Jays most recent addition smart, especially after Tom Verducci analysis in S.I.

Sports Illustrated’s, Tom Verducci has had some interesting things to say about sophomore pitchers who’ve significantly upped their innings limit from the previous season. See for yourself here:

In view of all this, it comes as no wonder that the Jays have still not finished their off-season acquisitions. In case you choose not to click on the link, Verducci specifically singles out Aaron Sanchez, among other pitchers in Major League Baseball, as being “high risk” for injury due to their significant increase in innings pitched from the previous year, an increase in 70 1/3 innings for Sanchez.

No wonder then the late addition of journeyman Mat Latos to the club. A starter with a promising future at one time but who has now regressed into competing for our long-man and/or spot-starter jobs along with the likes of Mike Bolsinger.

The need for pitching depth, in the bullpen, initially addressed by the double-barrelled editions of J.P. Howell from the left side and Joe Smith on the right, has now shifted to the rotation with the Latos pick up.

This isn’t mere speculation from the likes of Verducci though as the recent proliferation of Tommy John surgeries alone raises eyebrows. One need not look further than last year’s New York Mets, who were forced to shut down the majority of their young rotation to injury for practically the entire season.

How could their long battle-tested 2015 campaign, which brought them to the World Series versus the Kansas City Royals, not be a contributing factor, or even determining factor?

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If you recall, at the time during the stretch to the pennant and beyond, everyone was debating whether Matt Harvey should be shelved, or limited, or whatever strange notion could be concocted. Just like our own Sanchez, who the organization last year smartly gave some rest to during the final quarter of the season, and thus kept his innings limit under 200.

One need not contemplate the “why” of the Jays recent flurry of arm acquisitions. The need for depth is real and present.

No doubt a collective sigh of gladness that this particular front office continues to work hard to stay competitive – while, it must be said, at the same time stay within the tight financial confines of ownership, who have more than their share of considerations on that front. Not least of which being ownership, multi-media conglomerate Rogers’, over-$5 billion acquisition of exclusive media rights to the NHL, the contract penned in November 2013.

An article for another day perhaps, as that pact can’t truly be evaluated until the completion of its 12-year term. At the very least though the elephant in the room.

Needless to say, Mark Shapiro and Ross Atkins seem to be operating admirably under the larger corporate umbrella of their bosses.

Next: The 5 most interesting Toronto Blue Jays in 2017

Speaking of the Jays specifically though (this is the Jays Journal after all), Latos is a great ‘get’ because no longer do we need to hear all this talk of “stretching-out” Joe Biagini, who Gibby himself has said is way too valuable to this club in his current role, rather than be stashed away in Buffalo as our “6th starter.”