Cannon to double A?  That's awfully conservative after his AFL performance, bearing in mind that the AFL is roughly at double A level.  Cannon's total performance over 2006 should, in my view, have merited a promotion to triple A. It wouldn't mean much except that Cannon turned 25 in November.  He's exactly the kind of player who, if a couple of injuries strike, could be important at some point in 2007.  Left-handed power bats in the high minors are a valuable commodity for this club.

And in the really important news, Kevin Barker is engaged to Hazel Mae.  Another celebrity crossed off Gleeman's list...

Cannon to AA...does raise an eyebrow. However, his average was low last year. He could make a move by May or June to AAA if he gels, but at 25 he's getting close to the end of his "prospect" days..

Santos going down is overdue. He's still got a chance to be a somebody, but time is quickly running out.

Two guys that could move quickly; Graham Godfrey a late round rhp was paid a couple of hundred thou to sign last year...he didn't play pro last year...he's looking real good early...he could move fast. Manny Mayorson has been a Baby Jay for EVER (or so it seems) always been a slick fielding no hit SS. He seemed to hit a bit late last year and has been a bit of a pleasant surprise this spring. He could be a player of "interest" by early summer.

Cannon has very empty stats. Sure he has nearly 30 HR, but it's in AA and he strikes out way too much. This is the right move in my mind. AA is the kind of place where hitters figure out if they have what it takes to hit ML pitching.

I wouldn't read too much into the AFL performance. I'm not sure the approximate level of competition, but i'd put it somewhere around the AA level. Take into account the high altitude and that most of the players have just finished a solid season and you get a recipie for inflated offensive numbers. I think we should make him proove that he needs to be in AAA. If he can't do that, then he's just another 25 year old fizzled prospect. At least he can go start some used car dealership or become the agent for the stars.....

This should be an interesting year though. I see Adam Lind knocking on heavens door as soon as he can  (but it really should stay locked until he can be assured of a starting position)  I'm interested to see how Tracy Thorpe (control), Jamie Vermilyea (control...) and David Purcey (control......) do this year... they are needed in the future... Also I think that Rickey Romero is the minor leaguer to impress this year. I have no doubt that a cup of coffee is in order this season (if he earns it of course!). His stuff has un-hittable written all over it and in 2008 we will have to seriously consider this guy better than Chacin.

And I am willing to stake my Ulnar Collateral Ligament on that prediction!

Syracuse roster set

Justin Singleton released.

Lee Gronkiewicz and Rob Cosby sent to AA

Does anyone know where Canadian Aaron Wideman will start 2007?
After an injury plagued 06, I think he'll have a great 2007.

So New Hampshire gets Gonk, Lydon, Chip Cannon, Santos, Purcey and Romero, to name a few.  Sounds like they should be a very good AA team.

Wideman is back at Lansing. Almost every single minor league player is repeating the same level as last year... Not a good sign for prospects.

Gronk can't be very happy about the demotion and going from closer to not making the team in one offseason. I don't understand the decision to keep a couple of those pitchers over him, most notably Wolfe.

Whether he's ever going to be a good (or average) major league reliever is one issue. However, a completely issue is whether or not he deserves to be sent to Double-A after serving as Syracuse's closer and posting a very respectable ERA, good ratios and not, outwardly, doing anything to suggest he doesn't belong there.

Syracuse Roster...

SYRACUSE

Banks, Josh - 24

Gonzalez, Geremi - 31

McGowan, Dustin - 25

Ramirez, Ismael - 26

Taubenheim, Ty - 24

Houston, Ryan - 27

Kemp, Beau - 26

Neal, Blaine - 29

Roney, Matt - 27

Scobie, Jason - 28

Tallet, Brian - 29

Vermilyea, James - 25

Wolfe, Brian - 26

Fasano, Sal - 35

Thigpen, Curtis - 24

Barker, Kevin - 31

Adams, Russ - 26

Olmedo, Ray - 26

Hattig, John - 27

Roberts, Ryan - 26

Duncan, Jeff - 28

Griffin, John - Ford - 27

Lind, Adam - 24

Mottola, Chad - 35

Vento, Mike - 29

New Hampshire roster...

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Litsch, Jesse - 22

MacDonald, Mike - 25

Purcey, David - 25

Romero, Ricky - 22

Yates, Kyle - 24

Carlson, Jesse - 26

DeJong, Jordan - 28

Gronkiewicz, Lee - 28

James, Justin - 25

Machi, Jean - 25

Matumoto, Jo - 36

Thorpe, Tracy - 26

Kratz, Erik - 26

Schneider, John - 27

Cannon, Chip - 25

Mayorson, Manny - 24

Klosterman, Ryan - 25

Cosby, Rob - 26

Hassey, Brad - 27

Santos, Sergio - 23

Lydon, Wayne - 25

Majewski, Dustin - 25

Mathews, Aaron - 25

Smith, David - 26

Diaz, Robinzon - 23

Patterson, Ryan - 24

Diaz and Patterson on DL

Dunedin roster....

DUNEDIN

Isenberg, Kurt - 25

Magee, Brandon - 23

Ray, Robert - 23

Savickas, Russ - 23

Trias, Orlando - 23

Bell, Kristian - 23

Core, Danny - 25

Falkenbach, Connor - 25

Harang, Daryl - 24

Serro, Ted - 22

Stidfole,Sean - 23

Tressler, Aaron - 25

Corrente, David - 23

Jeroloman, Brian - 22

Phillips, Kyle - 23

Kreuzer, Josh - 24

Cota, Carlo - 26

Peralta, Juan - 23

Hatch, Anthony - 23

Garibaldi, Anthony - 26

Quintana, Al - 24

Butler, Jacob - 24

Hetherington, Luke - 24

Nielsen, Eric - 25

Patton, Cory - 24

Gonzalez, Jesus - 22

Lansing roster....

LANSING

Dials, Zack - 21

Ginley, Kyle - 20

Lirette, Chase - 21

Starner, Nathan - 23

Wideman, AJ - 21

Harrison, Ben - 23

Martin, Adrian - 22

Overbey, Seth - 23

Phillips, Paul - 23

Pinto, Julio - 22

Reddout, Chris - 24

Rodriguez, Edward - 22

Bormaster, Brian - 25

Jaspe, Jonathan - 22

Liuzza, Matt - 23

Lane, Matt - 23

Campbell, Scott - 22

Diaz, Jon - 22

Bell, Joshua - 22

Gutierrez, Chris - 23

Shoffit, Sean - 21

Emanuele, Chris - 23

Pettway, Brian - 23

Rodriguez, Yuber - 23

Snider, Travis - 19

Armstrong, Jason - 25

Metropoulos, Joey - 23

Extended roster includes Brandon League, Billy Carnline, Eric Fowler and Graham Godfrey.

EXTENDED

Aguirre, Wilfreddy - 20

Alfaro, Gabriel - 23

Barbara, Michael - 22

Benson, Shane - 20

Berroa, Yesson - 24

Bull, Brian - 23

Byrnes, Scott - 24

Carnline, Billy - 23

Cheng, Chi-Hung - 21

Cuthbertson, Brad - 22

Estanga, Edgar - 21

Fowler, Eric - 24

Godfrey, Graham - 22

Gonzalez, Ray - 21

Keng, Po-Hsuan - 22

League, Brandon - 24

Lowe, Ron - 23

Lynch, Michael - 20

McGuigan, Patrick - 22

Melek, Nate - 23

Nieves, Javier - 23

O'Brien, Dan - 22

Rogers, Adam - 23

Roy, Scott - 24

Sena, Emmanuel - 22

Stidfole, Alan - 23

Taylor, Drew - 24

Tritz, Noah - 23

Walter, Kyle - 22

Wells, Joshua - 20

Wice, Joe - 21

Zinnicker, John - 22

Ebarb, CJ - 23

Haupt, Chris - 19

House, Chris - 18

Franko, Paul - 23

Del Campo, Jon - 19

Sanchez, Luis - 20

Fuenmayor, Balbino - 17

Barron, Raul - 21

Fernandez, Luis - 19

Hall, Brian - 25

Soto, Leance - 21

Stone, Wes - 20

Sweppenhiser, Kelly - 23

Baksh, Jonathan - 22

Calderone, Adam - 23

Chavez, Johermyn - 18

Frost, Baron - 23

Garbarino, Mikal - 19

Santana, Victor - 23

Scobee, Shawn - 22

Zeskind, Ben - 24

Rosters had few surprises....

Starting pitchers were pretty much as expected.  Brian Wolfe was a surpise at AA, a reflection of his good pitching this spring. 

Tracey Thorpe didn't get a promotion to AA, although his command was perhaps not good enough for AAA.

Lee Gronkiewicz demotion was a surprise but the organization has never been high on him.

Ryan Patterson's injury gives Aaron Mathews a chance at AA.

Other than Brandon Magee, Anthony Hatch, Brian Jerolman and Ted Serro received quick promotions to Dunedin.

It's also interesting to see that the Jays have moved Josh Bell from catcher to third base and Matt Lane from catcher to first base... Speaks to their depth in the lower minors when it comes to catchers (Jeroloman, Jaspe, Corrente, Bormaster, Liuzza, House) as well as their lack of depth at the infield corners.

I'm a little surprised Garibaldi and Quintana still have jobs.

I think Bell was moved to third for the simple fact that he was  little slow with his footwork.  I think the fact that he had a pretty severe concussion last season pretty much made the decision that much easier.  He played third in college, so it won't be totally foreign to him.  I think he will be okay.

I'm shocked Quintana is in Dunedin.  He hardly played in Lansing in his time there last season.  I thought that he would be released.  Garibaldi has a heck of an arm.  In my opinion, it wouldn't be a bad idea for the Jays to possibly try him on the mound and see how he does.

I'm mildly surprised that Paul Phillips was sent down to Lansing.  He pitched really well last season in both Lansing and Dunedin, and while he struggled a little bit at AA, he definitely deserved to at least be in Dunedin.

Looking at Gerry's lists it appears that the 5 starting pitchers are listed first (alphabetically), then relievers, on each team's roster.