The Turnaround and Reyes

[G-Snarls]

It's amazing what a 6 game winning streak can do for a team. It also helps that no team has really run away with the division (which most of us didn't really expect anyways). Best team in the division might only win 90 games this year, so as long as this team keeps things close they have a shot. With 12 games left in June, if this team can finish 8-4 or better, they will be in great shape for the final 3 months.

 

It's reasonably close, but I'm still surprised by the standings. The Red Sox have been better than I thought they'd be and the Rays worse than I expected. Oh well, I guess they even out. We need to beat division rivals to get past them. Those games will be huge.

[Chappy]

Just have to hope no one else significant goes down...

 

With Reyes back in the coming days the lineup will be strong offensively and when Morrow returns someone gets bumped from the rotation, so I'm not too worried about injuries at the moment. Depth is going to start stacking up, especially when Happ is back. Laurie is what maybe a month away? We will have guys trickling in every few weeks now it seems. Hutch, Drabek, Perez and Santos are all second half possibilities as well.

 

As I mentioned in previous posts, some of these guys might not be as significant, but its still a ton of depth on the mend and when other teams start feeling the injury bite, that could be all the difference this team needs.

[Chappy]

It's reasonably close, but I'm still surprised by the standings. The Red Sox have been better than I thought they'd be and the Rays worse than I expected. Oh well, I guess they even out. We need to beat division rivals to get past them. Those games will be huge.

 

Not too surprised by the Red Sox. They have capable players on that roster, but I do think they may start to falter a bit moving forward. The Rays I'm not surprised by at all. Coming into the season i thought their offence wasn't good enough. I don't see that team winning more than 85 games.

[flafson]

As it stands right now, not sure i want Morrow to come back so soon. Maybe let him work with Evans for a while or at least until we have another injury.

[Chappy]

The way the rotation is going right now, they won't rush Morrow back until they know he is ready, but once he is ready he will be back, no point in delaying that. Rogers likely moves back to the pen as long as Wang hasn't imploded by then.

[JugglingPitches]

Looks like we have ourselves a team here...finally!

[eastcoastjaysfan]

Reyes needs to be called up for Friday against the Os. No questions asked. Huge series.

[Jimcanuck]

big question to me is what happens to the top of the lineup when Reyes comes back

 

Melky is unacceptable near the top, the way he is playing

[Metallijay]

big question to me is what happens to the top of the lineup when Reyes comes back

 

Melky is unacceptable near the top, the way he is playing

 

Agree Melky has been bad, especially lately. He reaches for pitches way out of the zone, and batting from the right side he is hitting below .200 and his swing is atrocious.

[Tuco]

big question to me is what happens to the top of the lineup when Reyes comes back

 

Melky is unacceptable near the top, the way he is playing

 

Melky is sporting a OPS OF .689

Thats just pitiful for a LF'er. Honestly if he continues to hit like this you'd prolly get more value from Gose hitting .230 along with elite D and speed over Melky's .270 BA

[KSaw]

Melky is sporting a OPS OF .689

Thats just pitiful for a LF'er. Honestly if he continues to hit like this you'd prolly get more value from Gose hitting .230 along with elite D and speed over Melky's .270 BA

 

Melky is too talented not to find a hot streak (again). His legs will get better too. He is a classic #2 hitter.

[KSaw]

Remember the projected opening day lineup, the one that was going to be so common that it would rip Gibbons out if his historical batting order tinkering habits?

 

Reyes

Cabrera

Bautista

Encarnacion

Lind

Lawrie

Rasmus

Arencibia

Izturis

 

To date we still haven't seen it.

[GD]

To date we still haven't seen it.

 

Not necessarily a bad thing.

 

Reyes

Bautista

Encarnacion

Lind

Cabrera

Rasmus

Lawrie

Arencibia

Izturis

 

Is probably what Gibby makes our lineup when/if everyone's healthy.

[flafson]

Gibby mentioned before that when Reyes comes back he will probably put Reyes as number 1 and drop Melky down the order, i tend to agree with that.

[saskjayfan]

Gibby mentioned before that when Reyes comes back he will probably put Reyes as number 1 and drop Melky down the order, i tend to agree with that.

 

Melky shouldn't be playing against lefties right now...they should be playing rajai and letting melky rest...part of his struggles are likely related to his health...

[fireballW]

If Melky's injury is something they know won't get better, then I kind of understand this. But if not it makes no sense. He is really so hobbled out there that moves to accommodate him going to DH would not hurt us defensively. EE to 3B isn't worse than what Melky is doing right now. Hell, Lind could play LF the way Melky has been lately, although his confidence is always so think I don't like jerking him around. If Melky's problem is something that some rest could solve, they need to do it, because if he can come back closer to his real self he would turn from a bad player to a good player for this team. He is way better than he has been doing.

[flafson]

I don't see them playing Lind at left, why risk messing with his mind when he's so hot?

[KSaw]

It's injuries. Right quad and left hamstring. The quad will heal first. Right now it has to be hard for him because he can't overcompensate to either leg because both are injured.

[KSaw]

I don't see them playing Lind at left, why risk messing with his mind when he's so hot?

 

As of Monday I'd go to the All-Star Break with EE at 3b, Lind at 1b, Melky at DH, Rajai in LF and Izzy at 2b. It would keep Bonifiasco off the field, would help Melky heal and would be a short enough time span to not expose EE to too much 3b and throwing his way into E5 form. With Lawrie on the DL, why not?

[Metallijay]

I really can't wait until we get Reyes back, team needs a real leadoff guy.

[Sammy225]

I imagine we will see Reyes,Bau,EE,Lind,Melky. However I do not think it is a coincidence that Melky has started to struggle when his leg problems flared up. If I am the Jays I would think about maybe giving him 15 days on the DL to rest his legs and get him close to 100%. With Reyes coming back he will be able to get on base for the big boys and Rajai will give us the same if not better then what Melky has been giving us. We are in the middle of the Wild Card race right now and we will need Melky after the all star break but he is no good to us if he is hobbling everywhere.

[Stangstag]

I imagine we will see Reyes,Bau,EE,Lind,Melky. However I do not think it is a coincidence that Melky has started to struggle when his leg problems flared up. If I am the Jays I would think about maybe giving him 15 days on the DL to rest his legs and get him close to 100%. With Reyes coming back he will be able to get on base for the big boys and Rajai will give us the same if not better then what Melky has been giving us. We are in the middle of the Wild Card race right now and we will need Melky after the all star break but he is no good to us if he is hobbling everywhere.

 

I think the front office might be waiting for Reyes to come back before they put Melky on the DL. Hopefully they give him the rest he needs.

[wilko]

Melkman needs to play some DH. Sub him in the latter innings.

[Dr. Dinger]

I'd just drop Melky down in the order when Reyes is back.

 

Reyes

Bautista

Edwin

Lind

Melky

Rasmus

J.P.

Lawrie

2B

 

And I'd drop Melky down even more if he can't get hot. Seems to me he isn't using his legs or hips at all right now, hence very little power.

[fatcowxlive]

Firstly, very good source says that Reyes' personal target to return is June 27 as the Red Sox series begins. And while no one and I mean no one will attach a date to his probable return, July 9 seems to be the hush hush real target date.

 

Haha it's awesome to see how fast the dates have been brought earlier, first ASG, then July 9th, June 27th, and now probably the 24th!

 

Melky needs to go on the DL when Reyes gets back. He's obviously hurting.

 

I agree but only if it can actually cure his problem. 15 day DL him and bring him back without rehab, just a small breather, and we can have our full team ready by ASG

[KSaw]

I think that they were being super conservative with expectations and anything being said about Reyes. There had just been too many recent public disappointments in regard to player injuries. PR matters, as does team morale.

[KSaw]

There's no other way to get healthy but to rest his legs. He can take BP whiles he's off and play a game before he comes back. There's no sense in having Melky in the line up when Boni and Davis can play LF until he comes back hopefully healthy. He's not able to generate any power or run down flyballs with those beat up hammies.

 

I don't know if that'll do much. His hamstring should be almost healed. He is well past rest and elevate. It's the quad injury to the other leg that's more of an issue and that might take 3+ months to heal. I'd just play him but would certainly DH him a lot for now so to limit his running.

[KSaw]

His quad? I thought it was both hammies, back in April it was the hamstrings in both legs shown on a MRI, when did he hurt his quad?

 

P.S. This is entirely different, and not good news, why do you do this Kirk?

 

May 14th MRI. It's left hamstring and right quad.

[KSaw]

Neither is considered serious in medical terms and the club used the word irritation. Translation- grade 1 strain of left hamstring and grade 2 strain of right quad. Neither would require surgery or lay him up but both cause pain and tightness. Quads take longer and linger and are just a bitch!

[KSaw]

It also probably looks more serious to people watching. A right quad and a left hammy? That will make you look funny walking and running as you try to compensate for each.