Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

We have a simple All-Star break challenge for you today. You are the general manager of the Blue Jays, and you can make as many roster moves as you like. You have no viable trading partners, and there are no useful waiver wire acquisitions, so any moves must come from within the organization. Otherwise, there are no limits. If you want, you can have a six man or even a five man bullpen. Here would be my moves:

1. DFA Phillips, call up Thigpen.
2. DFA Clayton, call up Olmedo
3. Option Wolfe and DeJong to Syracuse, call up Lee Gronkiewicz and Brandon League

What would yours be?

Posted by Mike Green on Monday, July 09 2007 @ 12:01 PM EDT.

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AWeb - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 02:07 PM EDT (#171323) #

I'd exchange Fasano for Phillips, even if this "risked" losing Phillips (waivers?). Fasano is at least tearing up AAA pitching (small sample), and seemed to be better at catching than Phillips.

I'd release Clayton and call up Adams. Yes, I'm no Adams fan, but this allows Thigpen to play 2B in the minors. If he's going to move out from the plate, it's time to start doing so. For Adams, it's time he either contributes at the major league level or moves aside for others to develop. This way, at least one of those is accomplished.

The bullpen I probably keep shuffling the back-end relievers around, as needed. I call up League only if he's ready to be used regularly.

Gerry - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 02:59 PM EDT (#171328) #

One thing the Jays did do is release Victor Zambrano.

ayjackson - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 03:04 PM EDT (#171330) #

I'm right with you Mike. There's nothing I could add, really.

Ryan Day - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 03:07 PM EDT (#171331) #

I'm not going to say Zambrano is a huge loss, but his handling has been ridiculous. Stick him in the bullpen, don't use him, make him a starter, send him to the minors... And now that he actually looks like he's improving at AAA (only 6 walks and 17 Ks in his last three starts), they release him. Zambrano could have been a contributor in some way, but the Jays pretty much squelched any chances of that happening.

Anyway, to the question at hand:

Dump Clayton, bring up Olmedo.
Dump Phillips, bring up Fasano.
Pick a position for Thigpen and play him there. (if that position is catcher, then forget Fasano)
Insert Casey Janssen into the rotation. Let Jess Litsch start at AAA for at least another month.
Demote De Jong, bring up Gronkiewicz.

GregJP - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 03:53 PM EDT (#171338) #

I think Litsch should definitely be starting in AAA until September. I don't really think he's going to be a successful major league pitcher, and even if he is he needs some AAA time.

I'm mystified and perplexed that Royce Clayton is still on the roster. I think JP is just being stubborn and in some kind of denial about how truly putrid an idea it was signing him.

I also think that Janssen should be slowly worked into the rotation after the break. As I said 6 weeks ago this team is not making the playoffs this year so why not shift Janssen into the role that he will eventually occupy.

I also agree that Gronkiewicz has much better stuff than de Jong.

Looks like we're all pretty much in agreement with all of these moves. They're all pretty much no brainers which probably means they don't have much of a chance of happening.

I don't know why, but this particular GM/manager combo annoys me more than any other in the 30 years that I've been a Jays fan.

King Rat - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 04:04 PM EDT (#171339) #

Oh boy! Unlimited power over the Jays is mine! Bwa ha ha ha ha ha ha!

Like more or less everyone else, my first move is to call in Jason Phillips, tell him I'm very sorry, and DFA him. I'd bring up Fasano rather than Thigpen, because I want Thigpen playing-at catcher, mind you, not second, third or at a position not yet invented-every day in Syracuse. Unless he hits the cover off of the ball, Fasano can't hit at all, or some combination of the two, I'm leaving Thigpen in upstate New York until September

Clayton is a marginally tougher call, but in the end he's been decisively outplayed by John McDonald, and when you've said that, you've said everything. Again, a DFA, with release coming at the end unless some idiot wants to trade for him. Olmedo seems like the sensible replacement; and DFAing Clayton opens up a spot for him.

I'd also bring back Gronkiewicz, sending down De Jong, who doesn't impress me. I'd leave League down for a while yet, I think. And then you get into the team contingent stuff. For example, if the team falls on its face out of the gate, I would trade Glaus, looking for a major-league ready or near it third baseman and pitching. Conversely, if they started like gangbusters, I might look to trade for a shortstop, though Young looks to be beyond our reach and Brendan Harris isn't really a major upgrade on McDonald.

Another thing I might do, the health of various pitchers permitting, would be to try and showcase Gustavo Chacin for a quick trade. This would only really work if Chacin were ready before Burnett; I'd option Litsch, pitch Chacin for a couple of starts, and look to trade him for anything remotely promising. Whether it would work or not, I don't know.

That, then, it the master plan. Nothing all that original, I admit, but the best I can think of right now.

Manhattan Mike - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 04:07 PM EDT (#171340) #

I agree with all these moves and I think that, they're all going to be basically along the same lines.

I'm writing because Richard Griffin's column this morning (http://www.thestar.com/Sports/article/233757) annoyed me even more than his 'work' usually does. Not only does he make a bush league factual error in stating that Alex Rios is "one of the players making under a million dollars" this season (he's making $2.535 million according to Cot's, Dick), but the whole premise of his article, that "the future is looking bleak for the Jays" is ridiculous.

Griffin argues that because the Jays have "discovered some previously untapped resources" with the young arms of McGowan, Janssen, and Accardo, they are at a disadvantage, lacking "some hot young stud from the farm knocking on the door" that "most organizations" have. If I understand him correctly, he's railing on JP because the prospects have done well in the first half of the year and will hopefully be productive for an entire season instead of just 1/2 a season, which seems to be Griffin's preference. I mean, I take most of this guy's anti-JP view with a grain of salt but he's hit a new low with this one! While not loaded with prospects, there are a number of decent young players toiling in Syracuse and New Hampshire. Moreover, guys like Thigpen and Lind - who are back in AAA and could return by the end of the season - would have surely been considered the the "previously untapped resources" had they not been called up earlier than expected owing to injuries on the parent club's roster. His piece today makes no sense at all!

Maybe it's me but I just don't get it. Griffin NEVER offers an alternative move that would have helped the Jays (there was none this past off-season). And his borderline racist writing a few weeks back (referring to white people as "crackers") is as shocking as his political references are out-of-place. I don't read the Sports pages because I'm interested to know whether the columnist is a liberal or a conservative. I read them for additional insight into the teams I love. Griffin lacks knowledge and either never had insight or lost it when he decided that his writings would focus on doing whatever possible to get JP and Gibby fired. How he stays employed as a beat writer is beyond my simple little mind.

Thomas - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 04:10 PM EDT (#171341) #

1. DFA Phillips, recall Sal Fasano

2. Option De Jong to Syracuse, recall Gronkiewicz -> move him into the role Wolfe currently occupies in the bullpen and move Wolfe into the De Jong currently occupies. I'm a proponent of a six-man bullpen, but I'm likely to wait until Burnett's back to go with it. Halladay's been mediocre the last few outings and Towers and Litsch sometimes need to be relieved early. I don't think Wolfe's the answer, but I want League to spend more time at Triple-A and I don't see any better alternatives.

3. DFA Clayton. Call up Adams. I want to see what Adams can do in the majors. It's sink or swim time. If the Jays are set on moving Hill (my thoughts on this aside), then it makes some sense to move him to SS and let Adams have a half season at 2B. Hill's played SS before and while it'd be better for him to take more time to refine his skills there in the offseason, he's not completely new to the position. Also, allowing him to get his feet wet (again) at SS for a couple of months this year could ease the transition in 2008. Let Hill spend another couple of weeks playing 2B and practicing SS in BP with MacDonald playing SS every day and Clark playing there in a pinch and then transition him to SS and let Adams get another 150 at-bats in the bigs. If the Jays are not intent on moving Hill to SS my thoughts may change, but it seems JP's made it clear that this is in the cards.

Frank Markotich - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 04:13 PM EDT (#171342) #

Greg JP: the annoyance factor of the Gord Ash - Buck Martinez combo can not be exceeded in this or in any conceivable alternative universe.

Mike Green - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 04:31 PM EDT (#171345) #

If the Jays are not intent on moving Hill to SS my thoughts may change, but it seems JP's made it clear that this is in the cards.

No conditionals required. In this game, you get to decide. It's much more fun that way.

Marc Hulet - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 04:58 PM EDT (#171348) #

To say Gronkiewicz has better stuff than DeJong is silly and untrue. Gronk has better command, but that's about it - he's a gutsy pitcher that was hitting 85 mph in his appearances. The Jays need to put DeJong, Gronkiewicz, etc. into situations where they can succeed. Neither of those two pitchers have been more than one or occasionally two innings pitchers in their entire minor league careers and were used to pitching every second or third day. In Toronto they were both miscast as long men... who went 3-4 innings and pitched every sixth or seventh day. It's no wonder DeJong has struggled and Gronk would have too if he had stayed up. Vermilyea (now injured in AAA... no surprise) was the best bet for a long man, but even he went too many days in a row without pitching.

Vermilyea:
April 15 - Called up
April 22 - Appeared in a game (Sat for 7 days), sent down
May 10 - Called up and got into a game
May 30 - Sent down after sitting for a very long time

I could see the Jays trading Jason Frasor at the deadline if they can get a 'B' level prospect for him... and giving some more innings to the younger pitchers. He has failed really secure a role in the pen in the last two years but some team will take a chance on a guy who can throw 93 with a decent breaking ball.

GregJP - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 05:00 PM EDT (#171349) #

Greg JP: the annoyance factor of the Gord Ash - Buck Martinez combo can not be exceeded in this or in any conceivable alternative universe.

I guess we'll have to disagree on this issue.

While Martinez was a terrible manager, he didn't annoy me at all. Gibbons, with his "real man from Texas" persona, I just find to be very irritating. Maybe I'm getting cranky as I approach 50, but I find that most of the managers of major league teams these days have swelled heads and inflated egos.

As far as JP, well I think that whole issue has been beaten to death.

Mylegacy - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 05:04 PM EDT (#171350) #

No sweat...

Position players: Fasano up - Phillips so long been good to know ya. Adams up to play 2nd Hill to SS untill the end of the year (lets see if this duo can shake it like my sister Kate) - Clayton so long. Thigpen to 2nd at AAA - next spring he and Adams go mano-a-mano (for those who want Thigpen to be a catcher - I want my wife to look like Jessica Simpson- looks like we're both gonna lose - Thigpen can catch, he can call a game BUT he cannot throw - to my surprise the catcher of the future is Diaz who is growing on me in the same way that rat's nest grows on Sparky's chin). JMac gets to play 3rd when Glaus is on life support and at least twice a week moving Hill and Adams to the bench now and then. I LOVE JMac! (We've all got our weaknesses - JMac is mine.) As much as it disgusts me - Wells stays in the leadoff role, Sparky second then Rios, Glaus, Overbay/Thomas, Thomas/Overbay, Zaunnie, Hill, Adams.

Pitchers: Starters in the following order (as health dictates) Halladay, AJ, McG, Marcum, Janssen, Towers, Litsch. That is a contending 1 through 7 starters. Bullpen guys as follows (health allowing); Accardo, Frasor, League, Downs, Tallet, Wolfe, Gronk, Vermilyea and Thorpe getting at least a lookie in September.

Since I'm the GM now, and just to practice: "If you stiffs don't like it...shove it!" and "O'Dog call me a pimp ya little weasel!" and "Hey Ryan...how's the knee commin' along..er I mean the neck...er the shoulder...er whatever that was I said you hurt!" and one last GM impersonation; "Gosh Gibby that felt good, wanna do it again?"

Mike D - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 05:05 PM EDT (#171351) #

Griffin argues that because the Jays have "discovered some previously untapped resources" with the young arms of McGowan, Janssen, and Accardo, they are at a disadvantage, lacking "some hot young stud from the farm knocking on the door" that "most organizations" have. If I understand him correctly, he's railing on JP because the prospects have done well in the first half of the year and will hopefully be productive for an entire season instead of just 1/2 a season, which seems to be Griffin's preference. I mean, I take most of this guy's anti-JP view with a grain of salt but he's hit a new low with this one! While not loaded with prospects, there are a number of decent young players toiling in Syracuse and New Hampshire. Moreover, guys like Thigpen and Lind - who are back in AAA and could return by the end of the season - would have surely been considered the the "previously untapped resources" had they not been called up earlier than expected owing to injuries on the parent club's roster. His piece today makes no sense at all!

As a fellow Mike who formerly lived in Manhattan, I agree. Gaudy minor league performances, though seductive, should be taken for what they are worth. If Adam Lind had spent the first half tearing up the minors rather than adjusting to the majors in his age 23 season, it wouldn't make the team's future any brighter. Either way, Lind would be an important -- but developing -- part of the organization.

I wonder if Griffin has heard of Travis Snider.

timpinder - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 05:12 PM EDT (#171352) #

First of all, I'd accept that the playoffs are out of reach and start setting things up for 2008. To that end, I'd do the following:

-Dump Phillips, he's horrible. Recall Fasano as a stop-gap measure.

-Dump Clayton, move Hill to SS, and recall Adams to play 2B and hit 9th.

-Keep Thigpen in AAA playing everyday at 2B, incase Adams' 2B audition with the big club is a failure.

-Send De Jong and Wolfe down, recall Gronk and League.

-Give Litsch a few starts, if he struggles, move Janssen into the rotation and send Litsch down.

-Keep Burnett on a strict pitch count (max. 105) after he returns to full stength.

timpinder - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 05:17 PM EDT (#171353) #

Oh, and I'd fire Gibbons. I could list dozens of reasons why, but the one that still sticks out in my mind was Gibbons' decision to pinch-hit with McDonald over All-Star Alex Rios a couple of months ago because of "a hunch".

What!!??

greenfrog - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 05:29 PM EDT (#171355) #

I'm intrigued by Olmedo as a defensive sub and occasional starter at short. I remember Blair writing that he was the Jays' best defensive SS in spring training. I'd like to see him called up, but I'm guessing JP prefers Clayton because he has more experience and is less likely than Olmedo to pull an Edgardo Alfonzo (.162 for the Jays in 2006). That's about as unringing an endorsement as you'll get.

I'm torn about Janssen. He really seems to have found his niche in the setup role. I also suspect the league will catch up to him as a starter. And we need him in the pen: BJ isn't likely to be fully recovered until this time next year, League is still in the minors, and Downs may be gone after 2007.

dan gordon - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 06:24 PM EDT (#171358) #

I'd put Johnson back in the leadoff spot, move Wells to #3 and bat Rios #2.

I'd bring up Gronkiewicz and send DeJong down, bring up Fasano and release Phillips. If League starts to show he is ready to be the setup man, I'd bring him up, send Wolfe down and move Janssen into the rotation (unless Towers continues to pitch like he did on Sunday, or the 2005 version of Towers). Litsch fills in for Burnett until Burnett is ready, and I agree about keeping Burnett's pitch counts down once he is back. I don't think anything much is accomplished by bringing up Olmedo for Clayton, so I'd leave that as is - I play Johnny Mac regularly at SS and Clayton can fill in 1 game a week to keep him fresh. I like Hill, but I'm starting to get a wee bit concerned about Hill's bat as a second baseman - he hasn't hit well since the end of April. He may need to move to SS if he doesn't hit better than his May to July numbers. That would open 2B for Thigpen or possibly Adams (who has been hitting much better of late - I'm not 100% ready to write him off yet - close, but not quite there).

I'd promote Matthews to AAA.

Dave Till - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 06:47 PM EDT (#171359) #

I wouldn't do all that much:

Punt Clayton. He's not happy as a reserve, and he's not playing as well as McDonald; Olmedo could do his job with far less drama.
Leave Wells in the leadoff spot. He's hitting there. Hitting is good.
Leave Hill at second. If he's struggling with the bat at second, moving him to short is likely to make things worse.
I don't think exchanging Phillips for Fasano makes that much difference. Fasano is better defensively, so maybe I'd do it.
Start Thigpen at catcher every day in Syracuse.
Rotation: Doc, AJ, Marcum, McGowan, Towers. Litsch to cover for AJ is OK, I guess; there aren't any better alternatives.
I'd leave Janssen where he is. Moving him opens up a hole; Frasor can't do the eighth inning consistently.

I'd like to see the team play for a few weeks with almost everybody healthy for a change. Let's see what happens after that.

jeff mcl - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 07:39 PM EDT (#171361) #

* I agree with all those who want to DFA deadweight like Clayton and Phillips ASAP, but would not move Hill over to SS this year. Shore up the middle IF defence by bringing Olmedo up even if he's a singles hitter who'll never hit higher than 9th. Rusty, well, sorry. He's got to earn his way back up and he simply hasn't done so. He's yesterday's man. Thigpen needs to be playing 2b regularly in AAA because he might be The Guy for next year who gets the job done cheaply and nicely.

* Give Aaron Hill a breather. I remember hearing him talk about being worn down mid-season last year when he did get the odd day of rest, though probably not often enough. We all know he's supposed to be .280/.340./.450 hitter and this current slump is likely due to fatigue. Watch him turn it up a notch right after the break then cool again in August.

* Bullpen shuffling is largely cosmetic because everyone has been so good so far. If League can come back this summer and handle the set-up role, then yes, slot Janssen back into the rotation and Towers becomes the long man. If it doesn't work out you can always put Janssen back in the bullpen in 2008. We just need to know where he's most useful to the club.

* Ban player injuries. Start rolling up whatever's left in the change jar in preparation for a run at Ichiro in the offseason. Inform players that all offseason workout regimes MUST take place under the supervision of a member of the Jays training staff.

Thomas - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 07:49 PM EDT (#171362) #

The Jays need to put DeJong, Gronkiewicz, etc. into situations where they can succeed. Neither of those two pitchers have been more than one or occasionally two innings pitchers in their entire minor league careers and were used to pitching every second or third day. In Toronto they were both miscast as long men...

That's a good point and part of the reason I think Gronk should assume Wolfe's role. I seem to be higher on him than you are, but I'd like to see what he does in short regular outings and not let him sit in the back of the bullpen for days going four innings occasionally. He's proven himself at every level so give him the chance to in the majors.

Lefty - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 08:25 PM EDT (#171363) #

I'd be inclined to start the post allstar potion of the schedule with my team focused on winning a playoff berth, if for no other reason than to let them know that July, August and September is not about personal stats and simply earning a cheque.

Phillips would be DFA's today, hopefully he would be inclined to report to Syracuse, if so he backs up Thigpen, Fasano is promoted for at least the rest of July, then consider bringing Thigpen up to back up Zaun for the remainder of the season. The way I see it, is no one knows how he will adjust to second because he really hasn't played there. I suspect the infield practice wasn't going so well because the day before Thigpen was demoted he was back working out with the catchers throwing to second base.

Someone said above the bullpen is pretty solid, I'd leave well enough alone. When League comes up and if the team is out of it trade Frasor.

Jesse Litsch would be praised for his efforts to date and demoted to AAA and I'd call up Ty Taubenhiem to remind him that it should be his turn, but he needs to prove it.

In this senario I guess I'm Godffrey now, but JP would be notified that the noose has been placed. I'd let him know that it would be a good idea to jettison extra weight because he's losing altitude. That means Gibbons has to go, unless they'd like to go together at the end of the season.

Then I'd promote long time employee and institutional man Ernie Whitt. The search for the 2008 manager would begin today. I think this would allow the best candidates to free themselves up if they wanted the job, thus creating a bit of a buzz in coaching and mangerial circles. The promotion of Whitt may be enough to spark a bit of energy and motivation, which has been lacking from the players.

On the question of Clayton, I'd leave him alone if he wanted to finish out the season with the team. He may be one the verge of retiring and I don't think it would be classy to DFA and release him. If I'm the manger who brought him in on some kind of promise, I would keep that promise. But he has to cooperate too. Besides, I think since he went public with his uncertain playing time he has stepped it up and thats the sign of a veteran and professional.

CeeBee - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 09:12 PM EDT (#171364) #

Almost everybody seems to be on the same wavelength. I'd DFA Phillips and call up Sal. I'd give Clayton the option of how he wanted to leave.... retirement maybe and then I'd call up Olmedo and see if he can at least be the next Johnny Mac. League may not be ready but if he is I'd at least call him up and put him in middle relief for a while. Wolfe has done ok so I'd drop DeJong if League was ready. If Wolfe struggles then Gronk gets the call and if a starter is needed I'd give Banks a look. Thigpen stays in AAA and catches every day and I only call up him and Lind in September unless more injuries happen.... knock on wood. Litsch stays up for AJ as long as he pitches well and when AJ comes back he is on a 100-110 pitch limit. IMO Chacin won't be back before September so he can come up if he's able when the rosters expand. In the minors Mathews gets a late season promo to AAA as does Diaz. Snider stays in Lansing unless he's absolutely tearing the cover off the ball. There are a few more options and a lot more minor league ideas but this is enough for one day.

Leigh - Monday, July 09 2007 @ 09:51 PM EDT (#171366) #

1. Phillips DFA, Thigpen up to backup Zaun.

2. Get Janssen out of that role. Low K rate, ability to pitch multiple innings - not a setup man. Value probably maximized in rotation, but maybe as a long reliever.

3. Inform Josh Towers that his rotation spot is safe (and mean it!). 4.2 K/BB, 6.6 K/9, even with the 1.3 HR/9, has to be a good starting pitcher. Either he is a good pitcher who has had some bad luck over the past 100 innings or so, or he is an anomoly of historic proportions. I'll go with the former.

4. Make Olmedo the everyday shortstop. Pick either McDonald or Clayton to jettison. McDonald is the better fielder and, I suspect, with an adequate sample size we'd find that Clayton is the better hitter. With Olmedo as the starter, you might want to keep the better hitter around. [I'd certainly trade either for Tom Mastny, if at all possible]

5. Seriously consider moving Reed Johnson to second base. If, defensively, he can be in the 25th percentile or better among starting second basemen, this move is a no-brainer. That means Hill to short stop and Stairs/JFG to left field (JFG callup would be at De Jong or Wolfe's expense).

Dave501 - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 01:05 AM EDT (#171374) #

Operating under the expectation that this team will make a serious run at the wildcard.

1. DFA Phillips, callup Fasano - better defence.

2. Adams to stay in AAA, but play more at SS and LF, as his future in the bigs, if any, is as a utility player, where his speed and lefty bat could be useful.

3. Thigpen could then plit time at AAA as catcher, 2B, 3B whatever, figure out somethign for him or make him Adams utility partner - it would be nice to have a 3rd catcher as a utlity player.

4. Clayton - put him on the market to see if a contender would give anything for him as a Backup or injury insurance. If Clayton is tradable, bring up Olmedo. Either way, PM continues starting 80% of the time at SS.

5. Drop De Jong, use Wolfe more. We may have found something there. Use the 25 roster spot to alternate through Thigpen, Lind, Mattola, Lydon, Olmedo, depending on upcoming matchups - dont let anyone get stale or rot on the bench, but it'll be nice to have an extra position player when overbey gets back, as Stairs will be frequently pinch hitting for guys like Johnny Mac and Fasano.

scottt - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 04:08 AM EDT (#171376) #

1. DFA Phillips use Thigpen as backup catcher. (Thigpen is listed as an infielder on the official website)
2. DFA Clayton call up Olmedo.
3. Send Litsch to AAA recall Gronkiewicz.
4. Activate Overbay, demote Clark.

Starting rotation:
1. Halladay
2. Marcum
3. McGowan
4. Downs (next 8 games against Boston/NYY)
5. Towers

Whenever Burnett and Chacin are ready, bump Downs and then Towers.

Try to trade Towers before the deadline. There's no room for him in Toronto next year with Ryan and League back.

cascando - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 01:05 PM EDT (#171388) #

1. DFA Phillips call up Fasano
2. DFA Clayton call up Adams
3. Burnett to the bullpen, Janssen to the rotation
4. Hill gets innings at SS and 3B
5. Adams gets innings at 2B, LF
6. Litsch down, League up
7. DeJong down, Olmedo up
8. When a trade market develops, deal two of Frasor, Tallet, Chacin

Rotation: Doc, Marcum, McGowan, Janssen, Towers

Bullpen: Burnett, Accardo, League, Frasor/Tallet/Chacin, Wolfe, Downs

I think Hill is an average hitter whose best asset is his defensive versatility--I'd like to take advantage of that and give him starts at SS (to see if he can stick) and 3B, to get a better bat in the lineup when Glaus is out.

I'd like to see what Burnett could do in the bullpen and if he might stay healthier down there.

BulletJayFan - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 06:25 PM EDT (#171399) #

I wouldn't do much other than keep Litsch in AAA, work Janssen into the rotation, and work to trade Chacin and Frasor (that would probably necessitate bringing up League). Fasano needs to stay in AAA to work with those pitchers. It's been said before that he's pretty much like a coach and both Litsch and Banks could succeed, however mildly, if they learned from him now, I think. Putting Olmedo in Clayton's spot makes very little sense. Olmedo got off to a hot start and hasn't hit much since. He's flashy defensively, but not going to do much of anything at the plate, maybe even less than Clayton. Plus, his defense can help both Russ Adams and your AAA starters. Since the playoffs look to be a bit out of reach, I think you have to keep development in mind. Oh, and promoting Aaron Matthews to play over Duncan and Vento wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

BigTimeRoyalsFan - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 06:48 PM EDT (#171401) #

Aaron Hill is on the DL, so it looks like all those who wanted to see Olmedo or Adams might get their wish.

Frank Markotich - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 07:40 PM EDT (#171404) #

Where are you getting this information that Aaron Hill is on the DL? I can't find it anywhere.

BigTimeRoyalsFan - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 07:52 PM EDT (#171405) #

Paul Godfrey was on TSN's Off The Record and that's what he said.

Alex Obal - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 10:05 PM EDT (#171407) #

If I'm JP and Hill's on the DL, Russ Adams has to get the call. Here are Adams' stats. Although people seem to have given up on him due to his slow start, he actually hasn't hit too badly this year. Note his rock-solid 9.4% K and 9.7% BB - he actually had more walks than strikeouts at the end of June. Also note the pronounced upward trend in his monthly splits, which was mostly due to his LD and BABIP regressing to the mean (imagine).

It's hard enough to argue for blocking a guy with a fractional K/BB when the guy who plays his position isn't injured - fast 'professional hitters' don't grow on trees and are useful on benches, especially slow teams' benches. When the only true second baseman on the team does go down, giving Adams the shot is a near no-brainer. It doesn't look like there's anything more for him to do in AAA aside from polish up his surface stats.

I also replace Wolfe with Gronk (citing minor-league K/BB again) and, after the 8-game trip, De Jong with Lind. If Glaus is healthy I also ponder Olmedo for Clark, intending to make frequent use of the 5-man bench to hide the SS weakness in the late innings.

VBF - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 10:32 PM EDT (#171409) #

1. Phillips to Tropical Island, Fasano up
2. Thigpen down, JFG up until Overbay returns
3. Clayton to Belarus, Adams up
4. Clark to Syracuse, Olmedo up.

It's decision time for Adams. He and Olmedo haven't really proven anything but it's better to keep your "bat" on your shoulder and be thought a fool, than to swing and remove all doubt, as Royce has. It'd be hard to be that bad and if they are, easy to find someone better.

Fasano to the big club is gonna please the clubhouse. Heck, let's just hire him as a bench coach already. Everyone loves JFG so let's give him some time here before Lyle comes back. No harm done, JFG isn't anything special and Thigpen needs ABs, ABs I'm not sitting Matt Stairs for. Looking at Lind, Snider, Overbay and even Glaus, if Thigpen has a future with the Jays, it's behind the dish. First is going to be occupied. The last 9 years of catchers include Darrin Fletcher, Tom Wilson, Greg Myers, Ken Huckaby, Alberto Castillo, Gregg Zaun, Jason Phillips. If you're not great defensively, you fit in.

Mike Green - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 10:46 PM EDT (#171410) #

Lind for DeJong is interesting, Alex. I certainly pondered the idea, but queried whether a change should be made to a 6 man pen in mid-season with Gibbons as manager. You didn't mention anything about the catchers. Status quo?

Alex Obal - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 10:56 PM EDT (#171411) #

Regarding the catchers, there are 2 possibilities. Either Thigpen can catch or he can't, and I'm not privy to that knowledge. If he can, promote him immediately. No-brainer. (Phillips goes.) If not, keep Phillips over Fasano since the difference between their bats is small and there appears to be some perceived chemistry benefit to keeping Phillips. I'm no Phillips fan but his .239 BABIP should go up some, despite his slowness and lack of power. I use Fasano as Thigpen's catching mentor in AAA.

Regardless of whether the Jays are in contention in September I call up both Thigpen and Fasano, either for bench depth or player development.

Alex Obal - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 11:10 PM EDT (#171412) #

Also, about the 6-man pen, I forgot about the manager. I guess it's a bit of a reckless move given his fondness for short relief appearances. I (as GM) have faith in the starters to rarely get demolished twice in a row, especially when Burnett returns. When League comes back, that gives the Jays another tough pitcher who can pitch multiple innings out of the pen, making the 11-man staff more attractive... though I doubt League or Janssen will be used like that this year.

Gerry - Tuesday, July 10 2007 @ 11:30 PM EDT (#171413) #

I didn't see OTR but I know Godfrey is an ex-politician. It wouldn't surprise me if Godfrey said something along the lines of "we have been hit hard with injuries this year and now Aaron Hill missed Sunday's game and could go on the DL".

Jimbag - Wednesday, July 11 2007 @ 03:45 AM EDT (#171415) #

Well, I certainly wouldn't be too hasty about moving Hill or Johnson to a new position. Hill's not Hudson defensively, but he's no slouch. And Johnson's a very good left fielder. The adage that you need good pitching to win ballgames is a little misleading - if you have a staff that pitches to contact (and the Jays do have that), you need a stable defense in place to maximize the effectiveness of whomever is on the mound. While Lind made nice progress in left this year, Johnson's still much much better at reacting to the ball off the bat and knowing which way to run to catch the damn thing. And he has a much better arm. Hill is a fine second baseman - not one for the ages, but more than just dependable. Bringing in Russ "E-6" Adams to try his luck at second doesn't excite me, and the move to short could prove to be a pratfall for Hill.

As for Lind's future, I think he may be best suited to first base. Overbay would be attractive on the trade market, and could probably be flipped for a good prospect at SS, plus more...I mean, I've been thrilled with what Lyle's done as a Jay, but Lind could probably match him defensively (eventually), so this could be an avenue to explore. Lind's shown good promise at the plate, though not with the power you'd like to see from 1B...but if I saw a good trade opportunity for Overbay, I'd definitely consider moving Lind to first and trading Overbay.

The starting rotation needs some clarification. There's a lot of arms, which is good. But I'll take quality over quantity any day...and I see 4 possible starters that could be dangled as trade bait. Janssen, Chacin, Towers, and Burnett have all been spotty - all have been brilliant at times, pretty good overall, but still lack consistency. I'd trade any combination of them for a solid #2B or #3 starter (Lilly? lol) As good as the bullpen has been (which has been a pleasant surprise) the starters have been pretty much a uniform gray so far - interchangeable, if you will. I'd be willing to hear offers for any of the above listed for a decent left-handed batting utility infielder....

But aside from a few tweaks, I think the lineup's not all that bad. The injuries have really been the biggest issue this year, and had the Jays got anything close to the kind of performance we've seen from the pitching staff so far, and managed to stay healthy, they'd be a lot closer to Boston than they are. If, but, candy, nut.

Thomas - Wednesday, July 11 2007 @ 08:39 AM EDT (#171417) #

My issue with promoting Lind is where is he going to get his at-bats from now? He won't take away any meaningful number of at-bats from Overbay. He won't DH instead of Thomas and if I'm going to give Thomas a day off I might use that to DH Glaus and get him some time off his feet. Finally, Reed's demonstrated he's at least someone who can play 4-5 times a week, if not everyday. And Stairs is the logical guy to pick up that start or two a week in LF, pinch-hit for the SS and start occasionally instead of Overbay/Thomas. If you dump Stairs at the deadline I'm all for promoting Lind, but right now he's going to be buried at the end of the bench or force Stairs into a meaningless role. I'd rather let him build up a month's worth of confidence at Triple-A after what is possibly his first prolonged slump of his professional career.

Also, I'd consider Gibby and JP some benefit of the doubt and sasy maybe they know something about Phillips and chemistry that we don't, but after two pitchers have given Fasano, a generally well-liked guy, direct credit for improvement in their pitches I'm hesitant to believe that. I agree its likely Phillips is a better hitter than he's shown right now, but that's not enough to make up for Fasano's superior defence and his intellect.

Thomas - Wednesday, July 11 2007 @ 08:44 AM EDT (#171418) #

Let's try that first sentence of paragraph 2 again:

Also, I'd consider gioving Gibby and JP some benefit of the doubt and say that maybe they know something about Phillips's affect on chemistry that we don't, but after two pitchers have given Fasano, a generally well-liked guy, direct credit for improvement in their pitches I'm hesitant to believe that's true and it's not a case of buddy syndrome.

timpinder - Wednesday, July 11 2007 @ 08:51 AM EDT (#171419) #

Thomas,

maybe you should be "gioving" that sentence yet another try! (Just kidding)

Alex Obal - Wednesday, July 11 2007 @ 02:50 PM EDT (#171441) #

If the team's in contention, I see Lind as a frequent pinch-hitter who can provide pop off the bench in high-leverage situations when the shortstop's spot comes to bat. Kind of like Marcus Thames, except lefthanded, and less extremely powerful, and more adept at getting on base. I wouldn't start him terribly often, maybe once a week.

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