Jays have picked up Dioner Navarro from the White Sox.  I guess he'll be the post-season backup catcher, should they make it.

Yet B&P are convinced he'll be doing some DHing.

Their learned dissertation on analytics was especially inspiring.

Pujols played well in the recent series against the Jays, and was fawned over as if he still were THE Albert Pujols. The phrase Trout and Pujols was uttered as if these were two star players. But, but, but... Pujols has 100 RBI. As if no one remembers Joe Carter's ability to also drive in runs, thanks in no small part to his unique talent for coming to the plate with far more men on base than anyone else, and not letting pitchers walk him.

Meanwhile, Greg Zaun, in his pre-game blather, suggested that all Liriano had to do was get past Dozier since he could coast by the team's other eight hitters. What was lost in this stunning "analysis" was that the Twins are actually scoring at a league average rate and that a few non-Dozier players Zaun has never heard of are actually hitting quite well: Grossman 124 OPS+, Kepler 118, Sano 112, Suzuki 101.

1.8 HR/9 (1.5 for season)
7.2 BB/9 (5.5 for season)
12.6 K/9 (9.2 for season)

Great "stuff" + walks + homeruns. That is a formula designed to come up short. At least one of the two vices needs to be tempered.

In the early part of the season, Carrera was riding an improbable 400 BABIP en route to a 110+ OPS. The poor bastard is paying his penance as his BABIP has now dropped to 293. A guy who previously looked like a lock for an MLB 4th OF job in 2017 is going to have to re-earn a job somewhere next spring.

With Bautista and Saunders wobbly, and always seemingly candidates to DH, and Smoak having earned fresh playing time (thereby returning EE to DH), it is impossible to envision any scenario where Navarro is going to be selected to DH. Maybe once the Jays have mathematically secured first place and the regulars are given rest.

Navarro's arrival could spell well deserved rest for Martin, or semi-rest anyway, as Martin could enter the mix for periodic starts at DH.

Before this year, Liriano did not suffer from gopheritis (career: 0.86 HR/9 IP). The walks, however, have always been a problem (3.93/9 IP).

And far more in capital capital.

They could just demote Cecil for 3 days and not much would be lost.

You can't demote veterans with more than 5 years service time to the minors without their permission, including Cecil

To get him off the roster, you'd have to release him or phantom DL him

I missed Cecil crossing the 5 years threshold, still if they can find a legit lefty specialist, they wouldn't think twice before releasing him.

It would seem cruel to release Cecil 3 days before rosters expand and before he becomes a free agent for the first time

I would bet that AA's old regime would try to avoid this perceived slight. We don't know as much about how the Shapkins duo treats such loyalty matters. But Cecil has been a lifelong Blue Jay and doesn't have an obvious replacement, other than maybe Liriano

Allowing Biagini (and Osuna?) to develop as an SP in the minors may be why you want to have Dickey back on a deal that pays him as a swingman who can be your 6th SP behind Lirianio-Happ-Estrada-Sanchez-Stroman.

I like the idea of stretching out Biagini and Osuna next year, but I think they are going to have to win jobs out of spring training next year because they've both had too much big league success so far in the bullpen to send them back to the minors for seasoning.

And barring trades or injuries, the rotation is pretty full even without Dickey (Sanchez-Stroman-Happ-Estrada).

Can you think of a precedent where a two-year closer or a shutdown sophomore RP were sent down to the minors to get stretched out without injury or ineffectiveness?