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WIN, WIN SITUATION FOR JAYS
In Toronto's past four wins heading into last night, three different Blue Jays have recorded their first major-league victories.
Monday night in Baltimore, Brandon League got his first win. On Sept. 19 in Toronto, Vinnie Chulk broke through in relief. And on Sept. 20 in New York, Gustavo Chacin won in his debut against the Yankees.
For the year, the Jays have had five different players record their first win. The others being Jason Frasor and Dave Bush, who had their first wins on May 8 and July 25, respectively.
GOLD IN DOG'S FUTURE?
Not that there is much they can do about it, but the Jays coaching staff is making a subtle push for Orlando Hudson as this year's pick for the American League gold glove award at second base. Managers and coaches vote on the awards, but they select a player from their own club.
"I don't know where you'll find a second baseman that has been much better than him," Jays interim manager John Gibbons said.
Hudson leads the American League in assists per nine innings at 3.61, but has the type of range that routinely has him make the highlight packages as he chases down balls into the outfield. The most recent time the Jays had a Gold Glove winner was 1999 in outfielder Shawn Green.
AWARD WINNERS
The first of a slew of year-end awards were announced yesterday with the scouts and player development in the Jays organization first up for honours.
Ken Joyce, the Jays manager at class-A Charleston who led his club to a first-half division title in his first year managing, was awarded the Bobby Mattick Player Development Award. Joyce spent his first two years in the organization in a coaching capacity developing a reputation as a tireless worker.
Honoured with the Al LaMacchia Award for scouting excellence was area scout Andy Beene. Beene, who has been with the Jays since 1998, signed and scouted three of the club's top-seven picks in the 2004 Amateur Draft -- left-hander Zach Jackson, outfielder Cory Patton and catcher Curtis Thigpen.