Sanchez, Johnson, Pillar, Stilson assigned to minor league camp

[G-Snarls]

The @BlueJays assign AARON SANCHEZ, DAN JOHNSON, JOHN STILSON and option KEVIN PILLAR to Minor League camp.

[Grant77]

I believe that leaves about 30 relevant players in camp with the battles being:

 

Thole vs Kratz

Sierra vs Tuiasosopo vs Kawasaki vs 8th bp arm

Redmond vs Rogers vs Happ vs Jeffress vs bench (two spots)

[The_DH]

Did Pillar seem invisible this spring?

[G-Snarls]

Did Pillar seem invisible this spring?

 

Oh yes

 

He did nothing. Bummer because I thought he was more versatile than Sierra.

[G-Snarls]

Smart move on Sanchez anyhow. And better to do it now rather than allow the "Sanchez for the rotation" idiocy to get any louder

[Dylan]

Did Pillar seem invisible this spring?

 

I don't recall him doing anything over the last few weeks

[G-Snarls]

I'm actually expecting AA to try to get Tuiasosopo through waivers to Buffalo. That's not very nice for him but a guy who plays "multiple positions" (I'm presuming none exceptionally well) and hits. 220 probably can't expect much else.

[The_DH]

Smart move on Sanchez anyhow. And better to do it now rather than allow the "Sanchez for the rotation" idiocy to get any louder

 

Agreed I heard McCowan talking about him starting and recalling Gooden as a comparison.

[John_Havok]

Did Pillar seem invisible this spring?

 

Defensively versatile but his bat is very suspect. After watching him last fall in his September callup he looks like a guy that can't handle big league stuff at this point.

[G-Snarls]

Defensively versatile but his bat is very suspect. After watching him last fall in his September callup he looks like a guy that can't handle big league stuff at this point.

 

Looks like a AAA lifer with occasional injury callups I suspect.

[jaysblue]

It will be interesting to see if the Rays release Erik Bedard if he doesn't make the big club. If I were AA, I'd be all over Bedard as the No. 5 starter instead of someone like Happ or Rogers. At least when healthy, Bedard can be effective and it's not like there's anything to lose by giving him a chance.

[Sorrow]

I'm really hoping we start the season with Janssen on the DL, hopefully Happ as well.

 

It gives us the chance to run the 4 man bench and have a 'pen of Rogers/Redmond/McGowan as the 5th starter/2 relievers, Jeffress (as they don't seem to want to waive him), Loup, Cecil, Delabar, Santos. It seems to be what is best for the team right now. I'm glad to see Sanchez, Pillar and Johnson go down.

[ILDD]

Agreed I heard McCowan talking about him starting and recalling Gooden as a comparison.

 

Me too. I was shouting at the radio that Sanchez hasn't pitched above A ball and walked over 4 per 9IP even at that level. Very happy that he got sent down very shortly afterwards.

[John_Havok]

Looks like a AAA lifer with occasional injury callups I suspect.

 

I don't think it's quite that bad yet, but you can see how his ability to make contact would really play against minor league pitching, but really needs to work on taking balls out if the strike zone rather than swinging and fouling them off. Pitchers don't need to throw him strikes

[Sammy225]

I just heard the PTS roundtable bit about the fifth starter... oh my.

 

McCown actually thinks Sanchez is Dwight Gooden, and that he should be the team's fifth starter. Dwight Gooden struck out 300 batters in the minor league season before he made the jump lol. Sanchez stumbled through 86 innings in high-A. McCown cites Sanchez's ST performance as evidence he's ready... which is 8 SO, 6 BB in 12.1 IP.

 

There are people on twitter getting angry about them sending down Sanchez too. It's very strange.

 

Toronto/Canadian people are not the smartest when it comes to baseball. In Manitoba I like to incorporate hockey into my discussions so people can relate a bit better lol.

[Abomination]

He's been going on about this for days now.

 

Thank God I never listen to those shows.

[GD]

I just heard the PTS roundtable bit about the fifth starter... oh my.

 

McCown actually thinks Sanchez is Dwight Gooden, and that he should be the team's fifth starter. Dwight Gooden struck out 300 batters in the minor league season before he made the jump lol. Sanchez stumbled through 86 innings in high-A. McCown cites Sanchez's ST performance as evidence he's ready... which is 8 SO, 6 BB in 12.1 IP.

 

There are people on twitter getting angry about them sending down Sanchez too. It's very strange.

 

Had to spend 45 minutes explaining why this is egregiously stupid to my dad yesterday, and he still won't let it go. Sheer ridiculousness.

[kgm1]

Bowden on MLB radio about the Jays . "" I feel as comfortable saying they will finish last in the AL East as I am saying the Astros and Cubs will be last in their division . They are far behind the other 4 teams in that division .

 

WTF Bowden , I frigging hope we stay healthy cause if we do we are going to surprise a lot of people .

[The_DH]

We still have high breakdown potential, that hasn't changed.

[John_Havok]

I can actually understand an argument for 5th place for the Jays in the East, but to say that theyre "far behind the other 4 teams" is just stupid. Tampa and Boston are the top tier, Yankees mid and Baltimore/TO next, but the degrees of separation are not HUGE by any means.

[John_Havok]

We still have high breakdown potential, that hasn't changed.

 

and NY doesn't?

[o2cui2i]

I can actually understand an argument for 5th place for the Jays in the East, but to say that theyre "far behind the other 4 teams" is just stupid. Tampa and Boston are the top tier, Yankees mid and Baltimore/TO next, but the degrees of separation are not HUGE by any means.

 

any of the east teams can free fall if they have starter injuries or heart of the lineup bats. it's most likely going to be a case of which ever team stays healthy gets to the post season.

[o2cui2i]

Our baseball media is atrocious. Occasionally you read mainstream media in other cities discussing WAR and UZR, and we're left in the dark ages by the clowns covering baseball in Toronto.

 

Toronto media is great for comic relief, but it's best to not listen most of the time and get info from a plethora of better online sources.

[The_DH]

and NY doesn't?

 

They have better ability to $fix the problem.

[kgm1]

any of the east teams can free fall if they have starter injuries or heart of the lineup bats. it's most likely going to be a case of which ever team stays healthy gets to the post season.

 

If we get as lucky and as healthy as Boston did last year then we can compete fo a playoff position .

 

Health is the key but that is ditto for all the AL east teams . I'm not as high on the yankees as most nor as high on the Red Sox . Yanks infield is brutal and the Sox lost key guys in Elsbury and Drew . Rays will be tough butthere are key guys they can't lose either .

[o2cui2i]

If we get as lucky and as healthy as Boston did last year then we can compete fo a playoff position .

 

Health is the key but that is ditto for all the AL east teams . I'm not as high on the yankees as most nor as high on the Red Sox . Yanks infield is brutal and the Sox lost key guys in Elsbury and Drew . Rays will be tough butthere are key guys they can't lose either .

 

agree completely.

 

Jays have to FO with the 8 man pen idea and get 3 solid bench options plus which ever backup catcher they decide to take. Izturis contract is almost as painful as watching him play. it's almost worth just cutting ties with him and using Kawasaki or Diaz.

 

sell off an excess pen arm and have a better bench. time to take away the over kill safety net that AA seems to be in love with.

 

Sierra

Kawasaki

Diaz

Kratz

 

start off that way and then move for a bat upgrade if Sierra sucks.