Pitching, at its best, is a beautiful ruthless painting that deserves to be hung on a wall for people to stare at for hours. The grip. Deception. The wind up. Release. It is splashed paint all around home, sometimes it&#8217;s anarchy, pure chaos, and sometimes it&#8217;s precision.
Precise. Perfect. Powerful. Beauty.
I&#8217;ve spent hours this summer documenting the farm, taking in the minor air, and here is a collection of my favourite pitches in the system, in no particular order.
***
Joey Murray&#8217;s &#8216;Invisiball&#8217;
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There is nothing under-the-radar about Joey Murray! <a href="https://t.co/gHIgpZZHtP">pic.twitter.com/gHIgpZZHtP</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1161442759217164288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Tyler Murray, the voice of the Fisher Cats, said during a broadcast that Joey Murray’s fastball is known as the ‘invisible fastball’ because of his high spin rate. He spins the red stitching on the baseball, until all 108 double stitches disappear. Hitters aren’t able to pick up what it is and that is why they are unable to connect on it even though it sits in the low 90s. It&#8217;s deceptive. It can&#8217;t be read.
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Joey Murray’s ‘invisiball’. <a href="https://t.co/XwXUKsPG68">pic.twitter.com/XwXUKsPG68</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1159254553025548288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2019</a></blockquote>
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All of Kirby Snead&#8217;s Spin
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Kirby Snead is going to be one cool future Blue Jay arm in the ‘pen. Check out the lefty break this ball. He struck out the side in the 4th and has 5Ks in 2IP. This is what getting called up to Toronto looks like. <a href="https://t.co/Lhv6o6NJ08">pic.twitter.com/Lhv6o6NJ08</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1160350398563139584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Snead spins baseball. They slide. It&#8217;s cool. The surf kissing the sand.
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Kirby Snead spinning baseballs in the dirt. <a href="https://t.co/fnkg1uacR3">pic.twitter.com/fnkg1uacR3</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1142916076025667584?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 23, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Spinning baseballs sliding through the air.
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Here’s a look at Kirby Snead’s filthy slider. It spins and spins and spins&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/klE1r2h4Vc">pic.twitter.com/klE1r2h4Vc</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150192032947814400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Patrick Murphy&#8217;s curveball
<a href="https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-curving-path-of-patrick-murphy/">Since writing my article for Fangraphs&#8217; The Hardball Times</a>, Patrick Murphy has been toe-tapped out of the season and that makes me sad. His curveball is art, bending beauty. His curveball dances 66-feet-and-six-inches and breaks swinging hearts.
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This summer hasn’t seen enough of Patrick Murphy’s bend and that is unfortunate. <a href="https://t.co/UyyqO8jwNp">pic.twitter.com/UyyqO8jwNp</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1159102049642078211?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2019</a></blockquote>
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He is currently on the IL because he is dealing with shoulder fatigue from working on fixing the toe-tap issue, which is a terrible rule. This rule has broken the bend for most of this summer, but his bending path is still art.
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Patrick Murphy’s curveball is art. <a href="https://t.co/GvAUjfJYHb">pic.twitter.com/GvAUjfJYHb</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150172883425136641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Joey Murray&#8217;s break
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Here’s a look at Joey Murray’s breaking bender. The 29th ranked Jays prospect tossed 5 innings Saturday afternoon and recorded 9 Ks &#8211; not too bad at all. <a href="https://t.co/ch2fS83GAX">pic.twitter.com/ch2fS83GAX</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155278346445623297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Nate Pearson&#8217;s Fastball
The samurai slays all who challenge. A bloody scene. The defeated, one by one, stabbed by speed.
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No big deal. Just a 102-mph Nate Pearson fastball. <a href="https://t.co/5bBPSrzy9l">pic.twitter.com/5bBPSrzy9l</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1146569995369033738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Nate Pearson’s 88th pitch of the night is a 102-mph fastball for his 8th K. Unruly. <a href="https://t.co/rSqjNAXIiY">pic.twitter.com/rSqjNAXIiY</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1160353159648169989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Simeon Woods Richardson Paint
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This is from an SWR start in late June. During this game, the broadcasters said that Woods-Richardson looks up to Marcus Stroman. They also went on about his character and love for the craft of pitching. Here he is nibbling at the corner of the plate, splashing a little paint. <a href="https://t.co/y8cQTrKcIY">pic.twitter.com/y8cQTrKcIY</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155944815026032640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Splashing it with precision. I&#8217;m all in on SWR. And his 18-year-old break.
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This is what an 18-year-old SWR breaking ball looks like&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/hj6gbdzkks">pic.twitter.com/hj6gbdzkks</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155635657324318722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Jackson McClelland&#8217;s Fastball
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From last night’s game: Jackson McClelland 99-mph swing and miss heat, with a little paint. That’s what Buffalo bound looks like. <a href="https://t.co/ythmw22nQK">pic.twitter.com/ythmw22nQK</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155114119676223488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2019</a></blockquote>
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And, as you know, he is now a Buffalo Bison.
He throws the baseball hard, high, and low, as he uses his fastball as two separate pitches. He also changes things up, which is another piece of pitching art that deserves to be shared.
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From last night’s Bisons game: Look at Jackson McClelland’s offspeed sink. He can elevate his fastball with movement and throw it with great downward plane, too. So, with his fastball working as two effective pitches plus this CH, he is getting closer to the MLB. <a href="https://t.co/E5ALNFqE0k">pic.twitter.com/E5ALNFqE0k</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1160576476439285760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Eric Pardinho&#8217;s Changeup
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Eric Pardinho’s changeup is kind of awesome. <a href="https://t.co/ipS1l7obW2">pic.twitter.com/ipS1l7obW2</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150496700433412096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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And so is his ability to paint his fastball.
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Eric Pardinho knows how to paint &#8211; a young Picasso. <a href="https://t.co/1Mq0k889YN">pic.twitter.com/1Mq0k889YN</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150503025963884544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Just in case you forgot, Eric Pardinho is only 18. <a href="https://t.co/aA7EiHOYMq">pic.twitter.com/aA7EiHOYMq</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1154900373133496320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 26, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Anthony Kay&#8217;s Slider/Curve 

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I can get into this <a href="https://t.co/CahpJ9oACr">pic.twitter.com/CahpJ9oACr</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1156737564914737152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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His brother told me Anthony&#8217;s curveball is sometimes a slider, sometimes a curveball, &#8221; it’s a mystery even to him&#8221;. It&#8217;s a mystery to me, too. Deceptive lefty dirt.
Cre Finfrock&#8217;s Breaking Ball
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Cre Finfrock breaking the ball for the Lugnuts win last night. He tosses mid-to-high 90s, can bend the ball, and has an all-star name. <a href="https://t.co/VWioWA4hgD">pic.twitter.com/VWioWA4hgD</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1152191704788811777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2019</a></blockquote>
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The break with all the dance.
Nate Pearson&#8217;s Slider
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Nate Pearson’s Sunday slider. <a href="https://t.co/cUczCQ3mGT">pic.twitter.com/cUczCQ3mGT</a>
&mdash; Ryan D (@RyanDifrancesco) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1158468929821519872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Anarchy. Pure Jackson Pollock.
***
The waves are coming and they are going to crash into Toronto and break their way to the future shore. From Pardinho&#8217;s changeup to Patrick Murphy&#8217;s curveball to Joey Murray&#8217;s &#8216;invisiball&#8217; to Nate Pearson&#8217;s unruly fastball and slider, it was a pleasure to walk you through some of my favourite summer pitches &#8211; pitches that are the furthest thing from minor.

Pitching, at its best, is a beautiful ruthless painting that deserves to be hung on a wall for people to stare at for hours. The grip. Deception. The wind up. Release. It is splashed paint all around home, sometimes it's anarchy, pure chaos, and sometimes it's precision.

Precise. Perfect. Powerful. Beauty.

I've spent hours this summer documenting the farm, taking in the minor air, and here is a collection of my favourite pitches in the system, in no particular order.
***
Joey Murray's 'Invisiball'
https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1161442759217164288

Tyler Murray, the voice of the Fisher Cats, said during a broadcast that Joey Murray’s fastball is known as the ‘invisible fastball’ because of his high spin rate. He spins the red stitching on the baseball, until all 108 double stitches disappear. Hitters aren’t able to pick up what it is and that is why they are unable to connect on it even though it sits in the low 90s. It's deceptive. It can't be read.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1159254553025548288

All of Kirby Snead's Spin

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1160350398563139584

Snead spins baseball. They slide. It's cool. The surf kissing the sand.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1142916076025667584

Spinning baseballs sliding through the air.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150192032947814400

Patrick Murphy's curveball

<a href="https://tht.fangraphs.com/the-curving-path-of-patrick-murphy/">Since writing my article for Fangraphs' The Hardball Times</a>, Patrick Murphy has been toe-tapped out of the season and that makes me sad. His curveball is art, bending beauty. His curveball dances 66-feet-and-six-inches and breaks swinging hearts.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1159102049642078211

He is currently on the IL because he is dealing with shoulder fatigue from working on fixing the toe-tap issue, which is a terrible rule. This rule has broken the bend for most of this summer, but his bending path is still art.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150172883425136641

Joey Murray's break

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155278346445623297

Nate Pearson's Fastball

The samurai slays all who challenge. A bloody scene. The defeated, one by one, stabbed by speed.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1146569995369033738

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1160353159648169989

Simeon Woods Richardson Paint

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155944815026032640

Splashing it with precision. I'm all in on SWR. And his 18-year-old break.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155635657324318722

Jackson McClelland's Fastball

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1155114119676223488

And, as you know, he is now a Buffalo Bison.

He throws the baseball hard, high, and low, as he uses his fastball as two separate pitches. He also changes things up, which is another piece of pitching art that deserves to be shared.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1160576476439285760

Eric Pardinho's Changeup

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150496700433412096

And so is his ability to paint his fastball.

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1150503025963884544

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1154900373133496320

Anthony Kay's Slider/Curve


https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1156737564914737152

His brother told me Anthony's curveball is sometimes a slider, sometimes a curveball, " it’s a mystery even to him". It's a mystery to me, too. Deceptive lefty dirt.

Cre Finfrock's Breaking Ball

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1152191704788811777

The break with all the dance.

Nate Pearson's Slider

https://twitter.com/RyanDifrancesco/status/1158468929821519872

Anarchy. Pure Jackson Pollock.
***
The waves are coming and they are going to crash into Toronto and break their way to the future shore. From Pardinho's changeup to Patrick Murphy's curveball to Joey Murray's 'invisiball' to Nate Pearson's unruly fastball and slider, it was a pleasure to walk you through some of my favourite summer pitches - pitches that are the furthest thing from minor.

Here are a bunch of pitchers in the Blue Jays’ system to get hyped about

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