Spring training thread

[Boxcar]

BTS and his affinity as a baseball fan.

2012: Jays-95%, Rays 5%

2013: Jays-75%, Rays-25% (Awful trades)

2014: Jays-51%, Rays-49% (Poor offseason)

 

Note: After Marisnick trade, Boxy, dropped from 99% to -99%

 

I think you have a crush on me.

[saskjayfan]

I'm really looking forward to seeing how the pitching staff is handled. As of right now, with everyone healthy we're looking at something like:

 

Dickey

Morrow

Buehrle

Happ

Redmond

 

Janssen

Santos

Delabar

Cecil

Loup

Rogers

McGowan

 

DFA: Perez, Jeffress

 

I really hope they don't go to an 8-man pen to retain a fringy relief arm.

 

I still think the jays sign a starter, but if they don't I would bet large sums of money that Redmond will not be in the rotation coming out of spring training.

[Abomination]

I still think the jays sign a starter, but if they don't I would bet large sums of money that Redmond will not be in the rotation coming out of spring training.

 

I think Redmond would be the perfect long man, and if I remember right there was an article about him not caring what his role is - he just wants to be on the team.

[ElNik2013]

If the Jays get a starter, I suspect/expect Happ to be dealt. It's not out of the question that the M's would be interested.

 

Maybe Happ+reliever for one of the 2B. I also think that AA could get something decent for one of the RP, especially seeing what he got for Lincoln.

[saskjayfan]

Looks like either Redmond or Rogers right now. I'd take Redmond.

 

I'd say Hutchinson, drabek, stroman and McGowan all have shots, although stroman perhaps less likely. I'd take any of the three over Redmond. Spring training results are going to matter for the back end of the rotation.

[ElNik2013]

I know depth is good, but if we sign a SP and get even a half decent offer on Happ I'd jump on it.

 

He just gets paid too much for a guy I barely trust to be a #5.

 

 

That's the thing though, IF they sign a starter. Let's say they can get Ubaldo and Drew for 22M/year, if they move Happ and one of Janseen/Santos, that's about 8M so they'd be adding like 14M to the payroll, which was JJ's QO. I'd like to think that they budgeted for the possibility of keeping together the team they paid dearly to assemble.

[Stangstag]

I'd like to think that they budgeted for the possibility of keeping together the team they paid dearly to assemble.

 

You give this Org too much credit

[ElNik2013]

You give this Org too much credit

 

 

I did say "I'd like to think", but for got the "but" at the end.

[ElNik2013]

I'd say Hutchinson, drabek, stroman and McGowan all have shots, although stroman perhaps less likely. I'd take any of the three over Redmond. Spring training results are going to matter for the back end of the rotation.

 

 

We'll see what happens, but Hutchison had 58 IP (21 in the AFL) and Drabek 45 both coming off TJS. Stroman hasn't pitched above AA. I think it would be best for everyone involved if these guys started the year at AAA.

 

One of the positives of signing a SP would be to give their young pitchers more development time.

[saskjayfan]

We'll see what happens, but Hutchison had 58 IP (21 in the AFL) and Drabek 45 both coming off TJS. Stroman hasn't pitched above AA. I think it would be best for everyone involved if these guys started the year at AAA.

 

One of the positives of signing a SP would be to give their young pitchers more development time.

 

Drabek is 26....time to s*** or get off the pot. I don't want to see the guys in Buffalo throwing the ball better than the guys in Toronto...whoever is going to play the best makes the team...Redmond can go to the bullpen....the jays have to make some decisions and may lose a guy or two...but playing less talented players is no way to make the post season, which should be the goal. A team truly intent on winning shouldn't be concerned about losing a run of the mill guy like redomond.

[Abomination]

Drabek is 26....time to s*** or get off the pot. I don't want to see the guys in Buffalo throwing the ball better than the guys in Toronto...whoever is going to play the best makes the team...Redmond can go to the bullpen....the jays have to make some decisions and may lose a guy or two...but playing less talented players is no way to make the post season, which should be the goal. A team truly intent on winning shouldn't be concerned about losing a run of the mill guy like redomond.

 

It's a little unclear as to how good Redmond is, but he's looking like he's better than run of the mill.

[ElNik2013]

Drabek is 26....time to s*** or get off the pot. I don't want to see the guys in Buffalo throwing the ball better than the guys in Toronto...whoever is going to play the best makes the team...Redmond can go to the bullpen....the jays have to make some decisions and may lose a guy or two...but playing less talented players is no way to make the post season, which should be the goal. A team truly intent on winning shouldn't be concerned about losing a run of the mill guy like redomond.

 

 

I'm not concerned about losing Redmond, I'm more concerned with player development. Remember, Hutchison was rushed from AA in 2012, had TJS, came back last year and made 5 starts at AAA. Drabek has struggled mightily in his MLB time and is coming back from his 2nd TJS. He showed improved command, I say let's see him show that improved command for a bigger SS at AAA. Stroman hasn't even pitched above AA.

 

Hopefully they sign Jimenez and Drew to good deals, trade Happ and a reliever for salary relief and keep Hutchison, Stroman, Nolin and Drabek as depth.

[glory]

If the team stands pat, I'd rather they keep Stroman, Hutchison, Nolin, and Drabek in the minors. Two of those pitchers are recovering from Tommy John Surgery and need some innings, while the other two have either never pitched above Double-A or just barely did.

 

If there was ever a time for Ricky Romero to revert back to form it would be now. Otherwise, go with McGowan/Redmond/Rogers until May or June.

[43211234]

lmao at the thought of taking AJ Jimenez as the backup catcher.

 

Kratz is fantastic for a backup.

[Caper]

This is the year of the weighted balls.

[saskjayfan]

Drabek has definitely s*** the bed, twice ... and fallen off the pot and smashed his elbow ... does that count?

 

The thing is, the organization has a couple of innings eaters and then a bunch of middling arms. They will NEED to play musical arms, and have as many brittle bullets as possible in order to try to capture that lightning in a bottle, spinning the wheel of who-to-start, hoping to land on a competent option in the short-term. They lack the quality, so quantity is paramount. He can't just go tossing away that long-shot lottery ticket. It may be the one that pays off.

 

"Drabek s*** the bed twice" He's pitched a total of 169 innings in the MLB. If you didn't have the patience of a 16 year old boy about to get some you might understand his upside. His velocity was good last year. He's always had good movement. He's never been able to control his pitches. 6 walks in the minors was a first glimpse and reason for some optimism. If Drabek turns the corner and matures mentally and learns to command his stuff he has upside. You have 4 pitchers with high upside and drabek is probably at the end of the line with the reserves so who knows if he will get an opportunity, but the jays will definitely use multiple guys at the back of the rotation and may have a few busts before they get some stability...

[fatcowxlive]

Realistically speaking we'll be rolling out a team with this:

 

1. Jose Reyes (S) SS

2. Jose Bautista ® RF

3. Edwin Encarnacion ® 1B

4. Adam Lind (L) DH

5. Colby Rasmus (L) CF

6. Brett Lawrie ® 3B

7. Dioner Navarro (S) C

8. Melky Cabrera (L) LF

9. Ryan Goins (L) 2B

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Erik Kratz ® C

Maicer Izturis (S) INF

Anthony Gose (L) CF

Moises Sierra/Kevin Pillar ® OF

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

RHP Dickey

LHP Buehrle

RHP Morrow

Two of: JA Happ/Todd Redmond/Drew Hutchison/Kyle Drabek/Ricky Romero/Dustin McGowan/Esmil Rogers/Deck McGuire/Marcus Stroman

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

LHP Aaron Loup

LHP Brett Cecil

RHP Sergio Santos

RHP Steve Delebar

RHP Casey Janssen

Two of: Luis Perez/Juan Perez/Ryan Wagner/Jeremy Jeffress/Rob Rasmussen

 

Oh boy.

[G-Snarls]

This is the year of the weighted balls.

 

I find it hard to walk normally with those

[GD]

So people actually think there's hope for a 26-year old with a career 1.04 K/BB and coming off two TJ surgeries?

 

He WILL have a higher peak than Stults god damnit

[GD]

He likely won't even compile 2.6 fWAR in his career, lol.

 

What f***ing possessed me to make that bet ugh

[GD]

To be fair, at the time Stults' career high fWAR was 1.1.

 

Is it even a good bet that Drabek reaches that?

[Angrioter]

Kevin Seitzer told @SNBarryDavis he sees "unlimited potential" in .@blawrie13 at the plate. #SpringTraining

[TDotttt2005]

PITCHERS AND CATCHERS OFFICIALLY REPORT TODAY.

 

Maybe we can start making offseason moves now.

[ElNik2013]

Kevin Seitzer told @SNBarryDavis he sees "unlimited potential" in .@blawrie13 at the plate. #SpringTraining

 

 

 

He must know, he was in KC, home of George Brett to whom Lawrie was compared coming up.

 

On the other hand, he also praised Ryan Goins.....

[Angrioter]

SNBarryDavis

Navarro credits former teammate Joey Votto for his turnaround last season. They spend a lot of time together on off season.

 

Trade for wRC+ lover ASAP

[saskjayfan]

So, you admit that he's never been able to control his pitches, yet dare question my assessment of his ability to poop on the pot as being premature. Oy. He's 26. He has blown out his arm twice. He wasn't just a widdle wild in his first attempted full season as a MLBer - he had more BBs than Ks. He was so bad that he was demoted, and he subsequently went on to give up 111 hits in 75 innings to go along with his 45:41 K:BB ratio in the minors. Then he tried again the next year and improved to the tune of a 47:47 K:BB ratio in 71.1 innings before his latest boo-boo. 6 walks in the minors in 43 innings? Yippee. Then he walks 2 in 2.1 innings in the majors.

 

What does all these various small (and micro) size samples mean? Guy isn't an option. He needs to sit down in AAA and figure out how to throw a strike, and do so without his arm flying off, and show that it's a repeatable thing over a long period of time in game situations, before he ever sniffs a MLB roster. And that would be true if he threw a million-bajillion MPH and could throw a fastball at the light tower and have it hit the catcher's mitt, his movement being just that filthy. A few games in spring training won't change that judgment. Or, well, they shouldn't, in a competently run organization (so there is still the chance the Jays break camp with him in the bigs).

 

You're the one wanting to thrust him in there the moment he shows signs that he knows where the catcher is located. Why in the world would you attack my patience?

 

guys can't throw strikes until they can....guys can't lay off a breaking ball or hit until they can. I'm not saying drabek will or won't, thus the if in front of everything I said about Drabek. From what I've seen of Drabek, the kid has talent. From what I read about his time in the minors he started to get better control of his pitches. A lot of what ails drabek is between his ears like all ball players. Lind was down and out and the same things were being said about him in the middle of 2012. Bautista and Encarnacion were both after thoughts and laughing stocks at one point. Snider got to the point of people giving up on him and he's never put it together. Is Drabek a Snider or a guy who magically has the light bulb go off and everything clicks. I'm fine with people labelling Drabek a Snider. Gose is a guy I don't think it will ever click for. Some people love Gose. All I was saying is we have a lot of ifs in drabek, McGowan, stroman and Hutch. Only one of those if's have to go the Jays way. Last year the jays had Wang, Ortiz, Laffey...who weren't if's, they were bandaids. I just see something in Drabek and there's a good possibility I'm blind, but time will tell...lol.

[BabbaGanoush]

Wait, one foul ball pulled into the stands in 2000+ PA? How is that even possible?

 

That can't be right.

[bendera3]

Does anyone know if we resigned Adam Loewen?

[Abomination]

This was pretty good (especially the part about Kawasaki and the USA/RUS game)

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/jays-to-open-spring-training-in-chilly-dunedin/

[Angrioter]