Comments on: Jays Lineup Core Deeper, White Sox Fans Should be Angriest

By: jakely

jakely — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 05:08:39 +0000

The speed with which Anthopolous has completely revamped this thing is mind boggling. We were not in good shape overall as a franchise when he got hired and Doc asked out. Now it’s almost as if we have too many young, high ceiling players and not enough positions for them. There’s players behind these with big potential. Still more right behind that. They are going to grow up together. It seems like a player will soon HAVE to be good just to play on this team. By the time the next couple years play out, that farm system will have had a few years of the extra scouting, coaching, all business approach now taken. In a couple of years, how good are these kids we’re watching right now going to be? We can afford to miss on some of them and still get there. We’re armed to the teeth in trade bait. They haven’t spent a cent on a big FA yet. Think of the age of the Yanks and Sox. This is the brightest future in the bigs. It’s set up to be sustainable. It’s beautiful. I don’t see how it misses. It’s been less than two years. wow. When you think of the JP years knowing we were going to finish 3rd or 4th and knowing it when the pitchers and catchers reported, it’s enough to give you a man crush on the guy.

One point about JP. Those contracts he gave out were horrible. The players were obviously totally unworthy. It was the no trade clauses, the out clauses, no team leverage, the silly limo ride thing – I’m surprised there wasn’t a brown M&M clause in there – basically getting on his knees begging & grovelling in writing to get players to come to Toronto. First off, screw you if you dont want to come here. Secondly, what kind of mentality is that for your gm? Thirdly, screw him for it. Bushleague idiot bullshit. We’re the Jays. We have a proud legacy and that’s quite enough of the tarnishing. Different feel around here these days. Talk about night & day.

By: He's Done it Again!

He's Done it Again! — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 02:36:06 +0000

First and foremost, Bautista will not be asked to play 2nd base.(.)[period] So lets get that settled. How many times have we heard AA explain that baseball is played up the middle? He is talking about a defensive game with athletic players who play smart baseball. Not that Jose does not play smart baseball, not that Brett Lawrie is not athletic but catching, shortstop, 2nd base and centre field take considerable seasoning and require instant reaction time to make split second decisions. That entails having players who have played the position for years and received all their coaching at that position, taken several thousand reps and if asked, these guys could play the position in a coma.

This is why AA paid $10 million for a talented, athletic shortstop with brains in an unproven Hechevaria (or however you spell it). That is why they went and sold potentially a 30 HR bat in Brett Wallace for the defensive, speedster in Anthony Gose (Gose 4 Halladay???). This is why the Blue Jays have several incredible catching prospects that if they can hit, well thats a bonus. Travis D’Arnaud is a defensive first, game caller. Not a natural hitter. Fortunately he is a smart kid and is learning the offensive side on the fly. JPA is becoming a very strong game caller. His defensive abilities have improved considerably however, he needs to start throwing some base runners out.

All of this being said. Even Yunel Escobar slotting in at second is not an ideal situation for AA, although I could certainly think of worse options. He wants the guys that play these positions naturally. End of story. No putting Jose at second, or waiting to see if Lawrie could handle the responsibility. If he ain’t doing it now, he ain’t doing it at all. As a Blue Jays fan, I love seeing the young talent and a lineup that includes all of them. This is not a reality however, some of these guys will become trade bait for starting pitching/bullpen. It’ll be up to them to make sure a spot is reserved in a very competitive lineup. I look forward to the competition.

Anyone missing Juan Rivera? Just curious….

By: juanguzman

juanguzman — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 20:22:13 +0000

i think the best lineup scenario would be : escobar (ss), rasmaus (cf), bautista (3b), lind (1b), lawrie (2b), thames (rf), arencibia (c), snider (lf), davis (dh). i know davis is not the most prolific bat around, but he does offer the speed factor that would give you the extra leasoff at the bottom of the order (see b. gardner in ny). ee is too up and down and when he is down , he gives you nothing. also remember when the jays got lawrie , he WAS a 2b and they comverted him. it would be easy for him to go back to 2nd base.

By: j.u

j.u — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:27:47 +0000

There is no way they are going to ask Bautista to play 2nd, it was tough enough to ask him to move from RF back to 3rd, where he is already comfortable. Not to mention his age, he won’t last as a 2B, and it’s just not going to happen. We won’t have any problems at all until Lawrie comes up, and then EE becomes the odd-one out. At that point, Rasmus CF, Bautista RF, Snider LF, Lawrie 3B and Thames will back up the corner outfield spots and DH.. Problem happens when Gose is ready to come up, because he holds a premium at CF… Then you have to find a new spot for Bautista (he won’t want to full-time DH in 2012/2013 I can guarantee it) or Snider… And if you move them then somebody is gonna have to take Thames’ spot at the DH… It’s going be a log-jam, but that’s not a bad thing, because then you can package players for bigtime all-stars or help on the pitching side… Keep in mind, all these problems circle around both Snider and Rasmus getting it together, for all their hype, Thames has probably been the best oufielder among them.

By: Mylegacy

Mylegacy — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:17:39 +0000

Oh YEAH: We could have Loewen (L) on the bench as well!

By: Mylegacy

Mylegacy — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 04:16:24 +0000

Can Lawrie play 2nd? Yes – just not as well as it appears he’d be able to play 3rd. However, I think Lawrie could play almost any where he’s such a good athlete.

I’d like to offer a semi-serious proposal – I suggest an outfield of the three kids: Snider (lf), Rasmus (cf), and Thames (rf). With Lawrie at 3rd, Escobar at SS, Lind at 1st, JPA/d’Arnaud at C and EE at DH and – wait for it – Bautista at 2nd. Why? Because I KNOW Bautista can play 2nd – hell the guy can play anywhere! AND that gives us the VERY BEST NINE bats we can field.

Our batting line-up would be: Escobar (R), Rasmus (L), Bautista (R), Lind (L), EE (R), Thames (L), Lawrie (R), Snider (L) and batting 9th: JPA or d’Arnaud both (R). EVERY SINGLE one of those guys is a SERIOUS DEADLY THREAT.

By: Topper2804

Topper2804 — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 00:31:48 +0000

Can Lawrie play 2nd? if Hill is out in 12 would keep Thames bat in the lineup. Or is this 3 guys 2 spots something to sort out next spring training