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With the dust still settling from all the Jays' moves, the team purchased the contracts of six of its top prospects, and now has 36 players on its latest 40-man roster, reports the Globe and Mail. (If you don't want to read David Leeder's story, I've copied the list -- click the Full Article link.)

In addition to these names, of course, there are several other candidates to make the 2003 Jays 25-man roster, recently acquired as minor-league free agents and invited to spring training: Doug Linton, Josh Towers, Howie Clark, Bruce Aven, et al. If they were starting the season tomorrow, I've marked my picks* to head north from Dunedin with the big club, leaving two spots open for pitchers.

There's competition for Jason Kershner from Scott Wiggins, now 5-0, 2.55 with 5 saves in the Arizona Fall League (who was that RF we traded for him?) and I've mentioned before, Tom Wilson is unlikely to be around once (if?) Kevin Cash becomes even an adequate hitter. DeWayne Wise could make it if Jayson Werth bombs in Florida, and Ricciardi is always a phone call away from another trade or FA signing.

PITCHERS (18)

Brian Bowles (R)
Vinny Chulk (R)
Pasqual Coco (R)
*Doug Creek (L)
*Kelvim Escobar (R)
Bob File (R)
*Roy Halladay (R)
*Mark Hendrickson (L)
*Jason Kershner (L)
*Cory Lidle (R)
Diegomar Markwell (L)
*Justin Miller (R)
*Cliff Politte (R)
Francisco Rosario (R)
Mike Smith (R)
*Jeff Tam (R)
Corey Thurman (R)
*Pete Walker (R)

CATCHERS (6)

Kevin Cash
*Ken Huckaby
*Josh Phelps
Guillermo Quiroz
*Jayson Werth
*Tom Wilson

INFIELDERS (7)

*Dave Berg
*Carlos Delgado
*Eric Hinske
*Orlando Hudson
*Felipe Lopez
Dominic Rich
*Chris Woodward

OUTFIELDERS (5)

*Jose Cruz Jr.
Alexis Rios
*Shannon Stewart
*Vernon Wells
Dewayne Wise

None of the six youngsters added today (Chulk, Rosario, Markwell, Rios, Rich and Quiroz) will have an impact in Toronto this year; Chulk would have to dazzle in AAA, where Smith and probably Thurman will be among his rotation mates, Rosario's rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, and the others need more experience. No sign of Gabe Gross, suggesting that Rios may be considered the best OF prospect in the system. Interesting that Werth and Phelps are still considered catchers, and surprising that Bob File remains on the list after a disastrous 2002.

By the way, here's the Grand Canyon stats through yesterday. Gross is at a respectable .284-3-18, with 8 doubles, 2 triples and 4 SB in 5 attempts. As always with the big guy, the walks (10) and strikeouts (24) are a concern. Cash, who continues to get raves for his athleticism, is "hitting" .197 with an OPS under .600 -- a frightening resemblance to Joey Lawrence.

Posted by Coach on Wednesday, November 20 2002 @ 01:18 AM EST.

Jays' 40-Man Roster | 6 comments | Create New Account

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_Jan Jansen - Wednesday, November 20 2002 @ 03:21 PM EST (#102145) #

Just found this site by way of Baseball Primer, where I usually just lurk. Looks good, guys - just gotta get some chatter.

Wiggins is off the 40, so he may not have such a good chance to make the team. I guess they left File on for fear he'd be claimed or Rule Fived.

Gross was drafted in 2001, so he doesn't need to go on the 40 yet to be protected.

Gross is at a respectable .284-3-18, with 8 doubles, 2 triples and 4 SB in 5 attempts. As always with the big guy, the walks (10) and strikeouts (24) are a concern.

I'll challenge that. Gross had 463 plate appearances this year. He drew 49 unintentional walks, which is fine. He struck out 71 times, which is not many at all.

All in all, this is a pretty good roster versus where they were a year ago.

_Justin B. - Wednesday, November 20 2002 @ 03:44 PM EST (#102146) #

Anybody have any insight to Coco? He diddn't get a shot last year, even with all that horrific starting pitching. His minor-league stats don't blow you away, but they're not too bad either. Has anybody read any Ricciardi quotes about him?

_Kent - Wednesday, November 20 2002 @ 05:05 PM EST (#102147) #

Appreciate the feedback, guys. My middle-aged memory isn't as reliable as I think it used to be, and Jan's right -- Gross was a 2001 first-rounder (15th overall) -- but he remains a work in progress. After hitting just .234 in AA, with a .704 OPS, he's been better in Arizona. Gabe needs a solid 2003 season to stay ahead of Rios, who is younger, though drafted two years earlier. I'm presuming Gross goes to Syracuse and Rios to New Haven, and it will be a while before either visits Toronto as anything but a September callup.

Justin, Coco did get a "shot" last year in the April desperation; in consecutive relief outings vs. the D-Rays, he was horrible. Got a groundout, then walk-single-RBI single the first night, and took the loss in the tenth inning the next day, retiring two before a double, intentional pass, walk to .140 hitter Greg Vaughn and single sent him back to Syracuse. Obviously, they haven't given up on him yet, but he's 25 (at least) so time's running out.

_Jordan - Wednesday, November 20 2002 @ 05:57 PM EST (#102148) #

Concerning Coco (that should be the title of a French romantic comedy), I'm frankly puzzled as to why he's still on the 40-man. Here's what he's done his last two seasons at Syracuse:

2001
8-6, 4.66, 22 GS, 122 IP, 128 H, 50 BB, 82 K
2002
4-9, 4.98, 23 GS, 141 IP, 145 H, 57 BB, 98 K

Even in his last decent season (Knoxville 2000: 12-7, 3.76), he allowed 222 baserunners in 167 IP and barely had a 2-1 K/BB ratio. And as Kent points out, he turns 26 next summer. Coco looks an awful lot to me like a guy who peaked at AA and will not make a meaningful contribution to a major-league club. I'm a little surprised the team didn't leave him exposed to the draft this time around.

Regarding one other name on the list: Diegomar Markwell's presence might seem a little unusual, since he didn't exactly set the world on fire in Tennessee this year (13-9, 4.38, 168 IP, 174 H, 60 BB, 101 K). But 22-year-old lefties whose pitches move of their own accord are worth hanging on to a little longer. Markwell's a slow bloomer: he was signed as a FA in '96 and took three years to get out of A Ball, which is why he needs to be protected this year. Despite his youth and potential, I would think he has one more year to show the club he can help them: 40-man roster spots are very important to this organization.

It's interesting that the team still has four spots available. I doubt Ricciardi pulled that number out of a hat: clearly, they've protected the guys they want to protect and they're saving room for some additions. I can only imagine said additions will be arriving sooner rather than later: JP doesn't like to waste time, either.

Craig B - Wednesday, November 20 2002 @ 07:49 PM EST (#102149) #

Markwell's a slow bloomer: he was signed as a FA in '96 and took three years to get out of A Ball, which is why he needs to be protected this year.

A perfect example of why so many Rule 5 draftees are Latin American players... guys who have six years' minor league experience and are 22 years old.

Anyway, there's really very little risk in most of these guys, and for many of them I would rather have seen them left unprotected for Rule 5, since I can't imagine a team seriously considering taking on any of these players on their 25-man for a full year. After all, if someone else takes a Rule 5 guy and you get him back, you're up $12,500 on the deal. :)

I can't imagine any team that fancies itself as having any shot at contention will take a Rule 5 guy this year, given what transpired in Seattle. The situation with Luis Ugueto was ugly... the Mariners punted a roster slot all year while in the hunt, Piniella was very unhappy about it... it was a disaster.

The Jays, on the other hand, got a gem in Corey Thurman... I hope they can steal another player this year.

_Jan Jansen - Wednesday, November 20 2002 @ 09:37 PM EST (#102150) #

After all, if someone else takes a Rule 5 guy and you get him back, you're up $12,500 on the deal. :)

I think it's even better: $50,000 to take him, $25,000 to 'buy' him back.

Markwell and Quiroz are surprises to me, although I hear Quiroz is almost as good as Cash behind the plate, and that has value to many teams. Rich, Chulk, Rosario, Rios are all fine by me - I could see any of them being Rule 5'd and all have value as players or trade bait.

Spots on the 40 aren't so precious right now, so I'm not surprised to see some guys on there we'd take off. Once the draft class of 2002 starts reaching rule 5 eligibility, spots will be very hard to find the way they've been in Oakland the last few years.

Jays' 40-Man Roster | 6 comments | Create New Account

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