2007 Toronto Blue Jays season


The 2007 Toronto Blue Jays season was the franchise's 31st season of Major League Baseball. The Blue Jays tried to improve on their 87-win 2006 season, hoping to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
In the offseason, the Jays signed All Star outfielder Vernon Wells to one of the richest contracts in MLB history, giving him a seven-year contract worth $126 million. Toronto also extended the contract of first baseman Lyle Overbay, and signed veteran designated hitter Frank Thomas. To offset the loss of starter Ted Lilly to the Chicago Cubs, Toronto signed Japanese pitcher Tomo Ohka and former Atlanta starter John Thomson to one-year contracts and inked former New York Mets hurler Víctor Zambrano to a minor-league deal. All three men, however, were eventually designated for assignment and released. The Jays also picked up infielder Jason Smith from the Rule 5 draft, but he too was released from his contract.

Regular season

Summary

During the month of January, Toronto signed starting pitchers John Thomson and then Tomo Ohka to incentive-based one-year contracts in an effort to strengthen their 4th and 5th rotational slots. On January 30 Toronto also signed starting pitcher Víctor Zambrano to a minor league contract, and invited him to Spring training. All three were eventually released. When Brandon League, who was being considered for the main setup role, arrived to Spring training with a strained lat muscle, Zambrano took the empty spot in the bullpen. Thomson injured himself in spring training, so the Blue Jays named Ohka and Towers as their fourth and fifth starters. After four mediocre starts, Josh Towers was sent to the bullpen and replaced by Dustin McGowan. Towers returned to the rotation later in the year replacing released pitcher Tomo Ohka. When Gustavo Chacín was injured, he was replaced in the rotation by Shaun Marcum, who had a breakout year.
The season was blighted by persistent injuries, with 12 Blue Jays landing on the DL. The most serious injury was that of B. J. Ryan, who was out for the entire season having had Tommy John Surgery. However, due to the emergence of young pitchers like Dustin McGowan, Casey Janssen and Jeremy Accardo, the Jays finished 4 games above.500.
One of the most memorable games this season for the Jays was on Tuesday, June 5, 2007 when they rallied from being down 11-6 in the bottom of the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays to win 12-11 on an RBI walk-off base on balls by Aaron Hill, a victory that moved them to within 1 game under.500
Another memorable moment of this season was Dustin McGowan's complete game one-hitter on Sunday, June 24 against the Colorado Rockies at the Rogers Centre. McGowan carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning when outfielder Jeff Baker hit a single with no out to break it up. This was the first Jays' one-hitter since September 27, 1998, in which Roy Halladay threw against the Detroit Tigers. The Jays won 5-0 and moved themselves up to.500 for the first time since May 1 of the season. The game was also notable for Frank Thomas hitting the 499th home run of his career. The day after McGowan's gem, the Jays defeated the Minnesota Twins 8-5 to climb over the.500 mark for the first time since April and get their first four-game winning streak of the season.
On June 28, Frank Thomas became the 21st Major Leaguer to hit 500 career home runs. The pitcher who surrendered the homer was Minnesota Twins' starter Carlos Silva. Despite jumping out to an early lead the Jays couldn't hold on and ended up losing 8-5. In addition, Thomas was ejected from the game in the ninth inning by home plate umpire Mark Wegner for arguing balls and strikes.
On July 6, Reed Johnson returned to the lineup after spending three months on the DL. Johnson had been suffering back problems early in the season and received surgery, which forced him onto the 60-Day DL. This situation left Adam Lind the odd-man out in the lineup and he was optioned down to Triple-A. In his first game back Johnson went 1-3 at the plate, and made a game-saving catch in the ninth which prevented two runs from scoring and a runner on second and a one-run lead with only one out. The Jays won the game 8–6 against the Cleveland Indians.
On September 16, Aaron Hill broke the Blue Jays club record for most doubles by a second baseman in one season, set by Roberto Alomar in 1991 with 41 doubles that season. Hill recorded his 42nd double of the season against the Baltimore Orioles.
On September 17, Frank Thomas hit three home runs in a game for only the second time in his career, both times against the Boston Red Sox.

Season standings

Detailed record

Record vs. opponents

2007 Draft picks

Source
The 2007 MLB Draft was held on June 7-8. The Blue Jays had two first round picks, along with five compensation picks.
RoundPickPlayerPositionCollege/SchoolNationalitySigned
116*Kevin Ahrens3BMemorial High School 2007–06–15
121J. P. ArencibiaCTennessee2007–06–15
C-A38*Brett CecilLHPMaryland2007–06–15
C-A45*Justin JacksonSSRoberson High School 2007–07–07
C-A56*Trystan MagnusonRHPLouisville2007–07–07
285John Tolisano2BEstero High School 2007–06–15
288*Eric EilandOFLamar High School 2007–06–15
3115Alan FarinaRHPClemson2007–07–07
4145Brad MillsLHPArizona2007–06–15
5175Marc RzepczynskiLHPCal-Riverside2007–06–15
6205Mike McDade1BSilverado High School 2007–06–12
7235Randy BooneRHPTexas–
8265Scott LefflerRHPTampa2007–07–07
9295Marcus WaldenRHPFresno City College2007–06–12
10325Joel CollinsCSouth Alabama2007–06–15

Game log

Player stats

Batting

Note: G = Games played; AB = At Bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting Average; HR = Home Runs; RBI = Runs Batted In; R = Runs; SB = Stolen Bases
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBIRSB
Aaron Hill160608177.2911778874
Lyle Overbay122425102.2401044492
Alex Ríos161643191.297248511417
Frank Thomas155531147.2772695630
Vernon Wells149584143.24516808510

As of September 30, 2007

Pitching

Starting pitchers
Note: GS = Games started; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts; QS = Quality starts
PlayerGSIPWLERABBSO
A. J. Burnett19121.2773.7042119
Gustavo Chacín527.1215.60711
Roy Halladay261861463.8742119
Jesse Litsch1479.1563.402633
Shaun Marcum*20119.21033.323184
Dustin McGowan21129.1884.1848103
Tomo Ohka ^1056.0255.792221
Ty Taubenheim15.0009.0044
Josh Towers*1585.1495.291958
Víctor Zambrano*25.10116.8851

As of August 29, 2007
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; H = Holds; ERA = Earned run average; BB = Walks allowed; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLSVHERABBSO
Jeremy Accardo2526.211712.361026
Jordan De Jong22.000009.0024
Scott Downs3123.211063.421728
Jason Frasor2226.122233.761127
Casey Janssen2733.020391.09612
Shaun Marcum**1316.112116.06622
B. J. Ryan54.1023012.4643
Brian Tallet1625.021001.801220
Josh Towers**613.210005.93112
Jamie Vermilyea26.000000.0002
Brian Wolfe43.100005.4011
Víctor Zambrano**65.101005.0664

As of June 10, 2007

Draft

This is a partial list. For the full draft, see here.

Players Selected

Farm system

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Auburn