Checking in on some old Blue Jays friends

Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Alex Anthopoulos moved a lot of bodies around in the off-season because he wanted to change the culture of the clubhouse. I’m sure that it had a lot to do with bringing in different talent because the old talent just wasn’t getting it done or had consistent health issues.

Over the next couple days I will take a quick look at how the Blue Jays cast-offs or like the title suggests, checking in on some old Blue Jays friends are faring in the first week of the season with their new clubs.

Brandon Morrow teased Toronto fans ever since being acquired from Seattle. The Blue Jays immediately converted him from a bullpen arm/closer to a starter. Morrow would rack up the strike outs one outing and in the next outing he would struggle to find the strike zone. The San Diego Padres picked up Brandon because, just like Toronto, they saw his potential to be a top of the rotation starter.

Coming out of spring training, Brandon Morrow was in a dog fight for the Padres fifth spot in the rotation. His competition was and remains Cuban Odrisamer Despaigne, but Morrow prevailed to capture a spot in the rotation.

He made his first start of the season on Friday night against San Francisco Giants Tim Lincecum at spacious Petco Park in San Diego. Lincecum pitched no-hitters against the Padres in 2013 and again in 2014, so Morrow was up against stiff competition.

This didn’t faze the former Blue Jays as he went 7 strong innings, scattering 4 hits, walking 3 and striking out 7 batters. More importantly for Morrow, he was able to keep the ball on the ground with a 4.0 GO/AO. He even managed to pick off Giants Nori Aoki.

Pecota Projections projects that the former Seattle 1st round draft would be a .500 pitcher with 6 wins and 6 losses, posting a 3.40ERA with 34 walks and 105 strike outs. These numbers could sky-rocket if he can stay healthy and in the rotation.

Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

If all pitchers could be right-handed pitchers, than Adam Lind would be a superstar; unfortunately, that isn’t the case.

Adam Lind had been an integral piece of Toronto’s offence since finally cracking the lineup in 2009. Before 2009, Lind struggled to stick in 2007 and 2008. In 9 years with the Jays Lind would hit 146 long balls, driving in 519 RBI.

The decision to trade Adam Lind to the Brewers for RP Marco Estrada was an easy one. Lind became a one-dimensional player with the Jays. He couldn’t hit LHP, he couldn’t play the field because of bad back, and he was snail on the base paths.

In 4 games with the Brewers, Lind has one home run with 4 RBI, 4 BB, a strike out and a .615 batting average. Insert disclaimer here…..it is a very small sample size. Pecota Projections project Lind to hit .261 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI in 118 games. If the Brewers learn from Lind’s past they will limit his AB’s versus LHP which will raise his BA.

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The emergence of Mississauga native Dalton Pompey as a legitimate centre field option sign Colby Rasmus‘ dismissal papers.

Rasmus has all the talent in the world. He has the power to be a perennial 30 home run hitter, the fielding ability to be a perennial gold glove winner, and when he is right he can even hit for average. Unfortunately, Colby Rasmus tends to not ‘be right’ more often than he is ‘right’, which makes him very frustrating to watch.

With Dalton Pompey, the Blue Jays would have a guy that would have more productive AB’s. The Blue Jays decision to move away from players that consistently had unproductive AB’s meant that Colby Rasmus didn’t fit with the 2015 Blue Jays.

In 4 GP with the Houston Astros, Rasmus has 4 strike outs, a walk, a home run, 2 RBI, and a .250BA. Pecota Projections projects our favourite Georgia native hitting .235 with 20 home runs, 72 RBI, and 24 doubles in 143 GP. Rasmus will fit right in with the Astros. They are a team that could set the single season record for most strike outs by a team.