James Reimer is a Plan B worth considering for the Maple Leafs

James Reimer is a Plan B worth considering for the Maple Leafs

February 23rd, 2016 — do you remember that day in Maple Leafs history?
That was the final game in which James Reimer wore the blue and white for Toronto. A loss against the Nashville Predators, where he allowed three goals on 26 shots.
Four days later, he was traded to the San Jose Sharks along with Jeremy Morin in exchange for Ben Smith, Alex Stalock, and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2018 NHL Draft. Now, six years after that trade, there’s still a chance that Reimer returns to the Maple Leafs’ crease.
A long shot, yes. The possibility, though, still remains.
When Toronto brought in Petr Mrazek last season, there were plenty of question marks about his health, and certainly so. Then, after an injury-filled season, the 30-year-old netminder was shipped to Chicago during the 2022 NHL Draft.
This year, we’re starting to ask the same injury questions about Matt Murray, who suffered an adductor injury and then was placed on LTIR on October 15th. There’s a lot of season left, so it’s always possible that Murray returns and stays healthy, however, the risk is still apparent.
Once Mrazek’s injuries became more concerning, there was a lot of talk surrounding the Maple Leafs and a potential goalie trade. It almost came to fruition …

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Author: Nick Barden / The Leafs Nation

How Bowden Francis’ developed curveball has made him an intriguing bullpen option for the Blue Jays

Remember last season when the Blue Jays bullpen was really crappy?

We think we have it bad now, but the early season 2021 Blue Jays were a pain to watch once the starter was removed from the game.
To remedy this, the Jays traded first baseman Rowdy Tellez for reliever Trevor Richards, as well as a Triple A prospect. Now you may say, wow that trade really sucks as Richards has a 5.27 ERA and 5.11 FIP in 42.2 innings pitched. Not just that, but Tellez has gone on to have some success in 2022, posting a 117 wRC+ with 22 homers in 405 plate appearances.
While that may be the case in 2022, it cannot be understated how important Richards was to stabilizing the Jays bullpen in 2021 as he posted a 3.31 ERA and 4.61 FIP in 32.2 innings pitched.
However, this article isn’t going to focus on the trade and how it’s played about. This article will focus on how Bowden Francis has emerged as a legit bullpen option a year and a bit later.
Let’s dig into Francis’ stats:
For the 2021 season, Francis pitched as a starter. He posted a 4.19 ERA and 5.65 FIP in 73 innings pitched with the Buffalo Bisons. Prior to the trade, he had pitched with the Brewers Triple A team, posting a 3.49 ERA and a 3.78 FIP in 38.2 innings pitched. Not fantastic numbers, but solid enough.
Here’s a spoiler alert for the 2022 season: his numbers are utter crap. …

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Author: Brennan Delaney / Blue Jays Nation