Raptors schedule lookahead: Next 5 games will define season

Raptors schedule lookahead: Next 5 games will define season

Even after all of their new additions, the Toronto Raptors remain one of the league’s most frustrating teams to watch. One night they will beat their opponent into submission, and the next, they will look like they just rolled out of bed 15 minutes before tip-off. Thursday night’s humiliation at the hands of the Washington […]
Raptors schedule lookahead: Next 5 games will define season – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Manny Machado re-signs with the San Diego Padres, and what this could mean for Matt Chapman and the Toronto Blue Jays

Matt Chapman is going to make a lot of money after the 2023 season.

According to Jeff Passan, the San Diego Padres are signing third baseman Manny Machado to an 11-year, $350 million deal. Notably, this will remove the player option he had for the 2023-2024 off-season.

BREAKING: Star third baseman Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres are finalizing an 11-year, $350 million contract extension, sources familiar with the deal tell ESPN. Machado helped turn around the franchise. He’ll stay as the ascendant Padres seek their first championship.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 26, 2023

Why does this affect the Jays? Well, Matt Chapman is set to become a free agent at the end of the 2023 season, and an already weak position player class has only gotten weaker, especially at third base.
According to this MLB Trade Rumours article, Chapman and Machado were the only two significant third basemen set to be available. Justin Turner (player option), Joey Wendle, Gio Urshela, and Brian Anderson are… fine, but they aren’t stars.
If a team wishes to upgrade the hot corner through free agency, their best bet is Chapman, which kind of puts the Jays in a tough spot.
It’s been said that Chapman loves Toronto and wishes to remain a Blue Jay, but as one of the best free agents available, could the Jays muster up the payroll to re-sign him? Likely not.
So jumping ahead an entire season to the next off-season, what would the Jays do? For starters, Chapman will surely get a qualifying offer as he’s a fantastic player. This means the Jays would be entitled to a compensation pick in the 2024 draft if he signs elsewhere. Of course, the Jays could always find a way to extend him before free agency, but with Scott Boras as …

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Author: Brennan Delaney / Blue Jays Nation

Recapping Leafs/Hawks + PROSPECT TALK w/ TLN’s Nick Richard: Leafs Morning Take

After all that, the Leafs covered against Chicago on Wednesday night. Still, I think those prices were outrageous. Aside from the Petr Mrazek save prop – which cashed – I didn’t get involved.
At any rate, the Thursday edition of Leafs Morning Take started with a breakdown of Toronto’s 5-2 victory against the Blackhawks. First, I rifled off my quick thoughts on the impressive outing, then Jay Rosehill dropped by for another instalment of 3 Hits With Rosie.
After that, I welcomed in TLN’s Nick Richard for a chat about Toronto’s prospect pipeline. With the trade deadline fast approaching, it was good to get a rundown of what’s happening down on the farm. In the next few weeks and day, you may see a couple of the prospects we talked about going for established talent. That’s just how it works.

Should the #LeafsForever target Patrick Kane?
Leafs Morning Take – Feb. 16
Full Interview: https://t.co/ejniKby3xS@PointsBetCanada | @MontanasBBQ | #Montanasbbq
I polled @TLNdc’s @_NickRichard: pic.twitter.com/4nxF0Vtst4
— Nick Alberga (@thegoldenmuzzy) February 16, 2023

Lastly, full credit to Rosie for hitting on yesterday’s pick (John Tavares OVER 0.5 apples). With that in mind, here’s today’s PointsBet Canada bet of the day.

.@thegoldenmuzzy is hunting a certain shot prop tonight in Calgary 👀
💰💰💰@PointsBetCanada is live in Ontario!
Details -> https://t.co/uvEnShf7GT#ad #pointsbetcanada
Full Show📱: https://t.co/ZtW3O9Yxd3 pic.twitter.com/k7LL7S2XCO
— TheLeafsNation (@TLNdc) February 16, 2023

 
Make sure to join us tomorrow at 11 AM ET for the Friday edition as we tee up this weekend’s back-to-back against Montreal and Chicago.
Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and leave us a review wherever you’re checking us out. …

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Author: Nick Alberga / The Leafs Nation

The best production per cap hit rental players

It’s the day after the Super Bowl and the one question on everyone’s mind is how does the Kansas City Chiefs win affect the Toronto Maple Leafs where does Jakob Chychrun go? While we seem no closer to an answer when I write this (the reality could be very different when you read this) there is a strong chance that Chychrun doesn’t wind up in Toronto. For that matter, there’s a very good chance that Timo Meier doesn’t wind up in Toronto either. It’s with that cold, harsh dose of Monday Morning reality that I am trotting out the rental forward list for another look, this from the perspective of who has been producing the most for the least amount of coin.
Looking at the list of pending unrestricted free agent forwards it’s very easy to become underwhelmed and frankly, a little bummed out about the Leafs ability to improve their roster, but there are some potentially interesting options in the mix as well, so not all hope is lost. Here are the rentals:
Player
Cap Hit
Pts per $
Age
Pos
GP
G
A
P
PPG
ATOI
GF%
CF%
Nick Bjugstad
$900,000
$39,130
30
C
53
13
10
23
0.43
13.68
58.5
45.8
Derick Brassard
$750,000
$57,692
35
C
41
8
5
13
0.31
10.61
54.2
51.7
Josh Leivo
$750,000
$57,692
29
LW
38
4
9
13
0.34
11.5
50
52.3
Noel Acciari
$1,250,000
$69,444
31
C
52
10
8
18
0.34
12.41
40
43.4
Max Domi
$3,000,000
$85,714
27
C
51
14
21
35
0.68
14.34
48.1
42
Ivan Barbashev
$2,250,000
$93,750
27
C
52
9
15
24
0.46
13.52
49.1
46.6
Tyler Pitlick
$750,000
$93,750
31
C
37
2
6
8
0.21
9.15
40.9
42.9
Nick Bonino
$2,050,000
$113,889
34
C
51
9
9
18
0.35
11.91
45.3
42.9
Nick Ritchie
$2,500,000
$119,048
27
LW
50
9
12
21
0.42
11.13
38.1
42.8
Jayson Megna
$750,000
$125,000
33
C
41
1
5
6
0.14
8.35
27.33
41.58
Patrick Brown
$750,000
$125,000
30
C
36
2
4
6
0.16
9.77
38.9
46.2
Dylan Larkin
$6,100,000
$127,083
26
C
50
18
30
48
0.96
13.07
47.5
49.6
Oskar Sundqvist
$2,750,000
$144,737
28
C
42
7
12
19
0.45
10.71
45.7
45.5
Adam Erne
$2,100,000
$150,000
27
LW
43
6
8
14
0.32
11.92
38.5
42.2
Tyler Motte
$1,350,000
$150,000
27
C
35
3
6
9
0.25
10.37
54.2
48.2
Andreas Athanasiou
$3,000,000
$157,895
28
LW
50
11
8
19
0.38
13.64
37
43.2
Jujhar Khaira
$975,000
$162,500
28
LW
29
3
3
6
0.2
10.56
27.8
43.3
Nathan Walker
$750,000
$187,500
29
LW
29
1
3
4
0.13
8.98
50
36.2
Gustav Nyquist
$5,500,000
$250,000
33
RW
48
10
12
22
0.45
13.17
42.1
46.2
Sammy Blais
$1,525,000
$254,167
26
LW
41
1
5
6
0.14
9.31
52.4
45.1
Pius Suter
$3,250,000
$270,833
26
C
48
6
6
12
0.25
11.47
42.9
45.6
Patrick Kane
$10,500,000
$300,000
34
RW
48
9
26
35
0.72
15.32
38.1
40.29
James van Riemsdyk
$7,000,000
$318,182
33
LW
35
9
13
22
0.62
12.51
53.5
50.9
Evgenii Dadonov
$5,000,000
$357,143
33
RW
43
4
10
14
0.32
12.02
44.4
49.5
Jonathan Toews
$10,500,000
$375,000
34
C
46
14
14
28
0.6
12.88
33.29
43.3
Sean Monahan
$6,375,000
$375,000
28
C
25
6
11
17
0.68
11.54
46.2
53.2
Derek Grant
$1,500,000
$375,000
32
C
18
2
2
4
0.22
11.16
28.6
36.4
Ryan O’Reilly
$7,500,000
$441,176
32
C
38
11
6
17
0.44
13.81
34.5
49.2
Jonathan Drouin
$5,500,000
$458,333
27
LW
29
0
12
12
0.41
10.62
38.1
42.3
Tyler Bertuzzi
$4,750,000
$678,571
27
LW
20
2
5
7
0.35
12.77
38.1
53.3
Not the most awe-inspiring list of potential additions, especially when Dylan Larkin is very likely staying put in Detroit. That puts the Chicago trio of Kane, Domi, and Toews at the top of the list for actual production with Athanasious not too far down the list either. That’s pretty grim Toews might be the best offensive option, especially if you are looking for goal scoring in the rental market, but alas he …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

Blue Jays Nation’s 2023 Preseason Top 50: #7 Tucker Toman

Despite being selected after the second round, most publications considered Tucker Toman to be a top 50 draft prospect.

So it may have been a shock when the Jays selected him and went over-slot on his signing bonus. At the end of the day, it was a great pick.
Before we jump into that, let’s look at the criteria first.
Brennan’s criteria:
Instead of writing this out every time I did for the mid-season Top 60, I’ll copy and paste my criteria for how I rank and scout these players.
There are many factors that determine a top prospect. The eye test is the biggest driver in determining a top prospect, but proximity to the majors, ceiling, and floor is also important. Moreover, statistics are another key ingredient, as everything works together to give you numbers.
As for the grades, it’s important to remember that they are relative to the league in which they play. A kid from Dunedin is not going to have a 50-grade hit tool if he were placed in the big leagues. But relative to the league in which he plays, a .300 hitter is eligible to have that grade.
For these prospects, I’ll be reviewing their background, numbers in the minors, pitch mix (if they’re a pitcher), and giving a scouting report (if feasible, rookie league guys are difficult).
Let’s jump in!
Tucker Toman‘s career so far:
The 19-year-old switch-hitting third baseman/shortstop was drafted 77th overall by the …

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Author: Brennan Delaney / Blue Jays Nation

How Connor Bedard is forcing a trade deadline buyer’s market

How Connor Bedard is forcing a trade deadline buyer’s market

The day after Auston Matthews hit the 500 point mark, I can’t help but reflect on one of the key events that led to the Leafs drafting him. That event was the Phil Kessel trade.
The Kessel trade was largely panned considering the return was Kasperi Kapanen, 1st and 3rd round picks, Scott Harrington, and Nick Spaling. They also had to give up a 2nd, Tim Erixon and Tyler Biggs in the process. This trade was never as bad as it was criticized for being as Spaling, Harrington, Biggs, and Erixon largely cancel each other out, and the 2nd for 3rd is pretty insignificant as well, but Kapanen and a 1st for Kessel was not the ideal return for the franchise player of the moment.
What made up the gap for the Leafs was the benefit of not having Phil Kessel in their lineup. No matter what your opinion is of Phil Kessel, you have to concede that the 2015-16 Leafs had a better chance of picking up a few more wins with him in the Leafs lineup than they did without him. Moving the Leafs up in the standings at all would have taken away Toronto’s shot at Matthews. No Matthews means that Toronto wou …

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Author: Jon Steitzer / The Leafs Nation

MacKinnon could return to Avalanche lineup on Saturday, no changes for Toronto: Leafs practice notes

MacKinnon could return to Avalanche lineup on Saturday, no changes for Toronto: Leafs practice notes

After a 6-3 loss to Arizona on Thursday night, the Maple Leafs got back to work with a practice in Denver before their game vs. the Avalanche on Saturday night.
It was a rough go versus the Coyotes on Thursday — especially for Matt Murray — who allowed four goals against for the fourth time this season. Toronto led 3-2 before Arizona came back, scoring four unanswered goals (two in an empty net).
“You could break it down a lot of different ways, and there’s a lot of different things that happened over 60 minutes. But, it really probably comes down to our inability to kill a penalty,” said Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe in Arizona on Thursday night.
But when it comes to their next game, on New Years Eve game in Colorado, it doesn’t look like any of the Maple Leafs’ lineup is changing.

#Leafs line rushes at practice Dec. 30/22
Bunting-Matthews-NylanderJarnkrok-Tavares-MarnerKerfoot-Kampf-EngvallAstonReese-Holmberg-Hunt Extra: Anderson, Simmonds
Giordano-HollRielly-LiljegrenBrodie-TimminsExtra: Sandin-Benn @BodogCA @RinkWideTOR
— David Alter (@dalter) December 30, 2022

Wayne Simmonds and Joey Anderson are the odd forwards out, as is Rasmus Sandin and Jordie Benn on the back-end.
At this point, there’s really no reason to change the defence pairings. Morgan Rielly is just getting back and needs to find his rhythm. Plus, none of the other defencemen have really offered up a reason to be taken out of the lineup.
I’d say the same goes with the forwards. Anderson did play well when he was in the lineup, but Toronto wants to see what they have with Dryden Hunt. The 27-year-old played pretty good on Thursday night, leading the Maple Leafs with six hits in the game.
There was no word after Friday’s practice about who would start in Toronto’s net on Saturday night.
Both Murray and Ilya Samsonov haven’t had the best showings in their last three games. In fac …

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Author: Nick Barden / The Leafs Nation

Iowa’s Kris Murray would be an ideal Toronto Raptors draftee

Iowa’s Kris Murray would be an ideal Toronto Raptors draftee

After a 48-win season and Scottie Barnes securing the Rookie of the Year award, the Toronto Raptors were expected to challenge the top teams in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Instead, the Raptors barely cling to a play-in playoff position at #10 in the East. It’s been a rough start to the season with injuries constantly […]
Iowa’s Kris Murray would be an ideal Toronto Raptors draftee – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Jason Mills / Raptors HQ

Looking back at Fred McGriff’s Hall of Fame career and the epic trade that he was a part of

After collecting just 169 votes back in 2019 (coming in at 39.8% and well below the 75% threshold), former Blue Jays first baseman Fred McGriff’s chances at making the National Baseball Hall of Fame would have to wait. After ten years on the ballot, McGriff’s opportunity to make it into Cooperstown would have to come via Era committee voting.
That chance came rather quickly, as the Florida product would be named to the Contemporary Era ballot this offseason and yesterday, he was the only member on the ballot elected into the Hall of Fame, receiving votes from every person on the 16-member panel for a unanimous decision.
Known as “Crime Dog”, McGriff was drafted by the New York Yankees back in 1981 and had a 19-year career that he spent with the Toronto Blue Jays, San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, Tampa Bay Rays (x2), the Chicago Cubs, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Through 2460 games, McGriff earned a .284/.377/.509 slash line with a .886 OPS and a 52.6 bWAR. His 493 home runs have him tied at 29th in MLB history with Lou Gehrig, with his 1550 RBI placing him at 47th, flirting with current Hall of Fame members’ tallies. Defensively, McGriff spent most of his time at first base, amassing a .992 fielding percentage through 19402.0 innings.
Fred McGriff is elected to Cooperstown just a day before the anniversary of his trade from the Blue Jays to the San Diego Padres
By the time he retired, McGriff had won a World Series with the Atlanta Braves (1995) while also collecting three Silver Slugger Awards and five All-Star appearances.
POINTSBET IS LIVE IN ONTARIO

 
Traded to the B …

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Author: Tyson Shushkewich / Blue Jays Nation

Mike Clevinger’s contract with the White Sox further indicates an expensive free-agent market this winter

After a lull in the baseball world over the past week, we got a pair of signings on Sunday and Monday, as Jose Abreu inked a multi-year contract with the Houston Astros and Mike Clevinger inked a show-me deal with the Chicago White Sox.

This flurry of moves sees the White Sox move on from Abreu, who slashed a .292/.354/.506 line with the team over the course of nine seasons, and add a reclamation project to their starting rotation. Clevinger was moved in a big trade from Cleveland to the San Diego Padres during the 2020 season. He made just four starts with the team and underwent Tommy John surgery and then missed the entirety of the 2021 season.
In his first year back from Tommy John, Clevinger posted a 4.33 ERA over the course of 114 1/3 innings. His fastball velocity hovered around 93.5 miles per hour, a noticeable drop from where it was during his successful seasons in Cleveland. As a result, his strikeout rate dipped to 18.8% in 2022 compared to 27.5% in 2020 and 22.6% in 2019.
Now, why does any of this matter? Because Clevinger’s contract, which has $12 million guaranteed, further indicates just how expensive this winter’s free-agent market is going to be…

$12M is more than I e …

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Author: Cam Lewis / Blue Jays Nation