10:35 PM Eastern
Well, after the first intrasquad game of the spring, it’s the same old same old for the Blue Jays. This team just can’t hit in the clutch! In the first two innings, the two teams combined to go 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, including back-to-back strikeouts of Scott Rolen and Gregg Zaun by Shawn Camp with two on in the first.
As for the rest of the game, I couldn’t really tell you, though I heard Sal Fasano hit a home run (and don’t believe anyone who tells you they saw it). The problem was two-fold. One, nobody wanted to miss talking to Shannon Stewart on his first day at camp, and two, the combination of the facts that the regulars got yanked after one or two plate appearances, none of the pitchers in the game have a great shot of making the team and, umm, they were serving lunch.
Among the things I did see in the first two innings of the game, though:
-Alex Rios scorched an absolute rocket down the third-base line that was snared by Sergio Santos, who I think might actually have had his eyes open,
-Vernon Wells reached on a single off Rolen’s body, and Frank Thomas followed with a bloop single to centre just in and out of the glove of Buck Coats, who tried to make a great shoestring catch.
-Rod Barajas looked just awful striking out against John Parrish to end the first.
All the regulars played, with the exceptions of Lyle Overbay (sick) and Matt Stairs (day off).
John Gibbons said afterwards that he was impressed by Parrish and Mike Gosling, specifically. I didn’t see Gosling pitch, but I did see Parrish strike out Aaron Hill and, as I mentioned, make Barajas look sick.
Parrish is here to compete with Brian Tallet for that third lefty spot in the bullpen, and as Gibby said, he’s got a great arm, the only issue is command. The manager went onto say that Brad Arnsberg has been working with Parrish and has made a change in his delivery that they think might help. All I can say to that is that if Arnsberg can get Parrish to throw strikes on a regular basis, he should be pretty much canonized immediately. This is the same guy who walked 33 in 41 2/3 innings in Baltimore last season, and who has walked over 6 1/2 batters per nine innings over a major-league career that has spanned parts of six seasons. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m thinking that he is what he is.
Some further thoughts on Shannon Stewart’s arrival, now that I’ve had some time to digest it. I don’t think Shannon is here not to make the team, and he certainly isn’t going to Syracuse. I mentioned yesterday that the Blue Jays have never been completely sold on Reed Johnson, and I think this signing is another signal of that. The Jays offered Stewart a two-year, major-league contract in December, and I’m betting that if he would have signed then, Johnson would have been non-tendered and become a free agent. I was actually surprised at the time that Johnson was tendered a contract at all, with Stairs having signed his two-year deal and Lind almost ready. If Stewart is the same hitter he’s always been, it seems the Jays would rather have him than Reed. He would also provide insurance in case Stairs can’t handle the rigors of regular work at the age of 40.
Personally, I think it’s a pretty raw deal for Johnson if it shakes down the way it looks as though it might. He’s done nothing for the Jays over his entire career except do what was asked of him, and do it to the best of his abilities. He’s a terrific defender with a very good throwing arm and hits left-handed pitching very well, and has done nothing to warrant losing the job that he earned with his phenomenal first half of 2006.
All that said, Shannon Stewart is a better hitter, plain and simple. The Jays can probably handle the hit on defense that they take in left field, given how good Wells and Rios are, and they showed how they value offense over defense by signing David Eckstein. Also, Stewart wouldn’t look too out of place at the top of the line-up, allowing Eckstein to move down to 2nd (or 9th) and making the overall offensive machine work better. His presence definitely gives us something to watch over the next five weeks besides the battle for the last spot in the rotation.
Comments are encouraged, as always!
Raw deal or not for Johnson, any time you can upgrade your team, I say you do it. JP’s here to win a world series, not make friends.
If we were to carry 11 pitchers and have both Stewart and Johnson on the roster, either one of them would look good coming off the bench to pinch hit or run. Additionally, it doesn’t hurt to upgrade your bench at the same time by grabbing Stewart. It doesn’t look like Gibby is too keen on having just 11 pitchers though. It’ll be fun to see how it plays out!
- CavanI hope you are wrong about Stewart taking Reed’s job. Reed is my favourite Blue Jay and I am really hoping his back is healed and he performs well this spring. I can’t understand why JP shows little faith in Reed since he is the kind of “dirt-bag” player JP talks about needing on the team. He is a catalyst, always always hustles and plays excellent defense.
When Stewart’s days in Toronto were numbered last time, his poor defense was a big part of why the fans lost favour in him. It’s bad enough seeing opposing base runners go wild on our pitching/catchers last year. This season ticket holder does not want to see runners taking advantage of a poor arm in left field !
- Ian CWell. Not the shining report I had hoped to see. Hopefully the offense picks it up before the March 2nd game that will ACTUALLY BE TELEVISED in Canada! I plan to be watching.
- KevinAs for the Shannon Stewart vs Reed Johnson debacle, I am a little disgusted by the way JP has dealt with Johnson. I think Reed has previously earned the right to come back from a serious injury and claim his spot in left without having to battle a guy who in his last defensively forgettable stint with the Jays had a ball bounce off his head! You all remember THAT Shannon Stewart right? I don’t believe that Stewart is the kind of “dirt bag” player that Johnson is. Reed goes all out on every play in the field. He runs hard out of the box every time. That’s not what I remember about Stewart. Mostly what I remember about Stewart is that after hurting his hand he didn’t steal many bases and sometimes the ball bounces on his head rather than into his glove. Putting Stewart in left field or anywhere for that matter, is not an upgrade to the team, in my opinion. Johnson plays the game the right way. Stewart…well if it wasn’t for the Jays giving him this minor league deal he may not be playing at all.
Boys! Why not let, Shannon have a crack at left? If, Reed is as good as you both say he is, then he shouldn’t have anything to worry about. I’m more concearned about center. I cetrainly hope Vernon’s injured shoulder was as serious an inhibitor as has been sought: I can remember the “good ones” having bad months, but never a bad season, especially so early in his career.
- Jamie AdamsI can’t understand the Blue Jays’ idea that a run scored is somehow more valuable than a run prevented. It is a mathematical fact that they are both of identical value when it comes to winning a baseball game. Why would you drop a player who can play all 3 outfield positions and hit and also get hit, in favour of a one-dimensional player like Stewart who is a good hitter but cannot play the outfield or any other position? On the other hand, he would be a valuable pinch hitter against righties or lefties. So the question really is — who is more valuable, Stewart on the bench or a #12 pitcher like Tallet or Wolfe? The rotation and pen are strong enough that the team doesn’t need a 12th pitcher. So they should go with 11 pitchers and keep both Johnson and Stewart
- Davey PAhh darn it! In my previous comment I mistakenly wrote HAND when I meant HAM…as in Stewart didn’t steal many bases after hurting it. His HAM that is. DOH!
- KevinIf they go with 11 pitchers it’s a great deal! If they decide to choose between the 2 and go with Shannon then this is terrible. Especially if keeping Stewart means it’s still a platoon with Stairs. A healthy reed against left handers is more valuable then Stewart. Reed is also a far better option late in games as a defensive replacement.
- DilsonIf Johnson is the one who is gone then this just makes one more head scratching move by JP. And I thought he looked at stats..?
Mike as I’m sure you know Stewart is better suited splitting time with Johnson than with Stairs. He’s one of those righties who hits righthanders better than lefthanders.
Stewart (last year)
vs LHP .269 avg .333 obp .365 slg .699 ops
vs RHP .298 avg .350 obp .406 slg .756 ops
Stairs (last year)
vs LHP .289 avg .396 obp .422 slg .818 ops
vs RHP .288 avg .364 obp .567 slg .931 ops
Johnson (career)
vs LHP .308 avg .371 obp .462 slg .833 ops
vs RHP .267 avg .328 obp .383 slg .711 ops
Since you’re down there in Dunedin, is it be possible for you to ask someone about this? Though I’m sure they’re not going to say Reed’s on his way out until he’s actually gone.
- TestSubjektHey Jamie.
- KevinStewart is getting his crack at left field. It’s up to him to prove he deserves it. I just hope Johnson is getting a fair shake in proving that Stewart isn’t needed in left. If Reed can’t prove that to be true then maybe Stewart can try to fill his shoes. I agree that center is an area of concern as well. If a healthy Vernon Wells returns this year and his issues at the plate are no more, then all is well. If that doesn’t happen then I hope the Jays don’t waste too much time hoping he will improve. I say sit him down or send him down and give Reed a crack at center field…that is assuming Reed can also return to form. There are just so many unknowns right now with players who had injury induced forgettable seasons last year. It’s a tough time to be a Jays fan! :o)
When analyzing Stewart-Johnson, the only fair comparision in hitting is how do they do against left handers-since Stairs is definatly the guy you want up their against right handers.
Last year stats, which actually put Reed in a poorer position than 2006 are as follows:
Stewart vs LHP .269 avg .333 obp .365 slg
Johnson vs LHp .325 avg. .381 obp .532 slg
Reed clearly is a better and more flexible defensive player, has more grit, ten times the throwing arm, while Stewart steals more bases. Personally, I feel Reed is one of the offensive spark plugs of the team.
In my view, dumping Reed for Stewart would be a disasterous mistake.
- GerryKevin their is no way the jays will send Wells down with his salary. It would be ludicris. I can see them doing what Mike has suggested though (which is have him in the 6th spot against rigties). For what it’s worth here is my ideal lineup.
Vs RHP
Eckstein
Overbay
Rios
Thomas
Rolen
Stairs
Wells
Hill
Zaun.
VS LHP
- DilsonJohnson (or Stewart)
Hill
Wells
Rios
Thomas
Rolen
Overbay
Zaun (or Barajas)
Mcdonald (or Scutaro)
Regardless of which arm the pitcher is using, I’m not sure you sit, Eckstein.
Is, Greg Zaun honestly going to be our number one catcher? If so, then this is a monumental problem, one which we cannot simply sweep under the rug with thoughts like: “it’s only one spot in the line-up, he can hold his own back there.”
I’m assuming the market for solid catchers is bleak, because if I were boss, a catcher would be my FIRST priority. Go ahead, peer back through the record books and try to find me a winning ball club with even a mediocre backstop, let alone an awful one.
- Jamie AdamsDidn’t J.P. let Stewart go to Oakland? Why would you re-sign a player that wasn’t good enough to re-sign before. Isn’t this taking a step backwards?
- DanielWe need hustler’s on this team. Players that are going to bring their A game every day. We have enough personalities on our Offence.
Jamie Adams,
I don’t see the harm in benching Eckstein, especially when you have a groundball pitcher such as Doc on the mound. Johnny Mac’s atrocious with the stick, but Eck’s below-average himself, and he doesn’t have the kind of glove where you need to keep him in the lineup even though he’s not much at the plate. Plus, he’s gotten run down and injured lately. Might as well keep what few skills he brings to the table somewhat fresh.
As for winning clubs with bad catchers, you’d have to go all the way back to 2006, when the Cards had a black hole by the name of Yadier Molina creating outs every time up. Zaun’s nowhere near that level of disaster. He’s only marginally less effective than Varitek was last year when the BoSox won it all.
- Justin