Jays sign Venezulean RHP Manuel Cordova:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/prospects/2011/07/blue-jays-sign-venezuelan-righthander-manuel-cordova/

Shi Davidi interviews Sal Fasano regarding Gose, d'Arnaud, Hechavarria and Stewart. Other than the Stewart comment you read it here first three weeks ago.

The Shi Davidi story is a bit generous with Gose's slash line.
s/b .259/.353/.411

I found that interview quite striking for the rather muted praise, in some cases, and outright criticism in others, that Fassano dished out to the star prospects. Gose is mentally careless, d'Arnaud doesn't anticipate runners well and reacts slowly, Hechavarria has trouble making adjustments at the plate, and Stewart just generally has work to do.

I suppose they all have to work on something or they'd be in the majors. And maybe this is Fassano's gruff personality coming through. On the one hand I'd rather be told the truth, but on the other hand ... well, gee, I was a little disappointed at the assessments.

I thought that the assessments were reasonable. If you follow the boxscores/spring training, you know that Gose has been picked off and thrown out advancing quite a bit, and has been very streaky. He's 20 in double A, and if the worst thing that you can say about him is that he sometimes loses focus, that isn't bad at all.

Hechevarria's batting slash line makes Fasano's comments seem, if anything, generous.

Fasano's comments seem pretty mellow. On Gose, he said "At times he does have a tendency to get probably just a little bit careless with his mental side," which is positively flattering given how young Gose is, and how often he got caught stealing last year. He's identified some problems these players have, but they're solvable problems, not "Gose swings like a girl against left-handed pitching."

When I talk with Sal he always answers with what the player needs to do to get to the big leagues.  Some managers will talk about what the player is doing right now but Fasano talks with the end in mind.  So he will say that Gose needs 600 at-bats or Hech needs 400 before they are ready.

His comments about the players didn't surprise me, if he had no comments then the players would be ready for the majors now.  Don't forget that Gose has been pulled from at least one game for not running balls out, and that Fasano made the same comments about d'Arnaud and Hechavarria when I spoke with him.  The story mentions that because d'Arnaud is not being fast-tracked that Fasano has had time to work on things one by one, maybe the throwing is next.

I think it's refreshing to get the honest opinions and it's better than the "he is doing and great job for us and he will be great in the major leagues" style of comment that Dick Scott was expert at.

I agree with Gerry, the honesty is refreshing. And if the following counts as muted praise then I would shudder to think what waxing poetic might look like.

“Hech has been unbelievable, to have him at shortstop every day is a pitcher’s dream. There’s a reason why we’re in the top-three in pitching and that’s because we have a good shortstop. Defensively he’s head and shoulders above anybody I’ve ever seen in this league, and about as good as anybody I’ve ever seen, but really what he needs are reps."

The story on Wes Etheridge is really interesting.  26 years old and with an 87 mph fastball, he's dominating A ball hitters after leaving baseball for a period to work as a youth pastor.  Great human interest story.

Most sources will agree that Sal Fasano is a smart guy.  I think he probably gets it from higher up in the organization and the media about how good these guys at AA are and I think he probably wants to temper that enthusiasm.  He knows his baseball and every prospect at AA shows promise but there are issues. 

 

I mean Anthony Gose is a talent but he is two years away from making any contribution to a major league club.  Just from looking at his stats, he needs to refine his approach.  A guy that fast should really not be hitting below .260.  It also seems that Gose is an excitable fellow.  That is no knock on a player and I enjoy the odd player who gets a little too rowdy during a game, but he probably needs to find that equilibrium baseball players are always talking about.  He really needs to piece together a full year or excellent stats before he gets the call.  I think even then he would struggle with Major League pitching and might be one of those guys who bounces up and down for a year or two before he gets his foot really in the door.   

Travis d'Arnaud will very likely be a franchise catcher, but he needs to play a couple more full season's in the minor leagues and by all accounts needs to improve aspects of his defense and approach at the plate.  I mean, once he's up with the Jays and playing, hopefully the Jays are competitive and he's going to be asked to throw out guys out like Jacoby Ellsbury, Carl Crawford, Brett Gardiner, and Curtis Granderson in key situations.  From what I've seen and read in reports, he's not capable of doing that at the moment (in fairness, many aren't). 

Adeiny Hechavarria is an incredible talent.  It's virtually unanimous in the industry that this guy is going to play above average defense at a premier position and could possibly win gold gloves, however the guy cannot hit.  He certainly shows the promise and tools to hit for average and power, but he hasn't put together a season or a stretch in which he's hit well.  Moreover, his appraoch is terrible.  He needs to learn to take the walk more often.  Unfortunately for the Jays, he's burning options and still really needs another season or two in the minors.  You just hope that next year at Las Vegas he hits, or the more likely scenario that the Jays are patient as he learns how to hit at the ML level in two years time.  In reality, you're going to have to wait through a couple seasons of him flirting with the Mendoza line. 

Henderson Alvarez throws hard and has solid command, but he lacks a breaking ball.  You just can't survive starting in the Majors without a third pitch.  He needs another year or preferably two to learn a breaking ball and go through an entire season in which he increases his innings and pitches with three pitches. 

Zack Stewart needs to improve.  Simple.  He has OK command and will make mistakes, we saw that in Toronto.  Despite reports, I wouldn't say his fastball is over powering or dynamic in any way.  He's been in AA a long time and I think he needs to be challenged.  He should be promoted to AAA.  He's getting along in years and I think the Jays need to figure out what they have in him.  I'm not entirely sure the Jays are sure what he's going to be. 

Mike McDade is probably the most advanced of the prospects at AA.  He shows the ability to adjust during at-bats and is hitting for power and average.  He does need to walk more, but you really can't criticize him for anything else.  He probably needs another year or two in the minors and the launching pad in Las Vegas might be an ideal place for him next year to really showcase his power.   

 

Anyways I'm sure a lot of you out there will disagree with my assessment of these players, but in my opinion there is a lot of misplaced faith in prospects in Jays fans.  I mean, our last two "sure things" in Snider and Drabek have both been sent back down after getting the call.  I think btoh will, in time, be excellent players but neither have really shown that they completely belong although Snider looks like he does now.  I mean many of us (not naming names here) just assume that these guys will be promoted and hit .300 and drive him 100 runs.  They factor this into this prognosis that the Jays will be contenders in a year or two's time.  These guys will be good ball players and in time (2-5 years after thier debuts) will be significant pieces to very good baseball teams. 

Well written Sam, I enjoyed reading your comments. Sounds like you are willing to be patient with this youth movement.

What is your score on the Jay's Intl FA signings. So far we have 2 signed & officially announced with another 4 as rumored to be signed.

Thanks to you & everyone else for keeping us informed.

Thank you.  I'm willing to be patient with these guys, hopefully Jays fans are too.  I can see the most pressure being on Gose to be called up, unfortunately I think he'll probably need the most time. 

They've done well in the IFA market.  Anytime they sign some of the consensus top IFa's you have to applaud.  It seems as though they've really concentrated their resources on Venezuela, which is fine.  I'd like them in the future to be in on some of the top Dominican prospects as well.  With that being said they've re-established themselves in the IFA market, which is important long term. 

I really like Dawel Lugo.  He's got tools that you really value in a prospect.  He has very good hand-eye coordination so you can easily project a a hit tool and good on-base skills down the road.  His body will really develop, and his running and other tools will come.  He'll hit and play defense.  To me he looks like Aramis Ramirez. 

The other guys seem like decent prospects so who knows.  The investment in Latin arms is important as well.  The guys who seem wiry with easy arm action and throw in the mid to high 80's at 16 will certainly develop plus fastballs down the road and that seems to be the book on the guy they just recently signed.  You see a lot of guys who come out of American high schools who already have great fastballs but their body's have developed fully and it's hard to get much more or make adjustments.  A guy like Stetson Allie for example, if he makes it to the show will probably not be pitching at 95-99 as he supposively did in high school, but might pitch at 91-93 with a lot of effort where he looks like he really is muscling the ball to home. 

I,ve heard that they signed 5 good ones - who would the 6th be??? - I know Bessema ,Gonzalez , Cordova ,Jawel , and jimenez.Who an i missing ???

Who is this Jimenez fellow? 

Thanks Sam. I am looking forward to some crowding next year for the short season teams. I am guessing some young GCL players will go to Vancouver, along with Bulefield players that don't make Lansing and Lansing players that get demoted. Either way the Vancouver team in 2012 will have more high ceiling prospects than this years team.

M McDade got demoted to Auburn from Lansing a long time ago. He did well at Auburn & then well every where else.

sorry - meant gutierez ; the nicaraguan pitcher