Raptors Mock Draft has Masai Ujiri picking top recruit, solid scorer

Raptors Mock Draft has Masai Ujiri picking top recruit, solid scorer

Even though the Toronto Raptors are just 11 games into the 2021 NBA season, that hasn’t stopped the Raptors mock draft experts from examining what Masai Ujiri will do in the 2022 NBA Draft. After nailing it with Scottie Barnes in 2021, what will this front office do for an encore this year? Even though […]
Raptors Mock Draft has Masai Ujiri picking top recruit, solid scorer – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

The Blue Jays are one of the teams attending Justin Verlander’s throwing showcase

Though he’s made just one start over the past two seasons, Justin Verlander is one of the most interesting pitchers on this winter’s free-agent market.

Verlander allowed two earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out seven on opening day for the Houston Astros in 2020. After the game, he was diagnosed with a forearm strain.
That forearm strain would keep Verlander out for the rest of the 2020 season and ultimately resulted in him getting Tommy John surgery, which kept him out for all of 2021, as well.
The Astros gave Verlander a qualifying offer, so he can return to the team on a one-year deal worth $18,400,000, but he isn’t ruling out exploring the open market. Verlander is hosting a throwing showcase on Monday, and the Blue Jays are one of the teams in attendance…

Hearing #BlueJays will be one of many teams watching the Justin Verlander showcase.I’d say it’s more that due diligence based on the fit.
— Scott Mitchell (@ScottyMitchTSN) November 8, 2021

It’s difficult to say how Verlander, who turns 39 years old in February, will look after having Tommy John, especially given he’s hardly pitched over the last couple of seasons.
…

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Author: Cam Lewis / Blue Jays Nation

Raptors: Pascal Siakam injury update suggests he’ll return this week

Raptors: Pascal Siakam injury update suggests he’ll return this week

Even though the Toronto Raptors have raised a few eyebrows around the league by starting the season with a 6-4 record, a good deal of attention was still fixated firmly on injured star Pascal Siakam. This fanbase was refreshing Twitter every five minutes looking for the latest Pascal Siakam injury update. The Cameroonian star hasn’t […]
Raptors: Pascal Siakam injury update suggests he’ll return this week – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Toronto Raptors: Nick Nurse broke our hearts with Kyle Lowry flub

Toronto Raptors: Nick Nurse broke our hearts with Kyle Lowry flub

Even though plenty of fans could see his departure coming, the fact that Kyle Lowry is no longer a member of the Toronto Raptors is still hard to swallow for a large chunk of the fanbase. Even head coach Nick Nurse is having a hard time internalizing this. Lowry called time on a Toronto career […]
Toronto Raptors: Nick Nurse broke our hearts with Kyle Lowry flub – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

A Fortnight On The Farm: Volume Nine

The farm teams are winding down now, though not in the uniform fashion to which we’ve been accustomed.

The full season leagues have two more weeks to go in the regular season, with all but AAA following the season with a five-game playoff series (all of the Jays affiliates on those levels are mathematically out already) and AAA having both a regular-season champion declared based on the best overall regular-season record in the AAA East and AAA West – and the Bisons are 3.5 back of the Durham Bulls for that crown in the East (and are on track to finish first in their division). After the regular season, there’s an odd little 10-game sprint to be named the overall AAA champion.
The complex teams won’t have any sort of post-season, with the Florida squad ending play the same weekend the higher level teams do, and the Dominican team playing through to the last weekend of the MLB season. On to the recaps.
Complex
As I’ve noted before, far and away the most high-profile player on the Dominican squad is bonus baby Manuel Beltre (typically found listed among the Jays’ top 15 prospects). The 17-year-old shortstop took a little …

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Author: Tammy Rainey / Blue Jays Nation

Toronto Raptors: Grading all major 2021 offseason acquisitions

Raptors Mock Draft has Masai Ujiri picking top recruit, solid scorer

Though the Toronto Raptors didn’t acquire any one guy bigger than an over-the-hill Goran Dragic this summer, the quantity of new guys who’ll be joining the team this year is noticeable. The Raptors have close to twenty guys currently on the extended roster, but only ten of them have played a game with the team, […]
Toronto Raptors: Grading all major 2021 offseason acquisitions – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Avishai Sol / Raptors HQ

Should the Toronto Raptors have given Gary Trent Jr. a player option?

Should the Toronto Raptors have given Gary Trent Jr. a player option?

Even though the Toronto Raptors had to deal with saying goodbye to Kyle Lowry this offseason, fans can take solace in the fact that they were able to re-sign guard Gary Trent Jr. on a long-term contract. If everything goes as planned, Trent could end up staying in Toronto until 2024. Acquired from the Portland […]
Should the Toronto Raptors have given Gary Trent Jr. a player option? – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Raptors: Could Isaiah Hartenstein replace Freddie Gillespie?

Raptors: Could Isaiah Hartenstein replace Freddie Gillespie?

Even though players like Isaiah Hartenstein were available on the free agent market, the Toronto Raptors have apparently decided to stick with a center rotation that features Khem Birch as the starter, Precious Achiuwa as the small ball backup option, and Freddie Gillespie as the mop-up third-string player. However, if the Raptors want to make […]
Raptors: Could Isaiah Hartenstein replace Freddie Gillespie? – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

Raptors: Fred VanVleet’s tweet shows he wants Pascal Siakam to stay

Raptors: Fred VanVleet’s tweet shows he wants Pascal Siakam to stay

Even though Pascal Siakam might be starting the season a bit later than everyone else due to his shoulder injury, he figures to be a major part of what the Toronto Raptors want to build around. Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and Scottie Barnes all figure to be major components of Toronto’s offensive attack. While Siakam is […]
Raptors: Fred VanVleet’s tweet shows he wants Pascal Siakam to stay – Raptors Rapture – Raptors Rapture – A Toronto Raptors Fan Site – News, Blogs, Opinion and More

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Author: Mike Luciano / Raptors HQ

George Springer will apparently play centre field and bat fifth tonight against the Marlins

Though the team hasn’t made an announcement yet, it appears as though George Springer will be activated from the 10-day Injured List today.

According to Hazel Mae, he’ll play centre field and bat fifth in the lineup…

#BlueJays George Springer will bat 5th in tonight’s lineup vs #Marlins and play centerfield in his return from the IL (quad).
— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) June 22, 2021

Springer, as we know, suffered a quad injury during spring training and didn’t make his Blue Jays debut until late in April. He then played in a few games and re-aggravated the injury and has been on the IL since.
The difference this time around is that Springer took part in a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Thunder-Bisons. He played five games in Triple-A, spending a good chunk of his time in centre field, and went 3-for-17 at the plate.

George Springer said via Zoom he’s “extremely excited” to produce on the field for #BlueJays. Said it was “brutal” to be sidelined for six weeks but he’s feeling far better physically now. When he first returned, he felt good. “This time I feel great.”
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) June 22, 2021

In all four of the …

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Author: Cam Lewis / Blue Jays Nation