Who are the starting pitchers in Buffalo?
Over the winter it seemed likely that Daniel Norris would start in Buffalo. Other potential starters included Liam Hendricks and Ricky Romero. All three of these pitchers will not be in the opening day list of starters. So who will start in Buffalo? I see two probables, Andrew Albers and Scott Copeland and three empty starter spots. Who else could start? Jeff Francis is a possibility, unless he sees himself as a reliever now.
On a related topic the Bisons have a multitude of relievers: Wilton Lopez; Chad Jenkins; Bobby Korecky; Cory Burns; Matt West; Juan Pablo Oramas; Rob Rasmussen; Ryan Tepera; Preston Guilmet; Bo Schulz; Tiago Da Silva and Steve Delabar. Most of these pitchers have been exclusively relievers for several years now, so it is doubtful that most of them could now turn into a starter. Lopez and Jenkins seem like the most probable starters. In total this is a list of twelve relievers, the club has room for seven or eight. Either some start, some go on the phantom DL, some go to AA, or some get released.
Just yesterday AA said the Jays are looking at new free agents, they may offer someone a starting job in Buffalo. The other option would be to promote someone from AA, such as Austin Bibens-Dirkx who has made a few starts in AAA. The Jays need to make sure the team is competitive, so they cannot afford to leave the rotation too short.
Johan Santana, Ricky Romero and John Stilson are waiting in the wings.
Who plays first base in Buffalo?
The Jays have three first baseman, and that includes counting Jake Fox as an outfielder. The three first basemen are Chris Colabello, Andy Wilkins and Daric Barton. How do they all fit in?
Barton and Wilkins have never played the outfield. Colabello played a part of two games in right field last year. Colabello might get to try the outfield again but the Bisons have four outfielders, Fox, Ezequiel Carrera, Chris Dickerson and Caleb Gindl. There are too many players it seems. There is a similar jam in the infield, at least initially. Ryan Goins, Jon Diaz, Munenori Kawasaki and Ryan Schimpf are looking for 2B and SS playing time. Again the Jays will have to release someone, move someone to AA, or rotate three guys between 1B and DH.
Where does Andy Burns get to play?
Andy Burns had a disappointing year last year in AA. The first half of the season for him was very weak but his second half was decent. The Jays re-signed Matt Hague to play third in Buffalo. Does that mean Burns goes back to New Hampshire? What does that mean for his development? The Jays like to challenge prospects, if they send Burns back to AA they don't expect him to provide relief at the major league level this year.
If Dwight Smith is now a 2B, where does Jon Berti play?
Like Burns, Berti had a decent year in AA in 2014. However there are many 2B ahead of him in Buffalo. And now there is a 2B behind him namely Dwight Smith. Smith has converted to be a second baseman. Does smith play there exclusively, does he split time between 2B and the outfield? Berti played some outfield last year, is he now an outfielder?
What do the Jays do with DJ Davis and Anthony Alford?
And let's add Roemen Fields into the mix to give us three fast centre fielders. Davis didn't master Lansing last year and maybe should go back there. Alford has very little experience above short season ball, is he ticketed for Lansing too? Then there is the potential issue that the Lansing staff felt that Davis picked up his game last season when Alford was in town. They are both from Mississippi. Meanwhile Fields has impressed and, after spending 2014 in Vancouver, Lansing is the next logical step.
Another name to throw into the mix is Josh Almonte who hit very well in Bluefield last season. He would also be due to stop in Lansing this year. I count four centre fielders, what will the Jays do?
In case you forgot the Jays did not release minor league rosters last season, they let the teams announce the rosters themselves. It seems like some of the teams were upset to be scooped by Da Box. Traditionally this Saturday is the day when the Jays make the starting day team assignments official so look for tweets from players on that day, although again the Jays might ask them to hold off pending the official team announcements.
