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The best line about the difference between the old and new Yankee Stadium came from Adam Lind as he brushed by GM J.P. Ricciardi down the dugout steps to get his bat for Jays' batting practice:
"Babe Ruth didn't hit in that batter's box," he saids, pointing to home plate.
There will not be a player in the game the next couple of years that has a battle with his nerves or looks with anticipation to playing in this new palace. Advantage visitors.
R-Griff.
The Jays this morning added outfielder Dave Dellucci after allowing him to work himself back into playing shape at AAA-Las Vegas. To make room for the 35-year-old lefthanded hitter, they designated outfielder Russ Adams for assignment.
Dellucci played 14 games with the Indians before being released on May 29. He was signed as a free agent by the Jays and batted .317 in 16 games for the 51s, with six doubles, three homers and nine RBIs. He is in New York.
For Adams, the Jays' first-round pick in 2002, the Jays have 10 days to either trade him, release him or assign him to the minor leagues, but as of this moment he is no longer on the club's 40-man roster. The likelihood is that he will clear waivers and accept assignment back to Las Vegas when the time expires.
R-Griff
Things haven’t completely fallen apart yet for the Jays, but you can see the edge of the cliff from here. They are in the midst of the most important two weeks of their season, with 14 games against the AL East, a division that is some 39 games above .500 as a five-team entity. The Jays are closer to the Orioles in last place than they are to the Red Sox in first.
When Roy Halladay loses a start, it’s an open invitation to a losing streak. When he wins a start, it gives the team hope they can win three of the next five. That’s an impossible balance if you want to be a contender. Brad Mills and Casey Janssen had their chances. Brett Cecil earned his recall with a 1-5 record and a 5.69 ERA at Triple-A. Scott Richmond has been responsible for more bombs than Kim-Jong Il. Brian Tallet has delivered more mea culpas than a South Carolina politician and in one of the letters below, a reader compares Ricky Romero to hip-hop icon LL Cool J. If the Yankees want to challenge the Jays to “battle-rap” instead of “ball-game”, they’re down with it. By the all-star break, if the Jays are still above .500, they won’t be sellers at the deadline. On to the mail bag:
Q: As I understand it - the Jays owed a large part of their early success to aggressive swinging early in the pitch count. I don't see that happening as much any more. I attended the first game against Tampa. I saw Niemann throw a first pitch strike again, and again, and again. Why have they stopped swinging at that first pitch? It's like Niemann knew they wouldn't - so he just kept floating in first pitch strikes all night. It's not just this particular game - it's every game now. Why can't the Jays clue-in on this and correlate it with their fortunes having gone south since they ceased being as aggressive early in the pitch count? (How do I get this message to the Jays? I don't see how one would communicate with them.)
Wayne Capancini
A: The biggest part of being aggressive on first-pitch hitting is guessing what pitch is coming and zeroing in on location. If you can guess right and it’s in your zone, then let ’er rip. Earlier in the season when this early-in-the-count slashing was a new Jays’ philosophy, the aggressive hitting worked better because most teams and pitchers were caught slightly off guard. But the preponderance of video scouting has been amazing over the past few years. You can walk through any major-league clubhouse before a game and there is every TV set showing silent video of this game’s opposing starter edited down to show just pitches and swings.
What I’m saying is that opposing teams have caught on. Now it’s a matter of Jays’ hitters adjusting to the adjustments. You can’t just insist that your hitters swing at first pitches, because if it’s not what they’re looking for and in a location they’re looking for, they won’t hit it hard. The cycle of baseball adjustments continues.
Q: "Pretty tough to ask a guy who has already hit two homers to bunt," Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston told reporters. He was referring to Aaron Hill in the bottom of the ninth Sunday. Then with one out he puts on the steal. Go figure. I've never been a big fan of Gaston even when they were winning the World Series. I thought it had more to do with the talent they had. It seems like the players like to play for him and maybe that's all a manager needs to do. Or maybe not. Comments?
Phoenix Rhys, Ottawa
A: Here’s what Aaron had to say about that botched inning this week:
“We’ve run across a couple of situations now where in the back of my head I’ve thought maybe I know I should be bunting or get the guy over. (Cito) comes to me every day and says, ‘Look, swing it. We don’t want you to do that.’ Obviously in certain situations, I look back on the other day and I should have done it myself. They said swing it. I swung the bat (and homered) the first couple of ABs. It’s kind of tough to lay down a bunt there. I know I should have done it myself. Those are situations - I know they’re not going to come up very often - in a big game like that to move the runner.”
As for the steal of third that resulted in a Brad Lidge pickoff, I’m not sure even with Gaston covering for his player, McDonald, that Gaston called for the steal. It’s the same thing he did with Rios on the last homestand, caught stealing third as the tying run in the ninth for the first out of the inning. Sometimes a great notion. At that time, Gaston said, “I can always give him the don’t steal sign.” Sometimes you just rely on the good judgment of your adult baseball players.
As for Gaston’s major asset as a manager, yes, it’s the fact that his players want to play for him and he sticks with them. That’s very important even if in-game strategy is not at the same level. In fact it’s more important.
Q: What have you guys been feeding Rolen? Is it just he is healthy for a change or has he made an adjustment? He was always one of our favorite players here in Philadelphia (but that puts us in a distinct minority).
Larry Stelmach, Doylestown, Pa
A: Rolen is healthier in mind than in body. His left shoulder stiffness will stay with him for the rest of his career, but he has learned in the last 12 months to adjust his swing and still be able to drive the ball hard. He will never be a 25-homer guy with his forced swing changes, but he can still hit 30 doubles and hit for a decent average.
In addition he is the best defensive third baseman in Jays’ history and one of the best in major-league history. Rolen got a bad rap as a bad clubhouse presence both in Philadelphia and St. Louis. He fits in well in Toronto and is an inspiration to younger players with his work ethic and game preparation. Serious about his profession, he said Kevin Millar has made him smile twice on the field this year, a new personal record.
Q: Richard I have a question. Why is no one mentioning that Vernon Wells has been a habitually slow starter. All thru his career it’s been the norm. I'm wondering if you agree, it would seem that lately Vernon has turned it up a bit, and hopefully has started his road to .280, 30 hrs, 100 Rbi's.
Bruce Caldwell, Chatham, Ont.
A: People do indeed mention that Wells is a habitually slow starter – especially Vernon.
However, when does a slow start finish? It’s already July and even though he did start swinging the bat more effectively at the very end of the last homestand, heading into Philly, the games that have already been played and the games that have already been lost count in the standings just as much as games after the all-star break. I have always wondered why guys that recognize they are slow starters don’t try something different at spring training like playing in more games, making more road trips and staying in games for more at-bats. Instead, it’s Jays’ road trips to Fort Myers with guys like Jason Lane, Aaron Mathews and Sean Shoffitt playing the majority of outfield innings.
Q: Hi Richard,
Do you think there's any chance the Jays will outright release B.J. Ryan either this season or next? Assuming some pitchers get back from the DL, it doesn't seem like there's much room for Ryan, even in middle relief.
Mike A, Toronto
A: The Jays would accept an offer for Ryan right now that involved taking next year’s $10 million guaranteed salary off their hands. They would even pay the rest of this year themselves. However that’s not likely to happen because contenders at the trade deadline or down the stretch are looking for starters, impact hitters and solid middle relievers. Ryan is none of those.
But the question coming from the Jays is: “Why release him now?” They owe him the money next year anyway. If he is released, the next team just has to pay him the $400,000 major-league minimum, which comes off the money the Jays owe him. Instead, what they will likely do is hold onto B.J. if nobody takes him and try and deal him in the off-season. They can even afford to bring him to spring training next season, but even if they can’t move him by the end of the spring, I would be very surprised if he is on the 2010 Opening Day roster.
Q: Richard - Ricky Romero has been a pleasure to see come through so far this year. While his competitive instincts and "look of a leader" remind me of Jack Morris, my girlfriend astutely noted that he actually looks like LL Cool J. The nickname LL Blue Jay seems appropriate for this (hopefully) long time Jay. Thoughts?
Andrew Ponsford, Vancouver
A: Here is a line from LL Cool J that wasn’t actually written to describe the act of pitching (ahem) but it somehow seems appropriate for Ricky Romero as LL Blue Jay…
“I’m in the mix now, searching for the right spot
To hit now, get down.”
LL Cool J, “Doin’ It
Q: What's your take on the way the Jays are treating John McDonald (am I the only person who thinks he's being treated despicably?) and now that Russ Adams is on the team and is a shortstop, do you see a trade in McDonald's future?
Eleanor Pakozdi, Port Colborne, Ont.
A: McDonald has admitted that he would like to play more, but at the same time he has talked in awe about the way Marco Scutaro has been playing on both sides of the ball.
McDonald understands that he is caught at the moment between a rock (Scutaro) and a hard place (Aaron Hill). McDonald respects the team concept and is being paid nicely for his limited role. The 34-year-old had a nice chat with his friend and mentor Omar Vizquel who is filling the same role in Texas while teaching young Elvis Andrus the major-league ropes. Johnny Mac’s future as a reserve middle infielder is secure as long as he wants to play. But beyond this season, it will not be with the Jays. McDonald knows that he is an insurance policy and that if Scutaro goes down for a week, he had better be ready to hit and contribute. In the meantime he prepares hard and sits.
Q: I seem to remember Brad Arnsberg being quoted earlier this year saying that Brandon League's stuff could be unhittable. Yet, he seems to be very hittable right now. Can you offer any explanations?
Kirk Mykytyn, Columbus, OH
A: Brandon League’s stuff is unhittable as long as he gets ahead in the count and locates his pitches with good command of the strike zone. If he falls behind 2-0 and they know a fastball is coming, he’s hittable. If Rod Barajas sets up on the outside corner and League comes up and middle if the plate, he’s hittable. His un-hittable-ness is day-to-day.
Q: Hi Richard,
Just read your "5 reasons why Jays won't make the playoffs" article and when I got to #5, I noticed that there was no mention of Travis Snider (aka a top prospect pushing for a job)...I admit I haven't exactly been following Triple A ball, and I know that he hurt his back at some point, but has his stock really fallen that quickly to the point he is no longer an "elite" prospect? He was the starting LF no more than two months ago...what happened!
Nicholas Hung, Hong Kong
A: Snider is still an elite prospect, but not ready to make the difference for the ’09 team. He was sent back to AAA-Vegas in May and played in eight games before suffering a back injury. He had eight hits and a double in those games, but before he returns to the majors he has to learn to cover more of the plate. His current swing has more holes than Myrtle Beach.
As a pro he has averaged almost 190 strikeouts per 600 at-bats. Once he does that, with the raw power that saw him crush two balls into the upper deck at the Metrodome in the same game in April, he’ll be back. But he’s not knocking at the door.
Q: Hi Richard:
I have come from a baseball loving family for years, I am a senior now and I can remember my parents listening to the World Series on the radio and would shhhhh us when we would come home from school so they could hear the game. It was cute now that I think of it. I love the game as well into my old age can you tell me what it means when Jamie Campbell saying double play 4-6-3 or 4-5-3 I just don’t understand this can you enlighten me. Read your blog every Wednesday keep up the good work.
Shirley Kuzyk, Mississauga
A: There’s a lot of things that people don’t understand that Jamie Campbell says, but I think I can help you with this one. Baseball is a game of statistics, so every game since the late 19th century has been scored using a peculiar baseball code. When an out is made, anyone that touches the ball on the way to the putout is given credit by using a single-digit number that corresponds to his position.
1-Pitcher; 2-catcher; 3-first baseman; 4-second baseman; 5-third baseman; 6-shortstop; 7-left fielder; 8-centre fielder; 9-right fielder. Since the DH is not a defensive position, there is no corresponding number. So when Jamie says that double play goes 6-4-3, it means shortstop to second baseman to first baseman. That way looking back years from now, you can effortlessly re-create an entire game.
Click here to send Richard a question, and he'll answer a selection in his mailbag Wednesdays in this space. **Note: please follow the link above to send a question to Richard. Questions posted in the comments section may not make it to the mailbag. Thanks.**
Jays' injured closer Scott Downs threw for 10 minutes in the bullpen on Tuesday afternoon before batting practice, but he will not be ready to return to the active roster likely before the Jays play in Baltimore on July 10.
"It's looking like it could be three days, it still could be a week, it sould be two weeks, I don't know," Downs said. "It depends on when I can actually run on it. Bullpen went good today. I'll take tomorrow off, long-toss tomorrow, another side on Friday and then we'll go from there."
There is a certain amount of discomfort when Downs throws, but he insisted that he's pitched with discomfort before and as long as it doesn't affect his mechanics, then it's all about conditioning.
"It's going to depend on how my body feels," Downs said. "My arm feels good. It's the most time I've had off in a while. It might take me a couple of times even when I'm healthy to get back into the groove."
Downs is eligible to return from the disabled list on Friday in New York, but with the following Rays series on artificial turf, the Jays would be prudent to have him return 10 days from now in Baltimore. He will not have to go to the minors on an injury rehab assignment.
(Last week’s ranking in parentheses)
1-Red Sox (2)
Hold down No. 1 because they’re consistently relentless
2-Dodgers (1)
Manny’s on the horizon, but it seems an annoying distraction
3-Rays (11)
After a slow start as defending AL champs, Rays on the rise
4-Angels (9)
Stunning 14-4 in inter-league gives leg up in AL West
5-Tigers (4)
Continue to lead AL Central and refuse to give an Inge
6-Yankees (6)
Congrats to Mariano on 500th save and first ML RBI
7-Giants (8)
Impressive starting rotation gives them a chance
8-Cardinals (3)
DeRosa batting cleanup as protection for Pujols? Trouble
9-Rockies (10)
Rox clubhouse has upbeat attitude under players’ manager Tracy
10-Rangers (7)
Middle relievers have Rangers fortunes on steady decline
11-Brewers (12)
Enter week on top of decidedly mediocre NL Central
12-Blue Jays (14)
Hill comeback would be complete with all-star nod from players
13-Phillies (5)
How to explain as many home wins as Nationals, worst in AL
14-Mariners (15)
Take a bow Ichiro for 1,900 career hits; Junior for franchise HR 5,000
15-Cubs (13)
The more you see of Zambrano the more Michael Barrett was self-defence
16-Marlins (16)
Any young, talented, still-developing team has a chance in NL East
17-Twins (20)
Any team that plays sound fundamental ball has a chance in AL Central
18-Reds (19)
Nice to see Joey Votto battling back and able to contribute
19-White Sox (21)
Chisox; as volatile and erratic as their manager, but plenty of talent
20-Mets (17)
K-Rod sacks-loaded walk to Mariano proves he’s not in same class
21-Astros (18)
‘Stros have not yet launched; countdown still on hold
22-Orioles (23)
Jays enter week as close to the O’s as they are to the Bosox
23-Pirates (25)
McLouth trade right move opening spot for McCutcheon
24-Braves (22)
At some point Bobby Cox will retire; this team may do it
25-A’s (24)
Young starters don’t have a Doc Halladay to take pressure off them
26-Padres (28)
Pads seem happy just to compete and strive for .500
27-Royals (27)
Zach Greinke has 10 of the Royals 32 wins heading into week
28-Indians (29)
In the words of John Wayne in the circled wagons, “It’s too quiet out there.”
29-Diamondbacks (26)
A.J. Hinch as manager is not working out; GM must be responsible
30-Nationals (30)
Last time this franchise was this bad was ’76 Expos
The big news of the week turned out to be that Brad Pitt’s movie version of Moneyball was cancelled pretty much on the eve of production. What a shock. There is no truth to the rumour that the major issue was in finding someone to play then-A’s vice-president J.P. Ricciardi and that John Turturro and Pinocchio both turned down the role.
Why are we not surprised the project was cancelled? Don’t you need a sympathetic character or two to make a movie work? Who? Billy Beane ripping his scouts and making fun of other MLB team’s drafting tactics? Manager Art Howe being disrespected, bullied then fired by the A’s? The studio indicated that the Moneyball script was re-written several times and nothing seemed to work. Re-written? Isn’t this based on history? Okay, here’s the script:
The small market A’s are forced to compete on a budget, can’t draw flies to a horrible stadium, reach the playoffs year after year and get knocked out early. They then trade some snazzy homegrown starting pitchers for future prospects, come back the next year and do the same thing all over again. The movie’s already been made. It was called Groundhog Day. Finally, other organizations catch on to the philosophy and end up mixing traditional scouting and numbers better than the A’s. Eventually the A’s don’t even make the playoffs because what was once outside the box is now inside the box. Next! On to the mailbag.
Q: Hello Richard,
I have two questions for you. The first is do you ever see BJ (Ryan) back as the closer (or setup man)? Is he getting back to his old form? Also, maybe you could shed some light on the Rogers TV deal here out west? I am a huge Jays’ fan through and through, and since I don't get to any games I love seeing them on TV. I am wondering why Rogers West has more Yankees, Red Sox or Angels games than Jays games? It doesn't seem to make any sense, since the Jays are Canada's only team.
Adam Allison, Banff, AB
A: It’s difficult to see Ryan having even the opportunity to re-establish himself as the Jays’ closer as long as Cito Gaston is the manager. Gaston cares little about the fact that B.J. is earning $10 million for this year and next. He cares about results and what Gaston sees is a left-hander that comes into games and falls behind hitters early in the count. He throws sliders low and out of the zone, then nibbles with an 85 m.p.h. fastball, refusing to challenge hitters, even with his team holding a significant lead. He's only faced as many as three batters in an inning if two of them are left-handed hitters. Then Gaston will stroll out, take the ball and hand it to a right-hander making considerably less money. The conundrum for the Jays is in finding a taker for the final year of his contract even if they have to eat a significant portion because Cito’s not going anywhere in 2010.
As for the TV question, I don’t think the Rogers office tower is crammed with super-patriots. They don’t give a rat’s behind about the Jays being “Canada’s team.” What they see is that if they group different packages of major-league games on different regional networks they can get baseball fans with to subscribe to more than one regional sports network even though most of the other programming is the same. Brilliant marketing, but clearly the maple leaf is tattooed on your ass, not theirs.
Q: Speaking of performance-enhancing drugs - are there any good ones out there that we can suggest to Wells & Rios?
Werner Ott, Thunder Bay, Ont.
A: How about naturally produced adrenaline for Wells with runners in scoring position and some brain food for Rios when he’s running the bases…like fish, maybe flounder. No, wait a second, bad choice.
Q: Richard,
What has happened to David Purcey? Is he hurt? Why wasn't he called up before (Brad) Mills, (Bobby) Ray, (Brett) Cecil?
Thank you.
Scott Cochrane, Niagara-on-the-Lake
A: Purcey was never a legitimate No. 3 starter even though the club was hyping him as such all winter. He had not proven himself in any way at the major-league level yet his name was being thrown out there after Roy Halladay and Jesse Litsch as a sure thing in the rotation. Purcey was winless in five starts with the Jays, posting a 7.01 ERA and averaging five innings per outing. Since being returned to the minors he has struggled with his control in some games and in others he has struggled with his command. Finding good location within the strike zone with more than one pitch is his biggest problem. He also has confidence issues that won’t be helped by the fact that he now looks around and sees other starting pitchers whizzing by him on the way to the majors while he continues to happen in Vegas and stay in Vegas.
Q: Hey Griff;
With the Jays' recent run of 'luck' in terms of injuries to the pitching staff, at what point do people begin questioning the training staff? It just seems odd that so many pitchers, many of them young, seem to be going down. We've heard stories of how wonderful the training staff for the Phoenix Suns are (older, somewhat injury-prone players like Nash, Shaq & Grant Hill not only avoiding injury, but continuing to produce at a high level); does it not make sense that a less than stellar training staff could be playing a role in what's happening with the Jays' pitchers this spring (and over the last season or two)?
Trev Lloyd, Halifax
A: How would the Jays look with a starting rotation including Roy Halladay, Shaun Marcum, Dustin McGowan and Jesse Litsch? All those guys are on the DL, along with Casey Janssen, Scott Downs and Bobby Ray. Starting the year on the DL this year was Ricky Romero. Can you blame it on the training staff? No.
The fact is there is not much to separate training methods of various teams. The financial investments in players from all MLB organizations are so large and the players’ union is so strong that if there were any issues at all in one particular organization’s methods it would already have been noted. Every winter meeting the 30 MLB training staffs get together for a week and compare methods and there is nothing new under the training sun.
More likely is the fact that some organizations that don't have unlimited funds and are in smaller markets or are less appealing destinations (e.g. Toronto) sometimes need to take chances to compete. That includes bringing players on board with a history of arm, elbow and shoulder injuries that may flare up again. When they do, can you blame it on training methods? No.
Q: Could BJ Ryan's problems be related to his Tommy John surgery a couple of years ago? He came back from that quicker than the norm. Could his current problems be some sort of delayed side effect?
Mike Patton, Edmonton
A: The loss of velocity for Ryan has obviously been a perplexing situation for the Jays, but I don’t think that you can blame it on lingering effects of Tommy John surgery or on his returning from his rehab earlier than the norm. If it had been shoulder surgery, I might agree but T.J. surgery to the elbow can sometimes add velocity if a guy had been pitching with a frayed tendon in the elbow.
Ryan’s problems stem from other things. One of them seems to be that he does not seem to be the same physically imposing presence he was than when he was signed. Nobody has a good explanation for what seems like a permanent loss of velocity. At spring training, a thoery it may have been timing but after all this time, the velocity hasn’t come back.
Q: Richard,
I know that the Jays pitching staff has been hurting; I have been following the (New Hampshire) Fisher Cats this year and Marc Rzepczynski had another great game (June 19), any chance he gets called up soon?
A: The 23-year-old lefty, selected in the fifth round of ’07, Rzepczynski has made 14 starts at New Hampshire with a 7-5 record, 2.93 ERA, 36 walks and 88 strikeouts in 76 innings. Recall that Jesse Litsch made the jump from Double-A to the majors. It’s possible, but his walk ratio is a little high and the one thing Gaston can’t stand with his pitchers is walks.
Q: Hi Richard,
Not a question but a couple of comments. First of all, those who are bemoaning the contract extension of Vernon Wells would be the same people who would be screaming "blue, bloody murder" had the Jays not re-signed him and let him go. Yes, Vernon (offensively) is currently not living up to expectations but I believe he eventually will and he is one of the best defensive centre-fielders in the game.
Secondly, I'd be willing to bet if you did a similar analysis of other MLB team's bad contracts you're findings would be similar. Every team offers contracts they later regret... it's a part of baseball and professional sport for that matter.
Steve Vincent, Toronto
A: I recall the winter before the Jays signed Vernon to a long-term deal, GM J.P. Ricciardi explored every trade possibility out there and did not come up with anything that made sense. Signing Wells long term was a fallback option. Wells was not Ricciardi's favourite player at the time. If he could not trade him then, it might be impossible to trade him now. Unfortunately the Jays timing with signing Wells long-term was not good. That was market value and length at the time just as the salaries were about to be reined in. It’s sort of like building the SkyDome just before Camden Yards signaled a new wave of fan-friendly retro stadiums.
Sure, every team has signed bad contracts, but teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Mets can overwhelm their mistakes with more cash and more new contracts. The Jays can’t do that so their bad deals are left out in the spotlight for all to marvel at.
Q: Hi Richard,
Jays’ management should have a look at their strength and conditioning program -- forget the stockpile of arm injuries, but what's with going on the DL by spraining a big toe while swinging a bat? No cheap shot intended but it's a little disturbing -- visions of Otto Velez -- didn't he sit out because of a hangnail? Cal Ripken can sleep at night.
A: Scott Downs’ toe injury leaving the batter’s box qualifies as a freak injury. I remember a catching prospect with the Expos named Bobbie Goodman. He was selected ahead of Gary Carter in the same draft. This guy was the king of freak injuries. Two of his better ones?
1. He hit a home run in AA-Quebec and tore up his knee before he even left the box. DL.
2. He was trying to fix the leather in his catcher’s glove using an awl. He pulled on the leather and the awl came loose and stabbed him right in the middle of the chest. DL. No one could ever say Goodman didn’t give his awl. He never played in the majors.
Q: Richard,
Speaking of the injury to Downs, what is your take on him hitting in that situation anyways? Jays were up five in the 10th inning and it wasn't a save opportunity coming up in the bottom of the inning. Shouldn't Cito be partly blamed for not pinch-hitting in that situation rather than having his closer hit? Cito was quite upset about how inter-league play has the potential for more injuries to pitchers who aren't accustomed to hitting but I think he needs to be accountable in that situation for his decision.
A: Cito shouldn’t be blamed for Downs’ injury. If you’re going to blame someone, blame Downs. He had recorded the last out of the inning before and was the winning pitcher. Having him close out the game with a five-run lead is not a problem; having him swing the bat is the issue. He had stood and watched four pitches and worked the count to 2-2. The Jays did not need any more runs so he should have just stood there and watched strike three. But no, he swung the bat and dribbled a ball to short and hobbled out of the box. Embarrassing.
Q: Griff,
I emailed you a few weeks back about Alex Rios looking apathetic and like he doesn't really have any passion. You defended him. Just watched Rios not know how many outs there were versus the Phillies on night and get doubled off first on a line drive to center, saw him neglect to tag up at third on a potential sacrifice fly. I won't even mention the incident when he wouldn't sign an autograph. Care to reconsider your position?
A: I defend Rios as an athlete not as a brain surgeon. I think the Rios look that you call apathy is actually befuddlement followed by looking for a hole to crawl into. It might serve him better if he would show some anger at himself whenever he screws up on the bases or in some other baseball fundamental, but instead he looks apathetic by not showing emotion when the TV cameras zero in on a close-up.
One suggestion from a fellow media member is that the birth of one’s first child (for Rios it was less than a year ago) always affects performance on the field because of altered sleep patterns, etc. I don’t necessarily buy that. Another theory is that your baseball instincts are ingrained from a young age and if you had bad coaching growing up you may never change.
Q: Hey Richard!
With (the) news that Sammy Sosa had tested positive for PED's in 2003, it seems as if just about everyone was on the juice during this period of time. We've already seen how the Hall of Fame voters have reacted to such players over the past couple years with players like Mark McGwire getting minimal votes to gain entrance into Cooperstown.
My question is how this impacts players like former Blue Jay Fred McGriff. He was a guy who consistently produced similar numbers season after season and was never suspected of any PED use. While he finished shy of 500 career home runs and was not a high impact player throughout the steroid era, he quietly put together great numbers every year, won home run titles, performed in the playoffs and won a World Series with Atlanta in 1995.
Do continued stories like the ones we have heard about Sammy Sosa, A-Rod, Palmeiro, Manny, etc. help players like McGriff get votes for Cooperstown? A similar case could also be made for another former Blue Jay - Carlos Delgado.
Dan McKinnon, Toronto
A: I honestly believe that the bigger shame should be reserved for players like Manny Ramirez who test positive after 2004 after testing became mandatory and a list of illegal performance enhancers was made known to all players. Yes, the list of 104 failed tests in 2003 likely includes many of the games slugging stars, but I don’t believe that Hall of Fame voters as a group have formed enough of a consensus on how to handle the issue. As such, I think that guys like McGriff will benefit from some votes, but I don’t believe that the difference will be significant enough to get Fred into the Hall of Fame. The same with Delgado.
McGwire is not the best example of how the steroid revelations will affect future Hall voting because to many BBWAA voters, McGwire’s career, especially with the A’s, was fringe-Cooperstown even without the PED issue.
Click here to send Richard a question, and he'll answer a selection in his mailbag Wednesdays in this space. **Note: please follow the link above to send a question to Richard. Questions posted in the comments section may not make it to the mailbag. Thanks.**
(Last week’s ranking in parentheses)
1-Dodgers (1)
Joe Torre has plethora of young power arms. Manny who?
2-Red Sox (2)
Dice-K back on the DL. They’re deep in starters though
3-Cardinals (8)
Pujols 26 HR-68 RBIs with more than half a season to go
4-Tigers (10)
Give them an Inge and they’ll take a mile
5-Phillies (3)
Slowly taking control of division; now can think about title defence
6-Yankees (4)
A.J. suspended, C.C. strained biceps, Joey G. S.O.S.
7-Rangers (5)
Andruw Jones trying hard to rehab his career
8-Giants (9)
Most intriguing five-man rotation in the majors with trio of Cys
9-Angels (11)
Have not played well; have not pitched well; compete because of talent
10-Rockies (16)
Critics said manager Tracy overmatched in Pitt; not saying much now
11-Rays (6)
Upton and Crawford most dangerous 1-2 combo in baseball
12-Brewers (7)
Brew Crew status very tenuous as Fielder and Braun shoulder the load
13-Cubs (13)
Former Jays Rule 5 guy Randy Wells now joins rotation
14-Blue Jays (12)
Accardo dehydrated in D.C. demands Obama stimulus package
15-Mariners (22)
King Felix becoming the consistent ace they dreamed of
16-Marlins (17)
Fighting Fish have a chance in swamp that is the NL East
17-Mets (14)
Bullpen supposed to be a strength; now a roll of the dice
18-Astros (18)
Bourn becoming the threat at leadoff Astros traded for
19-Reds (15)
Part of Micah Owings arsenal is his hitting; value muted in in AL parks
20-Twins (20)
Larry Walker enshrined at St. Mary HoF; Morneau has chance to eclipse
21-White Sox (21)
Ozzie Guillen might be even better manager in NL; loves inter-league
22-Braves (19)
Have struggled since classless dismissal of Glavine; baseball karma?
23-Orioles (27)
I would pay to watch the O’s play; not always good but make it exciting
24-A’s (29)
Re-sign Giambi to bring back glory days; how’s that workin’ out?
25-Pirates (23)
City of Champions with Steelers and Penguins; Bucs not so much
26-Diamondbacks (25)
Worst baseball decision of ’09 –no-experience A.J. Hinch as manager
27-Royals (24)
If Zach Greinke is mortal then Royals are in trouble
28-Padres (26)
Tony Gwynn at top of order is only similarity to ’98 WS Padres
29-Indians (28)
Tribe’s Wedge comes up short; should have gone to 7-iron
30-Nationals (30)
Nats could sweep ’27 Yankees twice and still rank 30th overall
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| STEVE RUSSELL/TORONTO STAR |
| Don't sweat the injuries. But the Jays must act. |
If this was a game of Texas Hold 'Em, the Jays' current pitching rotation would be the equivalent of going all in with 7-2 unsuited. They can't even count on a simple "ace-high", what with Roy Halladay going on the 15-day DL (right groin), joining Casey Janssen (right shoulder) and Scott Downs (big toe).
But how bad is the Jays' situation? Not as bad as it looks, although GM J.P. Ricciardi needs to step up and sign one of those veteran free agents out there, who's working out and looking for a meaningful job (e.g. Pedro). Even when Halladay returns on June 28, Ricciardi will need a viable No.2 if they are to compete.
Consider that the interim rotation comprises a 31-year old converted reliever and four rookies. Here they are, with their major-league career records in parentheses: Brian Tallet (11-12); Ricky Romero (3-3); Scott Richmond (6-6); Brett Cecil (2-1) and Brad Mills (0-0). That's a combined five-man CAREER record of 22-22. Combined the five earn less than $4 million. A.J. Burnett has already earned more than that from the Yankees in three months this year.
That said, here are the reasons for Jays' optimism.
1. They did the right thing with Halladay. If he had made his Saturday start with an aching groin, having to swing the bat and run the bases in addition to throwing 100-plus pitches, it could have resulted in something more severe. As it is if he comes back on the 28th, he will have basically missed two starts.
2. Janssen needed to be taken out of the rotation. The injury made that decision for them. Janssen was up in the strike zone with enough pitches that in the major leagues he could not expect to be successful. His post-game demeanour was one of being lost. When he returns it should be in middle relief.
3. Jason Frasor is a much better pitcher now than he was in 2004 when he recorded 17 saves for the Jays. He has added that funky split-change thing with the little-hand grip. That extra off-speed pitch to go with a 94 m.p.h. fastball and a decent breaking ball allows him to fill in while Downs nurses his toe back to health. As for Downs, what kind of a damn elite athlete sprains a toe breaking from the batter's box? Come on.
And that's another thing. I'm convinced that Cito Gaston's negative attitude towards inter-league play accounts in no small measure for his team's lack of success. Cito has been whining about his pitchers having to hit and the disadvantage AL teams face in NL parks. The players hear that and have an extra excuse when they fail to win.
Other AL teams take no prisoners in inter-league play. Why not the Jays? In '97, the first year of inter-league play and Gaston's last season with the Jays in his first go-round, he was 4-11 against NL teams. He had 11 years off to brood about it. Then he took over in Pittsburgh from John Gibbons and immediately was thrown back into the inter-league maelstrom. They came back last year for two series wins vs. the Braves and Reds, but heading into today's matinee in Philly, Cito is 11-21 vs. NL teams -- not counting '92 and '93 when, of course, in the most meaningful inter-league play of all, he was 8-4 vs. the Braves and Phillies in the World Series.
As for Alex Rios, the guy is a total disaster on the bases. It started when he was safe at second on a fielder's choice on the last homestand, but wandered off the bag and was tagged out. It continued when he was caught stealing third, representing the tying run in the ninth inning. Cito took the blame, but that's just because that's what he does. He was pissed. Then there was the failure to launch on a sacrifice fly in the eighth against the Phillies on Tuesday that would have tied the game. Then there was last night as he trotted up the line and stood on second base with Shane Victorino making the catch right in front of him in centre field, throwing to first for the easy double play. In the words of Lupe Fiasco: "If you are what you say you are, a Superstar, then have no fear."
It’s amazing how quickly the bloom has come off the rose for the Jays and their fans. The bouquets being tossed their way in April and early May have turned to the slings and arrows of outrageous misfortune here in June. But things are never as good as they seem nor as bad as they seem. A lot of readers are curious about Vernon Wells. Some wonder about Sammy Sosa. Others wonder if Alex Rios could really be as ignorant as he seemed off the field at the charity bash or on the field when he failed to tag up in the eighth. That’s the great thing about baseball. Yesterday’s bum is tomorrow’s hero. On to the mailbag.
Q: Hey Richard,
How many years/dollars does Vernon Wells have left on his contract? Is there any way the Jays can move him without eating a large chunk of salary? Do they put him on waivers to see if someone claims him like the Red Sox did with Manny a few years ago? With the ways things are going I'm sure he would appreciate a change of scene, maybe a new team could get him going. Are significant moves likely or will the Jays be in lockdown mode until the new GM is appointed?
Jonathan Spain, Toronto
A: According to the usually reliable Cot’s Baseball Contracts website, here are the details of Vernon’s remaining years and dollars. On March 1, next spring, the Jays will pay him $8.5 million as the final installment of his signing bonus. Then for 2010 season he gets $12.5 million. In 2011, his salary jumps up to $23 million. At that point he can unilaterally opt out of his contract, leaving the final three seasons of $21 million per year for 201-14 on the table. To do that, he would have to be completely out of his mind. So, the total commitment for Vernon remaining after this season is five years, $107 million.
Can the Jays trade him without eating a large chunk of salary? In one word, no. And say the Jays have to eat $7 million per year in order to trade him, then the man replacing him in centre field is costing the Jays’ his own salary-plus-seven mill, so why bother trading one of the best defenders in baseball. I have a feeling they’re stuck with him – unless he opts out after 2011. But why would he? GM J.P. Ricciardi called Carlos Delgado’s contract an albatross around the team’s neck. Wells’ deal is the elephant in the room. As for waivers, don’t worry. Wells will be on every waiver list from here on out as the Jays look for a dance partner to make a deal. It won’t happen.
Q: I know you have dealt with this question many times, but how much longer can the Blue Jays suffer with Vernon Wells? There is no question about his defensive capabilities, but his hitting is atrocious. For a number three or four guy, he is failing miserably with runners in scoring position and not much better with no one on base. Cito has done a great job with the team, but it’s time to either bench Vernon, move him down in the order, send him down to Syracuse to work on his hitting, or trade him and eat the contract. He adds little value to this team and in fact he probably hurts the team more than he helps and that's disappointing.
Joel Rosen, Toronto
A: How much longer can the Jays’ suffer with Vernon Wells? How about five years, three months and 20 days.
At some point, manager Cito Gaston is going to have to move him down in the batting order. They would love to be able to send him to Syracuse because their Triple-A team is now in Las Vegas and that means he would be with another organization.
Why would they eat his contract? Unlike NFL football, every dime of a multi-year contract is guaranteed. That being said, Vernon is showing signs of snapping out of his funk in the last two games and recall, he is averaging 92 RBIs per season for the seven years since 2002. If he gets hot and produces 20 HR, 80 RBI it will be less of an issue by the end of September – until next year’s slow start.
Q: Hi Richard,
With Vernon being so terrible, when do the questions of Performance Enhancing Drugs start? Looking at the history, its hard not to wonder about him. When he was having his big years there was no testing and baseball clearly didn't even care. Then as baseball starts to look at this issue, he starts to get injured more often and his numbers are in a freefall. Also, the Jays clubhouse has a bit of a history of having guys affiliated with PED's, Canseco and Clemens come to mind first. I'm not accusing him of anything, but it could help to explain some things. Your thoughts?
James Doyle, Tofino, B.C.
A: I am beginning to get over the heretofore obsession with performance-enhancing drugs – but only as they are reported prior to 2004. Anything fresh like Manny failing his test this spring is damning. As you point out, there was no testing back in the day and baseball (especially the union) clearly didn’t care. That, in hindsight, is the biggest cloud over the history of the Players’ Association, protecting and enabling the cheaters for all those years by fighting mandatory testing efforts by MLB.
In any case, there are many players that show the same pattern as Wells in that their most productive seasons were from ’98 to ’03. Mandatory testing kicked in in ’04. In ‘03 there was testing that was supposed to remain anonymous, meant simply as an indicator for both sides whether the union would agree to mandatory testing. The 104 positive results represented a high enough percentage of positive tests to introduce the new mandatory testing policy. The names on that list were never meant to be revealed. A-Rod and now Sammy Sosa are reported to be on that list of 104 cheaters. Nobody seems surprised.
My personal indignation from the pre-testing Steroid Era has been muted through time. If a player, since then, has lied about his use of PEDs to lawyers or to the public, that’s’ more of what I have a problem with - players like Rafael Palmeiro, A-Rod, Sosa and others. All of a sudden, Mark McGwire, who refused to talk about any possible use of performance enhancers on his part, looks like the smartest guy in the room.
Q: Is there any way that Vernon Wells will be traded?
Joe M., Thorold
A: No.
Q: Hi Richard,
In your opinion, what were the five worst contracts ever given out by the Jays? I'm thinking Wells' contract may end up being number one. Not only can't he hit when it matters, he is virtually untradeable unless we can buzz him into a Red Sox vs. Yanks commodity.
Martin Haurilak, Toronto
A: The Jays have given away some dandy contracts over the years. In my mind, here is the Top 7 in terms of squandered cash – relative to the time. I won’t put Wells on that list yet because the jury might still be considered out, given that he has time to regroup.
1. Joey Hamilton (’99-’01). 14-18 in 50 games. Three years, $17.0 million. Hamilton came highly recommended by assistant GM Dave Stewart who suggested the multi-year reward. He wavered between injured and mediocre.
2. Bill Caudill (’85-’86). 6-10, 16 saves. Three years, $4.0 million. The biggest contract mistake by the Pat Gillick regime, he never lived up to the role he was brought in for just as the Jays became an AL power.
3. Randy Myers (’98). 3-4, 28 saves. Three years, $18.0 million. The Jays were in a spending mode and tapped the free-agent market for a fearsome Orioles left-handed closer. After three months of eccentric behaviour, the Jays put him on waivers and the Padres grabbed him out of panic that the Braves might take him.
4. Erik Hanson (’96-’98). 13-20 in 49 games. Three years, $10 million. Injured for much of his tenure, he busied himself as Roger Clemens’ personal valet and golf partner on the road while he rehabbed. It was written in ’98 that only Tiger Woods made more money that year for just playing golf.
5. B.J. Ryan (’06-’09). 5-8, 75 saves. The five-year, $47 million contract was at the time the highest paid to a reliever. B.J. was injured for a year and has lost his closer’s role with another year to go on his deal. Jays like to tap O’s for overpriced left-handed closers.
6. Mike Sirotka (’01-‘02). Never played. Two years, $6.8 million. This trade may have cost Gord Ash his job as Jays’ GM. Sirotka apparently hurt himself on an MLB Japanese tour but the Jays traded for him sight unseen. Since then, physical exams on all players are mandatory before a deal is completed.
7. Frank Thomas (’07-’08). 29 HR, 106 RBI. Two years, $18.1 million. The Big Hurt was as one-dimensional as you can get by the time he got to the Jays. Ricciardi signed him a year too late. He clogged the bases and the lineup and was released after he could no longer play every day.
What on earth was Scott Downs thinking in the top of the 10th tonight?
He had just worked a scoreless ninth and got five runs from his offence in the top of the inning to give him a potential win. His spot comes up and he takes a bunch of pitches and then swings at a 2-2 offering grounding it to short.
As he trots down the line - something he's not used to doing - he pulls a muscle, limps off the field and is replaced by Jesse Carlson. What were you thinking, dude?
Even at spring training, when the Jays went to Orlando and the pitcher was forced to hit, Cito Gaston told Brad Mills not even to think about swinging the bat because it was only a Grapefruit League Game. Cito, what's the difference? How about having a five-run lead in extra innings with your closer on the hill.
Take, take, take. But no.
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