In the past I've tried various creative formats to write up top prospect posts, hoping to distinguish my opinions from the plethora of other lists out there, many of which are offered by those far more qualified to express their views. But ultimately, someone else is always going to have a better resume, more stats, a first hand view, or something. Me, ll I've got is having read all those articles that I could and tried to synthesize them into an informed opinion flavored with intuition and maybe seasoned with a tiny pinch of wishcasting. Also, I love my extra long lists, I'll limit myself to 30 for the extended comments though, as the post will already be massive.
Obligatory disclaimer: far more of these will fail than succeed. I mentioned sixty names in 2011, 27 of those have at least appeared in a major league game (7 actual plus contributors, another 6-7 still with upside) and 4 others still well regarded prospects. Anyway, here's my Top 40 countdown:
[player (age as of 6/30/15) position - level]
*level reflects projected 2015 level
40. Dan Jansen (20) - C - Vancouver - New to catching, but has natural aptitude
39. Evan Smith (19) - LHP - Bluefield - 6'5" lefty, not injured. Waiting on an opening in packed Vancouver rotation.
38. Chase Mallard (23) - RHP - Lansing - great results, a bit old for the level. We'll see.
37. Juan Meza (16) - RHP - GCL - Jays' international top signing in 2014.
36. Yeltsin Gudino (17) - SS - GCL - '13 IFA struggled in first North American action, still great upside
35. Rob Rasmussen (26) - LHP - Buffalo - seemed to take a step up after move to 'pen, if Cecil closes he could break camp with Jays
34. Adonys Cardona (21) RHP - Lansing - I still believe. But he has to stay healthy to have a shot.
33. Andy Burns (24) 3B - Buffalo - stumbled after late start last year, but from May 30 on he went .286/.332/.502/.834
32. Tom Robson (22) RHP - Vancouver - won't be ready to break camp in April after TJ last spring.
31. Jake Brentz (20) LHP - Bluefield - only dropped due to signability
30. Jesus Tinoco (20) RHP - Bluefield - His fastball has been described as reminiscent of Henderson Alvarez's for the combination of impressive velocity and groundball-inducing sink. However, his mechanics are still quite raw and his control is a long way from where it will have to be for him to advance.
29. Taylor Cole (25) RHP - NH - Still the best story in the system, Cole has climbed back to the point where he's fully on the radar. Cole, you will recall, gave up all athletics for 2 years to preform a tour as a Mormon missionary. He came back lighter, due to lost muscle mass, and with a fringy fastball. The Blue Jays took him in the 26th round of the 2011 draft. Three years later, with some help from the weighted-ball program, his plus fastball is back and his pitching savvy is nicely developed, as evidenced by his leading the minors in strikeouts. While he's old for the level and the list, the two years off can't be discounted. Cole may very well challenge for AAA if an opening arises.
28. Matt Boyd (24) LHP - NH - Like Cole, it can be argued he's too old for this list, but he was so very dominate at Dunedin in his first full pro season that he can't be ignored. Still, if he's as good as that implies, he'll be banging on the door of AAA by mid-season.
27. Clint Hollon (20) RHP - Bluefield - Missed all of 2014 after TJ surgery, so he only has 17.1 innings of pro experience. His tiny sample in the GCL after being taken in the 2nd round of the 2013 draft was exceptional, but his future is closely tied to whether the organization can clean up the mechanical issues that many suspect let to the injury, while not losing effectiveness.
26. John Stilson (24) RHP - Buffalo - by now you now the pedigree (first round talent before labrum surgery) and caveat (had to have a second labrum surgery last August). If healthy he'd have been squarely in the mix for the late inning jobs this spring. He's been throwing for almost three weeks now, but may not be fully recovered by opening day. Even if he is, probably looking at a couple months at least to re-establish his command in AAA
25. Nick Wells (19) LHP - Bluefield - He's a 6'5" and a lefty so that's a start. The Jays took him in the 3rd round in '14 so he's a legit prospect. But we don't have much more experience to judge. Coming into the draft he was reported to have a high ceiling but also to be somewhat raw. He already possess an impressive curve and a solid fastball. Refinement of a seldom used change will be key to developing to his potential.
24. Chase DeJong (21) RHP - Lansing - Coming off a dominate performance in Bluefield in 2013, the Jays jumped him to full season play at Lansing but they may have been too aggressive. DeJong had a wildly inconsistent season in '14. No doubt he'll repeat the level and try to get his grove back.
23. AJ Jimenez (25) C - Buffalo - He's ready, and then some, defensively. He'll probably never hit enough to start regularly but can likely be better than Thole has been for the Jays. His only problem is two veterans in front of him.
22. DJ Davis (20) CF - Lansing - on raw physical tools, he belongs in the top 10 of the system, but "raw" is a word that really doesn't capture the gap between his physical abilities and his baseball skills. Depending on how much he closes that gap, he could be spectacular - or a total flame-out.
21. Alberto Tirado (20) RHP - Lansing - Like many young live-armed Latin pitchers, his control still needs a lot of work, but the tools are very promising. He pitched mostly out of the 'pen last year but the Jays still see him primarily as a starter. If he shows good command in ST he might break camp with Lansing (as he did last year) or may hold back in extended for a month to avoid the cold.
20. Lane Thomas (19) (3B/2B/CF) -Vancouver - Drafted as a SS, he played CF in his first pro season but word now is that the Jays will play him at 3B in '15, which some in the organization consider his best suited position. He could also end up at 2B eventually. These moves are not because he lacks talent but because he has so much. Short might be too much for him but he looks to be a plus defender wherever else he might settle. And signs suggest his batwill play. Could be one of the breakout players in the system next year.
19. Ryan Borucki (21) LHP - Vancouver - some may overlook after e was drafted in the 15th round and then missed all of 2013, but he was dominate in '14 and is one to watch. He's walked NINE and struck out 62 in 63 pro innings. And he's a lefty. And he's 6'4". Got your attention yet?
18. Dwight Smith Jr. (22) LF/2B? - NH - Spent his entire pro career so far in the outfield, but the word last fall was that he'd begin the process of learning 2B in the AFL. He doesn't really show the arm for CF, nor the power typically expected for left. However, the acquisition of Devon Travis may have changed the plans. Another factor is that there's only one OF in the system that projects as belonging in AA other than Smith. Spring well decide much. One thing he's shown, his bat is ready for AA.
17. Dewal Lugo (20) SS - Lansing - He's not over-matched at SS, but give his size and below-average first-step quickness, some scouts figure him for a move to 3B (which, if Urena develops, becomes an easier decision). Offensively, he has good hitting instincts and above-average raw power, but he's yet to completely tap in to either. He ran out of gas last year and had an awful August which depressed his stat line, but even before that he wasn't on fire. Of all the talented prospects in the system, this is the one I'm most willing to trade.
16. Mat Dean (22) 3B/1B - Dunedin - This guy was one of my favorites from the day he was drafted. He's a very god hitter who's beginning to find his power potential. When his doubles start going over the fence, he'll jump up the list. He's at 1B because of Mitch Nay, but likely could still be a solid 3B and either of them might make the majors in the outfield depending on the available opening. He's not at first because of any lack of athleticism.
15. Jario Labourt (21) LHP - Lansing - The big (6'4") Dominican lefty has been remarkably under-the-radar given the upside he possesses. He shows a live fastball with good natural movement and a developing change but he's going to need to find a solid off-speed offering to remain a starter at the upper levels. Still, two pitches thrown well is enough to be an important reliever at a minimum.
14. Rowdy Tellez (20) 1B - Lansing - Like Dean, this is a guy I had a crush on from the day he was drafted. I remember when the Blue Jays drafted Kris Bryant out of high school and failed to sign him - only to watch him go at the top of the draft a few years later. I'm not going to predict Rowdy will end up being the best prospect in baseball but I do think that there's a sense in which the situations parallel. Tellez only fell out of the upper rounds on signability and is, in my view, one of the players most likely to explode this year.
13. Matt Smoral (21) LHP - Lansing - The advancement to full season ball is aggressive and will need to be justified in spring training, but there's a bit of a logjam for the Vancouver staff and that will work in his favor if he seizes the moment. He posted impressive ratios in Bluefield but the control still needs a lot of work. They can afford to advance him slowly.
12. Devon Travis (24) 2B - Buffalo - after a massive 2013 (.936 OPS over two level of A ball), he started a bit slow in 2014 thanks to an oblique injury that cost him a month of playing time and saw him only 5/39 on the morning of May 26. His line for the rest of the season was .317/.379/.496/.875 so we can assume his bat plays. Opinions are mixed about his glove, but if the Jays don't make an acquisition, there's every chance he has the job in Toronto by June.
11. Richard Urena (19) SS - Vancouver - He's a good-to-excellent fielder, a high-contact hitter without over-the-fence power. He displays a good eye at the plate, especially given that young Latin players often are free swingers. With Baretto out of the system, he has a much clearer path to the major league job.
10. Mitch Nay (21) 3B - Dunedin - there are a lot of similarities between Nay and Dean. Both have plus hit tools and big raw power that has yet to push some of the prolific doubles over the fence. Nay is apparently better regarded as a defensive 3B, though between fringy range and Josh Donaldson, he might not play their in the majors unless traded. Scouts are sold on his power bat either way.
9. Anthony Alford (20) CF - Lansing - if he impresses in ST, he may very well break camp with Dunedin so that both he and Davis can play CF everyday. On the other hand, the two are great friends and the organization may decide he'll be good for the younger player's development. In any case, Alford s arguably the most fascinating player in the Blue Jays' minor league system. It's difficult to quantify just how good he can be until he gets sufficient reps. Despite a couple of 5 or 6 games slumps, he's shown very well for a player with so little pro experience in Australia this winter, particularly in the crucial skill (which Davis lacks) of pate discipline.
8. Sean Reid-Foley (19) RHP - Bluefield - Ranks solidly with the Blue Jays other recent HS starter picks. He has four solid pitches with a fastball that sits in the low nineties. He has a repeatable delivery and controls both sides of the plate. With his polish, he could move quickly. I predict he'll get at least a cup of coffee in Lansing in late August.
7. Miguel Castro (20) RHP - Dunedin - That's a slightly aggressive placement, but Alex is already name-dropping him as a guy who could come fast, and for good reason. The big (6'5") righty has gotten stronger and can now run his FB into the high 90's. Like Labourt, he has a change up that serves as an effective second pitch but hasn't yet mastered a quality off-speed offering. The Jays can continue to work on that, or decide that with the available SP depth they can move him into relief where he will likely dominate. If they do, he could be the second half-boost that Sanchez was last year.
6. Max Pentacost (22) C -Vancouver - Said to need refinement on defense, but he's already regarded as one of the best catching prospects in the game. There was talk before the Martin signing that he'd move fast through the system, now they can afford a much more leisurely pace. Still, ideally he'd be up in time to learn from Martin towards the end of the latter's contract.
5. Jeff Hoffman (22) RHP -Vancouver - But for his 2014 surgery, he might have debuted in Lansing and will likely arrive there by mid-season. If fully recovered he's regarded by many as the highest ceiling pitcher in the Blue Jays' system. Already he features a plus-plus fastball, a monster curve and a solid improving change.
4. Dalton Pompey (22) CF -Toronto - some fear he's not ready to be the everyday CF in Toronto. I'm not one of them. There were no hint last year as he blazed through the system that he had serious holes in his game. That's not to say he's a finished product, but he has a firm foundation and thrives on being challenged. Often overlooked is his tremendous speed and base-running skills. Him hitting just in front of (or eventually behind) Jose Reyes should be a helluva lot of fun to watch.
3. Roberto Osuna (20) RHP -Dunedin - No need to revisit the track record n this guy, he's been on my radar from the jump. Even having lost a year to TJ, he's till going to be among the youngest players in the upper majors. There's a lot of speculation he'll open in AA but I'm inclined to think he may get 4-6 weeks in Dunedin until things warm up in the Northeast. But I agree he'll be in NH by mid-season.
1b. Daniel Norris (22) LHP - Buffalo - OTOH, there's a slightly better argument for Norris consolidating his gains at AAA while he waits for a clear opening in Toronto. Not that he showed any weaknesses sprinting through the system last year. In fact, most people chose him in the contest with Sanchez for the #1 spot. I copped out a bit by essentially declaring a tie, but there's really very little to serve as a tie-breaker. The major argument in Norris' favor is that he showed excellent command and control in '14, something Sanchez still can have trouble with.
1a. Aaron Sanchez (22) RHP - Toronto - I gave him the tiniest of edges here for one reason - the remaining possibility the Jays will decide to let him close in '15. The fact that he's had major league success already gives him the edge, in my mind, but it's impossible to predict which will ultimately have a better career. You already know everything you need to know about Sanchez, but remember: if you are ever feeling down about the Jays, think about a Jays rotation which will include the best five of Hoffman, Sanchez, Norris, Stroman, Osuna, Hutchison, and Castro to say nothing of the talent a bit further away.
And there are still other names worth mentioning (don't scoff, I once ranked Yan Gomes #42, Pompey #59, Ryan Goins #78) so here is a sampling:
Ryan Tepera, Christian Lopes, Sean Ochinko, Derrick Chung, Ryan McBroom, Patrick Murphy, Roemon Fields, Matt Morgan, Freddy Rodriguez, Yefry Del Rosario, Grayson Huffman, Chase Welbrock, Gunner Heidt, Daniel Lietz, Eziquel Carrera, Bake McFarland...you get the idea.
Monday, 29 December 2014
Wednesday, 17 December 2014
Bullpen Imports?
It's beginning to look like the Jays' view that Dusty McGowan's $4mm option was too much for a set-up reliever may have been a misreading of the market. Jason Motte - who missed almost all of the last two seasons - Just got $4.5mm for one year from the Cubs and a lot of middling players are getting pretty nice money.
Looking out at the increasingly unimpressive assortment of free agent relievers, more and more I'm hearing the music from Back to the Future in my head. I'm sitting here looking at Fangraphs ranking of Steamer projections for free agent relievers and it inexplicably doesn't include the one guy guy who's still out there that I have higher expectations for than anyone who is on the list. And that man (obviously) heads my list of potential signings:
1. Casey Janssen - If you consider Gregerson/Neshak the floor, and Miller/Robertson the ceiling, then Janssen should make between 6.5 and 9.5 AAV on his next deal for at least three seasons. If the Jays could get him to agree to 3/24 they ought just go ahead and do it unless they think they can do better by trading mid-to-low minors prospects.
2. Sergio Romo - I've seen commentators express lukewarm enthusiasm for Romo, noting his numbers went backwards last year and he lost the closer job at mid-season. His results DID go backwards. For two weeks. Between June 13 and June 28 he had tree bad outings in five appearances, giving up 9 runs in a collective 4.1 IP. Outside that stretch, his ERA was 2.52 and there was no good reason for him to have lost the closer job. In fact, take out June 13 alone and (5 ER in 1/3 IP) and his ERA drops from 3.72 to 2.97.
Like Janssen, I'd be happy to go ahead and sign him for a similar number, only preferring Janssen under the "devil you know" rubric. OTOH, that might be the very reason they'd prefer Romo for all I know. Less than a week ago Benny Fresh tweeted the Jays apparently hadn't checked in on him and AA is quoted as saying he's looking more to trades but I remind you how long it took after "I can't envision trading a starter" to turn into "We traded JA Happ."
3. Francisco Rodriguez* - talent wise, you might even prefer his stuff to Janssen's but he comes with a lot of off-field baggage the Jays presumably want little part of.
4. Rafiel Soriano - slightly older than K-Rod, ratios not quite as good, but tends toward fly balls fairly heavily, which tends to make him a less attractive fit for Skydome. OTOH, he doesn't beat his wife apparently.
5. Jason Grilli - entering his age 38 season, which means you don't have to guarantee three years or even two in order to have a shot. Four good years in a row, excepting the portion of last season which occurred before the trade to the Angels.
6. Dustin McGowan - I don't think last year necessarily indicated the start of a downward spiral, but if you could get him for a year and an option, at around $3mm for the first year, he's probably gonna be better than the rest of the scraps left on the market.
7. Carlos Villianueva - Remember this guy? Turns out he's much better out of the 'pen than starting, pitches best in high leverage situations, and has consistently good rates until he approaches 50 pitches then he goes south in a hurry. Used correctly, the Jays would do well to have him back.
8. Tim Stauffer- If you get the 2013 guy, great, if you get the 2014 guy, that's trouble. The former had fine home/road splits and pitched well in pressure situations, the latter...didn't.
9. Burke Badenhop - Steady, unspectacular RH who has good control, ordinary K rates but an unusually high GB rate.
10. Jesse Crain - if healthy, would be a solid pick-up and true asset, whether he'll be healthy I can't say. Not to mention the passport skill ;) - oh, but he is flyball prone so there's that too.
Also out there: Alexi Ogando(health?), Joba Chamberlain (perpetual under-achiever),Tom Grozalanny (best LH left), John Axford (He used to be a closer?), Scott Downs (minor league deal with invite just to see if he's done or not)
To me, if you can get Crain and Downs into camp ad see what they got, it's a no-brainer, whatever else you do.
Trades? Sure, but who the hell can predict trades? Start with this: Norris is only available if he brings an Ace SP with multiple years of control. Basically, Hammels. So if you take him out of the equation, is there someone with a closer you can reasonably expect to trust that you can get without dealing Norris? I dunno. I droll over Chapman but...I just don't know. Navarro might get you something, but there's only so man teams he works for. White Sox, D'Backs, Pirates, Dodgers? Braves? Rays? At least we can look them over I guess.
Tampa - Come up with a couple of enticing prospects to go with and try to pry lose Jake McGee?
Atlanta - David Carpenter? Yes, one we let get away.
LA - they are dying to trade Brandon League, JP Howell had a better year. But if you couldn't get better elsewhere, and they would kick in $5mm or so...
Pittsburgh - Melancon and Watson both look like closers (one already is of course) but either would need an infusion of good prospects to pry away.
Arizona - Evan Marshall or Randall Delgado would be a promising acquisition.
Chicago - If they had a closer, he'd have taken the job from those who attempted it in '14 (you ca see why they wanted Robertson!) - if there's any pitcher here to ask for, you might try getting still-young Daniel Webb back and see if you could teach him to command the zone. He would be in the majors ar 24 with that walk rate unless he had a live arm.
Looking ahead. . .
I still owe y'all a prospect list in some form, and I have unexpressed views about the moves so far.
Looking out at the increasingly unimpressive assortment of free agent relievers, more and more I'm hearing the music from Back to the Future in my head. I'm sitting here looking at Fangraphs ranking of Steamer projections for free agent relievers and it inexplicably doesn't include the one guy guy who's still out there that I have higher expectations for than anyone who is on the list. And that man (obviously) heads my list of potential signings:
1. Casey Janssen - If you consider Gregerson/Neshak the floor, and Miller/Robertson the ceiling, then Janssen should make between 6.5 and 9.5 AAV on his next deal for at least three seasons. If the Jays could get him to agree to 3/24 they ought just go ahead and do it unless they think they can do better by trading mid-to-low minors prospects.
2. Sergio Romo - I've seen commentators express lukewarm enthusiasm for Romo, noting his numbers went backwards last year and he lost the closer job at mid-season. His results DID go backwards. For two weeks. Between June 13 and June 28 he had tree bad outings in five appearances, giving up 9 runs in a collective 4.1 IP. Outside that stretch, his ERA was 2.52 and there was no good reason for him to have lost the closer job. In fact, take out June 13 alone and (5 ER in 1/3 IP) and his ERA drops from 3.72 to 2.97.
Like Janssen, I'd be happy to go ahead and sign him for a similar number, only preferring Janssen under the "devil you know" rubric. OTOH, that might be the very reason they'd prefer Romo for all I know. Less than a week ago Benny Fresh tweeted the Jays apparently hadn't checked in on him and AA is quoted as saying he's looking more to trades but I remind you how long it took after "I can't envision trading a starter" to turn into "We traded JA Happ."
3. Francisco Rodriguez* - talent wise, you might even prefer his stuff to Janssen's but he comes with a lot of off-field baggage the Jays presumably want little part of.
4. Rafiel Soriano - slightly older than K-Rod, ratios not quite as good, but tends toward fly balls fairly heavily, which tends to make him a less attractive fit for Skydome. OTOH, he doesn't beat his wife apparently.
5. Jason Grilli - entering his age 38 season, which means you don't have to guarantee three years or even two in order to have a shot. Four good years in a row, excepting the portion of last season which occurred before the trade to the Angels.
6. Dustin McGowan - I don't think last year necessarily indicated the start of a downward spiral, but if you could get him for a year and an option, at around $3mm for the first year, he's probably gonna be better than the rest of the scraps left on the market.
7. Carlos Villianueva - Remember this guy? Turns out he's much better out of the 'pen than starting, pitches best in high leverage situations, and has consistently good rates until he approaches 50 pitches then he goes south in a hurry. Used correctly, the Jays would do well to have him back.
8. Tim Stauffer- If you get the 2013 guy, great, if you get the 2014 guy, that's trouble. The former had fine home/road splits and pitched well in pressure situations, the latter...didn't.
9. Burke Badenhop - Steady, unspectacular RH who has good control, ordinary K rates but an unusually high GB rate.
10. Jesse Crain - if healthy, would be a solid pick-up and true asset, whether he'll be healthy I can't say. Not to mention the passport skill ;) - oh, but he is flyball prone so there's that too.
Also out there: Alexi Ogando(health?), Joba Chamberlain (perpetual under-achiever),Tom Grozalanny (best LH left), John Axford (He used to be a closer?), Scott Downs (minor league deal with invite just to see if he's done or not)
To me, if you can get Crain and Downs into camp ad see what they got, it's a no-brainer, whatever else you do.
Trades? Sure, but who the hell can predict trades? Start with this: Norris is only available if he brings an Ace SP with multiple years of control. Basically, Hammels. So if you take him out of the equation, is there someone with a closer you can reasonably expect to trust that you can get without dealing Norris? I dunno. I droll over Chapman but...I just don't know. Navarro might get you something, but there's only so man teams he works for. White Sox, D'Backs, Pirates, Dodgers? Braves? Rays? At least we can look them over I guess.
Tampa - Come up with a couple of enticing prospects to go with and try to pry lose Jake McGee?
Atlanta - David Carpenter? Yes, one we let get away.
LA - they are dying to trade Brandon League, JP Howell had a better year. But if you couldn't get better elsewhere, and they would kick in $5mm or so...
Pittsburgh - Melancon and Watson both look like closers (one already is of course) but either would need an infusion of good prospects to pry away.
Arizona - Evan Marshall or Randall Delgado would be a promising acquisition.
Chicago - If they had a closer, he'd have taken the job from those who attempted it in '14 (you ca see why they wanted Robertson!) - if there's any pitcher here to ask for, you might try getting still-young Daniel Webb back and see if you could teach him to command the zone. He would be in the majors ar 24 with that walk rate unless he had a live arm.
Looking ahead. . .
I still owe y'all a prospect list in some form, and I have unexpressed views about the moves so far.
Friday, 12 December 2014
The Bullpen and other Meeting thoughts
So, while I await whether or not there's any fire to the smoke leaking out regarding the Blue Jays and SS(potential 2B) Takashi Toritani it seems the subject on everyone's lips and keyboards is the bullpen. So let me see if I can reel off one of my old school omnibus posts looking over the possibilities.
Lately there's a sudden wave of chatter that the Blue Jays don't have nearly as much to spend as previously estimated. My take on that is (obviously) ill-informed since I'm not privy to how much they react to exchange rates and such, but the whole conversation strikes me as a bit of an over-correction. I don't think that the very-recent trend towards not acting is as much a function of money as it is a wise estimation of the level to which signees are being overvalued, either in AAV or number of years.
This is a team, remember, that declined to bring back Janssen and McGowan for around the same cost next year as Andrew Miller got (and Janssen's track record over the last 4-5 years completely annihilates Miller's - the last half season notwithstanding). There's more in play here than a payroll ceiling. That said, they are sitting a tic over $124mm by my estimation, and it's pretty clear Navarro and his $5mm are going somewhere - more on that later. It's true, as Stoten and others have mentioned, that there are $5mm in pending buyouts at the end of the year, but there's only 1 or 2 mil tat even remotely likely to be paid out. I'm still sticking with ~$20mm to go (assuming Navarro), at least, which would be a paltry 3.6% raise over 2014.
So, taking a long look at the situation, what do we find? First, let's note well: If they wanted Janssen on the team as a person or a ballplayer, they should have picked him up. The cost compared to his track record was good value. Either they saw troubling issues with his abilities, or there was some clubhouse red flag we don't know about. Laying those aside, there are still FAR worse plays than bringing him and McGowan back, although that will cost more now than it would have to have picked up the options. (As an aside, wouldn't it have made sense to pick up Janssens and traded him like they did Lind if they didn't want him? Seems ike an opportunity lost...)
Second, the internal options are not as depleted as has been portrayed. There IS a distinct hole at closer (albeit not without untested internal options) and one would like an import there and perhaps a more high-powered RH for the 8th, but it's worth a closer look at what's here.
1. Brett Cecil - damn skippy set-up man (and not just against lefties) and the leading (depending on how you use Sanchez) internal candidate to close. He'd be a pretty good option at the latter but would leave a significant hole at the former.
2. Aaron Sanchez - few doubt he could be a star as a closer assuming he could muster the "closer mentality". As things stand, he is (rightly) penciled in as the 5th starter but if the ays hit march without a closer option, and with a reasonable alternative (Norris, Estrada, someone else?) for that spot, they may decide to go a year with Sanchez and re-evaluate next winter.
3. Aaron Loup - Anyone remember that Loup wasn't high on anyone's top prospect lists in 2012? Or before? Coming into 2012 he'd been mentioned just a little as a guy with good upside who was probably a couple of years away. By mid-season he'd been promoted from AA and would never see the minors again. Just goes to show that good bullpens are not just made up of big money free agents or costly trades. Like Cecil, he's a home-grown mainstay.
4. Todd Redmond - very under-appreciated by the fans after last year's fine job. A waiver claim from the Orioles in March of 2013, Redmond demonstrates another road to quality bullpen acquisitions. Redmond played a crucial role in '14 as a middle/long reliever and sported a 1.98 ERA on August 14 before his worst outing of the year. He gave up runs in 7 of his last 9 outings and either he was running
out of gas or maybe hiding some mild injury. In any case, he's a key part of the '15 bullpen.
5. Marco Estrada - Above average Starter in '12-'13, and quality reliever in the second half of '14. Much has been said about the 29 homers he allowed last season - but he only allowed TWO of those after the break. The first half seems to be a rather obvious outlier.
Laying aside the possibility Daniel Norris can't be denied, either Estrada or Sanchez will be in the rotation and the other in the 'pen - so other than the occurance of injury, you have 4 spots filled. You need three more in the majors, lus depth.
6. Steve Delebar - the Jays got him at the 2012 trade deadline for a guy they were done with (full disclosure, I really thought Eric Thames was better than that) and who hasn't played in the majors for two years. He was consistently good until May 23 of last season. Then his control went sideways and he found himself back in AAA 4 weeks later. There he did excellent work in all respects except that the walk rate was still too high. There is every possibility he becomes the RH set-up man we need. We just can't afford to presume he will.
7. Chad Jenkins - another Rodney Dangerfield, cursed with too many options (he still has one remaining). Demonstrating the third alternate method to filling a 'pen - the minor league starter who's not good enough to start in the majors. Not possessed of great strikeout ability, all he does is get outs. If not for the option he'd be a lock to break camp in the Jays bullpen.
8. Kyle Drabek - out of options, this is his make or break spring. Take out one bad outing (the next-last of the season) and he posted a 2.45 ERA over the last two months pitching in relief. He recorded 4 walks and 14 K in 18.1 IP. Despite the fact that the Jays inexplicably left him off the September roster, this might be your best dark horse candidate to play a key role.
For all the hand-wringing about the '14 'pen, that's a solid group. It's true the bullpen collectively ranked poorly in the last season, BUT that figure include the Santos implosion (take him out alone and the bullpen ERA drops from 4.09 to 3.88) and several others no longer in the picture. The collective ERA of the players still in the Jays' possession (along with Estrada's relief work and minus Stroman's) is 2.73!
But depth, you say? Much more untested. But here we go:
1. Rob Rasmussen - Lefty looked good in tiny major league sample. Quite good in AAA, solid minor league history. Legitimately goodd enough to fill in in the majors at least.
2. Liam Hendricks - dominant at AAA, still only 25. There ought to be a way to translate that to at lest a replacement level reliever.
3. Ryan Tepera - did good work after being shifted from starting to the bullpen for 2014.
4. Cory Burns - got hittable when he hit the PCL (for the Rangers) but his track record in previous organizations looks excellent. A serious dark horse candidate.
5/6. Bo Schultz/Colt Hymes - I dunno. The Jays thought enough of them to carry them on the 40 so they will be in the major league camp at ST. Can't see the attraction myself.
7. Blake McFarland - no pedigree (a lot of good major league relievers don't bring one with them) but he dominated in the AFL after a fine season split between Dunedin and New Hampshire. He's put himself on the radar.
8. Tyler Ybarra - pegged by some observers as a breakout candidate, the LH pitcher dominated Hi-A ball in 2013 and took a step back in '14 at AA. Said to be the sort that could put it together at any time.
9. Ricky Romero - yeah I know, but he did finally get the knee fixed and it would be a helluva story wouldn't it?
10. John Stilson - recovering from shoulder surgery, probably a lost season ahead but his name ought to appear here somewhere.
Potential second half stories?
Alex has mentioned Miguel Castro more than once. Like most young hard-throwers, his control needs continued refinement, but he will start the season in A Ball and if the Jays think he can help the bullpen this year - as Alex seems to - then they may fast-track him ala Norris/Graveman so long as he isn't overwhelmed. Others who might come fast include Roberto Osuna, who will be far enough removed from his TJ to be back to his old self. He may begin the year in the warmth of Florida but should arrive in AA in early-to-mid may at the latest. Speaking of Graveman, Matt Boyd and Taylor Cole are both lower profile prospects who dominated at Dunedin a stumbled in brief tries at AA. They should open in NH this time and fit the profile of starters who might better serve the team in relief (particularly in that there are so many very good young starters higher on the list than they. For a much longer shot, lefty Jario Labourt might be your sleeper.
In a few days I'll take a look outside the organization to see what, in my estimation, makes sense. But don't despair too much. There's a solid core here.
Lately there's a sudden wave of chatter that the Blue Jays don't have nearly as much to spend as previously estimated. My take on that is (obviously) ill-informed since I'm not privy to how much they react to exchange rates and such, but the whole conversation strikes me as a bit of an over-correction. I don't think that the very-recent trend towards not acting is as much a function of money as it is a wise estimation of the level to which signees are being overvalued, either in AAV or number of years.
This is a team, remember, that declined to bring back Janssen and McGowan for around the same cost next year as Andrew Miller got (and Janssen's track record over the last 4-5 years completely annihilates Miller's - the last half season notwithstanding). There's more in play here than a payroll ceiling. That said, they are sitting a tic over $124mm by my estimation, and it's pretty clear Navarro and his $5mm are going somewhere - more on that later. It's true, as Stoten and others have mentioned, that there are $5mm in pending buyouts at the end of the year, but there's only 1 or 2 mil tat even remotely likely to be paid out. I'm still sticking with ~$20mm to go (assuming Navarro), at least, which would be a paltry 3.6% raise over 2014.
So, taking a long look at the situation, what do we find? First, let's note well: If they wanted Janssen on the team as a person or a ballplayer, they should have picked him up. The cost compared to his track record was good value. Either they saw troubling issues with his abilities, or there was some clubhouse red flag we don't know about. Laying those aside, there are still FAR worse plays than bringing him and McGowan back, although that will cost more now than it would have to have picked up the options. (As an aside, wouldn't it have made sense to pick up Janssens and traded him like they did Lind if they didn't want him? Seems ike an opportunity lost...)
Second, the internal options are not as depleted as has been portrayed. There IS a distinct hole at closer (albeit not without untested internal options) and one would like an import there and perhaps a more high-powered RH for the 8th, but it's worth a closer look at what's here.
1. Brett Cecil - damn skippy set-up man (and not just against lefties) and the leading (depending on how you use Sanchez) internal candidate to close. He'd be a pretty good option at the latter but would leave a significant hole at the former.
2. Aaron Sanchez - few doubt he could be a star as a closer assuming he could muster the "closer mentality". As things stand, he is (rightly) penciled in as the 5th starter but if the ays hit march without a closer option, and with a reasonable alternative (Norris, Estrada, someone else?) for that spot, they may decide to go a year with Sanchez and re-evaluate next winter.
3. Aaron Loup - Anyone remember that Loup wasn't high on anyone's top prospect lists in 2012? Or before? Coming into 2012 he'd been mentioned just a little as a guy with good upside who was probably a couple of years away. By mid-season he'd been promoted from AA and would never see the minors again. Just goes to show that good bullpens are not just made up of big money free agents or costly trades. Like Cecil, he's a home-grown mainstay.
4. Todd Redmond - very under-appreciated by the fans after last year's fine job. A waiver claim from the Orioles in March of 2013, Redmond demonstrates another road to quality bullpen acquisitions. Redmond played a crucial role in '14 as a middle/long reliever and sported a 1.98 ERA on August 14 before his worst outing of the year. He gave up runs in 7 of his last 9 outings and either he was running
out of gas or maybe hiding some mild injury. In any case, he's a key part of the '15 bullpen.
5. Marco Estrada - Above average Starter in '12-'13, and quality reliever in the second half of '14. Much has been said about the 29 homers he allowed last season - but he only allowed TWO of those after the break. The first half seems to be a rather obvious outlier.
Laying aside the possibility Daniel Norris can't be denied, either Estrada or Sanchez will be in the rotation and the other in the 'pen - so other than the occurance of injury, you have 4 spots filled. You need three more in the majors, lus depth.
6. Steve Delebar - the Jays got him at the 2012 trade deadline for a guy they were done with (full disclosure, I really thought Eric Thames was better than that) and who hasn't played in the majors for two years. He was consistently good until May 23 of last season. Then his control went sideways and he found himself back in AAA 4 weeks later. There he did excellent work in all respects except that the walk rate was still too high. There is every possibility he becomes the RH set-up man we need. We just can't afford to presume he will.
7. Chad Jenkins - another Rodney Dangerfield, cursed with too many options (he still has one remaining). Demonstrating the third alternate method to filling a 'pen - the minor league starter who's not good enough to start in the majors. Not possessed of great strikeout ability, all he does is get outs. If not for the option he'd be a lock to break camp in the Jays bullpen.
8. Kyle Drabek - out of options, this is his make or break spring. Take out one bad outing (the next-last of the season) and he posted a 2.45 ERA over the last two months pitching in relief. He recorded 4 walks and 14 K in 18.1 IP. Despite the fact that the Jays inexplicably left him off the September roster, this might be your best dark horse candidate to play a key role.
For all the hand-wringing about the '14 'pen, that's a solid group. It's true the bullpen collectively ranked poorly in the last season, BUT that figure include the Santos implosion (take him out alone and the bullpen ERA drops from 4.09 to 3.88) and several others no longer in the picture. The collective ERA of the players still in the Jays' possession (along with Estrada's relief work and minus Stroman's) is 2.73!
But depth, you say? Much more untested. But here we go:
1. Rob Rasmussen - Lefty looked good in tiny major league sample. Quite good in AAA, solid minor league history. Legitimately goodd enough to fill in in the majors at least.
2. Liam Hendricks - dominant at AAA, still only 25. There ought to be a way to translate that to at lest a replacement level reliever.
3. Ryan Tepera - did good work after being shifted from starting to the bullpen for 2014.
4. Cory Burns - got hittable when he hit the PCL (for the Rangers) but his track record in previous organizations looks excellent. A serious dark horse candidate.
5/6. Bo Schultz/Colt Hymes - I dunno. The Jays thought enough of them to carry them on the 40 so they will be in the major league camp at ST. Can't see the attraction myself.
7. Blake McFarland - no pedigree (a lot of good major league relievers don't bring one with them) but he dominated in the AFL after a fine season split between Dunedin and New Hampshire. He's put himself on the radar.
8. Tyler Ybarra - pegged by some observers as a breakout candidate, the LH pitcher dominated Hi-A ball in 2013 and took a step back in '14 at AA. Said to be the sort that could put it together at any time.
9. Ricky Romero - yeah I know, but he did finally get the knee fixed and it would be a helluva story wouldn't it?
10. John Stilson - recovering from shoulder surgery, probably a lost season ahead but his name ought to appear here somewhere.
Potential second half stories?
Alex has mentioned Miguel Castro more than once. Like most young hard-throwers, his control needs continued refinement, but he will start the season in A Ball and if the Jays think he can help the bullpen this year - as Alex seems to - then they may fast-track him ala Norris/Graveman so long as he isn't overwhelmed. Others who might come fast include Roberto Osuna, who will be far enough removed from his TJ to be back to his old self. He may begin the year in the warmth of Florida but should arrive in AA in early-to-mid may at the latest. Speaking of Graveman, Matt Boyd and Taylor Cole are both lower profile prospects who dominated at Dunedin a stumbled in brief tries at AA. They should open in NH this time and fit the profile of starters who might better serve the team in relief (particularly in that there are so many very good young starters higher on the list than they. For a much longer shot, lefty Jario Labourt might be your sleeper.
In a few days I'll take a look outside the organization to see what, in my estimation, makes sense. But don't despair too much. There's a solid core here.
Wednesday, 3 December 2014
Ins and Outs
I had decided that, barring some action in between, I'd wait until after the tender deadline to comment again, reacting to whatever the Jays decided to do last night. Of course, it being Alex, what he decided to do today was more interesting. Alex waits for no (wo)man or meeting. So we have another full plate of implications to sort through.
As you might have heard, the Jays shipped JA Happ off to Seattle a few hours ago for Michael Saunders. A mere two days after mentioning on live radio that he didn't envision trading any member of his rotation. At first blush, as I tweeted to Andrew Stoten, I didn't like it - I figured Happ was worth more than that. But upon further consideration, several factors jumped out.
In other news...
The Blue Jays shaved $6.5m off their projected payroll next year by non-tendering Justin Smoak, Andy Dirks, and John Mayberry, Jr. last night. Then spent one of those to bring Smoak back with an apparent intent to commit to him as the most-days first baseman in 2015. I'm not prepared to argue that the Jays can release the hitter that scouts saw when he was one of the 10 or 15 best prospects in baseball, but apparently they think the see something. AA says his analytics people think they can get a lot of offensive upside out of him. Let's hope they are right.
Looking ahead towards potential lineups, there's a couple of obvious options:
1. Reyes
2. Martin
3. Bautista
4. Encarnacion
5. Donaldson
6. Smoak
7. Saunders/Pillar
8. Izturus/Tolison (Travis?)
9. Pompey
or plan B
1. Reyes
2. Saunders/Pillar
3. Bautista
4. Encarnacion
5. Donaldson
6. Smoak
7. Martin
8. Izturus/Tolison (Travis?)
9. Pompey
The latter in the situation in which Saunders shows himself maximizing his OB skills while Martin goes back to hitting more like a catcher, OR if Gibby decides he wants the best use out of Saunder's speed.
As always, of course, so far...
As you might have heard, the Jays shipped JA Happ off to Seattle a few hours ago for Michael Saunders. A mere two days after mentioning on live radio that he didn't envision trading any member of his rotation. At first blush, as I tweeted to Andrew Stoten, I didn't like it - I figured Happ was worth more than that. But upon further consideration, several factors jumped out.
- The market is skewed. There's an abundance of mid-rotation SP options, a dearth of OF options. That makes the former less valuable, relative to the market, and the latter more so.
- The financial savings are significant.Saunders makes $3.8m less than Happ in 2015 (and has an extra year of control Combined with the fact that it also takes them out of the picture on Melky Cabrera - whom they had already reportedly offered 3/39 without success and the swing is over $14m.
- the defensive upgrade is significant. Saunders actually projects to a HIGHER WAR than Cabrera in 2015, thanks largely to the glove. That's before any rivision for home park.
- Speaking of home park, that stands to make a not inconsiderable difference in theoretical offensive expectations. While my initial lack of enthusiasm was based on the fear that 2014 was the offensive outlier of his career, Mike Wilner points out that Saunders' road OPS over the last three seasons is .780 - and in a depressed offensive environment, that'll play. Among qualifying AL left fielders, that would have come in at #4 last year.
- Kevin Pillar stands ready to protect him from LH pitching if need be. AA anointed him the "everyday left fielder" but his splits show weakness versus lefties so it would behoove the Jays to keep that in mind.
- Saunders just passed his 28th birthday and most observers feel he hasn't yet approached his talent level. Cabrera will be 30 next year and we know what he is
- In 62 plate appearances at Skydome (yeah, I said it!) his OPS is .888 (SS caveat of course)
In other news...
The Blue Jays shaved $6.5m off their projected payroll next year by non-tendering Justin Smoak, Andy Dirks, and John Mayberry, Jr. last night. Then spent one of those to bring Smoak back with an apparent intent to commit to him as the most-days first baseman in 2015. I'm not prepared to argue that the Jays can release the hitter that scouts saw when he was one of the 10 or 15 best prospects in baseball, but apparently they think the see something. AA says his analytics people think they can get a lot of offensive upside out of him. Let's hope they are right.
Looking ahead towards potential lineups, there's a couple of obvious options:
1. Reyes
2. Martin
3. Bautista
4. Encarnacion
5. Donaldson
6. Smoak
7. Saunders/Pillar
8. Izturus/Tolison (Travis?)
9. Pompey
or plan B
1. Reyes
2. Saunders/Pillar
3. Bautista
4. Encarnacion
5. Donaldson
6. Smoak
7. Martin
8. Izturus/Tolison (Travis?)
9. Pompey
The latter in the situation in which Saunders shows himself maximizing his OB skills while Martin goes back to hitting more like a catcher, OR if Gibby decides he wants the best use out of Saunder's speed.
As always, of course, so far...
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