 2-1 last time out, in an Oct. 15 friendly in Toronto.

Goalkeepers Maxime Crepeau and Jonathan Sirois, defenders Joel Waterman, Laryea and Miller and Osorio took part in a pre-camp this week in Toronto for North America-based players.

Canada Roster

Goalkeepers: Maxime Crepeau, Portland Timbers (MLS); Jonathan Sirois, CF Montreal (MLS); Dayne St. Clair, Minnesota United FC (MLS).

Defenders: Moise Bombito, OGC Nice (France); Alphonso Davies, Bayern Munich (Germany); Richie Laryea, Toronto FC (MLS); Alistair Johnston, Celtic (Scotland); Jamie Knight-Lebel. Crewe Alexandra, on loan from Bristol City (England); Kamal Miller, Portland Timbers (MLS); Joel Waterman, CF Montreal (MLS).

Midfielders: Ali Ahmed. Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS); Tajon Buchanan, Inter Milan (Italy); Mathieu Choiniere, Grasshopper Zurich (Switzerland); Stephen Eustaquio, FC Porto (Portugal); Junior Hoilett, Hibernian FC (Scotland); Ismael Kone, Olympique Marseille (France); Jonathan Osorio, Toronto FC (MLS); Jacob Shaffelburg, Nashville SC (MLS); Niko Sigur, Hadjuk Split (Croatia).

Forwards: Theo Bair, AJ Auxerre (France); Jonathan David, LOSC Lille (France); Cyle Larin, RCD Mallorca (Spain); Tani Oluwaseyi, Minnesota United (MLS).

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.

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