Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
An upbeat column from Richard Griffin in today's Star, though nothing terribly new or exciting: the third-catcher debate, a roundup of Opening Day starters, etc. But the column is noteworthy for this hidden gem of a quote from JP:

[W]e were so aggressive in the six-year (minor-league) free agents, the Rule 5 draft, some of the trades we made and the free agent signings, that we felt coming into spring training, we were done. I don't think spring training is a place you make decisions. I think you put your team together and let them come down here and play.

He is, of course, 100% spot on.

The Jays knew coming into March what their roster would be and, more importantly, what each man was capable of doing and what role he would be assigned. Spring training in Dunedin has been about shaking off the rust, relearning the fundamentals, continuing the young players' instruction and getting everyone into game shape, physically and mentally. Aside from which lefty relievers to start off with and which backup catcher to bring north, there have been no important decisions to make, because that work was done over the winter.

What this underlines is that if you're assigning roles and deciding on 25-man roster spots based on 60 ABs or 20 IP -- mostly against minor-leaguers or vacationing regulars -- then you're a dingbat of a GM. Yet we see this every March: rotation spots and outfield slots awarded to the player who "showed the most" in the Fantasyland that is big-league spring training. So when a much-hyped rookie has a hot spring and breaks camp with the big boys, the team is usually left scratching its collective head when he's hitting .191 on April 30. Time to go to Plan B, go find Mariano Duncan and sign him to a contract.

And the teams that do this are invariably the ones without a plan. The Orioles are deciding almost their entire starting rotation based on spring results. Tampa Bay will have Rocco Baldelli batting leadoff because he's had a great camp, notwithstanding the fact his career BB/K ratio is 23/97 (including a nice round zero walks at AAA). And maybe worst of all, Dusty Baker is going to give Kerry Wood the Opening Day start for the Cubs if he pitches well in his last spring training start. Instead of actually making the decision he's paid to make, Baker evidently prefers to play mind games with his de facto ace and to run the risk that Wood will overthrow and maybe even hurt himself during this ill-conceived "audition." Craziness.

Ricciardi doesn't tend to make decisions based on one start or three weeks' worth of meaningless games. Even the guys who've been sent down he readily acknowledges may be called up later when the dictates of the season allow. Take a lesson in how to assemble and direct a baseball club, competing GMs. Actually, on second thought, don't.
The Right Way | 16 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Coach - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 11:50 AM EST (#92257) #
The speculation will be over soon, but I still say the Jays' brain trust is divided between Huckaby and Linton. Imagining myself as the manager, pitching coach or #1 starter, I want Huckaby. If I'm the hitting coach, or a front office guy who values offence over defence (a good idea in the AL) I prefer Huck and his anemic bat down in Syracuse teaching the trade to Kevin Cash.

I think Aven, Ryan and Colangelo (the swingin' 60's) all failed to seize their opportunities this spring. Last night, Reed Johnson got into the game and singled in his only AB; I'm interpreting that very late audition as an indication that nobody else has really claimed the job. A 2001 all-star in AA who was hurt much of last year, Johnson might be a better fielder than any of the others. I'm sure J.P. & Co. are looking for a late cut from some other team, and whoever is announced as the 4th OF may be as temporary as the third C.

Unrelated note: we've had over 7,000 hits in the last two weeks, so the accelerated growth of BB continues -- this was completely unexpected, but thanks!
_steve - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 12:17 PM EST (#92258) #
Larry Millson, of The Globe and Mail is reporting that the 4-man rotation is set, with Hendrickson getting Game #3 versus the Yankees (not really a surprise).
_steve - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 12:21 PM EST (#92259) #
Sorry...here's the link. Millwood vs Halladay on MLB Radio at 1:05.
_M.P. Moffatt - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 02:35 PM EST (#92260) #
http://economics.about.com
Eccentric prediction:

When asked where his backup SS was, he'd always reply "in Rochester". It's very plausable that the Jays fourth OF will end up being in Syracuse, with Wilson and Berg playing in the OF in a pinch.

This would allow the Jays to have 2 backup catchers *and* 12 pitchers.

So the lineup could be:
The 9 everyday batters
The 12 man pitching staff
The 2 backup C's
Two backup infielders: Berg, Bordick.

A horrible bench, but I could see it happening.

MP
Pistol - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 02:59 PM EST (#92261) #
MP - I think that's the way the Jays are going. Until Miller is recalled in mid-April I think the Jays will go with the starting 9, 11 pitchers, 2 backup catchers, Berg, Bordick and a 4th OF. When Miller is recalled I see the 4th OF being sent down.

The only problem is if you want to give Wells a day off, but he played in 159 games last year and I don't see a big change this year. Plus, Stewart can fill in at CF if needed and if Wells were to get hurt you could call someone up.
_Jurgen Maas - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 03:37 PM EST (#92262) #
Stewart in CF, Catalanotto in RF.... yeeesh.
_M.P. Moffatt - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 03:43 PM EST (#92263) #
http://economics.about.com
Yeah.. wouldn't a Tom Wilson - Stewart - Cat outfield be fun to watch?

MP
Dave Till - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 03:48 PM EST (#92264) #
Stewart in CF and Catalanotto in RF is not as bad as the outfield Tim Johnson ran out there a few times in 1998: Tony Phillips in LF, Shawn Green in CF, and Jose Canseco in RF. Yow.

Spring training can be useful if your major league talent evaluators are any good, I think. While the results aren't useful, perhaps a good GM or manager could determine whether a player could be a good 25th man.
_Jurgen Maas - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 04:35 PM EST (#92265) #
If Berkman and Giles are passable CFs, Green's got to be exponentially better. I wouldn't want him as my CF, but he's a better choice than Stewart.

What a Cat/Stew outfield offers, in addition to the two weakest arms at the two most important strong-arm positions, would be a craptastic lack of punch at the plate. Philips, Green, Canseco doesn't come close.
Gerry - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 05:45 PM EST (#92266) #
Jays are taking three catchers, 12 pitchers and no reserve outfielders to opening day. Justin Miller will be the fifth starter.
_mathesond - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 05:58 PM EST (#92267) #
Apologies for the hijack, but today's an anniversary worth mentioning...

27 YEARS AGO TODAY (March 26, 1976):
The AL approves the purchase of the new Toronto franchise by the LaBatt's Brewing Company for $7 million.
=> http://www.pubdim.net/baseballlibrary/chronology/1976MARCH.stm#day26
_Blue Jay Roster - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 09:15 PM EST (#92268) #
http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/tor/news/tor_press_release.jsp?ymd=20030326&content_id=243640&vkey=pr_tor&fext=.jsp
So there are 29 players left in camp.

Werth and File are on the DL. That reduces it to 27.

I'd be really surprised if Moriarty was on the opening day 25. So there's 26 players.

Of those 26, 13 are pitchers. So one has to go down. I'm not really sure who it will be. Doug Linton maybe?

All four backup OFs were sent down, so the prediction I thought was eccentric ended up being correct. I meant to say at the beginning of my last message:

"When asked where his backup SS was, EARL WEAVER..."

I had originally mentioned Weaver at the beginning of my message, then I took out the reference. I forgot to change the next line after that. Whoops.

Cheers,

MP
Craig B - Wednesday, March 26 2003 @ 09:32 PM EST (#92269) #
It's still possible that the Jays may be looking to a player not on the 40-man roster (either inside or outside the organization) to fill the fourth OF slot. I don't think that's likely but stranger things have happened. All in all, I think the team will struggle along without a fourth outfielder for a week or two. Werth can come off the DL on April 5 and he just might go straight into the roster when he is ready to return!

Huh. Three catchers and twelve pitchers.
Dave Till - Thursday, March 27 2003 @ 10:10 AM EST (#92270) #
Jurgen: I think Stewart can handle center in a pinch. His arm is awful, and he doesn't get a great jump on fly balls, but he's fast enough to catch up to a lot of balls. He was a center fielder in the minors and at the start of his major league career. I wouldn't want him out there for more than a couple of games, but he's OK as an emergency replacement.

When nominating Phillips/Green/Canseco as the Jays' worst outfield ever, I was thinking only about range in the outfield. Green didn't really have the range to be a center fielder, and he was, by far, the best of the three outfielders. Phillips had the range of a turtle, and Canseco was an immovable object who spent his time in the field dreaming of hitting a home run his next time up. (Or trying to figure out how he could get some team to sign him to a big-money contract.)
Coach - Thursday, March 27 2003 @ 11:09 AM EST (#92271) #
I think Linton will keep Miller's spot warm while Justin catches up on the innings he missed; by the time they need a #5, if he still isn't ready, they'll use Linton. If he does the job, they don't have to rush Miller. It's entirely possible that Linton (and Huckaby) will be gone, replaced by Miller and a fourth OF, before the end of April.
_Spicol - Thursday, March 27 2003 @ 12:54 PM EST (#92272) #
His arm aside, Stewart circa 2003 should certainly be able to handle center. He won't be anything close to Wells but is a good enough replacement. For the last couple of seasons, I'd agree with Dave's assessment that he doesn't get a great jump on some fly balls. But I'd say that's more a product of his hamstring injuries than a lack of skill. Pull a hammy and then try to run from a standing start. Once you get going, running isn't too difficult but starting and stopping are killer. Stewart's work with a sprint coach (Desai Williams) this offseason should help prevent his leg problems and you'll see him covering more ground than before. I'd say he'll be stealing more this season as well, but that's obviously not Tosca's style.
The Right Way | 16 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.