Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
I had just finished writing up last night's report and was clicking over to another tab to check on someone's final line when I accidentally hit the 'X' the Da Box tab. Had I saved a draft? Of course not. So here we go again. Abbreviated, this time.

Las Vegas 6    Iowa 3

Brett Lawrie snapped out of his deep 0-for-7 slump in a big way with three hits, including his 17th double and drove in his 40th run. Travis Snider collected a pair of singles and committed his 5th error which seems a lot for a month for an outfielder. David Cooper had his 16th double while Adam Loewen took an 0-for-4.

Nothing doing prospect wise on the mound as Willie Collazo picked up the win by going six. Sean Henn nabbed his second save.

 

New Hampshire 13    Portland 7

Seven different Fisher Cats had multi-hit affairs in this one. Only Anthony Gose picked up an oh-fer, though he walked twice so there you go. Adeiny Hechavarria smacked (I don't see him launching) his third homer and added a double and three RBI while Mike McDade launched (yep, that fits) his sixth. Yan Gomes had three hits and two doubles while Moises Sierra singled and doubled.

BJ LaMura (so many capitals) started and went five, allowing three runs and striking out seven. Mike Hinckley got knocked around for four runs in his 1.2 innings.

Dunedin 1    St Lucie 5

The offense came to a screeching halt in Florida as the DJays managed but four hits. The highlight was Bradley Glenn's 14th homer of the year. The next most exciting event was, uh, I guess Kenny Wilson's 12 stolen base. Then that's it for sure.

Ryan Tepera started and went six decent innings, allowing three runs on six hits. Dumas Garcia allowed a pair in his two frames.

 

Fort Wayne @ Lansing- POSTPONED

 

Three Stars:

3rd Star: Brett Lawrie- 3-for-5, 2B, RBI

2nd Star: Yan Gomes- 3-for-5, 2 2B, 2 R, 2 RBI

1st Star: Adeiny Hechavarria- 2-for-5, 2B, HR, 3 RBI

Another Winning Night | 23 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
MatO - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 11:40 AM EDT (#235586) #
The FAN 590 has an interview of AA by Jeff Blair under FAN ON DEMAND though I couldn't get it to play in Explorer.  I did get it to play in Safari though. 
Sister - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 11:42 AM EDT (#235587) #
I look forward to seeing Brett up with the big club. The offensive black hole that is our third baseman represents a serious weakness in our lineup. Having pop-gun hitters like MacDonald and Nix in a traditional power hitting position is really starting to hamper the offense.

Hurray up already AA (super 2 status begone!)

Hopefully this will coincide with the return of Lind and the relegation of Rivera to his rightful place on the bench or DFA'd.

Oh -- two more walks for Gose....!

92-93 - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 11:47 AM EDT (#235588) #
Blue Jays 3B are 0 for their last 35, and McDonald's error cost them the game yesterday.

Maybe Magpie can tell us what the team record is for games without a hit from a certain position, cuz this is getting ridiculous.
ayjackson - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 11:51 AM EDT (#235589) #

Travis DArnaud is OPSing 1.352 in May, 1.478 in his last ten, and will almost certainly be featured in BA`s Prospect Hot Sheet today.

uglyone - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 11:57 AM EDT (#235590) #
Blue Jays 3B are 0 for their last 35

dear lord. I knew it was bad, but come on now, FREE him. or do we just pick up the recently DFA'd Jose Lopez instead?
ayjackson - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 11:58 AM EDT (#235591) #
Please no more retreads.  I want new tires!
Ron - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 12:08 PM EDT (#235592) #
I can't wait until this Super 2 garbage is scrapped in the next CBA. It's bad for the players, teams, and the fans. I also can't wait until the Jays get a new AAA City. Almost every hitter slugs over .450 in Vegas so it makes it hard to evaluate the majority of hitters.
 



finch - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 01:01 PM EDT (#235593) #
I doubt Travis d'Arnaud will be featured. He doesn't have the power numbers that they like to see. I hope I'm wrong. He deserves to be there
John Northey - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 01:19 PM EDT (#235594) #
Checking baseball-reference they have splits by positions.

3B: 173/226/270 for a sOPS+ (OPS+ vs league average for that position) of (gulp) 44.

Of course, for other ugliness...
2B: 221/271/318 sOPS+ of 72
DH: 238/313/324 sOPS+ of 73
LF: 233/298/323 sOPS+ of 76

CF has a sOPS+ of 98, 117 at 1B, 129 at SS, 136 at CA, and 174 in RF and 259 for PH (over just 8 PA).

So pretty obvious what positions are weak (as if we didn't know it already). 3B is horrid, 2B/DH/LF very weak, the rest is average to great to WOW!
TamRa - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 03:40 PM EDT (#235601) #
Hopefully this will coincide with the return of Lind and the relegation of Rivera to his rightful place on the bench or DFA'd.

Actually, rivera has been fine for a while now. I do want to see him in a reserve role but I don't think it's necessary to DFA him right now. EE on the other hand...


Here's Rivera's line since April 24 (28 games):

.283/.353/.434/.787

That's not $5 mil worth but it's a fine little reserve player.

uglyone - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 04:44 PM EDT (#235609) #
Just wanted to sort out the individual Jays along with the OPS+ numbers you posted, John:

AL CF OPS+: 105
C.Patterson: 107
R.Davis: 77

AL RF OPS+: 120
J.Bautista: 254

AL LF OPS+: 82
E.Thames: 111
C.Patterson: 107
J.Rivera: 86
T.Snider: 53

AL 3B OPS+: 91
J.Nix: 66
E.Encarnacion: 64
J.McDonald: 54

AL SS OPS+: 95
Y.Escobar: 121

AL 2B OPS+: 92
A.Hill: 71
J.Nix: 66
J.McDonald: 54

AL 1B OPS+: 117
A.Lind: 138
J.Rivera: 86
E.Encarnacion: 64

AL C OPS+: 87
J.Molina: 128
J.Arencibia: 125

AL DH OPS+: 110
E.Thames: 111
J.Rivera: 86
E.Encarnacion: 64

LF has surprisingly been a disaster all over the AL this year - the weakest hitting position in the league this year, by a good margin.

Obviously 3B is a disaster, which we might just have a fix for very soon.

2B looks like a problem without a solution for now.

We may have found a solution for DH in Thames, but we'll have to wait and see on that one.

CF isn't a strength but doesn't look like a disaster, either.
pooks137 - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 04:59 PM EDT (#235614) #
Actually, rivera has been fine for a while now. I do want to see him in a reserve role but I don't think it's necessary to DFA him right now.

I wouldn't DFA Rivera right now either, but I disagree that he may be a fine reserve player. 

You need reserve players who are either versatile or have a few specific skills.

His bat has been unimpressive with no power and his OPS is only as good as it is due to excellent BB/K numbers that are an outlier compared to his career.

He has no speed and plays three positions poorly.  I wouldn't pinch hit him for anyone other than Johnny Mac and maybe Corey Patterson against lefties.

Its hard to see how he can rebuild any trade value before the deadline and he's unmovable at his present salary.

Something has to give here soon.


scottt - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 05:45 PM EDT (#235617) #
It should be possible to move Rivera if the Jays send some money with him. They're on the hook for his salary anyway.

His career number are misleading since he was often a reserve player. He never struck out a lot.

scottt - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 05:56 PM EDT (#235618) #
AL 2B OPS+: 92
A.Hill: 71
J.Nix: 66
J.McDonald: 54

Hill in April was bad, but Hill in May is fine so far. (OPS up by .100)

AL CF OPS+: 105
C.Patterson: 107
R.Davis: 77

Davis had an OPS of .495 in April. So far in May he's .690.

If these two guys  do not revert back, good things could happen.

The dark hole a 3B is the only place where no lights shine.
pooks137 - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 06:03 PM EDT (#235619) #

His career number are misleading since he was often a reserve player. He never struck out a lot.

Wow, scottt you are certainly right.  Rivera has never struck out more than 59 times in a season.  That's pretty impressive contact rates/bat control. I have newfound respect for Mr. Rivera.

I definitely chose the wrong statistic, but I meant to imply that Juan Rivera has walked this year (10.7%) way above his career rate of 6.8%.

My point is that even the one thing he is doing well this year is unlikely to continue, particularly if he's hitting so poorly.
Kelekin - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 06:29 PM EDT (#235622) #
BA's latest Hot Sheet has been posted.  Lawrie at #5, D'Arnaud at #7, Wojciechowski made the "not-so-hot-sheet" and Justin Jackson made "Blast From The Past".

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/prospect-hot-sheet/2011/2611814.html

ayjackson - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 06:33 PM EDT (#235623) #

Wrestling this MLU thread back to the minor leagues...

I doubt Travis d'Arnaud will be featured. He doesn't have the power numbers that they like to see.

He slugged .826 for the week, and BA did like it.  He was seventh on their list.  Brett Lawrie was fifth.  Asher Wojceichowski was `not so hot`.  Justin Jackson was a `blast from the past`.

ayjackson - Friday, May 27 2011 @ 06:34 PM EDT (#235624) #
Doh!
cybercavalier - Saturday, May 28 2011 @ 01:23 AM EDT (#235631) #
or do we just pick up the recently DFA'd Jose Lopez instead? Please no more retreads.  I want new tires!

How about trading McCoy for Lopez. IMO, I see both players as more or less utility as their current level of play. But at least Lopez was an all star. Also McCoy is more useful to the Rockies as an infield/ outfield utility than their infield utility Alfredo Amazaga. Send Lopez to Vegas for refitting, 3.6M for 2011 season only cost nothing in Jays budget: Kevin Gregg was offered a similar contract last season. Lopez can help Hill and fill in 3B as a former all-star for a worthy gamble of 3.6M.
pooks137 - Saturday, May 28 2011 @ 04:09 AM EDT (#235632) #
How about trading McCoy for Lopez. IMO, I see both players as more or less utility as their current level of play.

No thank you.  Lopez is basically Jayson Nix with a little more power.  Pass.
Chuck - Saturday, May 28 2011 @ 10:27 AM EDT (#235638) #
I'm not sure I'd want Lopez for the prorated portion of the $400K an acquiring team would have to pay him were he waived. I am quite sure that no team is going to want to trade for him and assume $3M of needless expenditure.
cybercavalier - Saturday, May 28 2011 @ 01:18 PM EDT (#235649) #
Fair enough. IMO, JohnnyMac, Nix and McCoy are more or less on the same boat of utility with each player performs better in single different aspects of the game; Say, McCoy can play more positions than the other two. Jose Lopez is potentially better than all three because of his former all star status. Having Lopez to help the 51s under minor league contract is an acceptable investment given the Vegas 51s is on the verge of leading the PCL Pacific South division, whereas I agree with Chuck that Lopez is probably not worth that 400K of 3M expenditure. And Lopez fails to perform this season at the MLB level with the Rockies for one reason of not given enough plate appearance or the other.

Meanwhile, Lopez has essentially sunk to the bottom of his former value of an all-star; buying low in signing him to a minor league contract is a worthwhile investment when his only option is to rebound. He is only 27; if he is a wash-up at that age, maybe his all-star appearance was a fluke. After all, we still have the Lawrie insurance of British Columbia at 3B. My point is to capitalize on this waiting period of time on Lawrie in trying out other third basemen, whether it is McCoy, Johnny Mac, Nix, EE, or Josh Fields or Lopez. Last season, Brad Emaus was more or less on this boat, I think ? If Lawrie is ascending as he was prospected to be, the Jays will have at least nother player at 3B to increase its bargaining power on trading.
cybercavalier - Saturday, May 28 2011 @ 01:25 PM EDT (#235650) #
Ooops, pardon my dry words on the players. I was intended to help them and the Jays as I see this opportunity of win-win-win situation on the Jays on bargaining, Lopez and minimal investment.

So how about trying out on Lopez. :D and LOL.

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