Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

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The top affiliates all won and most of the top prospects delivered.

Travis Snider and Eric Thames swung the big bats for the 51s combining for five hits and 3 RBI. Snider, who was 2-for-4 with a stolen base, is now hitting .524 in six games. Yeah, a 2-for-4 night lowered his average. Thames had three hits and is now up to .336 while Brett Lawrie singled once in four trips.

Luis Perez started and pitched well going 7 innings and allowing three runs on six hits and three walks. Winston Abreu picked up the win in relief while Wil Ledezma converted the save.

New Hampshire 10 Reading 5

As was mentioned in yesterday's thread, the leadoff trio of Adeiny Hechavarria, Anthony Gose, and Darin Mastroianni combined to go 0-for-11 but scored 6 times. Impressive stuff, I guess. Moises Sierra homered for the fourth time and drove in four while Mike McDade continued his scorching ways by homering, doubling and scoring three times.

Nothing much exciting on the mound. B.J. LaMura started and was alright. Evan Crawford and Alan Farina combined for 2.1 perfect innings to finish things off.

Brevard County 1 Dunedin 3

Heck of a start by Deck McGuire who went six shutout frames and allowed four hits with two walks against seven strikeouts. Frank Gailey picked up the win in relief despite allowing the only run for the Manatees.

A.J. Jimenez and Bradley Glenn were the only DJays with multiple hits. Glenn had two doubles and drove in a pair.

Lansing 4 Fort Wayne 12

The Lugnuts prevented a clean sweep in getting blown out by the Tin Caps. Jake Marisnick and KC Hobson each had a pair of hits for Lansing. Marisnick homered for the fourth time and drove in three while being caught on the basepaths for the fourth time this year.

Anyone who pitched for Lansing got knocked around. So if you're a fan of Casey Lawrence, Alex Pepe, or Sam Strickland, I don't have any good news for you.

Three Stars:

3rd Star: Jake Marisnick- 2-for-4, HR, 3 RBI

2nd Star: Mike McDade- 2-for-4, 2B, HR, 3 R, BB

1st Star: Deck McGuire- 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 7 K

Posted by braden on Friday, May 06 2011 @ 09:54 AM EDT.

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Mike Green - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 10:34 AM EDT (#234265) #

Aaron Hill went 1-3 for the D-Jays in a rehab start.

Snider now has 6 walks and 2 strikeouts in 27 PAs in Las Vegas. I don't know if there is something still mechanically wrong with his swing or not, but I doubt very much that he is learning anything there. It shouldn't really come as a great shock that he can dominate triple A pitching at age 23 and the club is, in my view, likely holding him back by having him there. This does not necessarily mean that he will go on a rip and a tear if he is promoted, but merely that (from a development perspective) this is likely time not used well.

85bluejay - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 10:35 AM EDT (#234266) #

I've read that the great Russ Adams has retired - that makes Dave Bush the winner as most successful BJ draft pick from 2002 - I remember when the College picks like Bush/Maureau/Pleiness/De Jong/Buzachero dominated those high school kids in the 2002 half season after the draft and Baseball America caught up in the "Moneyball" hype of that time rated the Jays draft as amongst the best - ah! those were the days.

MatO - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 10:48 AM EDT (#234267) #

Nice theory except that Moneyball came out in 2003.

85bluejay - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 10:55 AM EDT (#234268) #

I'm not talking about the book - but the philosophy, which was alive and taking hold in 2002

Mike Green - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 10:57 AM EDT (#234270) #

The 2003 draft is actually illustrative of how long you have to wait to actually judge. Even though the Jays' key drafts were collegians, it comes as a bit of a surprise to realize that the best major leaguers were Aaron Hill, Shaun Marcum and Ryan Roberts. We still don't know quite how to evaluate that draft, if we are honest about it.

85bluejay - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 11:05 AM EDT (#234272) #

Absolutely true Mike Green - a decade is probably best to go back and evaluate a draft. Baseball is unique amongst sports - need lots & lots of patience

ayjackson - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 11:12 AM EDT (#234273) #

Snider now has 6 walks and 2 strikeouts in 27 PAs in Las Vegas. I don't know if there is something still mechanically wrong with his swing or not, but I doubt very much that he is learning anything there.

His IsoP is also under .100, so I'm doubting he's fixed the problem. He's becoming a slap hitter this year and he might as well stay in Vegas until he's leaving the yard on a regular basis.

My opinion of his swing is that it's defensive. He's been leaving the bat back to defend the zone and as a result, not hitting the ball with power. I'd say that the 2 strikeouts in 27 PA's is a concern. SSS of course, but I'd think even in Vegas, he'd be striking out more with his normal swing.

China fan - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 11:19 AM EDT (#234275) #

Another great game by Deck McGuire. That starting rotation in Dunedin -- with McGuire, Jenkins, Molina and Wojo -- is impressive to behold. The ERAs of those four pitchers are currently ranging from 1.69 (Molina) to 3.28 (Wojo). It's as if they are all pushing each other to higher standards. Which one will be promoted first?

ayjackson - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 11:26 AM EDT (#234276) #

Good question CF. Bear in mind that Alvarez is also throwing in extended ST right now and should join that rotation soon. Plus Drew Hutchison might be deserving of a promotion from Lansing.

If it weren't for the injury, based on feedback from the Jays staff in ST, I would have said Alvarez goes to AA first. I doubt that now. And I don't think anybody is ready yet. But in a month or so, I wouldn't be surprised to see a promotion or two.

Mike Green - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 11:56 AM EDT (#234282) #

AYJ,

What lesson precisely do you want to teach Snider? Triple A pitchers are going to give you slop in Las Vegas. We'd like you to swing harder and at pitches on the margins of the zone, so you hit more homers and strike out more. Great.

ayjackson - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 11:59 AM EDT (#234283) #

Well Mike, I'd actually prefer they just fix his swing. They felt it was more easily accomplished in Vegas, you don't. That's fine.

ayjackson - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 12:02 PM EDT (#234284) #

We'd like you to swing harder and at pitches on the margins of the zone, so you hit more homers and strike out more.

C'mon, Mike. I think the suggestion was that power and K's might be a sign that his swing has been fixed. You want Snider to be a 8% K guy with a .080 IsoP? Great.

China fan - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 12:11 PM EDT (#234287) #

I agree with AYJ. It's a bit presumptious to look at Snider's batting average and pronounce that he has "nothing to learn" at Las Vegas. The kid is still just 23 years old. I'm sure he's got a ton of stuff to learn, regardless of which level he is at. Keep him at Las Vegas until the coaches are satisfied that he's fixed his swing -- regardless of his batting average. And I don't think it's accurate to characterize all of the AAA pitching as "slop." There's a lot of AAA pitchers who are close to major-league calibre.

Mike Green - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 12:12 PM EDT (#234288) #

My suggestion was that Las Vegas is almost surely the wrong place to fix whatever mechanical problem he has. If you've got 6 walks and 2 strikeouts and you're hitting .500, it is almost a sure thing that you are not getting the most learning possible from the in-game experience and if your triple A batting coach is better at his job than your major league batting coach, your club has obviously not made good decisions.

China fan - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 12:19 PM EDT (#234289) #

Just a reminder: Anthopolous stated clearly that Snider can fake a good batting average because of his arm strength. He can muscle pitches into hits without a good swing. Which means he could be a decent bottom-of-the-order hitter in the majors right now, with his existing swing, without any adjustments. But Anthopolous said the Jays want Snider to develop into a middle-of-the-order hitter with lots of power, because they think he is quite capable of doing that, when his swing is fixed. So his batting average at Las Vegas tells us absolutely nothing. If anything, his extra-base numbers at Vegas might have some significance. But ultimately I would trust the coaches, not the numbers.

Mike Green - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 12:27 PM EDT (#234290) #

It's not the batting average, but the W/K that attracts my attention. Anyways, I hope Travis hits a couple of homers tonight to (with any luck) put an end to this.

ayjackson - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 01:10 PM EDT (#234293) #

Anyways, I hope Travis hits a couple of homers tonight to (with any luck) put an end to this.

I can agree with that. Trying to make assessments based on a week's worth of box scores is a bit of a mug's game.

For what it's worth, I wouldn't have sent him down. I find myself defending the decision too often though.

John Northey - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 01:18 PM EDT (#234294) #

Just checking Snider's service time. 1 year 126 days. So the Jays can't leave him down for 126 days I'm sure (would delay a year of free agency). However, this time down in AAA would lock him down for not being a super-2 I'd think thus saving a couple million for the Jays most likely. Some sites have 120 days as the divider between 'not' and 'maybe' plus some teams will juggle days of service if possible.

If that is the main reason Snider is down the the Jays are being really cheap. If he had, say, 2 years and 10 days then it would make sense to demote for service time issues (extra year of control pre-free agency) but to avoid super-2 is pure cash savings.

Matthew E - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 01:29 PM EDT (#234295) #

Also, Snider is presumably familiar with the notion that it's his swing, not his results, that need the work. He and the 51s batting coach must have some idea how the swing is or isn't coming along. So I don't imagine he'll be frustrated by not being promoted on the basis of a night where he gets, for instance, three infield hits.

92-93 - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 02:23 PM EDT (#234303) #

If the Kansas City Royals don't care about Hosmer potentially being a Super Two then I don't believe such status weighs on the decisions of any front office, and certainly not one like Toronto that has shown the willingness to spend money to retain their own talent and to acquire more on the amateur side. Super Two is likely going to be scrapped in the new upcoming CBA, so let's stop perpetuating the myth that it may have anything to do with roster decisions.

If, however, we're entertaining the notion that Snider was sent down to AAA to save the team a few millions dollars because of that 4th arb year, it behooves us to mention they could be manipulating Brett Cecil's service time, who came into the season with 2 more days than Snider at 1.128.

uglyone - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 03:09 PM EDT (#234308) #

His IsoP is also under .100, so I'm doubting he's fixed the problem. He's becoming a slap hitter this year and he might as well stay in Vegas until he's leaving the yard on a regular basis. My opinion of his swing is that it's defensive. He's been leaving the bat back to defend the zone and as a result, not hitting the ball with power. I'd say that the 2 strikeouts in 27 PA's is a concern. SSS of course, but I'd think even in Vegas, he'd be striking out more with his normal swing.

took the words right out of my mouth. well said.

bpoz - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 03:44 PM EDT (#234310) #

As far as finances go, I think J Northey has a good point. The records of TB 2008,9,10 in Toronto could very well have resulted in higher attendance at the Dome. IMO if the best lineup produces the best results & at TB levels then revenues could increase sufficiently to off set salary costs.
I believe AA wants T Snider to become a heart of the order hitter ie 3,4,5,6 spots like the NYY Tex, Cano & A Rod.

I don't see any good extras in the Jays organization to deal with injuries & poor performance. AA did not get them. Our best AAA hitting prospects are 1st year at AAA with 100 ABs or so, but by mid June they should have played enough to consider promotion to cover ML injuries. AA went into the season with a lot of position player question marks. Catching & 1st base defense development & backup CF. Uncertain hitting from JPA, Hill, Lind & maybe Snider. I think he has left himself vulnerable to injuries & poor performance but he maximizes his chances for answering these questions.

Denoit - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 04:03 PM EDT (#234311) #

Here is a thought on Snider, anyone remember a highly touted Jays prospect who was rushed through the minors. He came up to the ML and had some early success only to have to go all the way back to high A to fix some mechanical flaws. Ya I know Roy Halladay is a pitcher, but sometimes when your that good you can get away with things against weaker competition. I personally have no problem with what the Jays are doing with Snider, they have guys who have been in the game a long time with much more knowledge than I. If they think it will help him then I'll believe them. Sometimes players just can't be helped (Brandon Wood). Sometimes it takes them a year, or two, or four (Alex Gordon) to figure it out.

uglyone - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 04:20 PM EDT (#234312) #

I don't see any good extras in the Jays organization to deal with injuries & poor performance. AA did not get them.

Seems to me the likes of Patterson, MacDonald, Molina, Nix, have provided excellent bench depth so far, and then you have more vet fill ins like Podsednik, Wise, and McCoy in AAA, and beside them you have a bunch of first year AAA guys all coming off of good years last year in Lawrie, Thames, Cooper, Mastroianni, Loewen, Jeroloman.

Not sure how much better injury depth replacements you can get, really.

Ducey - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 05:06 PM EDT (#234313) #

if your triple A batting coach is better at his job than your major league batting coach, your club has obviously not made good decisions.

There does not seem to be much doubt about the problem, and there is not likely much debate about how to fix it. But if the fact Snider won't consciously or unconsciously incorporate the necessary changes is the problem, then sending him down to a less stressful environment is likely justifiable. The pitching coaches likely have little to do with it.

Its got to be tough to incorporate changes and break habits when David Price et al are making you look like a fool on TV and in front of 10,000+ people.

I can see Snider being talked to about or concerned himself about his K rate (especially in the new small ball philosophy) and hitting more defensively because of it. I agree that his average is not the issue. The concern is that he is able to be aggressive and successful in hitter counts or when he gets the pitch he is looking for. If he can do this and learn to be a little more defensive where appropriate, the process will have been a success.

cybercavalier - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 05:20 PM EDT (#234315) #

Well said, ducey. Also I think Snider is privileged to be treated with close monitoring on his batting habits. Barring any implications, Loewen and other "non-prospect" young batters may not get such a treatment. So the prospect tag do come with good consequences. Then it reminds me of Russ Adams. Sigh.

Flex - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 05:53 PM EDT (#234316) #

Why is Las Vegas a better place for Snider to fix his swing than Toronto? Because in Toronto he has to hit. He's coming to the plate with runners on, and he's got the fate of the team on his shoulders. And David Price or whoever throws a slider on the corner, and Snider's going to flail and wave with his bat because he's gotta get the barrel on that ball somehow. And his hips are going to keep flying open and his balance is going to be all out of whack. And this is going to happen four times a game every game, because he doesn't want to let his teammates down.

Or some version of that.

Whereas in Vegas, his job is to fix his swing. Period. Don't swing at that pitch. Get yourself balanced. Don't fly open. Power through the ball. Do that so often that it becomes habit and the muscle memory locks in. This is how you swing, Travis Snider. Feel it. Feel good about it.

Now come north.

That's how I figure it anyway.

cybercavalier - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 06:14 PM EDT (#234317) #

90% of the game is half mental -- Yogi Berra. Psychology does play a part in the game: Halladay was an evidence of it.

China fan - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 06:30 PM EDT (#234319) #

Flex nailed it. Precisely.

Mylegacy - Friday, May 06 2011 @ 06:40 PM EDT (#234320) #

Travis Snider is going to be a serious star. At the moment his swing is wrong but more importantly his whole approach is bad. Lost Wages takes the pressure off him and lets him refocus and refine his swing. He will succeed.

Remember Delgado's struggles, remember Halladay's struggles - Travis will prevail. The guy is STILL seriously YOUNG.

VBF - Saturday, May 07 2011 @ 01:09 AM EDT (#234324) #

if your triple A batting coach is better at his job than your major league batting coach, your club has obviously not made good decisions.

The organization's best pitching coach is very arguably their roving instructor. Mr. Harry Leroy may also concur.

I'm not saying that anybody's better or worse than the MLB coaching staff, but sometimes your coaches can and are better in the minor leagues. Not everybody wants to be a MLB coach. I think you could probaby argue that coaching is more impactful on younger players than someone like Adam Lind who has a very good swing to start with and may be skeptical of changing things that got him to the big leagues.

uglyone - Saturday, May 07 2011 @ 09:11 AM EDT (#234329) #

Some coaches might be better at helping kids construct their swing, while others might be better at helping vets get their heads straight.

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