Batter's Box Interactive Magazine

"This was the worst [expletive] road trip I have ever been on.". - Josh Towers

The best thing to be said for yesterday's game was it was quick. If you really want to know the gory details, read the boxscore or Spencer Fordin's game report,

The Astros not only swept the Jays this weekend, they had to rub salt in the wound by sending out Roger Clemens yesterday, the most disliked of all the ex-Jays floating around the game. Thankfully there are many Jays alumnus around who deserve our love, respect and understanding. Rather than focus on the events of the weekend, or indeed the bleak look of the immediate future, let's catch up with some old friends.

Pete Munro
Munro was thought to be in the running for a job in Houston's rotation over the course of the winter, but was waived in March when the #5 position was handed to Tim Redding. He wound up in the Yankee organization - he must be atoning for some sins. Munro has started 13 games for AAA Columbus and sports a not-so-fine 5.51 ERA. In 65 Innings he was struck out 41 and walked 24. Chances of a promotion to the Bronx are probably not too high.

Eric Crozier
Eric we hardly knew ya! The other side of the Josh Phelps trade is also a Yankee. He started with Munro in AAA, but was sent to the AA Trenton Thunder on May 24th. Crozier was hitting for a little power at AAA, but since arriving at Trenton he has struggled, hitting just .200/.260/.267. He's at least playing for a team with a cool name.

Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson is back in AAA, his spiritual home, with the Colorado Springs Sky Sox of the PCL. He is putting up a mighty fine .341/.431/.591 line in 44 at bats. He seems to be splitting time with Pascual Matos. Wilson was with the Mets very briefly last year. I actually caught one of his games on Fox and Joe Morgan was criticizing him for moving too early to his position behind the plate and tipping the hitter as to the pitch location.

Jason Kershner
Just up the road from Mr WIlson in Portland we find Jason Kershner toiling away for the Beavers in the San Diego organization. Jason is enjoying himself in the North West putting up a 1.76 ERA in 15 Innings, (15/2 K/BB), his season did not start so well though, he spent 6 weeks or so in Pawtucket as a Red Sox, where he was stung for a 5.68 ERA in 19 Innings. He was traded to the Padres on May 19th for future considerations. I liked having Kershener on the Jays, he was a pretty good LOOGY (if that's not damning with fainst praise), who shouldn't have been asked to start.

Dave Berg
The Red Sox organization still has some Old Friends around, Dave Berg is the only one left at AAA. He is putting up a .296/.374/.413 line in 203 at bats. I have been able to find no reported sightings of him in the outfield

Simon Pond
Pond is also in the Red Sox system, just not at AAA, he is with AA Bowie of the Eastern League. Like Kershner he had a brief stint at Pawtucket, but was pretty quickly demoted. He has 120 at-bats for Bowie and has a .242/.305/.442 line.

Chris Woodward
Having tried and failed to be a starting shortstop with the Jays, Woody has reverted to the utility role I always figured he was best suited for. Not content with merely manning the infield though Chris has branched out into a utility-everywhere role. He has started at first, third, short, leftfield and rightfield for the Mets and has also seen some time at second and even in centre. We used to complain about Dave Berg in left, can you imagine Chris Woodward in center ? He's hitting at a decent, if far from great, clip too, with a .765 OPS in 70 at bats. With niggly injuries to Cameron, Beltran and Floyd, Woody has been very useful for the Mets.

Chris Gomez
There are ex-Jay infielders everywhere it seems. The Orioles have one, of course, in Chris Gomez, who has recently done a nice job filling in for Brian Roberts. Gomez has started games at all the infield positions for the Orioles and has been wielding a fearsome bat, he's putting up a .371/.457/.457 line in 70 at bats, no dramatic home run exploits yet though. Something for Orioles fans to look forward to.
Orioles fans are also starting to appreciate the true genius that is Chris Gomez. At the 'Orioles Hangout' they have a whole thread in praise of Chris Gomez.

GOMEZ DON'T HIT HOME RUN AGAINST JAYS

Anyone know (or indeed care) if Homer Bush is playing anywhere ?

Links

Fordin Notes. Spencer discusses the road trip, Eric Hinske's frustrations at sitting for three straight days, and Gibbon's explanation of the Schoeneweis affair.
Mark Zwolinski looks at the upcoming schedule and concludes it won't be east for the jays to get back in the race with St Louis, Milwaukee and Baltimore due up and plenty for John Gibbons to worry about.
Jeff Blair "Manager John Gibbons's confidence in Hudson and Hinske is clearly shaken"
Peter Gammons mentions Speier and the SS Loogy as possible trade targets, but questions if teams should give up prospects for middle relievers.

If there was any justice in the world Chris Carpenter would be starting tonight.

Posted by Gwyn on Monday, June 13 2005 @ 10:12 AM EDT.

Jays 0, Astros 3 | 26 comments | Create New Account

The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.

Petey Baseball - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 10:27 AM EDT (#119472) #

Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't Wilson hit a home run in Game 1 of the ALDS last year for the Dodgers?

Jordan - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 10:30 AM EDT (#119473) #

Peter Gammons mentions Speier and the SS Loogy as possible trade targets, but questions if teams should give up prospects for middle relievers.

So long as we live in a world blessed by Ed Wade, anything is possible.

Gwyn - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 10:32 AM EDT (#119474) #

Petey - good spot, I'd conpletely missed his time with LA. ESPN has him down as playing 9 games there last year, with 8 at bats and 1 hit, no homeruns. Perhaps they're not listing the post season stats.

Jim - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 10:39 AM EDT (#119477) #

Bowie isn't in the Red Sox system. Their AA team is in Portland, Maine. Off the top of my head if Pond is in Bowie, I think that is Baltimore's Eastern League team.

Mick Doherty - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 11:06 AM EDT (#119478) #

oh by the by ... John Olerud is hitting .348 with the Red Sox.

BallGuy - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 11:08 AM EDT (#119479) #

I think Homer Bush was trying to hook up with someone (again) in Spring Training (maybe Arizona?) I will do some idgging cuz now I just have to know.....

JayFan0912 - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 11:09 AM EDT (#119480) #

The Jays *had* a big time slugger, yet a significant number of Jays fans couldn't wait to get rid of him. The Jays have a lot more depth now, but if you had the chance would you trade Cat, Schoenweis, Koskie, Hillenbrand and Koch straight up for Delgado? I would. In a heartbeat. I am replying to that message in this thread... I doubt a lot of people read yesterday's thread ;). I also thought we should get rid of delgado, but I disagreed with the signing of these players. I thought the club should have targetted glaus, beltre, and sexon as possible replacements. I just didn't believe delgado at his age would be worth it. We should obtain an established slugger around 27-28 years old. I also disagree with another comment posted by Jordan. The time to act is around this time ... Dunn who I suggested has two years left on his contract, giving us plenty of time to sign him to a longer pact. In this offseason I can hardly see any slugger worth going for, and their price through trade or free agency is sure to go up. Getting someone now gives some hope for this season, and in the process, clears some of the logjam in prospects, and gives playing time. Has anyone looked at the 40 men roster for next year, lots of prospects would be exposed.

BallGuy - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 11:16 AM EDT (#119481) #

Exactly 1 year ago yesterday Homer Bush was designated for assignment by the Yankees after Kenny Lofton came off the DL. I guess the team he was probably trying to latch on to this past spring was NY.
I always like him. When he was healthy he put up some pretty decent numbers for Toronto.

Pepper Moffatt - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 11:23 AM EDT (#119485) #

There's no way Cinci is going to trade Dunn. At least, not for anything Toronto has. If you had Dunn, would you trade him for a package of 4 B- prospects?

RE: Sexson, Glaus, and Beltre. When's the last time Toronto signed a big name free-agent? I'm not sure they could get any of those guys without a huge premium. MLB isn't roto and a lot of players simply don't want to play in a foreign country.

Secondly, are they any better than Delgado? Glaus is 4 years younger, but he's got significant injury issues. He's looked great this year, though. Sexson is only 2 years younger and he's not in Delgado's class of slugger. Beltre is piles younger, but he's also a lot more expensive and still has a few question marks.

Chuck - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 11:59 AM EDT (#119489) #

With niggly injuries to Cameron, Beltran and Floyd, Woody has been very useful for the Mets.

Is Woodward not currently in a 1B platoon with Mientkewicz?

Beltre is piles younger, but he's also a lot more expensive and still has a few question marks.

The most prominent, of course, being just how much out of an anomaly his 2004 was. While SafeCo was expected to suppress his numbers, his road OPS is a stinky 677.

Pistol - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 12:01 PM EDT (#119490) #

Perhaps not Dunn, but Kearns was just sent to the minors. I wouldn't mind seeing him out in LF. I know the Reds were asking for a ton this offseason, but I wonder what it would take to get him now? It's at least worth a phone call.

Elijah - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 12:31 PM EDT (#119492) #

It seems like every year the Reds have a logjam in the outfield where they have four decent outfielders but they always end up keeping Dunn, Griffey and Kearns. Three years ago, Juan Encarnacion had a great start and he was dealt to the Marlins in a deal to get Ryan Dempster. Two years ago, it was Jose Guillen that came out of nowhere and he was shipped to the A's in the Aaron Harang deal.

Last year, it was Wily Mo Pena that had a fine season and this year Pena has wrested the starting job away from Kearns. The Reds were smart to load up on surplus outfielders given the injury histories to Griffey and Kearns.

With Griffey healthy and doing okay, it finally looks like they're giving up on Kearns. Pena is a couple years younger and has the tools to be an All Star.

The Reds can afford to wait right now to make a trade. They're not contending and they can patiently sit back and see if any good offers come in. It may very well take a young #4-type starter (like a Dempster or Harang) to get him. Granted Kearns is at a low point where Encarnacion and Guillen were at their peaks in value. There will likely be plenty of competition for Dan O'Brien to choose from. Would you deal Gustavo Chacin for Kearns? To be honest, I'm wouldn't right now given Kearns' past couple years.

Paul D - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 12:31 PM EDT (#119493) #

MLB isn't roto and a lot of players simply don't want to play in a foreign country.

I read this here all the time, but I'm not convinced. The only recent evidence of this is that Matt Clement says he wasn't sure about Canada, but he signed with the defending World Series Champions for more money than the Jays were offering. I suspect that the Jays may have to slightly overpay, but this isn't always a bad thing, if it helps you become a contender. For example, it seems to have worked okay for Detroit and Baltimore. Secondly, while I think Adam Dunn is a long shot, I don't think he's impossible. He's upset at management, and it seems like weekly either Gammons or Rosenthal mentions that he might be available. And I think that the Jays need a slugging outfielder, and I'd give up pretty much whatever it takes. Rios, League, Jachson, even Vernon Wells should be in those discussions.

With that said, Dunn is probably a long shot. The other weakness on the Jays in catcher... are there any decent catchers out there that might be tradeable?

Finally, I was wondering about Zack Day... Bowden seems to like young toolsy outfielders, and I wonder if there's a chance that the Jays could get Day to shore up the back end of the rotation, then they could trade Bush or Chacin for an outfielder. Chacin for Kearns?

Elijah - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 12:32 PM EDT (#119494) #

Whoa. That was kind of freaky.

BallGuy - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 12:41 PM EDT (#119496) #

Wow. Same time, same thought.
I am thinking of a number....

Mike D - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 01:07 PM EDT (#119498) #

Chacin for Kearns is, on the surface, a terrible trade for the Jays. Smart, affable, young, cheap pitchers are extremely valuable. Much has been made of his low K rate, but he keeps the ball in the yard, he buzzes lefties and he's very tough to run on. I'm by no means convinced he's fluking his way to a 3.04 ERA through 13 starts.

You only do this trade if you think Kearns can get his hitting groove all the way back and you think that the minor league system plus $30M in spending money next year, combined, can't get you a hitter of Kearns' calibre. I'll grant that the Jays' need for hitting may well be acute enough to overpay with surplus pitching.

Both of those propositions may be true. But if either one isn't, then it's a bad trade.

JayFan0912 - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 01:15 PM EDT (#119499) #

Secondly, are they any better than Delgado? Glaus is 4 years younger, but he's got significant injury issues. He's looked great this year, though. Sexson is only 2 years younger and he's not in Delgado's class of slugger. Beltre is piles younger, but he's also a lot more expensive and still has a few question marks.

Over the length of their contracts ... they probably are. Delgado has got injury issues as well, and someone on this site, I think, did a study to show players in their 30s have a steep decline. Delgado's deal might be a nightmare for the marlins in a few years.

I see your point regarding Dunn, but I don't think he is untouchable. A year ago we could have gotten him for rios, it appears that he is due for a big payday soon, and the reds have alternatives in mo pena, kearns, etc.

Stellers Jay - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 01:31 PM EDT (#119501) #

Day is definitely available, but he's hurt. According to a couple of reports last week he was all but gone to Florida in a package for Encarnacion, but he didn't pass a medical and had to go on the DL instead. He was also rumoured to be the focal point of a deal to Colorado for Preston Wilson. Day's available but it's going to take Major League talent to get him, not prospects. I think the Jays have 3 players that would fit that bill in Hillenbrand, Lilly, and Batista.

JP has joked in the past that Bowden calls him once a week about Vernon Wells. Would anybody do Wells for Wilkerson and Schneider? Rios could move to CF and the catcher problem would be solved.

There are two players that I think are available that I would have serious interest in. The first being Affeldt from KC. He's in his arbitration years and KC is always looking to dump money and they are looking for good and cheap corner bats in return. I'm not sure how highly to value Affeldt, is Gross and a C+ prospect of their choice enough to get the deal done? JP has had previous interest in Affeldt in recent years. The second player, that I would target is Aubrey Huff. He's having a down year, but again he's in his arbitration years and TBay is looking to save money. If the jays are going to surrender a Bush or Chacin and 2 high level prospects for a hitter, Huff's the guy I would do it for on the premise that they could agree on a long-term extension. He's a solid hitter with 30 homerun power and he would give the Jays a lot of flexibility. Defensively, he's an adequate corner OF, decent at 1st base, and capable of filling in at 3rd.

Gitz - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 02:12 PM EDT (#119504) #

Ah, rumours. Fun, if pointless overall.

The Royals won't give up on Affeldt so quickly. It's not as if MacDougal is reliable as an ace reliever (or even reliable, period), and it would behoove KC to give Affeldt another shot at starting before they send him packing.

Sure, Huff would be a good player to add, but the Jays will have to stand in line.

Kearns? An injury-riddled outfielder who hasn't done anything in two years? Sorry, but I'm not parting with Chacin for a player with that profile. And the Reds are just dumb enough to trade Dunn, who is worth pursuing. Der.

Mike Green - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 02:17 PM EDT (#119505) #

The Mets are going to play in Olympic Stadium. No, this is not a headline from an old newspaper, but a hope for the future. Who'd have thunk it?

It's hard to figure Wilkerson out. He had a big power spurt last year at age 27, but has had a huge drop-off this year. Some of that is undoubtedly due to his unfriendly new home park, but I wouldn't want to be counting on him to hit 30 homers going forward. .270 with 20 homers and 80 walks will play, though, and his arb. salary will actually take a hit due to the patent decline this year.

I'd take that deal myself if Bowden was offering, but you'd have to accept that it would mean a loss of power in all likelihood. I don't see that as a big issue, but many would.

Jordan - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 03:08 PM EDT (#119511) #

My thoughts on Kearns, from the other thread: "Austin Kearns is an exciting name and he's still pretty young, but his OPS totals since arriving in the majors have been 907, 819, 740 and 700, with declining power and plate discipline every year. That sound a lot like Josh Phelps to me."

I think Wilkerson is playing hurt at the moment -- he has an all-out abandon style of play in the outfield, so if I picked him up (and I'd love to have him), he'd play 1B or DH for me and I'd hope for the best. The price for Wilkerson straight-up is apparently Wells, if we're to believe the reports from earlier this season. I wouldn't do that, and I'm glad JP hasn't. Keep in mind that after ten straight wins, the Nationals are probably buyers now, not sellers.

From what I've read, the asking price for Huff is astronomical. Right now, outside of Dunn (who probably is similarly priced), I don't really see any major bats available other than rentals, which the Jays don't need. If I had to guess, the Jays will be sellers at the trading deadline (Hillenbrand, Batista, and if they're lucky, Lilly) and buyers after the season.

Pistol - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 04:37 PM EDT (#119522) #

I don't think there's anything new, but there's a Jays article over at ESPN:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=miller_gary&id=2083993

Paul D - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 06:19 PM EDT (#119529) #

Charles Johnson was released by Tampa Bay today... would he be a better backup than Huckaby, or is he completely finished?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/transactions

Stellers Jay - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 06:29 PM EDT (#119530) #

It's worth a flier on Johnson. Just about anybody would be an upgrade and they really need somebody that can play twice a week. Zaun is really struggling after the hot start and could use a little help behind the plate.

Ducey - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 06:39 PM EDT (#119531) #

Isn't there a MLB rule that after being let go by the Devil Rays a player must immediately retire?

I guess Charles would say he was just turfed to make way for superhitting prospect Kevin Cash (hitting .350 in AAA) but in reality Charlie can't hit, can't catch, can't throw anyone out (2 of 15 this year), and has a bad attitude. You want him taking leadership of the Jays young pitchers?

Colorado ate most of his $9 million dollar salary to get rid of him.

Ken Huckaby is painful to watch with the bat but he is okay defensively and at least has some intangibles in his favour.

Mike D - Monday, June 13 2005 @ 06:54 PM EDT (#119533) #

He's more than painful, Ducey. He'd be a poor-hitting pitcher, let alone position player.

Next time you see a .700 OPS guy described as a "sinkhole," consider how Ken Huckaby -- a true, honest-to-goodness sinkhole -- puts it all in perspective.

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