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Batters Box caught up with Dick Scott on Saturday as he was watching a GCL game in Florida.  Dick told us some bad news about Brad Mills and Kyle Ginley; had some promising news for Brian Dopirak; and talked about the year so far for Brad Emaus, JP Arencibia and David Cooper, among others.

BB: Travis Snider hasn't played in a few days, is his back still hurting him?

DS: No, he hurt his knee sliding into home plate, the catcher blocked the plate and he banged his knee up.  He is day-to-day.


BB: I see Brad Mills is on the DL, is it a rib problem or an oblique strain?

DS: It's either an oblique strain or he has a little bit of a fracture of his rib.  It is "to be determined" but it will probably be four weeks before he is back.


BB: JP Arencibia is on the DL but he has not been able to handle AAA pitching yet.  Is he going to be able to develop an approach, and patience, that will work for him?

DS: I think so.  He will develop patience with time.  He got to AAA after only one full season in the minor leagues under his belt and there are a lot of pitchers in AAA who have pitched in the big leagues or who pitched earlier this season in the big leagues so it's a good level for him and he has to make some adjustments and we would prefer for him to undergo adversity in the minor leagues rather than in the major leagues.  He is making adjustments, he will be fine.


BB: Fabio Castro started off very well in AA and initially in AAA but has struggled a bit more recently.  Is it just getting used to pitching in AAA or him working on his stuff?

DS: You have to give him credit, he has had only about two bad outings this year and they have come in the last couple of starts.  He has had a real good year and we actually have had teams call and ask about him.  I think he has a chance to pitch for us in the major leagues and he has had a couple of bad outings but I don't see any more than that.

BB: How hard does he throw?

DS: He is 86-88.


BB: Is there any chance of Bobby Ray coming back anytime soon?

DS: Well it's going to be a while.  He is on a throwing program here in Florida, I don't know what the timetable is.


BB: Brad Emaus had a great start to the season but has struggled in June.  What has been the difference?

DS: I just think pitchers are making adjustments to him and, again, he has one full season under his belt in the FSL, and it's a pretty fast pace we have him on.  I think he is doing OK, he definitely needs to make the adjustments at home plate, he is a little too aggressive right now, he is not being patient.  I think the league knows he is being more aggressive than he should be and they are not throwing him many strikes.  That's something he has to figure out and he has the capability of it, but there are a couple of changes he needs to make in his swing.  His approach has changed a little bit but it is all part of the learning curve and I think he will be fine.


BB: On the other hand David Cooper started slowly but has been playing well since coming off the DL.  Did anything happen or is it experience?

DS: It's experience, he hadn't played any in the minor leagues except for half a season prior to this so to throw him into the AA fire was pretty aggressive on our part.  He has had to learn on the job, he is working hard on his defense and base running and trying to be a better overall player for a guy known for his bat.  he has had a lot of stuff thrown at him this year but he has made adjustments but the guy is going to be a good hitter.


BB: Brian Dopirak has been your best hitter in AA, are there any thoughts of sending him to AAA or is he blocked there?

DS: We have talked about that and it may happen sooner rather than later.  He has had a good half there so let's see what he can do in AAA.


BB: When we spoke last year about the young guys who are now in Dunedin you told me you just have to let them play.  Now that they are in their age 20 season is it still "you just have to let them play"?

DS: well I think with the second half of the season starting now the expectations are increasing a little bit.  Overall they have all hung in there and it's a very difficult league to play in at 20 years old.  They are talented guys, they have improved, but they need to make adjustments, they need to stop doing the same things over and over.  They are making strides, it is tough when you get overwhelmed with things.  They will probably all repeat there next year.


BB: One young guy who has had an impact is Moises Sierra.  Do you leave him in Dunedin because of his age or move him to AA?

DS: He is probably going to stay there for now.  He has done a great job and he is leading the league in hitting.


BB: Eric Thames has been on the DL a few times, is that all related to his quad issues?

DS: It has been different injuries, he just had his knee scoped for a meniscus tear, he is likely out four weeks at least.


BB: Kyle Ginley is in the bullpen now, is that a permanent move?

DS: He came off the DL about two weeks ago and now he has hurt his elbow again so we have to shut him down again.


BB: Tyler Pastornicky has done well this season, what does he need to do to move up.

DS: He just needs to keep playing for now, he has been hitting well, he has around 40 stolen bases, his defense is a lot better than we anticipated.  He is a young guy who just needs to keep playing.  we are not going to move him, he is fine right where he is.  He has done a nice job, made a lot of adjustments and to it like that for a young kid is quite impressive.


Thanks to Dick Scott for his time.  Also yours truly will be in beautiful Manchester, New Hamsphire next weekend if any bauxites would like to say hi.

Catching Up with Dick Scott | 15 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
jerjapan - Sunday, July 12 2009 @ 12:00 PM EDT (#202556) #
BB: Brian Dopirak has been your best hitter in AA, are there any thoughts of sending him to AAA or is he blocked there?

DS: We have talked about that and it may happen sooner rather than later.  He has had a good half there so let's see what he can do in AAA.

Good to hear that the organization is planning to give Dopirak a shot in AAA.  Also interesting to hear Scott mildly challenge the A ball prospects, saying the second half of the season would be the time for them to show more progress.  We've been hearing for a while that they are young, let them play - this is the first time I've heard someone in the organization say 'they need to make adjustments, they need to stop doing the same things over and over'.  And then to say they will probably all repeat at Dunedin next season ...

Forkball - Sunday, July 12 2009 @ 02:21 PM EDT (#202561) #
Repeating Dunedin isn't that big of a deal.  The HS players would be eligible for the draft next year, in which case they would be in Dunedin in 2011.

If they don't show considerable improvements next year then it might be a concern, but players can break out at any time for no particular reason, like Sierra this year or Rios many moons ago.

TamRa - Sunday, July 12 2009 @ 03:24 PM EDT (#202565) #
Hopefully Dopirak moves up just after the AAA all star break.

I like what he's saying about the Class of '07 repeating Dunedin but that implies that Pastornicky, in particular, will be blocked so I hope jackson gets it together well enough to move up if not by opening day then at least by June 2010 so that TP can advance as well.

Bad news about Thames. Kid may end up being too fragile to make progress. Also not good about Ray and Mills.


scottt - Sunday, July 12 2009 @ 05:01 PM EDT (#202568) #
Delluci had a hit today. That makes him 1 for 20. I'd take anybody from A ball or above with a bit of upside over him.
The_Game - Sunday, July 12 2009 @ 06:05 PM EDT (#202569) #
Snider with another HR today. How long can they keep him down with the season now "over" and Dellucci not doing anything at all?
Spifficus - Sunday, July 12 2009 @ 06:11 PM EDT (#202570) #
Not sure. Has he been down long enough to delay free agency a year? If not, it must be close.
brent - Sunday, July 12 2009 @ 07:06 PM EDT (#202571) #

http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090712&content_id=5839892&vkey=news_tor&fext=.jsp&c_id=tor

Good news on the other injured players. Janssen is definitely returning to the  pen. Where will he rehab?

PeteMoss - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 12:23 AM EDT (#202573) #
This starter/reliever/starterr/reliever indecision with Janssen really makes the team look like they have no plan at all with these guys and they just pick roles based on team need.  If there is one thing that stands out as JP's biggest fault (excluding handing out giant contracts to guys who shouldn't have them) its the seeming lack of a plan when developing players. 

ayjackson - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 12:33 AM EDT (#202575) #
I'm sure their plan wasn't labrum surgery.
Ozzieball - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 02:16 AM EDT (#202576) #
JP sticks too rigidly to the five-year plan. Which is why he has no plan.

What this team needs to do is trade for Reed Johnson. This team went wrong the moment they let Reed Johnson go. Reed Johnson will lead the Jays to the Stanley Cup.

TamRa - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 03:16 AM EDT (#202577) #
Snider with another HR today. How long can they keep him down with the season now "over" and Dellucci not doing anything at all?

A decent speculation would be he'd be back after the break. It might have been August 1 if the Jays hadn't gone off the cliff.

My question isn't so much when he's coming back but whether Cito will let him play every day when he does. There's really no reason not to.


Not sure. Has he been down long enough to delay free agency a year? If not, it must be close.


Yes, I think so. I remember Wilner saying that he needed to stay past July 1 to be safe. I remember checking it at the time and thinking that it was a correct statement.

Not sure if the question was free agency or Arb or both, though.



92-93 - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 01:05 PM EDT (#202583) #
Well, Snider spent last September with the Jays, as well as this year until May 22, so pretend he was up until around June 22 this year. Normally you need to keep guys down around 6 weeks to avoid Super 2 status, so I'd assume that if Snider came back immediately after the break and stayed all season, he'd reach arbitration a year earlier. Holding him down until August 10th or so, while claiming it's so he can get everyday ABs and work on some things, is probably in the best interests of the club by keeping Snider away from Super 2 eligibility.
Mike Green - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 01:42 PM EDT (#202588) #
Normally Super 2 eligibility would be a very minor consideration.  However, with this year apparently a write-off (and bearing in mind the tight budget),  the dynamics of the recall timing for Snider change a bit from what they might be at the start of the season. 
christaylor - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 01:44 PM EDT (#202589) #
Off topic: anyone else see the picture of Halladay and Lincecum side by each at the all-star press conference? If Lincecum is his listed 5'11'', I'll eat my hat. Which goes to show his success as a starter is all the more amazing?
metafour - Monday, July 13 2009 @ 03:35 PM EDT (#202593) #
Halladay is listed at 6'6 so Lincecum being 7-inches shorter looks about right in that pic...
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