Apr 3, 2013; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Casey Janssen (44) delivers a pitch against the Cleveland Indians at Rogers Centre. The Indians beat the Blue Jays 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

These facts are a part of the reason that there is a common superstition that closers in baseball don’t pitch as well in non-save situations.

No one seems to have any solid reasons for why that is. Most people seem to think it’s because the closer doesn’t have the same adrenaline in non-save situations.

You wouldn’t expect Toronto Blue Jays closer Casey Janssen to need closer adrenaline because he was an effective middle reliever his entire career before stepping in as the Blue Jays closer last May.

It may seem silly but look at Janssen’s last 2 outings which both happened to be non-save situations.

Janssen hadn’t given up an earned run all season until he came in to pitch the 9th inning of a game the Blue Jays were leading 7-3 against the Rays. A lead by 4 or more runs isn’t a save situation. And wouldn’t you know it Janssen gives up 2 runs.

Janssen hadn’t pitched in 8 days so you can’t fault him for being rusty. It’s not his fault the Jays had 3 off days, some blowout wins and losses to the Yankees. So it might just have been a coincidence that Janssen was dusting his rust off in a non-save situation.

But then 2 days later Janssen comes into the 9th inning of a tied 2-2 game against the Rays which is obviously not a save situation and gives up a run. Unlike a 4 run lead pitching in a 2-2 game should give you adrenaline. But it’s still not a save situation so it is an interesting coincidence that Janssen would give up a run again.

Especially since he’s been untouchable this season and it’s unheard nowadays for Janssen to give up a run in back to back outings.

But the boy might have gotten to use to the closer adrenaline.

For all we know Janssen was just rusty or the Rays figured out something about Janssen the rest of baseball hasn’t been able to. Or it could just be a big coincidence that Janssen has given up runs in his last 2 outings that just happened to be non-save situations.

Or the closer curse could be real and Janssen could just be a victim of it.

Much like in this picture, the Toronto Blue Jays are chasing the Boston Red Sox for the AL East Championship and a spot in the playoffs. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

With the Toronto Blue Jays in the midst of a season long four game winning streak, it sounds negative to talk about a topic like this.  You can thank Jon Heyman for drawing my ire.

What should Alex Anthopoulos do if the season plays out the way it has been playing out and the Blue Jays play cellar dwellers?

The way I see it, if this Jays team isn’t going to do win this season, then they’re not going to do it.  Factors such as the AL East crown is more winnable now this season than it has been in the last 18 years led to a big bump in payroll for the Jays, as they took on the “win now” persona.  They bet the farm to acquire players that look fantastic or “sexy on paper.”  If “win now” is not going to happen, I believe the Jays would have to (dare I say it) rebuild the farm.

Heyman had his own ideas the other day.  He believes that the Baltimore Orioles should go after R.A. Dickey.  He then followed it up with Dickey more-than-likely not being available due to a relatively team friendly contract for a reigning Cy Young winner.  So basically, it was a waste of an article by Heyman.  I wasn’t the only one that felt this way.  Travis Bateman’s article takes it into further detail discussing some nationally syndicated writers you may want to avoid when it comes to following the Toronto Blue Jays.  It’s an excellent read.

Bateman, Heyman, and another fellow writer, Kyle Franzoni however, all got me thinking:  ”if it’s over before the trade deadline, who are the Blue Jays most trade-able chips?”

I’m not in the head of AA.  If I was, I would ABSOLUTELY NOT make a trade to improve an AL East rival unless I knew for sure the Blue Jays were absolutely out of it.  So Dickey to the Orioles just isn’t happening.  Guys that could be on their way out however:

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion (10).  Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Edwin Encarnacion: There are several playoff contending teams that are having issues at 1B, 3B, and OF.  Encarnacion can play all of those positions.  While his versatility makes him intriguing, it’s his power and contract that make him a great trade chip.  The power slugger is only one year removed from hitting .280 with 42 HR 110 RBI and an .941 OPS.  The 2012 season was by far EE’s best season of his career.  If the Blue Jays were better in 2012, Encarnacion would have been an MVP candidate.  The amount of money he’s earning this season?  A mere $8 million dollars.  That’s nothing for MVP type numbers.  Did I mention that Easy E is also only 30 years old?

Teams Interested:  Most of this is my own speculation of course, but contending teams outside the AL East that could use an upgrade at 1B, 3B, or OF are the St.Louis Cardinals, Texas Rangers, and MAYBE Oakland Athletics or Kansas City Royals.

All four teams mentioned have great talent at their minor league levels.  St.Louis and Texas are probably the best suitors since both teams are willing to take on money and have young, talented players they’re looking to move.  The Rangers may be the most ideal. The Rangers are looking to upgrade at 1B (the Rangers aren’t sold on Mitch Moreland) and possibly move #1 prospect SS/2B Jurickson Profar as well as #2 prospect 3B Mike Olt since both youngsters are roadblocked by better players.  With the possible resurgence of the Jays 1B/OF/DH Adam Lind, plus the Blue Jays need for a legitimate second baseman, this trade would benefit both teams greatly.  It would also give Toronto some payroll relief for when SS Jose Reyes‘ contract starts to reach into the stratosphere of ballplayers like Albert Pujols ($23 million) and Alex Rodriguez ($28 million.)

Brandon Morrow (23) Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

Brandon Morrow:  It’s difficult to imagine Morrow being the Jays most trade-able pitcher given his inconsistency.  Many GMs, however, love Morrow’s stuff and feel he can be a bonafide top of the rotation pitcher of almost any team.  Though he was more affordable last season, $8 million for a 28 year old hard throwing righty is still relative bargain for aspiring playoff teams.  2012 showed glimpses of just how good he can be, with a 10-7 record, 2.96 ERA, and 3.0 BB/9, all career bests.

Teams Interested: The Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves have to be interested if Morrow is available.  Both teams would be willing to increase their payroll to acquire an arm like Morrow’s.  It’s tough to say who the ideal partner is here, but the Braves have the more talented farm system at this point.  If the Jays are looking to add some young talented arms, you don’t have to look hard with the Braves.  Julio Teheran or Mike Minor do not have Morrow’s stuff, but can be front line starters, are younger, and would be under team control wherever they end up.  Landing one of them as well as a couple of decent-to-low end prospects could make a trade like this very realistic.

Casey Janssen (44) Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Casey Janssen: It pains me to say Janssen’s name in trade talks.  What pains me even more is Toronto doesn’t see him to be the ideal closer for this team.  Last season’s trade for Sergio Santos showed you Toronto felt it needed improvement at the back end of the pen.  This despite Janssen being the most reliable relief pitcher the Jays have had over the last three seasons (yes, even more so than Jason Frasor.)  Since Janssen is an UFA after 2014 and costs around $4 million for his talents, he’s affordable by most playoff contending teams and would be a great trade asset for the Jays.

Teams Interested: Two teams that immediately come to mind are both from the NL West.  The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks both need closers.  Brandon League and J.J. Putz, for their respective teams, have not been good.

Here’s where this gets tricky though.  Both teams have closers waiting in the wings.  The Dodgers have Kenley Jansen.  Arizona has David Hernandez.  In fact, most sports analysts have wondered why Jansen has yet to be given the closer’s role with all of League’s struggles.  In Arizona, I don’t feel the D-Backs trust Hernandez in that role just yet.  When Putz went down to injury, instead of going to Hernandez, Diamondbacks coach Kirk Gibson gave the closing duties to failed Miami Marlins closer Heath Bell.

Janssen would be a perfect fit for either team though.  The Jays would ideally like to deal with Diamondbacks because of their farm system talent.  A player like Janssen could possibly get the Jays LHP prospect Tyler Skaggs straight up due to the pitching depth Arizona has.  Even though Skaggs is the Diamondbacks top organizational prospect, based off of what I read, my perception is the club may value #2 prospect, RHP Archie Bradley, more.  It’s not out of the realm of getting players like Matt Davidson, Adam Eaton, and Skaggs or Bradley if Toronto ships Encarnacion and Janssen to Arizona.  That does go against Arizona’s youth movement philosophy however.

Janssen, being from California, may prefer to go to the Dodgers.  The Dodgers sorely need a reliable late inning arm, almost as much as the Jays do.  Two problems with the Dodgers.  1.) They are struggling as badly now as the Jays were in April.  2.) Much like the Jays, they too bet their farm system on big name, talented veterans.  So the Dodgers farm system is pretty dry.  If, however, LA puts together a solid playoff run in the coming months, or at least believes it can, they may be willing to make a move where it could net the Jays stud prospect OF Yasiel Puig in exchange for Janssen.

There are plenty of the minor moves to be made.  Playoff teams are always looking to make their team faster on the basepaths.  Rajai Davis and Emilio Bonifacio have great speed and could be sent out, but it probably wouldn’t give the Jays back anybody of major relevance.  Melky Cabrera, if he continues to hit the ball well, could maybe net a decent set of prospects, but I feel teams are still a bit hesitant to trade for him after his suspension and cover-up last season for PEDs.  Darren Oliver or Aaron Loup are two more players that could be dealt seeing as though most teams like to carry a “lefty specialist.”  Don’t expect both guys to get the Jays much in return either.

Ultimately, if the Jays are done, then Encarnacion, Morrow, and Janssen are the best bet to help rebuild this franchise.  While the trades made this offseason to acquire Dickey and other good players like Josh Johnson and Reyes weren’t entirely bad, if this team doesn’t at least get into the playoffs, it’s going to cost AA his job.  The flip flopping of team strategy to go from building within, to betting the farm, back to building within is generally frowned upon in any major sports management community.  It portrays the image that the guy running the franchise doesn’t know what he’s doing.  If the Jays go back to rebuilding, they truly will be the “Marlins of the North” and will absolutely portray that clueless image.

May 1, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) discusses a call at the plate with home plate umpire Bruce Dreckman at the Rogers Centre against the Boston Red Sox. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-USA TODAY Sports

The rest of the rotation and an average hitting team are what keeps the Mariners from moving up and challenging the A’s and potentially the Angels. When top prospects James Paxton (Canadian boy), Dannny Hultzen and Taijuan Walker rise up to replace Joe Saunders, Aaron Harang et al., this could be a team that could seriously contend for a division championship.

I figured I might as well lead with the Mariners since there is nothing new to be said about the Blue Jays. Pitching is mediocre in the rotation (7 walks by J.A. Happ last night was putrid), the old adage that hitting is contagious must also apply to NOT hitting because we don’t have one regular hitting above .255. That, my friends, is vile. Other than the bullpen, led by the perfect Casey Janssen, I am thoroughly disappointed. At least our defence seems to have settled down…there’s that…and ummm…hey Colby is up to .253. Yup…

Probable Starters:

Game 1: Felix Hernandez (3-2 .214 opp BAA) vs Ricky Romero (1st start)
Game 2: Hisashi Iwakuma (2-1, .160 opp BAA) vs R.A. Dickey (2-4, 4.50 ERA)
Game 3: Joe Saunders (2-3, 5.25 ERA) vs Brandon Morrow (0-2, 5.29 ERA)

If there is to be a saving grace for Game 1, it’s that Hernandez is 3-3 and has a 3.75 ERA against the Blue Jays lifetime. Mind you that stat is always bogus considering the players change so much from one year to the next but it’s something. If Romero can go 5 and the hitters can scrape together a few runs we may have a chance. Seattle hitters have provided their ace with 3.17 runs per game so far this year, hence the mediocre W-L record…which we mention every year it seems in regards to Hernandez.

Game 2 should be an interesting match-up. R.A. Dickey goes in with a slightly bum neck but is still cleared to play. I wish the blisters that have been bugging Iwakuma come back hardcore. Dickey should have a great shot at holding down the Mariners offence but Iwakuma has some stingy numbers folks. I mean SICK numbers. I see a pitchers duel in this one and a definite low scoring affair overall.

Game 3 should be the one truly no problem game of the lot. Joe Saunders is no longer a Diamondback, when he was at his best. He is now a Mariner who is 0-3 on the road with a bloated ERA of 12.51. Playing against your former team always seems to get players up and Brandon Morrow is no different. In 23.2 inning pitched against Seattle, Morrow has 32 Ks and a tidy 3.04 ERA. He is due for a brilliant start and this would appear to be the game to do it.

Line-Ups:

The following are the probable line-ups for both squads.

Seattle Mariners:

1. CF: Michael Saunders
2. 3B: Kyle Seager
3. DH: Kendry Morales
4. RF: Michael Morse
5. LF: Jason Bay
6. 1B: Justin Smoak
7. 2B: Dustin Ackley
8. C: Jesus Montero
9. SS: Robert Andino

Toronto Blue Jays:

1. 3B: Brett Lawrie
2. DH: Adam Lind
3. RF: Jose Bautista
4. 1B: Edwin Encarnacion
6. LF: Melky Cabrera
7. CF: Colby Rasmus
8. 2B: Maicer Izturis
9. SS: Munenori Kawasaki

I could decimate you with stats. Ok I WILL decimate you with stats: LAST in MLB in average (.228). 22nd in MLB in OPS (.690). 28th in MLB in Team ERA (4.72). 26th in MLB in BAA against (.268). Are we getting the picture? Hack the numbers to bits. The team is a mess. We needed that Boston series. Now we need this Seattle series. 2 out of 3 would be a great start since we have won only one series all season…cross your fingers. The time to worry is growing near.

The Final Word:

The all or nothing approach is failing fast. It may have worked for Chad Mottola in the minors where the pitching is more suspect but in the big leagues the pitching can leave us flailing or being too aggressive. There has been a bit more attention to longer at bats but then there are also a lot of called third strikes happening as well. I wonder if Mottola and Dwayne Murphy have the hitters confused as to what to do. Is it a room divided between both men? It is a thought. Perhaps a little shift in accountability between them may lead to results on the field. If not, I don’t see anything remotely resembling the team this group should be.

Jul 26, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Casey Janssen (44) looks in for the signs before delivering a pitch against the Oakland Athletics at the Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays beat the Athletics 10-4. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

The most amazing thing about Janssen’s success as closer besides how dominant he’s been is how he seems to be taken for granted.

Of course there have been millions of shut down closers that have been taken for granted in the history of baseball so that’s nothing new.

But the Blue Jays aren’t a team that should have fans that take a good closer for granted. Closing out games was a HUGE problem before Janssen became closer. There were dark dark days when we would sweat during every 9th inning the Jays had a lead in. That alone should make Janssen more appreciated.

Before Janssen the Jays had a revolving door of closers with little to almost no success. And not just for 1 or 2 seasons either, for years.

Francisco Cordero, Sergio Santos, Frank Francisco, Jon Rauch, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor, BJ Ryan, etc, all got the opportunity to close out games for the Jays over the years but eventually lost the role because of inconsistency.

In 2011 the Blue Jays blew 25 games! I don’t remember how many of those games resulted in losses but the Jays missed out on a playoff spot by 10 games that season so a shutdown closer might have made a big enough difference to get them in, or at least would have put them in contention that September.

A closer blowing the lead in a 9th is a painful way to lose games to. There’s nothing worse than seeing your team battle to get a lead for 3 hours and see it taken away in the last inning of the game.

With Casey Janssen as the Blue Jays closer that’s not going to be a problem most of the time. It hasn’t taken that long to get used to Janssen saving games but if you remember life as a Blue Jays fan before Janssen it’s hard not to appreciate the heck out of him.

April 10, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Casey Janssen (44) pitches in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Toronto won 8-6. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

We Toronto Blue Jays fans tend to be a fickle group, hit a homerun one day you’re a hero, commit an error or strike out in a key situation and you’re forever shamed and should be DFA’d immediately. In order to satiate the love or hate desires of the Toronto Blue Jays faithful, I will be taking a look at what players have provided the greatest contribution to the Jays’ chance of winning over the past week, and whom was the greatest detriment and therefore worthy of the vitriol that tends to spill out after every loss.

The Method:

How I create this list on a weekly basis is quite simple, I will head over to the always helpful FanGraphs where I will aggregate the WPA of all Blue Jays players for the week that was. The player whom has provided the greatest WPA for the week will become this week’s GBOAT, while the player with the lowest WPA will be bestowed with the Omar Vizquel Honour for Ineptitude.

For a rundown of what WPA is and how it is calculated, head over to FanGraphs for an easy to understand explanation.

What went down:

The Blue Jays compiled a 3-4 record over the past week; splitting a 4 game-set with the Chicago White Sox, and managing just a single victory in a 3 game weekend series with the ever loathed New York Yankees.

GBOAT:

Batter: Adam Lind

The man who has faced the ire of the Blue Jays faithful over the past few seasons had a very solid week at the plate for the team, taking baby steps towards quieting his critics by posting a WPA of 0.256 over 3 starts. In 9 PA Lind managed 4 hits, including 1 double, adding an impressive 5 walks for the week. Mr. Lind can hold his head high knowing he is no longer the target of fans ridicule, at least until his next GIDP.

Pitcher: Casey Janssen

Casey Janssen did everything you could hope for from a high leverage reliever, posting a 0.389 WPA for the week. Appearing in 3 games, including 2 save situations, Mr. Janssen faced 9 total batters allowing no one to reach base and striking out 3. As long as Janssen can continue to paint the outside corner and rack up strike out numbers that seem to defy his somewhat average ‘stuff’ the Blue Jays can feel comfortable heading into the 9th inning with a lead.

The Omar Vizquel Honour for Ineptitude:

Batter: Maicer Izturis

Maicer Izturis continued his early season struggles this week posting a WPA of -0.436. Looking lost at the plate just like the namesake of the honour I am bestowing upon him, he posted a .136 batting average (3-22) with no walks and 4 strikeouts, Izturis’ ugly week was mitigated slightly by the home run he hit on Monday off of White Sox starter Gavin Floyd. With new fan favourite Munenori Kawasaki continuing to string together solid plate appearances, those enamoured with small sample sizes have already begun to call for Izturis’ job.

Pitcher: Aaron Loup

An ill-advised throw to a vacant third base on a Ichiro bunt attempt was enough to give Loup the title of the Jays least valuable pitcher for the week. In 3 appearances Loup posted a WPA of -0.321 in 2.1 IP. Loup faced 13 batters, giving up 4 hits and striking out 1. While not credited with giving up any earned runs Saturday against the Yankees, Jays fans would agree that he definitely earned the loss after his errant throw that ended up in RF plated two Yankee runs and sealed the extra innings victory for the Bronx Bombers.

Wrap-up

Ending the week with a solid victory over the Yankees helps alleviate some of the bubbling frustration of the vocal minority of Blue Jays fans already hitting the panic button and making for some fantastic listening with Mike Wilner on the Fan 590. Adam Lind and the Blue Jays head to Baltimore looking to build upon Sunday’s victory in a 3 game set with the Orioles before reacquainting with the Yankees over 4 days in the Bronx.

The first two instances of this debauchery that immediately come to mind occurred a little over a year ago, during spring training leading up to the 2012 season. Supposedly healthy when they reported to camp in February, before long both Sergio Santos and Dustin McGowan found themselves being held out of games. In the case of Santos, then-manager John Farrell spoke to the right hander being too amped up too early trying to impress his new team, and that they wanted to slow him down to a more normal routine. For those who have somehow forgotten, Santos would make just six appearances during the 2012 season, before months of rest – and eventually surgery – was required to repair a bum shoulder.

With Dustin McGowan, the organization declared he was suffering from a foot injury and he’d be off the mound for a few days, but that he should be 100% in time for Opening Day in April. They even went as far as to sign him to an often-ridiculed (and rightfully so) two-year extension for the 2013 and 2014 seasons. That foot injury somehow turned into a shoulder injury over the course of a couple weeks, leading some – or at least me – to question whether the foot injury ever even existed in the first place. McGowan still hasn’t thrown a pitch for the Toronto Blue Jays in the 13 months since he signed that fully guaranteed, major-league contract. Considering I haven’t read an article mentioning his rehab in a solid month or two, I wouldn’t hold my breath in anticipation of it happening any time soon, either.

The team was decimated by injuries during the season, but as all of them happened during nationally televised games – as opposed to hidden on backfields of a spring training complex – it was pointless for the organization to try and feed the masses any kind of bullshit. When Kyle Drabek throws a pitch and he immediately grabs his right elbow with a grimace on his face, you don’t need a medical degree to surmise that maybe he just injured his UCL.

February 24, 2013; Tampa, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie (13) in the dugout against the New York Yankees during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

The offseason and spring training leading up to 2013 is a different beast entirely. Casey Janssen underwent shoulder surgery in mid-November, and the public didn’t even know he had been having issues with it until a week after he’d already gone under the knife. It was also just supposed to be a quick cleanup of some AC joint spurs, yet Janssen was just barely ready for Opening Day 20 weeks later, and is still on a very strict pitching schedule.

During March, starting third baseman Brett Lawrie left to represent Canada in the World Baseball Classic. In an exhibition tilt against the Cincinnati Reds on March 6th, Lawrie felt a grabbing sensation on his left side and removed himself from the game. Originally it was thought he might only miss the first round, but he needed to be evaluated by the Blue Jays back in Dunedin before a more accurate prognosis could occur. An article from the Globe and Mail, written by Tyler Harper on March 7th, quoted General Manager Alex Anthopoulos as saying

“He’ll be back on Monday, he’ll get some more exams, but he said it has improved today. It’s just one of those things that you need to rest. It’s very mild, which is certainly good news, and they’re saying two-to-three weeks on the really conservative side, which means there’s obviously a chance that it’s sooner than that.”

He used the words “very mild”, and “chance it’s sooner than that” when describing the two-to-three week timeframe. In reality, Lawrie missed almost six weeks, and it’s fair to say that with a healthy Jose Reyes, it might’ve been another week until our great maple hero returned.

In addition to Lawrie, Sergio Santos again made headlines this past spring. After appearing in a few games – and looking downright filthy, forcing many to question Janssen’s grasp on the closer job – he was shut down for a few days because of some right triceps soreness. Upon his return, while he still looked pretty good, there was a little missing. His fastball was still buzzing but he struggled to command it, and his monstrous slider wasn’t quite as sharp as it was when we saw it in early March. Regardless, he was declared ready to head north, and after making three appearances on the home stand, he was once again held out of the Detroit series because of that same triceps soreness. Santos pitched in back-to-back games against the Royals on the 12th and 13th, and was then officially placed on the disabled list yesterday with, unsurprisingly, a sore right triceps.

I can only really see two possible explanations for the inaccuracies in the diagnoses I mentioned above. The first, which is more than a little farfetched, is that the Blue Jays employ a training and conditioning staff composed of morons who can’t even operate an MRI machine, let alone comprehend and analyze the results it offers. Considering the Blue Jays are a professional sports team valued by Forbes at $337 million back in 2011, and are owned by a media conglomerate valued at $18.36 billion in 2011 (according to Wikipedia), I doubt those are the kind of doctors they choose to employ.

The second, which is far more realistic, is that the organization simply doesn’t find it necessary to keep the ticket paying public in-the-know when it comes to player injuries and recoveries. They may see it as a competitive advantage issue, as if the public knows, so do opposing teams. The thing is, baseball isn’t like hockey or football – both of which are far worse when it comes to “stretching the truth” about injuries to be fair – where a certain weak spot on a player could be targeted and exploited. What could the Yankees or Red Sox possibly gain by having the knowledge that Brett Lawrie’s going to miss six weeks instead of two or three? They’re not going to alter their roster in any way, shape, or form because of that news, and if they would, they have such a poorly run and reactionary front office that you really don’t need to worry about them anyways.

My question is, how much truth does a professional sports organization owe to the public when it comes to injuries? Fans, whether it is through ticket and concession sales or TV revenue, are the gasoline that runs the engines of professional sports. If the team was a corporation, the fans are the shareholders whose investments allow for the corporation to flourish, and without those investments the corporation will fail to survive. What kind of accountability should they be held to, for, perhaps not lying, but certainly stretching and smearing the truth for their own unforeseen benefit?

April 9, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Jose Bautista (19) sits in dugout against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Lawrie situation hung with me all March and into April. Not necessarily in a “Why isn’t he back yet?” way, but as the weeks progressed and Brett, well, didn’t, I wanted to know why the team’s original timeline was so horribly far off reality. If a doctor says something will heal in two weeks and it’s still bothersome five weeks later, either a setback occurred or the injury was more serious than originally anticipated. The organization said neither of those things; simply that he was “progressing.”

What drove me to write this article are the shenanigans that are currently revolving around Jose Bautista, and I legitimately fear that this is once again a situation where the team is giving us half truths and paying us little more than lip service. Tonight will be the team’s 15th game of the year, and the sixth of which Bautista has missed due to three apparently separate issues – a sore ankle, a stiff back, and an ear infection. What bothers me even further is that the team constantly uses the “day-to-day” line. They’ll say he’s out tonight, but should be good for tomorrow and can pinch hit if needed. Manager John Gibbons has used that line on more than one occasion, and it was glaringly untrue last night. Down one run in the bottom of the ninth, both Rajai Davis and Maicer Izturis were allowed to bat, and both created outs to end the game. Not only did Bautista not pinch hit, I didn’t even see him in the dugout. Jose Reyes, he of the gnarly ankle, was seen sitting on the bench in both Chicago games, cheering on his teammates with a huge smile on his face. Where was Jose Bautista? At this point, how much trust can we place on anything the team says about injuries?

Jul 26, 2012; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Casey Janssen (44) looks in for the signs before delivering a pitch against the Oakland Athletics at the Rogers Centre. The Blue Jays beat the Athletics 10-4. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-US PRESSWIRE

But every once in a while, a solution arises amid the wreckage and a silver lining presents itself.

Casey Janssen entered stage right, came to the rescue and saved a beleaguered bullpen.

The Jays had acquired Sergio Santos from the White Sox to handle the role, but Santos was lost to a shoulder injury on April 21st and would eventually be shut down for the season after undergoing surgery on his pitching shoulder in July.

Toronto would then turned the role over to a free agent addition in Francisco Cordero, who was originally brought in to set-up for Santos. Cordero would ultimately be ineffective, garnering just 2 saves despite completing 17 games for the Jays. He would be shipped off to Houston as part of the package that netted the Blue Jays Brandon Lyon and J.A. Happ, easily the best contribution that Cordero made in Toronto.

So in stepped Janssen. After two consecutive solid seasons in a set-up role, the Jays gave him the opportunity to close and the results have been encouraging. Janssen has converted 20 of 23 save opportunities, despite the lack of work over the last several weeks. His 2.61 ERA is solid and right in line with his FIP of 2.93, showing that as a closer, Janssen is taking the reins. Thanks to issuing just 9 walks on the season, Janssen also sports a sparkling 6.89 SO/BB ratio on the season.

Now one could argue that he was worth more in set-up during the 2011 season, as his WAR was 1.9 compared to the 1.6 this season as a closer. However, the value placed on piece of mind, knowing that you have a solid anchor in the bullpen is priceless.

Needless to say, Janssen has staked his claim to the closer role in 2012, effectively taking one piece of the puzzle off of the board for the Jays front office. At the very least, he’s earned the opportunity to start the season knowing that the role is his to lose.

Whether he holds on to it is his responsibility, but that is just another responsibility he is comfortable in taking on.

May 1, 2011; Bronx, NY, USA; Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Casey Janssen (44) during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Yankees won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

Though Casey Janssen was very close to going  to arbitration with the Blue Jays, the two sides were able to agree on a reasonable two-year, $5.9 million contract last night that includes a $4 million club option for the 2014 season. The right-hander will make $2 million in 2012 before seeing his salary almost double to $3.9 million in 2013, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

Janssen’s contract extension, however, is significant not just because he was scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Not only is it just the eighth multi-year deal that Alex Anthopoulos has handed out during his tenure as general manager of the Blue Jays, but the first to a reliever that has included multiple guaranteed years.

After really taking to a full-time relief role in 2010, Janssen stormed out of the gate this past season and never let up, pitching even better in the second half.

In 55 and 2/3 innings for the Jays this season, Janssen set a new career-lows with a 2.26 ERA and 2.45 FIP, allowing an identical 14 earned runs and 14 walks. Not only were the 47 hits he allowed and 7.6 hits per nine innings also new career-lows, but the California native allowed just two home runs all season and also managed a career-high 8.6 K/9. He was particularly nasty away from Rogers Centre, limiting his opposition to just a .127 average and .356 OPS on the road, but also versus left-handed hitters, who he held to a mere six extra-base hits and .539 OPS all year.

Though pitcher wins and losses rarely count for much, Janssen’s 6-0 record in 2011 actually found its way into Blue Jays history. While pitchers like Scott Downs and Paul Quantrill have reached the 6-1 mark in the last decade while playing for the Jays, no full-time reliever (zero starts) has gone 6-0 in a Jays uniform since Duane Ward did it all the way back in 1988. In fact, Janssen joins Randy Moffat (1983), Dennis Lamp (1985) and Ward as the only Jays relievers to ever reach a 6-0 record at some point during the regular season, and only five other pitchers in Jays history with at least 50 relief innings have finished the season without a loss.

It was easy to notice the increased confidence that Janssen displayed on the mound this past season, especially in high-leverage situations, and it’s nice to see him get rewarded for his contributions to the team both on and off of the field over the last few years.

-JM

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Brandon Morrow and Casey Janssen were the two players that failed to agree with the Blue Jays on a 2012 contract prior to last week’s arbitration deadline, but with Morrow’s three-year extension in the books, Janssen remains the last man standing. He and the Jays still sit $400,000 apart on a 2012 contract, as the right-hander filed a $2.2 million figure and the Jays countered with $1.8 million.

According to GM Alex Anthopoulos’ arbitration policy, since the deadline has passed, the two parties are set for an arbitration hearing providing they do not work out a multiyear deal. Anthopoulos, familiar with this scenario, faced an identical situation with Jason Frasor last year before the two sides eventually agreed on a one-year contract with a club option for the following year.

That is, however, a route that Anthopoulos should also take with Janssen, who should not only be one of the bullpen’s best relievers in 2012, but more effective than the Jays’ latest free agent signing, Francisco Cordero.

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But there was, however, one reliever who quietly pitched better than they all did, putting together a significant season in the process and his is was Casey Janssen.

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