Davidi: Big decisions loom for Blue Jays
Posted March 21, 2011 9:45 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s crunch time at spring training.
Opening day is less than two weeks away, and the Toronto Blue Jays still have some important decisions to make.
“We haven’t finalized anything yet,” Toronto general manager Alex Anthopoulos said in an e-mail. “We’re going to use as much of the time available before making decisions.”
That sets up an intriguing homestretch in Dunedin, Fla., with the Blue Jays still needing to make calls on the back-end of their starting rotation, bullpen, and lingering health issues surrounding a few key players.
Playing things out down to the wire makes sense, as the final string of exhibition games offers the best measuring stick the pre-season has to offer. As a general rule, spring training statistics, especially early on, are as valuable as fool’s gold.
“I think you see the speed of the game become more season-like in the last 10 days, so you get a much more clear read, or I guess a more accurate evaluation, during that time period,” Toronto manager John Farrell explained earlier this spring. “(By) then hitters are getting their timing down more consistently, they’ve seen breaking balls, and attack plans against them more regularly, versus the first week or two of camp, where pitchers are still building arm strength, trying to get their velocity built up on their fastball.
“They may be a little bit more fastball oriented (early in camp), particularly those pitchers not in competition. Your proven starters are going to go out to get their work in.”
The focus now for players with roster spots sewn up is fine-tuning their games.
For everyone else, it’s about trying to sway the decision-makers in their favour.
With that in mind, here are a few questions to keep your eye on over the coming days.
The Rotation
The competition to join Ricky Romero, Brandon Morrow and Brett Cecil on the starting staff is down to Jesse Litsch, top prospect Kyle Drabek and left-hander Jo-Jo Reyes, after word Monday that lefty Marc Rzepczynski will only be considered for a role in the bullpen.
Litsch has had a strong spring, and Sunday’s 5 1/3 shutout innings with seven strikeouts against the Minnesota Twins certainly helped his cause. While no one is giving him a job just yet, it seems his pitching would have to drop off dramatically for him not to head north.
As for Drabek and Reyes, both have made solid cases for themselves and a pivotal moment could come Wednesday night, when Reyes takes the mound against the New York Yankees at Legends Field
Watch the Blue Jays vs. Yankees live Wednesday on Rogers Sportsnet East, Ontario and Pacific beginning at 7 p.m. ET.
The left-hander, acquired as part of last season’s Yunel Escobar trade with the Atlanta Braves, is out of options. The Jays can’t send him to the minors without having to pass him through waivers first. He’d be unlikely to get through, so the Jays have plenty of incentive to keep him, either in the starting rotation or the bullpen.
He’ll have to earn it though, and a big performance against the Yankees will aid his cause.
The Bullpen
The question marks surrounding the health of Frank Francisco and Octavio Dotel have certainly changed the dynamic around which relievers will break camp with the Blue Jays.
Francisco, who was expected to take over as the team’s closer, is scheduled to see Dr. James Andrews on Mar. 22 after being hampered by shoulder and pectoral muscle issues this spring. Even if the exam finds nothing, Francisco may not have enough time to build up his arm strength in time for opening day, but that would obviously be better than the discovery of a more serious problem.
Dotel, meanwhile, is slated to pitch in a minor-league game Tuesday as he continues to recover from a right hamstring injury, and he too is in tight to head north in time for the start of the regular season.
The two potential absences mean Jon Rauch will likely open the season as the closer, likely with Jason Frasor and Shawn Camp serving as set-up men. Right-handers Casey Janssen and Carlos Villanueva are the top candidates to fill in for Francisco and Dotel on the opening day roster.
If he doesn’t crack the starting rotation, Reyes will be in the mix for a spot in the bullpen, competing for a spot with fellow lefties David Purcey (who is also out of options) and Marc Rzepczynski.
Hill’s Health
Aaron Hill’s injured right quadriceps was only supposed to keep him out of the Blue Jays’ first intrasquad game of the spring. Instead, he’s been limited to minor-league games to date, with his first ‘A’ game action tentatively scheduled for Tuesday against Philadelphia.
Barring any setbacks, he should have enough time to get ready for the regular season, but there isn’t much margin for error left.
The Bench
Given that he’s still in a walking cast, speedy outfielder Scott Podsednik will not be ready for opening day, and that points to outfielder Corey Patterson and utilityman Mike McCoy starting the season in Toronto.
If the two indeed make the team, they’ll join a bench that includes infielder John McDonald and catcher Jose Molina, who will double as a tutor for fellow backstop J.P. Arencibia while catching for starters Morrow and Drabek (assuming the latter makes the club).
Arencibia will be given a long rope in his rookie season, so his spring struggles at the plate shouldn’t have him looking over his shoulder. His progress with the glove has drawn some praise, and that may be the more important development right now.
As for Brett Lawrie, he may be destined for Triple-A Las Vegas despite a strong spring in which he’s left quite an impression. While arguments rage about whether or not to have him open the season with the Blue Jays, the team’s philosophy with its young players is worth keeping in mind.
“No one’s career was ever hurt by waiting a little longer,” said assistant general manager Tony LaCava, speaking in general terms. “On the other hand, we think that if a player is moved too fast, you run the risk that he fails, and that you’d have to take him back and rebuild him and get his confidence back. That takes time, and it’s time that maybe didn’t need to happen if you had appropriately moved him when’s he ready and not forced it.”
All of these decisions loom and the clock is ticking.
