Brett Cecil

[DuckDuckGose]

With the injuries to the Jays pitching staff leaving Jays brass scrambling for replacements. The minor leagues have been pilfered, prospects yo-yo'ed and AAAA vets worked until their arms explode. The Jays' need for a multi-innings pitcher/swingman that can be relied upon to go 2-4IP on any given night and spot start is ever more apparent. Last year Carlos Villanueva handled the job admirably and buoyed that performance to a $10M deal this off-season. Could Brett Cecil, with his improved fastball and confidence, be the player to fill that role?

 

The Jays have other high leverage pitchers and situational lefties to work the back end of the pen. Yes, Cecil could offer Gibbons another shutdown option at the end of games but, IMO he offers more value by replacing innings of AAAA filler and retreads with quality work. Stretch him out, start letting him go 3 innings, in a couple months get up to 5 and get him some spot starts.

[Angrioter]

With the injuries to the Jays pitching staff leaving Jays brass scrambling for replacements. The minor leagues have been pilfered, prospects yo-yo'ed and AAAA vets worked until their arms explode. The Jays' need for a multi-innings pitcher/swingman that can be relied upon to go 2-4IP on any given night and spot start is ever more apparent. Last year Carlos Villanueva handled the job admirably and buoyed that performance to a $10M deal this off-season. Could Brett Cecil, with his improved fastball and confidence, be the player to fill that role?

 

The Jays have other high leverage pitchers and situational lefties to work the back end of the pen. Yes, Cecil could offer Gibbons another shutdown option at the end of games but, IMO he offers more value by replacing innings of AAAA filler and retreads with quality work. Stretch him out, start letting him go 3 innings, in a couple months get up to 5 and get him some spot starts.

 

No.

I don't think that Cecil can maintain that speed for 5 innings. He has done a good job and I think he's in the ideal role.

[JaysFan4Ever]

On one hand, the idea doesn't seem like a bad one. He's off to a better than anyone expected start and seems to have regained the lost velocity that seems to be what got him hit hard. He's had success in the role and the Jays mentioned about a possibility of him starting again wasn't out of the question in the future. I think maybe once Oliver comes back or they have a lefty to stick there who's ready it might be a better time. But if he can take his success he's having and translate it to the starting rotation, it could be a huge boost.

 

One the other hand it will weaken the bullpen from guy who can get a lefty out, pitch an inning, or more if need be. He's been a huge blow in the pen and has just been shutting down the other teams. If someone can't step in and replace that it might leave a hole but at the same time if he's going 5-6-7 innings in a start it might cancel out. He'd have to be stretched for a few starts. There's no telling if he'll be able to take his success as a reliever this year back to the rotation and this might be his niche a la Paul Quantrill.

 

If they're going to bounce guys back and forth who are filler and nothing more why not give him a shot? I personally could go either way on it. If they need someone to start why not? It can't be a worse option unless he too gets hurt.

[DuckDuckGose]

Best-case scenario: He's an effective starter and eats important innings.

Wosrt-case scenario: He goes full Bard. Which doesn't really matter.

 

I like the idea.

 

Ya, there are always Brett Cecil's floating around. I hate to say it but, I could care less about what is best for Cecil's career as he is easily replaceable. It could help the team immensely and that is the only important factor.

[kgm1]

Ya, there are always Brett Cecil's floating around. I hate to say it but, I could care less about what is best for Cecil's career as he is easily replaceable. It could help the team immensely and that is the only important factor.

 

I like what he has become and Juan Perez has so far filled that role since getting here very well . If Oliver was pitching like he did last year and perez had failed I would say go for it but right now until Perez blows up ( It'll happen ) might as well go with him and rogers

[G-Snarls]

Best-case scenario: He's an effective starter and eats important innings.

Wosrt-case scenario: He goes full Bard. Which doesn't really matter.

 

I like the idea.

 

Never go full Bard, man

[G-Snarls]

Cecil is better moved to the rotation mostly if Oliver is back and good again. Otherwise isn't Loup our only lefty in the pen?

[G-Snarls]

Cecil is better moved to the rotation mostly if Oliver is back and good again. Otherwise isn't Loup our only lefty in the pen?

 

Forgot about Perez.

[DuckDuckGose]

Forgot about Perez.

 

Luis Perez around the AS break as well

[Dylan]

Forgot about Perez.

 

Everyone always forgets about Perez. He was effective last year before his injury.

[Sparky12]

I dunno he has thrived in his role this year and been one of our best relievers, I dunno if you mess with that.

[Sparky12]

Luis Perez around the AS break as well

 

So Luis Perez, Drabek, and hutch all expected to be back early August?

[DuckDuckGose]

So Luis Perez, Drabek, and hutch all expected to be back early August?

 

Perez is expected back mid July about a month before Drabek, and 6 weeks ahead of Hutch but, barring a set back yes they should all be back by early-August.

[StevieRay]

I agree right now may not be the time to convert him back to starter, but I do hope that, down the line, he will have a chance to start again ala CJ Wilson.

[hummus]

I want Cecil tested for roids..

 

He has never been this focused and dominating on the mound EVER.. Your velocity and focus don't just increase overnight

[CHRIS]

From a trade value perspective, I like Cecil as a lights out reliever who has "found his role".

 

I don't think Cecil has enough time to build any value as a starter.

[BlueJayWay]

I want Cecil tested for roids..

 

He has never been this focused and dominating on the mound EVER.. Your velocity and focus don't just increase overnight

Velocity certainly can and does increase in the pen. Focus is kind of an individual, intangible thing, but...why not? Only face a few hitters at a time.

[GD]

I don't mind the idea.

[kgm1]

What? Like, nudge nudge-wink wink DL, ;p

 

Works for me but not this time . The 40 man is going to be a huge cluster like you said . JP needs to get on the phone and rid us of some salary at least and open up some 40 man spots or guys like Storey , Gomez will just have to be dropped

[Iluvbjs]

Sorry, I put my thoughts in the game day thread. I think putting Cecil in our rotation is a no brainer. With Oliver back and perez and loup down there, 4 lefties is overkill and a waste of roster spots. With that said, I thin both Perez and Loup are good enough to stay, making Cecil much more valuable to stability in our rotation. I hear the don't f*** with a good thing stuff, but the guy has experience and he adds a HUGE needed injection of stability to our rotation. This game is about winning....and I'd rather have Cecil starting over the host of clusterf***s that have blown up our rotation already. Leave Jenkins until Morrow gets back, but if Cecil can get into our rotation and give us some quality starts, they have to try it. And right now, there's no reason to think he can't with his stuff right now. He got lazy and lost his velocity and delivery over an off season, but hopefully he has learned from that.

 

I simply can't justify starting guys in that spot who will automatically tax your bullpen even if they do well, over a guy who has already won 13 games at that postion over a full season recently, it makes no sense. I mean, if his absence left us without a the job done, I could understand, but with three capable lefties down there and one on the way back, why not insert a guy into our rotation who adds stability and gives us a better chance to win? I would have started the process 2 weeks ago without a second thought about it.

[wilko]

Leave Cecil where he's at, the guy's a time bomb.

[backontop]

I agree Duck! About 3 or 4 years ago we were looking at Brett Cecil as the next great Jays starter. With his new found power arm, I say get this dude out of the pen and back to starting, Dickey, Johnson, Buerlee, and Cecil could be awesome! PLEASE STOP BABYING THESE SPOONFED MILLIANAIRES!

[hummus]

Steve Delabar says Hi!

 

Delabar has been good too, it's almost unheard of when NL pitchers improve their stats in the AL.. Forgive me for thinking something is up

[Deadpool]

Delabar has been good too, it's almost unheard of when NL pitchers improve their stats in the AL.. Forgive me for thinking something is up

 

Delebar? He came from the Mariners...

[hummus]

Delebar? He came from the Mariners...

 

Just another bullpen cat, end of the day noone really cares

[backontop]

I agree, Delebar could also make a starting pitcher. Between 1901 and approximately 1971, the starters were the 4 best pitchers on the team, the bullpen guys were there just in case the starter got tired or was not himself. Today it has really gotton crazy! Back when I was about 10 in 1960's Warren Spahn of the Braves who pitched into his 40's went at it with W. Marichall of the San Francisco Giants, one of the teams won 1-0, but both pitchers went the full 16 innings! This was normal then. Nothing has changed! All this BS about innings pitched is JUST THAT B S ! Today Owners are PARANOID about the millions they have invested on this player and that player. So the players blackmail the owners and play them for a fool. But all our owner cares about is cable TV and all the free advertising that comes with owning the Blue Jays win or lose. (After many years, they did try for one good team) but this gives birth to another topic.

[backontop]

spanky you mentioned d. McGowan, reports of his last game pitched were bad, i.e. he got knocked around a lot at triple A, but you have to remember pitching at triple A when you know from word of a coach, "your heading north boy in early June", like in Florida in March, he is just experimenting, ......don't know what to expect, but he has been getting paid for almost ten years for doing nothing for the Blue Jays! He to was originally slated to be a starter, but knowing todays ideas, he will be babied and relegated to the bullpen. "Gee can't throw no more than 20 pitches." If that was the case not so long ago, he would have never made it beyond little league.

[eastcoastjaysfan]

The team is 7-19 in games where Cecil pitches this year.

 

He's essentially a garbage time/long reliever guy. Unless they have plans to put him into more high leverage situations then it's a no brainer to use him as a starter for the immediate future.

[DuckDuckGose]

The team is 7-19 in games where Cecil pitches this year.

 

He's essentially a garbage time/long reliever guy. Unless they have plans to put him into more high leverage situations then it's a no brainer to use him as a starter for the immediate future.

 

And that's just it, the BP is full of good option and the rotation stinks. Even if you move Cecil form the BP it will still be strong. Why use a valuable asset in such low leverage circumstances?

[DuckDuckGose]

He's still been lights out, high leverage or not he's facing MLB pitching, have you guys looked at his numbers, citing wins and losses in ball games he's pitched in is derp.(I know you didn't) He would also need to be stretched out, how do you solve that? Fake an injury send him to the minors and go from there. Or piggy back him with someone a few times?

 

I am accepting that he has been very good. He looks like a different pitcher this year, one who has the stuff to start. He's been used as a backend reliever in low-leverage situations. (1, 2) Lately that has changed a bit but, the Jays still have 3 or 4 options ahead of him including 2 LHP (not to mention Dustin McGowan a week or so away, Santos coming back at some point and Luis Perez coming back at the AS break).

 

With Esmil Rogers getting spot starts the Jays should use this opportunity to piggyback Cecil and begin stretching him out. Start with 3IP and give him a month (4-6 outings) or so to get used to it and then bump him to 5IP. If he has efficient outings let him get to 6IP at the tail end of the year, if not use that BP depth and pull him after 5IP.

 

1. http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=all&stats=rel&lg=all&qual=10&type=c,63,64,65,68,70,13,122,6&season=2013&month=0&season1=2013&ind=0&team=14&rost=0&age=0&filter=&players=0&sort=6,d,

 

2. http://www.fangraphs.com/statsplits.aspx?playerid=2660&position=P&season=2013#standard