Comments on: Relief Options Getting Slim for Jays: AA True to His Word

By: Blue Jays Interested in Jon Rauch? « Jays Journal | A Toronto Blue Jays Blog

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 07:01:17 +0000

[...] It is indeed quite a wild market for relievers this year, as it’s interesting that Rauch still remains unsigned. I touched on him as a notable Type-B bullpen option in my very first post way back on October 26th, and Mat ranked him as his third favorite option in his bullpen article back on December 16th. [...]

By: Closing Candidates Worth Considering If Octavio Dotel Deal Falls Through | Jays Journal | A Toronto Blue Jays Blog

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 04:03:28 +0000

[...] There are more well known candidates like Brian Fuentes and Jon Rauch available as closers for the Jays in 2011 as well, which Mat analyzed back on December 16th. [...]

By: Blue Jays About to Sign Veteran RP Octavio Dotel | Jays Journal | A Toronto Blue Jays Blog

Mon, 27 Dec 2010 02:26:53 +0000

[...] stated in Mid-December that Octavio was the most likely Jays target and that he made the most sense for the Jays. I’m [...]

By: Jared Macdonald

Jared Macdonald — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:53:32 +0000

I think it is very safe to say the Jays will not have as good of a 2011 as 2010, simply because of the subtractions to the roster.

Losing Marcum, Downs, and Gregg, it will be very hard for the Jays to get similar results to what those 3 contributed last year, let alone improve on them with new staff.

Any improvements Hill and Lind make at the plate could be cancelled out by regressions from Wells and Bautista. That being said though, I wish for nothing more than for all four of them to have great 2011 campaigns.

Add in also that a now Cito-free Travis Snider WILL be getting everyday at bats, so surely his numbers should improve. But keep in mind Arencibia will likely experience some growing pains at the MLB level and likely won’t replicate the numbers John Buck put up in 2010 (although it would be awesome if he did!)

The addition of Rajai Davis, depending on how much playing time he gets, could really work to the Jays’ favor in 2011 as well.

Like you, Stump, I’m more than okay with letting the youngsters grow for another season and see what they have. A rotation of Romero/Morrow/Cecil/Drabek/Stewart or Rzep (barring any other moves) is fine by me.

I’m actually more excited for the 2011 season than I was for the 2010 season, which was more than I had ever been in my entire time of being a Jays fan! (19 years)

It’s an exciting time to be a Jays fan, period, no matter what happens in 2011!

By: stump

stump — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 19:15:07 +0000

Your points are well taken Matt, but the Jays pitching staff was deeper last season. Subtract Shaun Marcum, Scott Downs, & Kevin Gregg and we have issues with the 2011 pitching staff. Marcum contributed 13 wins last season and Downs & Gregg combined for 37 saves. Without adding a big time closer, it is doubtful that the current staff will be able to replicate these numbers.

Also auditioning 3 new position players at 1B,3B and C is bound to hurt the club in 2011, especially behind the plate and at 1B. I agree that almost anyone could play 3B better than Encarnacion.

I hope that all three (Lind, Bautista & Arencibia) prove to be quick studies, but that is not likely to happen, especially behind the plate, where the learning curve is usually quite steep.

As I stated in an earlier post, I am quite willing to wait another season or two to witness the re-tooled Blue Jays, who will surely contend in the AL east. I would also love to see it earlier, but it definitely will require a much larger investment by ownership than the $2.5M contract awarded to Edwin Encarnacion.

By: Mat Germain

Mat Germain — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:57:11 +0000

thanks for the great comments as usual stump, but please remember that the Jays won 87 games despite a “down year” from Aaron Hill and Adam Lind, despite a lackluster performance from Travis Snider, and despite the lack of speed aka Rajai Davis. When you take those 4 things into account, and the advancement of my favorite power prodigy – JP Arencibia – you should be very happy that Edwin is returning AND that he won’t be playing 3B

By: stump

stump — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:11:27 +0000

With the re-signing of Edwin Encarnacion it would seem that AA and company are not seriously shooting for a wild card spot in 2011.
If this assumption is correct, then it is doubtful that AA will spend any significant $$ for a closer in 2011.
My guess is he will tinker with a couple of his in house options (Zach Stewart, Jesse Carlson, etc.) and if they don’t pan out, the Jays will be out of the race anyway and it will be “wait until 2012″ when a better team can be fielded. This allows players like Arencibia and Lind a season to gain experience at C and 1B respectively and demonstrate if they are capable of playing these positions at the Major League level. Otherwise, they will both be packaged in trades at some point in the next year.

Best case scenario would be that the Jays somehow stay in the wild card race into the summer months and AA then adds a big bat and another arm for the final push for the AL pennant or a wild card spot.