Ehjays

Really, who gives a FAWK??? He is right, these guys cheated the game. Nothing worse than guys that tarnish the game and when they are done their career they want to be acknowledged. We all know that Bonds and Clemons would have made the Hall without, but they took the risk and got caught so f***em.

I can see Biagani making this team..... I know they are big on building our farm and my bet is we carry him for the year

No chance

I think the whole thing with AA is that life as a GM took a lot of his time away from his family. His wife was probably going to leave him if he kept up these long hours. so he takes a job that is not as time consuming.

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wtf is right.....terrible thread

John Manuels Chat...sorry if posted already. John Manuel: The Blue Jays Awakened in 2015, so let’s chat about their Top 10 Prospects … and may the force be with you, always. Matthew Robinson (Medicine Hat, Alberta): After this season Shane Dawson got himself on a lot of top prospect list. I'm curious what you think his ceiling is? Is he someone the Jays some look at in major league camp the same way they did with 2 guys last year? Thanks! John Manuel: Really? He’s not on our list … I do not see Shane Dawson as a prospect because of his well-below-average fastball. According to the scouts & player development folks I have talked to, despite his strong 2015 season, Dawson is more of an organizational player than a big leaguer. I hope he proves me wrong. But he wasn’t a serious threat for the Top 10, even in a trade-depleted system. Jon (Brampton, ON): Thanks for doing the chat John. How far off the top 10 was Juan Meza? What is his upside? John Manuel: Quite far off for Juan Maza, who was No. 27 last year and then has grown physically and is struggling to control his body. He doesn’t throw a ton of strikes and hasn’t grown into his potential yet, or hasn’t quite started to really. He’s a hope and a dream right now rather than a prospect. Frank (Chicago): How many of these guys have a case for the top 100? Thx John Manuel: Well, we’re finalizing BA Grades for the Handbook right now … you really, really should order a Prospect Handbook if you have any interest in this stuff, you know. 900 scouting reports in one place, pretty sweet deal. Anyway, Alford is an easy top 100 guy, and more like a Top 50 guy. For me, in Handbook terms, he’s a 60 Medium. I guess that means he’s a 60 Medium since I was the one who came up with BA Grades (heavily borrowing from the methods a couple of clubs use) and also wrote the Blue Jays chapter. … Conner Greene is a top 100 guy for me, easily. Vlad Jr. will probably be toward the back of my top 100 though I know that’s rich for some. I also could see Richard Urena & Sean-Reid Foley in there. Top of the system, to me, is still pretty good. Just the depth has been hollowed out. Grant (NYC): Between Nay and Dean, who are you higher on, and who's the better defender at third? John Manuel: Nay, barely, because of the defense. But those guys weren’t too different to me. One takes it too seriously (Nay), is too hard on himself, and the other is too laid-back (Dean). Maybe if you fused those two guys together … Nay moved down the list quite a bit because he just hasn’t hit or hit for power as a pro yet. When you cut back on power to make more contact and still don’t make great contact, that’s a problem. Kal (Toronto ONT): What can you tell us about rhp Jose Espada? Will he be in the handbook? Already preordered mine. Thanks. John Manuel: Thank you and yes, he’ll be in the Handbook. Quick version without giving it all away is, he’s an athletic righthander with a loose arm and some fastball command, a good place to start. Gordon (Salt Lake City): Taylor Cole never gets any love! Hasn't been a consistent arm in the Jays system since 2011. Chance for big league debut in 2016? John Manuel: Erroneous!! I am the president of the Taylor Cole fan club, having jacked him up our Top 200 prospects list in the 2007 draft. I thought he would the the ace of my fantasy Las Vegas World Baseball Classic team by now. (Aaron Blair has long since surpassed him, as has Amir Garrett and Donn Roach.) Then I tried to be all over him again in 2014 when he led the minor leagues in strikeouts. However, Taylor just never has grown into the sustained plus fastball that scouts saw for him back in high school. Maybe he lost a little athleticism; not quite sure, never got the explanation. He had a chance for 55 fastball and slider back then, but now he’s got a pretty good changeup and the rest of his stuff is fringy. If I could have ranked him, I would have, but I did not. I hope he proves me wrong. Harris (Toronto): Who made the biggest leap in the Jays system this year? John Manuel: How about Conner Greene, from not in the 30 to No. 2? From a gleam in the eye to the system’s best remaining pitching prospect? Nice signing, great development story, and he kind of fulfills all the things that the Jays look for as an athletic HS pitcher who has grown into his projection. Good story and he has his own IMDB page, which is fun. Danny (Denver, CO): Any chance Andy Burns can crack the big league roster in 2016? Seems to be a low cost utility type John Manuel: Another 4 Corners guy like Cole that I wrote up out of Rocky Mountain High. The Colorado prep hitter class is not nearly as strong as as the Colorado pitching fraternity. I believe Greg Bird and Chase Headley comprise the entirety of the big league hitters who went to HS in Colorado. Burns is a low-ceiling guy at this point; his power and stolen-base numbers tumbled at Triple-A. Luckily for him he still can play some shortstop in a pinch, 2nd and 3rd base and both OF corners. That’s his ticket to getting some big league time, I think you are right. He’s not on the 40-man, though; may take some doing to change the front office’s mind, but the front office has changed, so maybe the new guys will like him better. Ryan (Boulder, CO): What's the skinny on Dwight Smith Jr.'s future role at present? John Manuel: Not so much … His value has to come from his bat. He runs and defends fine, but those things don’t separate him. He’s not Dalton Pompey, he’s got to hit to have a big league shot. Like Burns, he was left off the 40-man, sailed through the Rule 5 and has to hit his way back into Toronto’s plans. unlike Burns, he lacks defensive versatility. He’s a real longshot right now. Melvin (Central New York): Haven't heard much about the status and progress of Max Pentecost. Does he have a future as a catcher despite all the arm trouble? John Manuel: He’s right there in the Top 10, but he’s the point where the Top 30 loses containment frankly. A catcher who has had 2 shoulder surgeries should not be in your Top 10 frankly. I have my doubts; I’m not Dr. James Andrews, but I prefer my catchers to not have had 2 shoulder surgeries. We won’t find out until he comes out and tries to play. He may hit enough to have value at another position, but that’s not why they passed on Trea Turner to draft him. Grant (NYC): I'd read Tellez has 70 raw power. Since you have Vladdy Jr as the top power hitter in the organization, what would you grade his power at? John Manuel: I don’t think Tellez has 70 playable power; 70 raw, sure, but Vladdy is probably 80 raw and we’ll see how playable it is. The comps on Vladdy are all guys with huge power, like Kevin Mitchell and Miguel Sano. None of the comps are to his dad, though he does have his dad’s high pockets. Rob (Toronto, ON): Clinton Hollon's curve was rated as the organization's best but he didn't crack the top 10. Is he a fringe candidate to make the 10 or are his other tools lacking promise or projection? John Manuel: He has a lot of stuff going on. He’s had TJ. He has had a suspension. He’s hardly pitched. There is upside there, but Clint Hollon rarely has kept his stuff together over a full season. I guess I would like to see him prove it. He’s an 11-20 guy in the Handbook. Anthony (LA): Chances that Reid-Foley sticks in the rotation? If he does what is his upside there? Is he a top 100 prospect this year? John Manuel: He just needs to slow down; he’s a guy who actually should benefit from the new regime, at least in terms of slowing down and figuring out if he can start. The old regime probably would push him to the majors Castro or Osuna style when he started throwing fastball strikes. The new guys will try to consolidate his progress and let him pace himself a bit more, force him to throw more changeups and become a more polished pitcher. We’ll see if that’s in him; he’s an intense dude according to all our #sources. Larry (Vault 857): Have you heard anything about a couple young rookie ball pitchers named Guadalupe Chavez and Hansel Rodriguez? Are they going to make the Handbook? John Manuel: Both in the Handbook. Jays are excited about both, and our reports on Hansel are pretty strong — chance for a true plus fastball if not better down the line. Chavez is more of a pitcher than a thrower, more polished than lightning stuff. Ringo (Octopusses Garden): With all the trades the past year where does this farm rank now? It looks pretty barren. John Manuel: Solid top 6-7 prospects for me, but after that … it’s light. I think it’s right around 20-22 in my farm system rankings. We’re finalizing those (and the rest of the Prospect Handbook) this weekend. Handbook goes out the door Tuesday. It’s the most … Wonderful Time … of the Year! (ding, dong, ding, dong …) April (Toronto): Any feedback on "Mighty Mouse" Jorge Flores? Would love to see him in AAA and have a chance at a callup John Manuel: I’d call him for Mexico’s WBC team if I were Edgar Gonzalez (Adrian’s brother and Team Mexico’s manager according to Jon Morosi, who definitely has WBC Fever). If only Flores were a plus runner, I could see him being a potential big league reserve, but I just don’t see it. I fear he’s a fine org player, maybe at some point he’ll get a cup of coffee, but that’s the extent of it, for me. Larry (Vault 857): The Jays seem to have some nice lefties outside the top 10 in Angel Perdomo, Ryan Borucki, and Matt Smoral. How would you rank these guys? Who is the most likely to reach the majors? Can any of them make it as starters? John Manuel: They have the highest hopes for Borucki, and I do as well, best changeup in the system. Perdomo is a good pull, he has some live stuff as well. Smoral … well, the first thing you have to do as a prospect is play. He doesn’t play. He’s just as athletic as he needs to be to stay healthy with that big ol’ frame. Maybe one day he’ll stay healthy; good luck predicting that. John (Raleigh): Under AA, TOR was quite aggressive in promoting their young arms (running Reid-Foley up to High A at 19 despite issues w/ command is one recent example; see also Sanchez, Aaron). Do you have a sense if this developmental philosophy will change or remain the same under the new regime? John Manuel: This will change. I don’t know how drastically, but players will be promoted much slower to my understanding. It’s going to be like Twins circa 2005 over there … Peeved (Portland, OR): Hey, John. In a recent podcast you referred to Canada as "nowhere". Does such insight uniquely qualify you to compile this list? Thanks. John Manuel: Lighten up, Francis. It was a joke immediately followed by a joke directed at BA intern alumna Alexis Brudnicki. You know our magazine was founded in Canada right? I immediately regret this decision to answer this question, but our podcasts are fun, give a listen. http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/media/podcasts/ Tim Stephens (Proctorville, Ohio): Any comps for Rowdy Tellez at this point? John Manuel: I’ve been comparing a lot of first basemen to Lucas Duda lately. The Dude has become my go-to dividing line for first basemen. The Dude’s hit 57 home runs the last 2 years and was a starter on a pennant winner. I honestly think Tellez is pretty Duda-like … similarly challenged athletically and defensively, but pretty big power. To me, ideally, Duda is a 6-hole hitter for a championship team, and that seems like Tellez’s peak. Matt (Raleigh, NC): What is the best-case timeline for Vlad junior? He seems to have all the tools and then some compared to what his dad had at his age. How soon can we see him in the upper-levels of the minors and even the big leagues? Is it a Bryce Harper-type situation? John Manuel: Let’s pump those breaks a bit … he’s not as good as his dad. His dad was WAY more athletic. Think back to Vlad Sr. earlier in his career, not 2010 World Series Vlad. I got to see him in 1995 in the Sally League; that Vlad was ridiculously skinny, wiry and electric. That’s not Vlad Jr. But, he could be pretty precocious. I mean, Sano … he’s probably not Sano, but Sano signed in 2009 and missed a year with TJ but still was an impact rookie in 2015, 6 years after signing. That’s more Vlad’s development path, not Bryce Harper. Bryce Harper … we tried to tell you this was a once-in-a-generation kind of precocious talent. Didn’t call Trout being the same (if not better) but Vlad Jr. isn’t that caliber of quick mover, I don’t believe. His dad is a borderline Hall of Famer. I think the son could be a masher at 1B eventually and a first-division starter at that with 30-home runs. But I don’t think he’s as precocious as Bryce Harper getting to the major leagues at age 19, no. Esteban (West Palm Beach): Although I hear that the Blue Jays' system still has prospects, it feels like they're all second-tier prospects. What are the odds that there isn't a major league regular in their system now? John Manuel: No, you’re not correct. Alford is a first-division guy; I think Greene is as well. Vladdy has a high ceiling, and Urena was in the top 3 in HR in the Midwest League as a teen shortstop. I think you’re pretty light on their potential impact guys. They have some impact, and Alford strikes me as not very risky thanks to his athleticism and plate approach, which are special, especially for a guy with his limited baseball experience. If he’s not a big league regular in 2-3 years, I’ll be very surprised. Esteban (West Palm Beach): Are there any prospects that can help the major league club next year? John Manuel: They don’t have an obvious 2016 rookie. That said, they had Travis, Pompey, Osuna, Castro, Aaron Sanchez, Norris and Matt Boyd from last year’s farm system exhaust their rookie eligibility. So that’s a ton of rookies one year, I think it’s understandable they wouldn’t quite have as many the next year, that and all the guys they traded away. david (toronto): Hi what is the ceiling for vlad jr and do you know why the jays struggle to produce everyday players? thank you John Manuel: Asked and answered re: Vladdy. I don’t think they struggle that badly — Adam Lind, Kevin Pillar, Ryan Goins, Yan Gomes … they’ve kept some, gave up too early on some … and they were pretty good at finding relatively free talent like Ed-Wing and Joey Bats. Greg (Shakespeare, ON): Which pitcher was closest to top 10? (Espada, Hollon, Borucki, or Perdomo) Who's your favourite unknown sleeper pick? John Manuel: The Canadian ‘u’ got this question higher in the queue … my deep sleeper is Yennsy Diaz, rhp. He’ll be in the Handbook. I don’t see any questions about him in the queue. Esteban (West Palm Beach): What are Greene, Harris and Reid-Foley? High-floor 3's? John Manuel: Greene may have more ceiling than that. Harris is safe, but to me I’m a little hesitant to put a huge ceiling on him. He’s pretty skinny, he’s going to have to show he can hold up over 150-190 IP in a year. I’m not sure he is ready for that; he got pretty gassed and hit pretty hard after he signed. Reid-Foley … less of a safe bet than those guys. If he wound up an erratic bullpen arm, it wouldn’t shock me. I wouldn’t call him high-floor. Esteban (West Palm Beach): Would you be surprised if Alford has a 30-30 season in the bigs? Is his upside McCutchen? John Manuel: I would be very surprised, considering he already is strong and has plate discipline, if he started hitting a lot more home runs and do not see him as a 30-HR guy. His upside is below McCutchen. Tim (Toronto): Lot of talk in Toronto from Shapiro about changes coming in player development - seems scouting has been good over the last few years. What is BA's opinion of how they have been drafting? How many clubs could trade the # of prospects they have and still have a solid Top 10? John Manuel: Blue Jays remind me of the Yankees in a lot of ways in terms of draft … they know what works for them in terms of scouting and developing pitchers. They have conviction, and that seems to feed on itself. I think their pitching development has had some nice wins (Stroman, Hutchison to an extent, Osuna, the guys they traded like Graveman, Norris, Boyd …). The Yanks are similar. They also are similar in that both orgs have whiffed on some signings, whether through injuries or other factors, which seems mostly like bad luck because it is so hard to get pre-draft medical info on some of these guys. But the Jays didn’t sign Beede (not injury), Bickford and Singer … the system would look different with 1, 2 or 3 of those guys in it. Of course for not signing Beede, they had an extra pick in 2012, and that pick turned into Stroman. So that is a deal they’ll make every time. Greg (Shakespeare, ON): Do you think it's really possible that Vlad is a 3B? Where do you see him starting the year? John Manuel: Let’s watch him play games that matter and see. I can say they were encouraged. He’ll probably play 3b in extended spring and then the GCL next year; MAYBE he’ll be in the Appy League. I am hoping Appy! Esteban (West Palm Beach): Do you think the Jays will miss Barreto and Hoffman as much as Thor and D'arnaud? John Manuel: Lots of questions from Esteban … if that’s your REAL name … I’ll say not as much, but they traded talent to get talent. Also, Donaldson has been better than Dickey, and so will Tulo, so I’ll say not as much in that regard as well. Syndergaard (who I know I was light on) > Hoffman. Sam (Blue Jay Land): Chad Girodo has dominated at every level he has played at. Do you think he makes it to Toronto in 2016? John Manuel: Well, it took him 3 years to figure out the SEC. I do like him as an Aaron Loup type and he’s in the Handbook. Not on the 40-man yet but if they need a situational lefty, he’s at the top of the list. Prison Mike (Scranton, PA): Where would you rank Dalton Pompey if he were still eligible? His inconsistency is concerning. Would you consider his skill set similar to Alford? John Manuel: Less certainty in his offense, his approach is less consistent than Alford’s, less offensive ceiling. I did not bear down on him at all because he was not eligible, so I didn’t delve into the bat. But I liked him a lot last yaer; I bet I would have had Pompey 2 as a 50/Medium type. Josh (San Francisco): I'm a bit surprised to see Tellez at number 7 after a great showing in AFL. Why have Vlad Jr ahead of him when he hasn't even had a profession AB? John Manuel: Ceiling vs. “certainty” is always a tough balance. I just think Vlad has a much higher ceiling, impact player vs. solid but not star player. Jay (Alberta): Reggie Pruit fell in the draft cause of a strong commitment to Vandy, what round should be have been drafted in and what kind of ceiling does this kid have? John Manuel: I mean, he $500k … so he’s happy, I’m guessing. He’s got a Dalton Pompey kind of ceiling, maybe not even quite that high. It doesn’t sound like there’ s a ton of power potential there, more of a contact bat with premium speed and defense. That’s Pompey’s potential, and Dalton has a bit more upside at the plate. Karl of Delaware (Georgtown, Delaware): Always interested in the sleepers in the short season teams. Does Toronto have any? John Manuel: That’s pretty much everyone from 11-30 in the Handbook, with very few exceptions. BlueJayBen (Michigan): Is there still any plan to use Jon Berti? He seems like a super-fast middle-infielder. Is he the kind of sleeper who could end up in Toronto in 2016? John Manuel: He’s fast, not super-fast. He does have a chance to be a 2016 rookie, but to me he’s low impact, best fit as a backup, considered for the back of the top 30 type of guy. @Jaypers413 (IL): Former BA staffer Clint Longenecker did a 5-hour plus Blue Jays prospect chat last year. Any plans to break his record? Just curious. John Manuel: No, because I’m editing the Handbook and I’m half the man Clint Longenecker is! DC (TOR): Harris' ranking seems kind of low for a guy who a lot of people said the Jays got a steal during the draft, and people said that fatigue played a large part for Harris' tough pro debut, what are your thoughts? John Manuel: If he’s fatigued after a college season, pitching against lesser hitters, how fatigued will he be in full-season ball in 2015? I’m worried about his lack of physicality; he’s more back of the rotation profile rather than a front of the rotation guy. He was Mo. State’s No. 2 starter by the way; Matt Hall was the ace by the end of the year and led the country in K’s. I know my good friend Jim Callis loves his Missouri State guys, but the recent track record for Mo. State isn’t super … Brett Sinkbeil anyone? Mike Kickham? Nick Petree? I don’t mean to harsh on the Bears, I really like that program. Dan (Augusta, ME): Last year C Dan Jansen ranked in the Jays top 20 but struggled in 2015. Standard catcher growing pains or has his prospect status taken a hit? Thanks! John Manuel: That’s fair, he has some tools, still the best C prospect in the system. A broken hand just cost him development time but shouldn’t be a long-term concern. I like him OK but he’s more of a backup profile; there’s not an impact skill or tool there, more solid than anything that jumps out. Mike (Flowood, Miss.): Is D.J. Davis' stock still rising or has he leveled off? John Manuel: Back up a bit after his horrid 2014. That was a bad year; he repeated a level in 2015 but did make some adjustments. Always liked the tools, we’ll see if he can show some more aptitude going up to high A next year. Sean (DC): Are we looking at a Mookie Betts type upside on Alford? Ellsbury? Some other Red Sox? John Manuel: Ha .. maybe Ellsbury in his non-30 HR season. I don’t see that kind of home run power with AA but hey, we never thought that would happen with Ellsbury, and he’s never repeated it. Mookie, to me, is more dynamic. @Jaypers413 (IL): Where would Hoffman have ranked on this list? John Manuel: Probably No. 1. We were debating his grade in the office this a.m. Still debating it! Jon (Brampton, ON): Not really a Jays questions, but will the Prospect book be available for purchase as a electronic version, or only hard copy? John Manuel: Only hard copy. Maybe we’ll figure out the digital version that can’t be shared and can be easily sold one day, but I’m not in IT. I don’t think we’ve figured that out yet. Jonny (Brampton, ON): Deep hard throwing bullpens seem to be the way baseball is going now, at least that has been the Royals formula. Who are some arms across the Jays system that may fit this trend moving forward? John Manuel: They don’t have a lot of those guys right now, but they found some of them in the majors, a guy like Liam Hendriks was that kind of guy (a guy I ranked in the past as a Twin …).Sean Reid-Foley is that kind of guy. But they are lighter on power arms than they would like to be except for at the very low levels. Ringo (Octopusses Garden): Tell me everything you know about Yennsy Diaz right this minute! John Manuel: A) You didn’t ask nicely. Buy the Handbook, it will all be in there. Rob (Toronto, ON): Toronto seems to have a lot of interesting guys at lower levels. What's your take on Travis Bergen who only got to pitch a handful of innings but dominated? John Manuel: Bergen is a low-slot lefty, sort of like Girodo though if I recall correctly he’s not quite as low slot. He’s firmer than Girodo and has a better breaking ball. He has a chance to move quickly if he takes to a relief role well. John Manuel: I apologize for shaming the honor of Clint and only chatting for 90 minutes as opposed to 5 hours; I didn’t load up on steak and strawberries today. But I also have to finish the Prospect Handbook with all the rest of the fine BA staff. I really appreciate the interest. The Blue Jays were my first top 30 back in the original Handbook, so it was fun to do that organization again. Yankees on Monday with Josh Norris. Enjoy Ice Bear and have a great weekend.

http://www.torontosun.com/2015/12/10/blue-jays-snag-giants-pitcher-in-rule-v-draft

Yeah, the RULE V Draft! LOL

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/dont-forget-theres-plenty-to-like-about-the-2016-blue-jays/ Just a reminder to those fans pissed about not signing a big free agent, that we still have an awesome team.

We speculated this might happen and I sure would try and sign him.

Do we have to compensate the Indians for Atkins???

I think Smoak is worth 2 million, the others I would release

I can see the Jays dipping in to the rule 5 for a reliever

Not the one King was looking for but this one I accessed through MLB traderumours http://www.baseballamerica.com/minors/2015-rule-5-draft-preview-names-remember/ The 2014 Rule 5 draft class was a historic one. It will be hard for this year’s group to come close to matching the success of last year’s group. Last year’s 10 successful Rule 5 picks (with an 11th still possible) were the most successful Rule 5 picks of any draft since the new eligibility rules were put in place in 2006. Over the previous eight Rule 5 drafts under the current eligibility rules, just 37 players were retained by their new teams, an average of less than five per season. Teams are doing a better job of realizing which types of talents are more likely to stick, but beyond that last year was a historically good year for prospects, something that was apparent from the epic rookie class that arrived in 2015. The 2016 prospect class pales in comparison and the Rule 5 eligibles list reflects that as well. But there are a large number of intriguing arms, many of whom have frightening control problems. It explains why they have been left unprotected but also why a team might be interested in picking them. This list will be expanded as we get closer to the draft, but here’s a first look at some of the names to watch for the Dec. 10 Rule 5 draft. As a reminder, players who signed at age 18 years old or younger in 2011 or earlier and players who signed at 19 or older in 2012 or earlier are eligible for the Rule 5 draft if they were left off their team’s 40-man roster. Anyone taken in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft must be kept on the major league roster for all of the 2016 season or be offered back to their original club. Each players age is listed in parentheses and are as of the Rule 5 draft. As usual, the prospective picks are divided into different categories separating the type of prospects who usually get taken in the Rule 5 draft. Examples of recent Rule 5 picks from that grouping are also included. Backup Catchers After no catcher was picked in the 2009-2012 Rule 5 drafts, a catcher has stuck in each of the past two drafts (Adrian Nieto in 2013 and Oscar Hernandez in 2014). Rule 5 catchers are usually drafted for their gloves because they are going to have to be good enough to step in and handle big league staffs from day one, and few teams are comfortable carrying three catchers on a 25-man regular season roster. Willians Astudillo, c, Braves (24): A minor league free agent who just signed with the Braves, Astudillo plays a lot of positions (catcher, first base, third base and left field) poorly. What Astudillo does do is put the ball in play. He struck out 10 times last year in more than 400 plate appearances. Taylor Davis, c, Cubs (26): Davis is a small (5-foot-9) catcher with an average arm who calls a very good game, blocks the ball well and is a quality receiver. He’s never received regular playing time but he hit .309/.361/.444 in Triple-A last year in 259 at-bats. Joe Hudson, c, Reds (24): Much like Pena, Hudson is a solid defensive catcher with a very good arm (50 percent caught stealing rate in 2015) and nowhere near the bat to be more than a backup who plays sporadically. He hit .214/.303/.342 at high Class A Daytona. Roberto Pena, c, Astros (23): It’s easy to think of reasons Pena will slide through the Rule 5 draft again like he did last year. He hit only .237/.284/.288 for Double-A Corpus Christi this year and has a .621 career OPS. But Pena possesses the most accurate throwing arm in the minors—he threw out 49 percent of baserunners this year and gunned down 56 percent of baserunners the year before. He also calls a good game is and moves well behind the plate, although his pitch presentation could be better. He’s athletic enough that he even played a trio of games at second base this year. A team looking for a backup catcher who can field and is willing to live with little offensive production could take a look—he’s much more ready that either Nieto (White Sox’s Rule 5 pick in 2013) or Hernandez (Diamondbacks Rule 5 pick in 2014). Beau Taylor, c, Athletics (25): Taylor and Pena have very similar profiles. Both are excellent defenders with questionable bats. Taylor threw out 47 percent of basestealers and is very reliable receiver. But he’s never played 100 games in a season and has a sub-.700 OPS in some solid hitting parks. Toolsy Outfielders We’re coming off of one of the best years for Rule 5 outfielders in quite a while as both Delino DeShields Jr. and Odubel Herrera went from the Rule 5 draft to everyday center field jobs. Aristides Aquino, of, Reds (21): Aquino is still one of the better outfield prospects in the Reds’ farm system. He has a prototypical right fielder’s body and arm, he has significant power potential and he can run well for a big man. But it’s easy to see why Cincinnati left him unprotected. Aquino wasn’t ready for low Class A Dayton last year in an injury-plagued full-season debut, so his swing-at-most-everything approach is really not ready for the big leagues. Wuilmer Becerra, of, Mets (21): It’s hard to see how a team could keep Becerra on the big league roster all year, as he’s a still somewhat raw outfielder who played all year at low Class A Savannah. But Becerra, the Mets’ No. 10 prospect, has a chance for five average tools with a chance for above-average power. Jeffrey Baez, of, Cubs (22): Baez’s raw approach is simply not ready for the big leagues in any way. But he’s got some power to go with plus speed. He is above-average defensively in left or right field and can play center field in a pinch. One day he could do a solid Marlon Byrd impression, but it likely won’t be in 2016. Jabari Blash, of, Mariners (26): Blash was left unprotected and unpicked last year, but the Mariners are taking a risk by leaving the toolsy outfielder available this year. Blash hit .271/.370/.576 with 32 home runs between Double-A and Triple-A this year. Blash doesn’t run as well as he did a few years ago, but he has prototypical right field tools and now he has upper-level minor league production as well. Jake Cave, of, Yankees (23): Cave is more of a well-rounded outfielder than toolsy, but he’s a lefthanded hitting center fielder who could entice a team looking for an inexpensive fourth outfielder. He runs well and has gap power but has lacked the selectivity to produce enough to get protected. Tyler Goeddel, of, Rays (23): Goeddel’s bat seemed to take off somewhat this year after he moved from third base to the outfield. He’s an athletic, if a little slight-framed righthanded hitter with a smooth swing who is above-average in the corners and playable in center field. Coming off a .279/.350/.433 season at Double-A, Goeddel is one of the more polished hitters available in this year’s Rule 5 draft. Teoscar Hernandez, of, Astros (23): At a glance, Hernandez appears to check off many of the same boxes as Delino DeShields Jr., whom the Astros lost to the Rangers in last year’s Rule 5 draft. Like DeShields, Hernandez is a center fielder who struggled in Double-A after an excellent season in high Class A. Hernandez’s lack of plate discipline really hurt him in the Texas League, but he can play all three outfield spots, he runs well and he has power (17 home runs in the Texas League last year). Carlos Tocci, of, Phillies (20): Tocci is a solid prospect as he’s still very young and he’s a plus defender in center field. Tocci got a little stronger and faster this year, although he’s still only a tick-above-average runner. It’s hard to see Tocci being selected because he doesn’t have enough plus tools to make him particularly useful on a big league roster right now with what would be a very overmatched bat. Utility Infielders Taylor Featherston and Marwin Gonzalez parlayed defensive versatility into Rule 5 roles in recent years. Here are a few infielders who could fit at the back of a big league roster as inexpensive Rule 5 picks who help a big league club at a major league minimum price. T.J. Rivera, 2b, Mets (27): He’s not a particularly sexy pick but Rivera always hits. He has hit .338 combined over the past two years at Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Las Vegas and he has a career .318 batting average. Combine that with defensive versatility—he’s stretched at shortstop but he can play anywhere in the infield—he’s worth looking at as a potentially inexpensive utility infielder. Ronny Rodriguez, 2b/3b, Indians (23): An athletic infielder who slugged .491 last year in his third stint at Double-A Akron despite missing time with a broken hamate, Rodriguez was a shortstop who moved to second in deference to Francisco Lindor. He still gets over to shortstop on a sporadic basis, but he’s much more suited to playing second, third and even a little first base. Eric Stamets, ss, Indians (24): If you know what you’re getting, Stamets could be a smart pick for a team lacking in upper-level shortstop talent. Stamets is an above-average shortstop defensively. But the team picking him would also have to accept that he’s unlikely to hit at all. For his minor league career, Stamets has hit .257/.311/.343. Jacob Wilson, 2b/3b, Cardinals (25): A righthanded hitter with significant power for a middle infielder (18 home runs last season between Double-A and Triple-A), Wilson has some defensive versatility as he’s an above-average defender at second and third base with an above-average arm. He can play a little bit of outfield as well, adding to his versatility. He did struggle to make contact this past season, but that power could get him picked. Hard-Throwing Relievers With Control Trouble It’s fun to speculate about pitchers with top-of-the-scale fastballs and control troubles, but fewer of them get picked in the Rule 5 draft than you may expect. The most notable recent positive example was 2012 No. 1 pick Josh Fields. Fields has tamed his control issues enough to be a productive reliever with the Astros. Jose Adames, rhp, Marlins (22): Adames is coming off a middling year as a starter at high Class A Jupiter but his stuff (a 94-98 mph fastball and plus changeup) give him projection as a reliever, even if his control (4 BB/9) causes concern. Austin Adams, rhp, Angels (24): It’s very easy to understand why the Angels left Adams unprotected, even if they had room to spare on the 40-man roster. Adams walked 47 batters in 54 innings this past season. That wasn’t an aberration as he’s walked nearly seven batters per nine innings during his career. But his combination of a 92-93 mph two-seamer, 94-97 mph four-seamer and an exceptional slider also means he misses bats—he’s struck out 11.3 per nine innings for his career. That plus stuff could still entice a team to take a chance. Corey Black, rhp, Cubs (24): Black was the Cubs’ No. 16 prospect coming into the 2015 season. There was some expectation that the short (5-foot-11) righthander would end up moving to the bullpen, but the thought was that such a move would help his below-average control and allow his 92-96 mph fastball to play even better. Black did move to the bullpen, but he posted a 7.09 ERA as a reliever last season, his poor walk rate got even worse out of the bullpen, and he fared no better in the Arizona Fall League (19 baserunners allowed in 8.2 IP). Rafael De Paula, rhp, Padres (24): De Paula has an excellent arm with a mid-90s fastball and a potentially above-average changeup but an inconsistent slider. He was in over his head as a starter but he was much better after a move to the bullpen with a 34-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 26 innings after the switch. Onelki Garcia, lhp, White Sox (26): Garcia briefly made it to the majors with the Dodgers before they lost him to Chicago in a waiver claim. Garcia pairs a mid-90s fastball with an inconsistent slider. His lack of control has caused issues for him but he misses bats. Reymin Guduan, lhp, Astros (23): Armed with a fastball that can touch 100 mph, Guduan is one of the safer bets in this year’s Rule 5 draft to be picked as he’s one of the 10 hardest-throwing lefthanders in the world. But he’s much less certain to stick. Guduan’s fastball/slider combo gives him the building blocks to be an excellent reliever one day, but he has significant control troubles that became more apparent as he climbed the minor league ladder and faced tougher hitters and smaller strike zones. Zack Jones, rhp, Twins (25): Jones is yet another two-pitch reliever with a 94-98 mph fastball and a plus slider (at its best). Jones’ control is iffy, but his stuff is, like many pitchers in this category, excellent. Parker Markel, rhp, Rays (25): Markel has two potentially above-average pitches (94-97 mph fastball and slider) but his control troubles have always gotten in the way. His walk rate has gone up to 4.7 BB/9 IP since he reached Double-A. Yunior Marte, rhp, Royals (20): Marte brings plenty of velocity (95+ mph fastball) and has a developing changeup, but he’s far from ready to help a big league club. His control was overtaxed by a jump to low Class A Lexington in 2015. Jose Martinez, rhp, Diamondbacks (21): Martinez has less than 40 innings of full-season time thanks to injuries, including a stress reaction in his elbow in 2014. He has a great arm (he’s touched 99 mph at his best) and was once among the Diamondbacks’ Top 10 prospects but has little full-season track record and already has shifted to a relief role. Juancito Martinez, rhp, Marlins (26): Martinez only converted to pitching last year, but he was excellent in high Class A Jupiter as its closer before falling apart (30 walks in 38 innings) in a second-half promotion to Double-A. Martinez pairs a 93-97 mph fastball with an 85-87 mph slider. Matt Milroy, rhp, Marlins (25): See Milroy on the right night and it’s easy to project him as being able to help a big league club right now. When he’s repeating his release point and staying on top of his slider he can show a plus fastball and a plus slider. He struck out 33 and walked seven in 22 innings in June and July. But when his release point wanders, his control falls apart and he struggles to get out Class A hitters. Sam Selman, lhp, Royals (25): Going back to his days at Vanderbilt, Selman has always had a great arm and inconsistent control. A full-time move to the bullpen hasn’t helped fix that issue. Selman held lefthanded hitters to a .211 batting average this year, but it’s hard to project him as a reliable lefty reliever when he allowed a .400 on-base percentage to those same lefties because he allows so many walks. Selman still has an excellent arm but he’s never stitched together three straight months of even fringe-average control. Peter Tago, rhp, White Sox (23): A minor league Rule 5 pick last year, Tago responded with a some of the best work of his career. Tago has a mid-90s fastball and a solid breaking ball but struggles to throw strikes. Alberto Tirado, rhp, Phillies (20): Tirado qualifies for two categories: he’s a power arm with control troubles and an inexperienced pitcher with a great arm. Acquired in the Ben Revere trade at the deadline, Tirado has an outstanding arm. He’s touched 100 mph at his best and can sit in the high 90s as a reliever. But he also has extreme control problems–he walked more than 10 batters per nine innings in his 16 innings with the Phillies high A Club, even though he also had a sparkling 0.56 ERA. Inexperienced Pitchers With Great Arms Most years there will be at least one pitcher taken on the basis of a great arm even though the selecting team knows that the pitcher’s lack of experience will be a significant handicap in allowing them to contribute immediately. Recent examples include RHP Jason Garcia (Orioles) and RHP Jandel Gustave (who was picked in last year’s Rule 5 but was eventually offered back to the Astros). Yimmi Brasoban, rhp, Padres (21): Brasoban returned for a second season in low Class A Fort Wayne and his stuff took off in a move to the bullpen. Brasoban has shown a good sinking 92-93 mph fastball and touched 96-97 seemingly whenever he wanted it as a reliever, and his slider projects as a potential out pitch as well. Luis Perdomo, rhp, Cardinals (22): Perdomo has no time above high Class A and then struggled in a late-season stint with high Class A Palm Beach. But Perdomo has pitches—a 93-95 mph fastball and a tight slider that darts downward—that flash plus to go with a clean delivery and average control. A team picking him would be hoping that a move to the bullpen would let him focus on those two pitches. Michael Heesch, lhp, Cubs (25): A 6-foot-5 lefty with a 91-94 mph fastball that plays up even a little more because he does a good job of hiding the ball in his delivery, Heesch held lefthanders to a .197/.267/.265 line last season. He’s yet to reach Double-A and his delivery isn’t always in sync, but he has has potential as a lefty matchup reliever. Phillips Valdez, rhp, Nationals (24): Like most of the pitchers in this category, Valdez has yet to pitch in Double-A, but he has had solid success in Class A. Valdez has a mid-90s fastball that will touch 96-97 mph and he has shown solid control. Valdez’s breaking ball is slurvy in its break but it tightens up at times and he’s developed his changeup that has become a viable third pitch. Solid But Unspectacular Stuff Logan Verrett and Sean Gilmartin were picked last year because they can locate with fringe-average to average stuff. There aren’t many success stories from this group over the years, but here are a few pitchers who could try to emulate their path to the Rule 5 draft. Dakota Bacus, rhp, Nationals (24): Bacus has a two-pitch combo that serves him very well. He has a 91-94 mph fastball to go with an at times wipeout slider. Bacus has reached Triple-A despite a modest 6.65 strikeouts per 9 IP ratio. Matt Bowman, rhp, Mets (24): There’s not much to like about Bowman’s 5.53 ERA and his .321 average against. But Bowman has a long track record of success before last year. He throws strikes with four average or fringe-average offerings. Chris Devenski, rhp, Astros (25): Devenski has the coolest pitch in the Rule 5 draft, as he gets his strikeouts with what he calls his “changeup of death.” Devenski profiles as a spot starter, low-leverage reliever after a very solid season (7-4, 3.01) at Double-A Corpus Christi that he capped with a win in the Triple-A National Championship for Fresno. Kyle Drabek, rhp, Diamondbacks (28): A one-time top prospect whose stuff has been diminished by injuries, Drabek was available as a minor league free agent, so an argument can be made that any team that really wanted him could have signed him a week ago without worrying about the roster hassles of a Rule 5 pick. But Drabek does have big league experience and had a 2.79 ERA in 90 innings away from Triple-A Charlotte’s cozy confines. What he doesn’t have (or at least didn’t in 2015) was the plus fastball he used to show. Myles Jaye, rhp, White Sox (23): Jaye succeeds by locating solid average stuff. He can run his fastball up to 94 mph at times, but he’ll also sit in the high 80s for other stretches. He mixes in an above-average changeup and a fringe-average slider, and he can throw all three for strikes. He’s coming off a 12-9, 3.29 season at Double-A Birmingham where he showed durability and generally kept the ball in the park. Luis Lugo, lhp, Indians (21): A 6-foot-5 lefthander with four pitches that project as potentially average or better, Lugo has plenty of feel for setting up hitters. What he doesn’t have is the experience to succeed if he was pushed to the big leagues by a Rule 5 selection. Lugo survived (8-10, 4.45) in the Carolina League this year, but the Indians are taking only a modest risk by leaving him unprotected. Richard Rodriguez, rhp, Orioles (25): There’s nothing sexy with Rodriguez, but he has a solid-average 90-93 mph fastball and curveball to go with some deception. More importantly, Rodriguez has a solid track record of success. He was solid in three stops last year and has Triple-A experience each of the past two seasons. Sluggers In recent years, one or two slugging first baseman usually gets picked. Last year Mark Canha provided value to the A’s, and the Marlins managed to get a regular from the 2013 minor league Rule 5 draft pick with Justin Bour. Zach Borenstein, of, Diamondbacks (25): Borenstein is a corner outfielder who hit .314/.394/.511 for Double-A Mobile, doing almost all of his damage against righthanders. Borenstein has a track record of hitting (a .499 career slugging percentage) and he cut his strikeout percentage significantly this year. He’s stretched in right field but is an average defender in left. Balbino Fuenmayor, 1b, Royals (26): One of the best stories around, Fuenmayor signed for big money ($750,000) with the Blue Jays as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela. Fuenmayor’s power never appeared in his time as a Blue Jay; he ended up being released and seemingly washed up as a 23-year-old. But he rebuilt his career in the independent leagues and was Baseball America’s 2014 Independent Leagues Player of the Year. The Royals signed him and he responded by having one of the best year’s in the minors. Fuenmayor hit .358/.384/.589 between Double-A and Triple-A (and played in the Futures Game) before he tore his ACL in late July. Fuenmayor has plus to plus-plus power potential and he’s hit for average despite a swing-at-everything approach. He’s limited to first base defensively and fits best in the American League where he could also DH. Fuenmayor’s injury will make it a little tougher for him to earn a job in spring training, but some team could take a chance on acquiring some significant power cheaply. Ronald Guzman, 1b, Rangers (21): Signed for $3.45 million in 2011, Guzman still has loud tools, but a team picking him is going to have to be well aware that Guzman lacks the present skills help a big league club right now. Guzman is limited to first base only, and while he has power potential, it’s yet to show up in games. However, he hit .283 while reaching high Class A in 2015 and had 47 extra-base hits.

No thank you, I do not want to revisit that again. His defence was absurd

Robbie Grossman to Cleveland in 3....2...1

That is AWESOME NEWS

ftfy

MLBtraderumours Free agent infielder Cliff Pennington, who played down the stretch with the Blue Jays, is close to signing, ESPN’s Jerry Crasnick tweets. He’s considering one- and two-year deals. SB Nation’s Chris Cotillo tweets Pennington is choosing from among three teams. The 31-year-old Pennington hit just .210/.298/.281 in 2015. Given his solid defense and versatility (he can play shortstop, second base, third base and outfield and even pitch if needed), Pennington does have value, but it would be mildly surprising, in my opinion, if he wound up with a two-year deal following a down season.

I remember we all wanted him. Im hoping that money wasnt enough to persuade him anyway

YOU have to be Felix Doubront in order to write this.

I don't think they are upset either but I believe they dropped the ball on this one. They could have just not gave him a QO and then renegotiated another 1 year deal for less. They could have picked him up for 11mil. He loves it there. They dropped the ball for sure.

http://www.tsn.ca/blue-jays-weighing-contract-offer-to-greinke-1.391723 LOL....I wish

Nothing wrong with riding a donkey on this forum!