A handful of zeroes and ones before we call it a weekend.José Bautista's trophy case is fuller
It shouldn't be a surprise that José Bautista added a Silver Slugger to his Hank Aaron Award for his unbelievable 2010 rakefest. What is a little unbelievable is the way that the announcement was pushed well past afternoon deadlines yesterday. It's as though someone has a grudge against awesome hitting.
Because of the way that Bautista has gleaned these awards here and there over a period of weeks, it would be nice for the organization to bring him back to Toronto to have a little dog and pony show for the fans and media to remind them of how JoBau is being celebrated across the baseball world. (You do this as season-ticket renewals are arriving in people's mailboxes, and bingo bango - you gots yourself some communications and outreach strategery right there. Or at least some tactics. We trust that Jay Stenhouse has the strategy down pat.)
Luis Rivera is moving on up
The New Hampshire Union Leader reports that the Jays have essentially created a new spot on the coaching staff for former Fisher Cats manager Luis Rivera. And considering that our choices for the managerial job a few months back were Rivera and Butterfield, we can certainly sign off on the highly-touted Rivera as the Latin King amongst the coaches.
Greinke stuff
Of course the Jays have asked about Zack Greinke (and dreamy dreamboat Alex Gordon). As will most everyone else. But whenever you hear that a player has a list of teams to whom he cannot be traded, we pretty much assume that the Jays and Expos are on that list. (Yes, the Expos. Even now.)
Greinke's HR rate went up this year (0.43 to 0.74), which spooks us out a little bit when considering him as your ace. Besides, we just assume that Brandon Morrow is going to be better than Greinke this year anyhow.
Oh-Liv-Oh
Sure, you kids are all focused on the potential draft picks. But with the news that the Red Sox are sniffing around John Buck (who'll pull the shit out of shit in that little ballpark), we would be completely amenable to the Jays hanging onto Miguel Olivo for next season. (And yeah, we're kinda obsessed with him, we'll confess. Still, we like to combo of offense and defense that he brings, and at the right price, he could be an excellent complement to JPA.)
The Red Sox don't seem very committed to signing Victor Martinez, thus the Buck query.
ReplyDeleteAnd yeah, I'm with you on the Greinke story. Just because a team asked, that doesn't mean it's a story. The Blue Jays have plenty of killer starters.
Bautista deserves every piece of hardware he can accumulate. I voted for him for MVP on my BBO ballot but apparently was the only one that did so.
MLBTR tells me that the White Sox might be inclined to listen on offers for Gordon Beckham. Now there's a transaction I could get behind. Seems to be the type that would more than pique AA's interest too...
ReplyDeleteI'd be intrigued by Beckham. Question is, do you put him at third and keep Hill at 2B?
ReplyDeleteI suppose I shouldn't get ahead of myself...
I really like the idea of Beckham. MLBTR suggested yesterday that the Jays would use him as a 3B if they trade for him, and I think that'd make sense given that he played 102 games there last season and put up a UZR of exactly 0 (which is actually slightly better than his UZR as a second baseman in 2010, and infinitely better than a certain somebody who's been patrolling the hot corner in Toronto for the past year and a half).
ReplyDeleteThis seems like exactly the type of thing AA would (and should) consider trading some of his young pitching depth for.
Just a fun hypothetical: if it were possible, would you trade Aaron Hill straight up for Gordon Beckham?
I'd really down on Aaron Hill right now (a .665 OPS will do that.)
ReplyDeleteHave all of you closed the books on the Edwin Encarnacion era?
ReplyDeleteI'll endorse his return if it comes with the Nacho Libre clip after every longball.
ReplyDelete(but really, his price tag and defense is sure to make him persona non grata next season, I would think?.....)
E5 is definitely not one of the high upside/potential guys that AA talks about needing to acquire. If he accepts arbitration, he's also going to be too expensive to trade for anyone useful. So why bring him back?
ReplyDeleteLooks like we're keeping Wak! http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/11/collins-hurdle-melvin-leading-candidates-for-mets.html
ReplyDeleteI like EE, but I was fairly certain that his ship had sailed, and that he'd go hit 30 HRs somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteI'm still on that sinking ship (keeping Encarnacion) but only as a DH or 1B platoon partner. His arm is what limits his defense, and I'd welcome him back for one more kick at the can.
ReplyDeleteYou don't think putting E5 at 1B migth make him E3? And wouldn't doing so balloon our team's ERA?
ReplyDeleteI hope, for pitching's sake, our 1B can work some defensive magic. The type opposite of what Encarnacion can perform.
I'd love to keep Encarnacion, but he's not a good third baseman, and realistically, he's not worth the money he'd cost the team as a part-time DH, as much as I think he'd thrive in that role.
ReplyDeleteAaaaaaannnnnddddd, E5 is gone!
ReplyDeleteTao: I know Hill was awful this year, but Beckham also posted a sub-.700 OPS. Beckham has toms of potential but hasn't actually done anything yet at the MLB level; Hill has proven that he can succeed, but he's older and has a lower ceiling.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I'd make that trade, but I can't help but wonder how much of that is based on the bad memories of 2010 Aaron Hill and the grass being greener on the other side.