Also, now that we will have covered the latest and greats of the minors transactions over the last 9 months, we will also be updating all Jays minors transactions in our new “Jays Minors Transactions” page, so check back there from time to time if you’re curious about what’s happening in the Jays affiliates and depth chart.

End of July 2010

RHP Bubbie Buzachero – Traded – 5’10″ 180 lbs, 29 years old (more…)

Jays News:

• The Jays out-righted Brian Dopirak to AAA, meaning that they cleared up a spot on the 40 man roster and sparked speculation that other moves or trades are imminent. I think a promotion of some sort instead of the trade option is more likely, but you never know!
• John McDonald is back on the bench and Jeremy Reed is back in AAA. (more…)

• Marc Rzepczynski has recently threw 4.2 innings (59 pitches) while striking out 4 in extended spring training as he makes a return from injury. It was his second start there and he could be able to return as soon as within 2 weeks which only adds to the already deep rotation.
• Nathaniel Stoltz of Call to the Pen touches on Brett Cecil as he looks at a player for every MLB team here.
• If I told you before the season started that at this point in the season 2 of the Jays 3 top HR hitters would be John Buck (8) and Alex Gonzalez (10), I’m pretty sure I would have been laughed out of town, but such is the case. Both players have more HRs than Aaron Hill and Adam Lind combined. Although that could be viewed as a bad thing, it’s more of a security blanket in knowing that those 2 players are bound to get hot at some point and makes the future a little brighter as a result.

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I heard Cito Gaston on XM’s MLB Radio talking about Travis Snider and how nice it was to see him get hotter at the plate. While he had praise for Travis, he also mentioned just how disappointed he still was that Lyle Overbay was having such a hard time at the plate – just after being asked about Brett Wallace and his hot bat in AAA, who has 9 HRs to go with his .363 OBP. Cito couldn’t say just when Brett will be coming up with the Jays, but I’m starting to get the feeling that the Jays may be getting more and more comfortable with either taking back minimum value from a trade partner and paying most of Lyle’s contract, or with releasing him outright. The Jays have so many alternatives in Randy Ruiz, Brian Dopirak, and Brett Wallace that it really is a no risk move.

What should or would the Jays get in return for Lyle Overbay in the best scenario, which would b ethat he finds his 15-20 HR .270+ form? That’s the new poll now that we have the result fo the Vernon Wells poll which had the majority of fans believing that Vernon will in fact exceed 30 HRs.

Top Batting Averages

1. Bradley Glenn – LoA Lansing – .389
2. Raul Barron – HiA Dunedin – .366
3. Brian Jeroloman – AA New Hampshire – .348
4. Mark Sobolewski – LoA Lansing – .333
5. Travis d’Arnaud – HiA Dunedin – .328

To have 2 catchers in the top 5 AVG players in the minors for the Jays is yet another indication of just how strong they are at the position all the way through the minors. the one name most people probably don’t recognize much is Raul Barron, a 24-year old 2nd baseman who is a little over age at his level, but is having an impressive year nonetheless.

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AAA Las Vegas – Won 6-2 vs Colorado

• Brett Cecil‘s line: 6 IP, 7 hits, 2 walks, 1 ER, 3 strike outs, and he now has a 2,45 ERA on the season. It seems Brett is still the most likely call up candidate if changes are to be made in Toronto.
• Sean Henn and Rommie Lewis threw 3 shut out innings afterwards. Henn still has a 0 ERA over his 5 innings of work in 2010, while Lewis has also been great thus far, only giving up 1 run in 5 IP.
• 1B Brett Wallace (.303) hit his 4th HR the year, while 1B Brian Dopirak (.286) also went deep for his 2nd of the year.
• C JP Arencibia went 2 for 4 to bring his average up to .273 on the year.

AA New Hampshire – Lost 9-5 to Binghamton

• Marty McLeary had a night to forget, lasting only 0.1 innings while allowing 5 ER. His relief, Buzzie Buzachero was a little better, which isn’t saying much. He lasted 2.2 innings and allowed 7 hits and 4 ER. You can’t blame the guy though as he was probably shocked to be in the game that early!
• Randy Boone was strong in relief, stemming the tide by going 5 strong after the first 2 and only allowed 1 hit and 2 walks, giving NH a chance to get back in the game.
• The offensive side the of the game was alright for NH, as 5 hitters were able to knock out 2 hits in the game – 1B David Cooper, SS Jonathan Diaz, 3B Manuel Mayorson, RF Adam Loewen, and LF Eric Thames. Loewen had the best day of all, however, as his hits were both for extra bases, a double and a HR – his 1st of the season.

HiA Dunedin – Lost 4-1 to Brevard County

• Joel Carreno had a decent outing, nothing spectacular, as he went 5 innings while allowing 9 hits and 3 ER.
• C Travis d’Arnaud joined fellow Doc trade member Brett Wallace in adding to his power totals by smacking his 3rd HR of the season. He went 3 for 5 in the game, raising his season’s average to .429, impressive to say the least.
• SS Tyler Pastornicky (.189) went 3 for 5 in the game and was caught stealing once, while 3B John Tolisano went 2 for 4 to raise his average to .226.
• 1B Michael McDade is not having a great start to the season, as his average dipped to .176 after going 0 for 4 in the game.

LoA Lansing – Lost 6-3 to Lake County

• First rounder Chad Jenkins did enough to earn a win but lacked the support to get there. He threw a mediocre but effective 6 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 ER, 1 walk, and getting 4 Ks in the start.
• Dustin Antolin continued the outstanding performance of the Lansing pen by throwing 2 shut out innings in relief, striking out 3 in the process. He now has 7 shut out innings, allowing only 2 hits, 1 walk, and getting 8 Ks on the season. What a great start for the 20 year old from Hawaii.
• C Sean Ochinko finally got going offensively with a 2 for 4 day, including 1 double. 3B Mark Sobolweski was the only other bright spot for Lansing as he went 2 for 5 with 2 RBI.

However, the story all Jays fans will want to hear about his the fact that Brett Wallace, while playing 1B – not 3B, hit his second HR of 2010. It seems the Jays have already decided to move Brett to 1B and will have to wait until Lyle Overbay is departed to bring Wallace up to MLB. Brian Dopirak, meanwhile, was the DH in the game and went 2 for 4. Jarrett Hoffpauir led the way in hits for the game, going 3 for 5 with a double and also driving in 3 runs. Chris Lubanski was outstanding in the game going 2 for 4 with a HR of his own and a double, while Jorge Padilla had 2 hits as well.

The wins keep coming for Las Vegas, as they now sit atop their division with a record of 4 and 1. They meet Fresno again over the next 3 days.

Offensively, Brian Dopirak, Jeremy Reed, Christian Colonel, Aaron Matthews, and Brett Wallace had 1 hit each, but the real story of the game was Jesus Merchan who went 3 for 3.

Of note in this game was the confirmation that the Jays intend to use David Purcey out of the pen from now on (foreseeably).

All this brings me to my next point about Jose Julio Ruiz, who set up yet another “meet and greet” with scouts in the Dominican Republic. Let’s say the Jays bench is as set above. Lyle Overbay is the starting 1B, Randy Ruiz is the backup 1B, Brian Dopriak is the 1B in AAA, David Cooper is the 1B in AA, and Michael McDade – who is still in spring training with the Jays and getting more ABs than I would have thought – should begin the year in HiA Dunedin. Where would the Jays fit someone like Jose Julio Ruiz in? I have no idea, and I still have no idea why Lyle Overbay is still with the Jays either, but the 1B position is crowded as can be – and that’s all without the inclusion of Brett Wallace, who is supposedly the 1B of the future for the Jays……something just isn’t adding up.

I believe that the Jays are still very hopeful that Brett Wallace will stick at 3B, because if he does, it allows them to maintain their much better options at 1B in the future than what they have as 3B options. It’s much easier to envision an infield with Wallace at 3B and McDade at 1B than one with Wallace at 1B and _____ at 3B. Something’s got to give, that’s all I’m saying. The Jays can’t keep Brian Dopirak in the minors forever and he clearly deserves a shot to prove himself in the majors. But who’s going to trade much for an unproven commodity? Alright, rewind, let’s start from the beginning….what would you do if you were Alex Anthopolous in his current situation?

1 – Hope Lyle Overbay has a quick start and that a team is willing to pick him up along with his entire salary, and that the Jays can also get 1 decent prospect for him. By all indications, he should be traded by the deadline. Atlanta is my favorite landing spot since Troy Glaus is a walking first aid sign. Now that they’ve committed to keeping Heyward around to begin the year, we know it’s an “all-in” season for the Braves. Scott Downs and Lyle Overbay for…..?

2 – Keep Michael McDade in spring training as long as possible in order to get a real indication as to what you have in the lower minors. If he’s as good as he seems to be, maybe David Cooper becomes a trade chip as some teams will still believe in his overall potential. McDade can then skip HiA and go right to AA.

3 – Once Overbay is dealt, Alex can bring up Brian Dopirak and hope he takes off like a rocket. If he does, that gives him yet another trade chip to use in future dealings. Dopirak and Ruiz can split time at 1B. If he falters, Alex can release Dopirak at a low cost or send him back to AAA and release him thereafter. Either way, it’s a low risk proposition. In the faltering case, the Jays can bring up Brett Wallace in his place and all is well.

4 – The Jays can also decide to keep Dopirak at 1B if he does well. Why not? He’s cheap and can provide more than enough power at the position. In this case, Wallace would get a shot at 3B for 2010. If it’s obvious that Wallace at 3B is not an option for 2011, then Alex can make a deal with Dopirak included in the off season – with his value being much higher due to proving himself in 2010 – and Wallace slides into 1B to start 2011.

Altogether, everything breaks down to the following: Overbay needs to be dealt before the deadline, Dopirak should get the first shot to prove his value on the trade market or to allow Wallace to prove himself as a 3B, Wallace should be tried at 3B before being sent to 1B to allow for others to prove their values as 1B, and Cooper and McDade need room to grow in the minors very soon – so all of this needs to get sorted out pronto if the Jays want to max out the situation. In any of these cases, I can’t see the Jays paying the reported $2 million for Jose Julio Ruiz who is reportedly out of shape and has a chip on his shoulder already. I’d rather see them make a play for Reidier Roibal, another Cuban prospect – a pitcher this time, who is supposed to have a huge upside and is only 20 years old. I hope I’m right in assuming all of this. Does anyone see it differently? Does Ruiz actually seem like he’d fit in the OF instead of at 1B? Why not stay with Jeremy Reed at a much cheaper rate?

The 1B Jays issues are confusing to say the least. Hopefully Alex can clear them up by May and land a good 3B prospect in the process.