Batter's Box Interactive Magazine - Jays Sign David Dellucci to Minor League Deal

Jays Sign David Dellucci to Minor League Deal

The Jays have reportedly signed OF David Dellucci to a minor league deal, and will call him up after a couple of games in AAA.

The left-handed Dellucci is a career .258/.340/.438, including a .267/.350/.457 line against right handers. He's played left field for most of career, and it seems likely that this will result in the demotion of Joe Inglett and perhaps some sort of LF platoon with Jose Bautista. Kevin Millar probably figures to suffer most in the short term with regards to playing time, as he had gotten a few starts against righties that Dellucci will presumably take.

Posted by Anders on Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 05:53 PM EDT.

Jays Sign David Dellucci to Minor League Deal | 56 comments | Create New Account

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Alex Obal - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 06:25 PM EDT (#201165) #

David Dellucci is what I need.

Nah, doesn't have the same ring to it. I disapprove.

VBF - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 07:04 PM EDT (#201166) #

I like the fact that the Jays have recognized the need for a strong left handed hitter to spell Millar and Bautista, but would have liked something a little stronger. Then again, if Snider is expected to return within the next month or two, why give away more than you need via a trade for Huff or someone.

If the Mets fall out of the race, I might kick a tire on Carlos Delgado when he comes back from injury. What a story that would make if they made the playoffs.

Mike Green - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 08:14 PM EDT (#201170) #

Dellucci hasn't hit much over 2007-09 despite being platooned and he is 35. Joe Inglett is probably a better hitter at this stage in their respective careers.

Stepping out to Dave Dellucci's
for my coffee beans

Magpie - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 08:19 PM EDT (#201171) #

Dellucci in the sky with diamonds? Dellucci at the local diamond?

Meh. I'd like to stick with Mighty Little Voodoo. Help us out, Joe.

Chuck - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 08:25 PM EDT (#201172) #

Stepping out to Dave Dellucci's
for my coffee beans

Let's hope Dellucci is a sultan of swing.

johnny was - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 08:32 PM EDT (#201173) #

He had that nice year... in Texas... at a time when steroid use was rampant. Did I just think that?

Alex Obal - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 08:59 PM EDT (#201177) #

Dellucci had a .393 BABIP for Cleveland and they still cut him loose.

Does he have some noticeable defensive skills that don't show up in the stats? Or intangibles? Cause I'm looking for reasons to make my null hypothesis something other than "Brad Wilkerson II," and I'm coming up empty.

Although to be fair, Inglett is awful - he's hitting .125 and his career high in homers is 7, unacceptable for an outfielder. And Kevin Millar is a righthanded batter; you probably don't want him to see too many righties. So, I mean, there's that.

scottt - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 09:20 PM EDT (#201179) #

How is Russ Adams doing in AAA?

Gerry - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 09:22 PM EDT (#201180) #

I saw on Sportsnet tonight that Snider is not expected to come off the DL in Las Vegas until July. He hasn't been able to swing a bat since he went on the DL.

6-4-3 - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 09:29 PM EDT (#201181) #

Dellucci in the sky with diamonds? Dellucci at the local diamond?

C'mon, we can do better than that:

Avoiding a death
is to win the game,
to avoid relegation,
the big E.
Drowning in the big swim,
rising to the surface
The smell of you
That's Dellucci.

If there's one thing I dislike about JP, it's how he uses declining veterans as fill-ins. Alfonzo, Phillips, Clayton, Wilkerson, Mench, Millar, now Dellucci. None of these guys looked like they had any upside when we got them, and I really wish he'd get more creative and try to find some unwanted/underrated players to try out. Okay, granted, Gregg Zaun worked out pretty well (and Frank Menechino probably also fits this trend), but overall it's frustrating to see Toronto be the place where mediocre players go to die.

Chuck - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 09:54 PM EDT (#201182) #

How is Russ Adams doing in AAA?

A non sequitur when discussing the need for a competent LHB on a major league roster. Here's your answer, though.

but overall it's frustrating to see Toronto be the place where mediocre players go to die.

I imagine that if management truly sees this team as being in the race, Dellucci will be on an awfully short string. Plan B -- should neither Dellucci nor Snider seem like the answer in '09 -- may be to pony up someone of some value for a LHB in his walk year. I've thrown Thome's name out there once before but that AL Central is weak and winnable, so Chicago may not be a seller, even as they sputter along.

greenfrog - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 10:09 PM EDT (#201183) #

Tonight's postponement probably works in favour of the Jays. The team gets to rest Scutaro, Rolen, Wells, Hill and others, and the off-day guarantees them a series win. The two teams can play a makeup game in late August/early September, at which point the Jays may have a deeper ballclub through trades and callups (Cecil, Snider, possibly Mills).

Ron - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 11:18 PM EDT (#201184) #

I thought the days of Wilkerson, Mench, and Stewart were over. Who�s next on the list of washed up veterans? Shea Hillenbrand?

The Jays need to call the Nationals to see if they are willing to move Nick Johnson. The Jays could use another patient hitter with power. He would be a huge upgrade over Kevin Millar. He�s going to be a free agent after this season so I don't think it would take much to get him.

TamRa - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 11:45 PM EDT (#201185) #

We also get Richmond back in the bullpen until Monday as his next start won't come until June 20.

Magpie - Wednesday, June 10 2009 @ 11:58 PM EDT (#201186) #

How is Russ Adams doing in AAA?

Off to a good start, hurt his hand, hasn't played since April 21.

brent - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 12:06 AM EDT (#201187) #

Off the top of my head you missed Mike Bordick and Frank Catalanotto. Checking....Scutaro, Barajas, Downs, Stairs, Pete Walker, Greg Myers.These were all players over 30 that were scrap heap guys available for pretty much nothing. There is a ton of value in this group that basically had mostly poor track records and "low" upsides.

6-4-3 - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 12:36 AM EDT (#201189) #

I was only thinking about position players. When it comes to pitchers, I don't think JP has a clear preference for vets.

As for your list, Frankie Cat didn't have a poor track record coming into Toronto. His OPS+ in Texas was 118, and he was on the right side of 30. Injury questions, yeah, but not performance issues.

Bordick and Myers I totally forgot about. Stairs had a great year for Toronto, but his track record wasn't that bad before he came to the team.

brent - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 12:57 AM EDT (#201190) #

Marc: (Shrugs) Meh.

Rich: Can you say Brad Penny? Just remember, Marc, "we're not selling jeans here."

Marc: Yeah, but this is the third straight year that I've been left thinking... Really, that's the best they could do with that pick?! A No. 3 starter at best... and one with a pretty soft body.

Baseball analysts weren't thrilled with the Jays' first pick yesterday. I don't know who they could have taken that would have impressed them other than the injured Kyle Gibson.

Alex Obal - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 01:06 AM EDT (#201191) #

"It is not theoretically possible for you to be any better than the 31st best pitcher in the American League."

Prove 'em wrong, kid.

Alex Obal - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 01:09 AM EDT (#201192) #

Whoops. You should really edit extra carefully when you get all self-righteous. That should read "29th best starting pitcher in the AL," really. Or, 61st best starting pitcher in MLB. I stand by the point.

westcoast dude - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 01:14 AM EDT (#201193) #

Dave Dellucci's going to Las Vegas. Let's take it one step at a time. Cue Peggy Lee: Is That All There Is?

christaylor - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 02:47 AM EDT (#201194) #

This isn't horrible, but really, isn't there anyone else? Maybe someone who had a good season since 2006? Then again, Inglett is no answer and Millar and Batista shouldn't see RHP.

Delucci is also worse in LF (according to plus/minus) than Lind.

C'mon JP find a 1-year solution (Nick Johnson? Matt Holliday -- although we'd have to give up something better than the two picks?) and go for it. Maybe we could snag Josh Fields from the White Sox for not much (Purcey? Maybe less?) who seem to like to give away hitters who've fallen out of favour (Swisher, Quentin). A change of scenery and zen-master Cito could do him good. I suspect the ChiSox aren't ready to give up on him yet, but it is a thought.

Jevant - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 08:23 AM EDT (#201196) #

Didn't the ChiSox scoop Quentin from the D'Backs?

Nick Johnson's name is mentioned alot (I recall a few weeks back the Nats and Bosox were talking Delcarmen for Johnson). Although Johnson would be a big upgrade on Millar, it would strike me that JP wants a guy that can play the OF. Johnson and Overbay, 2009 version, are fairly similar players who play the same position.

If they are truly going to "go for it" (I still think they'd be better served going out and signing Pedro or Ben Sheets than getting another bat, but I digress), you need to go all out and pay for a Matt Holliday.

David Dellucci is not going to give you many, if any, more wins than Joe Inglett would. MAYBE one. But the upgrade from Millar/Delucci/Inglett to Holliday? That's gotta be worth a few wins.

Mike Green - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 10:10 AM EDT (#201206) #

What Alex said. Jenkins isn't likely to ever be a better pitcher than Roy Halladay, but so what? Johnny Podres may not have been Sandy Koufax or Don Drysdale, but he was very, very valuable.

Mick Doherty - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 11:49 AM EDT (#201214) #

Alex hit the ball off the wall with his use of the i-word. While in Texas, Dellucci was generally credited with being a strong "intangibles" guy. I have no idea if this is deserved, and less confidence than that that it even means anything, but it's definitely true. Maybe he can intangiblify Vegas to a winning streak?

christaylor - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 12:07 PM EDT (#201215) #

Ooops. My bad. That's what 2am posting gets. Quentin is an example of the D'Backs giving up on a guy. The Swisher example holds though; I am not sure why, but I am thinking there's another player in there that wasn't one of Ozzie's "guys" who the Sox gave up on. Rowand? Nah. Ah. Now I've got it. It isn't a hitter -J. Vazquez.

Fields has been due for a change of scenery since they banished him to Charlotte last year and refused to play him even when Crede's back acted up again.

92-93 - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 09:21 PM EDT (#201244) #

Surprising that Barajas isn't starting tonight with a rain-out yesterday, an off day on Monday, and his inevitable day-game-after-night-game rest on Saturday. Playing 3 games in 6 days shouldn't have been a problem, so I hope Cito didn't sit Barajas because of his small career sample size vs. Milwood.

Moe - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 10:57 PM EDT (#201252) #

I hope Cito didn't sit Barajas because of his small career sample size vs. Milwood.

I don't think Cito does anything based on statistics. Otherwise he would have used Bautista with Lind on2nd and Overbay and his .220 against LHP. I know Cito doesn'y like to use a PH, but this situation screamed for one. Just because it worked once or twice early in the season doesn't mean it will work again.

snider - Thursday, June 11 2009 @ 11:09 PM EDT (#201253) #

This PVR is great, I can zoom right from Aaron Hill to Lind and know I've missed nothing but two outs.

Can this Dellucchi guy play centre? Even his horrendous 2008 had a better OPS then Vernon this year.

Thomas - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 12:22 AM EDT (#201254) #

Dellucci can't play centre. At this point, he's probably a below-average corner outfielder. At least, that's what he looked like the last time I saw him in the field over the course of a couple of games.

Mike Green - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 10:15 AM EDT (#201262) #

What Thomas said. Dellucci can't play centerfield. He's 35 years old, and never really was one, although he was a good defensive corner outfielder in his prime.

It is time for Cito to shake up the lineup a bit. At this point in his career, Lind is clearly a better hitter than Wells (their career lines are comparable and Wells gets a boost from his fine 2003 campaign which isn't really relevant). The current set-up R,R,R, R, L, R, L, R, R makes it easy for opposing managers to obtain favourable platoon match-ups in the late innings. Last night's game was a classic example- O'Day for the righties and then Wilson for Lind, Rolen and Overbay. If you switch Lind and Wells in the lineup, you get a better hitter in the cleanup slot and you make it harder for the opposing manager to use one LOOGY for each sweep through the order. Wells may also see more LH pitching late in the game than he does now, between the two left-handed hitters in the order rather than at the end of a string of RHHs, and he does hit portsiders much, much better.

Ryan Day - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 12:01 PM EDT (#201273) #

I'm afraid Dellucci may be a couple years past his best-before date, but there's no harm in signing him to see if he's got something left. The harm only comes if Ricciardi/Cito hang onto him for too long in the face of continued suckitude: 43 PAs for Edgardo Alfonzo didn't hurt the team much, but 241 from Brad Wilkerson was excruciating. Kevin Mench's 131 a bit on the high side, but not entirely unreasonable, and a fair comparison for Dellucci since they're both part-time bench-type guys.

China fan - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 04:14 PM EDT (#201281) #

Mike Green, you must have a crystal ball. Cito has indeed decided to shake up the lineup, although Rios (rather than Wells) is the one who is bumped down to make room for Lind. Here is tonight's lineup, courtesy of Jordan Bastian's twitter feed: scoot, hill, wells, lind, rolen, rios, overbay, barajas, inglett

Mike Green - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 04:20 PM EDT (#201282) #

That is an excellent lineup, probably better than the one I suggested. Thanks for passing on the good news.

Mike Green - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 04:25 PM EDT (#201283) #

I should explain why it is probably better. Sabermetric principles suggest that you want your best hitters in the #4, #2, #1 and #5 slots. That is where they are. I am surprised that Rolen is a better hitter than Rios and Wells this year, but that he is. Cito's lineup gets the best hitters on the club in the right slots, and splits up the key lefties. Putting Inglett in the lineup instead of Millar is a nice bonus.

92-93 - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 04:38 PM EDT (#201285) #

I like the 2 righties between Lind and Overbay, but Lyle is still way too low for me. He's hitting .307/.419/.591 vs. RHP this year.

.223/.276/.298 - Vernon Wells since he last HRd on May 6th.

China fan - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 04:52 PM EDT (#201286) #

Overbay, surprisingly, now has an OPS of .950, which is the highest on the entire team. Yes, higher than Lind.

James W - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 06:35 PM EDT (#201287) #

Mike, you say you're surprised that Rolen is a better hitter than Rios and Wells? Nothing against Rolen, but that bar is really set low. Rios is at .261/.319/.423, and Wells is .250/.307/.387.

Chuck - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 06:49 PM EDT (#201289) #

Sabermetric principles suggest that you want your best hitters in the #4, #2, #1 and #5 slots. That is where they are.

To add to Mike's comments, while #3 is often considered the spot for the team's best all around hitter, the argument has been made that this is a good spot for a player whose skills are more SLG than OBP, the rationale being that the #3 hitter is guaranteed at least one AB, i.e., his first, where he is not leading off an inning (leading off an inning, he would be miscast due to his low OBP). The argument continues that the #4 and, especially, the #5 hitter should be more OBP-minded than #3 given their likelihood of serving as table setters in the 2nd inning.

Batting Wells 3rd based on his career 330/475 line would be defensible. It is not clear that Wellsv09 is that 800 OPS guy any more, though. Arguments would run to the contrary at the current time.

China fan - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 07:10 PM EDT (#201290) #

Rather than sabermetrics, Cito might be using old-fashioned intuition here. Wells is leading the team in stolen bases, and he is a veteran hitter who seems less prone to brain cramps than Alex Rios. Batting him 3rd gets him more chances to use his speed, to run the bases or find ways to advance the runner. Granted, there's not much to choose between Wells and Rios in all the standard offensive categories, but Wells just seems a more reliable guy to run out there in the 3rd slot, whereas Rios might psychologically benefit from being demoted slightly in the lineup as a signal that he needs to get his act together.

China fan - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 07:28 PM EDT (#201291) #

The quotes from Cito today, about the new lineup, could be seen as supporting my "intuition" theory, along with the notion of "taking the pressure" off of Rios, which I should have also mentioned as a plausible factor. Here is Cito as quoted by Bastian:

Why did Gaston opt to move Rios to sixth and not Wells? "Vernon probably has a little more experience," Gaston said. "He probably can handle [struggling] a little bit better -- he has handled it well." Gaston said the tweaks were to "just maybe try to take a little pressure off of Rios and hope that he can get back to where we like to see him."

ramone - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 08:19 PM EDT (#201292) #

Doc leaves the game with an unknown injury and after Arnsberg comes back to the dugout from checking on him Tabler notes that Arnsberg "looks visibly upset", that couldn't sound much worse.

MrPurple - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 08:20 PM EDT (#201293) #

Good God noooooo!!!!!! Why did they Pull Halladay??? I can't hear the sound from here!!!

ramone - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 08:30 PM EDT (#201294) #

Pulled his groin.

snider - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 08:42 PM EDT (#201295) #

Ok so our rotation for 2010 looks like....

Mike Green - Friday, June 12 2009 @ 10:53 PM EDT (#201299) #

I am inclined to believe that Wells' offensive struggles are just a blip. He is definitely not, on the other hand, the defensive centerfielder that he once was.

westcoast dude - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 01:03 AM EDT (#201301) #

Rios looked good with multople hits and steals, whereas Wells was swinging at high heat and looking as called strikes not to mention flubbing the catch against the wall. Worst contract ever.

Cito should have let Richmond finish the seventh inning. A two out single and he yanks Scott? What kind of message does that send? Predictably, everything sagged from there and then the wheels came off. Blue Jays didn't lose, they got beat.

Anders - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 11:22 AM EDT (#201303) #

Wells is leading the team in stolen bases, and he is a veteran hitter who seems less prone to brain cramps than Alex Rios.

Well, he is a veteran. At this point in crucial situations I make bets about whether Wells will A) pop up to second, B) strike out on a slider outside the zone C) ground out weakly to short D) hit a hard flyball straight to centre for an out. For the year (Sample size alert) Vernon has an OPS of .553 with runners on base in almost 90 PA. His "High Leverage" OPS is .453. To be fair throughout his career his numbers are reasonably equivalent in most situations, but its been very noticable this year.

China fan - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 11:25 AM EDT (#201304) #

The Onion's comment on Doc:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/roy_halladay_gives_press?utm_source=a-section

Mike D - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 02:33 PM EDT (#201309) #

I really hate to say it, but the body language, alertness, enthusiasm...I can't shake the feeling that we are witnessing only the early stages of another lengthy losing streak.

snider - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 02:45 PM EDT (#201310) #

Congrats to Rios on his 75th career HR (in only his 6th season!) and seemingly his 750th career base running gaffe. How can someone have this low of a baseball IQ?

zeppelinkm - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 04:10 PM EDT (#201312) #

I think it's time to end the Casey Jannsen back in the rotation experiment. It's a short leash, I know. He just isn't striking anybody out. At all. He is better off as a reliever where he can push himself for an inning or two. Let's bring back up Cecil... he would be better off in front of the Jay's defence then the Las Vega's team's.

Mike Green - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 05:04 PM EDT (#201313) #

When Rios is en fuego, he hits everything and this looks to be one of those times. He may have to carry the team for the next few weeks. He is 28, and the best way to redeem his bad behaviour is to do exactly that.

christaylor - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 05:05 PM EDT (#201314) #

I agree with the sentiment but I remember hearing/reading that Janssen shoulder injuries preclude him being put in the pen because he can't get loose.

Janssen did K 6 in Texas and isn't far off his K/9 as a starter in 2006.

Jim - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 05:41 PM EDT (#201315) #

Janssen did K 6 in Texas and isn't far off his K/9 as a starter in 2006.

His ERA was over 5 in 2006. Law is right, Janssen doesn't have an out pitch. He doesn't belong in a major league rotation, nevermind one in the American League East on a team that fancies itself a contender.

If he can't pitch out of the bullpen then he needs to be in Las Vegas, because if you are giving up almost 13 hits/9 in front of this defense you aren't contributing.

snider - Saturday, June 13 2009 @ 07:37 PM EDT (#201316) #

When Rios is en fuego, he hits everything and this looks to be one of those times. He may have to carry the team for the next few weeks.

Heaven help us if that is true.

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