Toronto Blue Jays Organization Discussion
by John Sickels on Nov 11, 2010 7:00 AM EST
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PrintI am currently working on the San Francisco Giants prospect report, to be followed by the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Toronto Blue Jays. We haven't done a Blue Jays discussion thread yet, so here goes.
Who do you like and dislike in this system? Sleepers? What do you make of Eric Thames, a personal favorite of mine? Will Adeiny Hechavarria hit enough for his glove to be relevant? Zach Stewart, starter or reliever?
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My take
This system has a lot of depth up the middle (C, SS, CF) and on the mound but lacks any high end corner players and power hitters. Seems like Anthopolous is setting up for the 2011 draft and could focus on some corner players (3B, RF) and/or power hitters to add to the system.
I am a big fan of Marisnick and the starting pitching depth (Drabek, Stewart, Asher Woj, Deck, Sanchez etc), not a big fan of Mastroinni (sp?).
Hechavarria will hit enough to be an everyday SS, he’ll make waves in 2012.
With the Jays mid-rotation SP depth in the minors I’d like to see them develop Stewart into a shutdown releiver in the way Boston has brought Daniel Bard along.
Stewart
I really feel that they should try Stewart as a starter and see how he does. He did very well as a starter this year and should continue to be developed as one. If he falters, they can try him out as a reliever
PPPPPPUNTO 4 MVP 2010
Let’s also make note that punto4mvp owns him in a dynasty league, so of course he should be tried as a starter!!!
punto4mvp owns him in a dynasty league
Haha. So do I, but that’s not the only reason I’d keep him in the rotation next year at least another year.
by blackoutyears on Nov 11, 2010 11:52 AM EST up reply actions
I knew you would call me out on that Brok!
He obviously has more value as a starter, but like blackoutyears I agree it makes sense to keep him as a starter for now. it is much easier to have a player transition from a starter to a reliever than reliever to starter…
PPPPPPUNTO 4 MVP 2010
I'm Excited
about the increased Latin commitment we are seeing in the Jays . Wouldn’t it be nice to get back to the influence seen in our early years.
3 prospects I'm watching
Carlos Perez – still young, but all reports say we’re looking at a 2-way catcher
Henderson Alvarez – Results don’t match the scouting report yet. Solid thus far, but Ks are not where they should be
Brad Emaus – All the guy does is hit. I see a Bill Mueller-esque career.
The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.
Wow
Mueller as a comp for Emaus? Love it, but can I hear more?
by Johnny Tuttle on Nov 12, 2010 6:50 AM EST up reply actions
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=emaus-001bra
http://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=muelle004wil
The Dodgers won't win a playoff series until the Cool-a-Coo returns.
Lansing is going to have a pretty exciting roster next season.
1B KC Hobson
RF Michael Crouse
CF Jake Marisnick
SS Gustavo Pierre
C Carlos Perez
LF Marcus Knecht
Pitchers: Drew Hutchison, Daniel Webb. Possibly Aaron Sanchez and some of the college draftees.
needs to be healthy; needs to develop a change
I have confidence in the Jays ability to help him with the latter.
Big fan
Gave him a straight B (same as McGuire). He’s the riskier of the two, but he has the stuff to be better if he can find a usable third pitch.
http://bullpenbanter.com/
Anyone see
ask BA this week? Callis responded to a question regarding the top starters the Jays drafted this year (McGuire, Wojcie, Sanchez, Syndergaard). Good fodder for discussion.
I love what I’ve seen of Wojcie. B/B- seems fair, and I’m hoping he gets off to a better start in 2011 than Jenkins did this year.
by blackoutyears on Nov 11, 2010 3:04 PM EST up reply actions
My thoughts
Undervalued: Hechavarria, tehy won a bidding war to bring him in, got very little prep before jumpinging into the minors, at the end of the sesaon started to look good. I think he could break out next season with the combo of spring training and being settled into the country.
Really like: Deck McGuire, I would put him the #2 prospect in the system behind Drabek. Could be a work hourse upper to middle rotion starter.
Over hyped: CF Jake Marisnick and C Carlos Perez are both being thrown into some peoples top 100 list. I think a lot Perez but not ready to call him a top 100 player. Marisnick has good tools and a pretty good eye at the plate but need to see a more then a .220 avg at low A.
Emaus
Where would he rank in this group? Same with Chad Jenkins.
by CaptainCanuck on Nov 11, 2010 3:36 PM EST via mobile reply actions
Home-grown talent
OFer Marcus Knecht is from the Toronto area and grew up as a huge fan of the Jays during their WS years. He’s obviously a bit of a project and broke his foot to end his season, but did play 61 games of pro ball in Auburn. The guy has the potential to hit for power and you gotta believe he’ll work that much harder for the chance to play for his favourite team.
I went to the same high school as Knecht
I am gunning for him to reach the majors with the Jays, even as a Mariner’s fan I would get love to see that. I believe the only other Toronto or GTA local to play for the Jays in the past 10 years is Shawn Hill in 2010.
by tdot mariner fan on Nov 12, 2010 8:54 AM EST up reply actions
Small world
I actually went to the same high school as well, but my younger brother was in the same grade and had classes with him. I think he was drafted in 2008 by the Brewers, but obviously now for him to get picked by the Jays is awesome.
I'm actually at st mikes right now
In Calculus class
To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!
by YunelTheLazyLatino on Nov 12, 2010 12:20 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Haha
I had Narducci for calculus back in grade 11. Guy is a legend and a good teacher, not sure if he’s retired yet by now. I graduated in 2005, although I have a cousin who just graduated and another cousin in grade 12. We had a pretty strong baseball team while I was there, but no one going as far as Knecht is…
Whats ur cousins's name?
Maybe I know him
I wish I have narducci
Instead I have shust
To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!
by YunelTheLazyLatino on Nov 12, 2010 6:32 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
Just a few of my favorite things:
Adonis Cardona, Gabriel Cenas, Eyerys Guerrero, Santiago Nessy, Deivy Estrada, Misaul Diaz, Deck McGuire, Aaron Sanchez, Noah Syndergaard, Kellen Sweeney, Michael Crouse, Shane Opitz, KC Hobson, Charles Hawkins, Asher Wojcieshowski, Griffin Murphy, Carlos Perez, Lance Durham, Marcus Knecht, Gustavo Pierre, Jacob Marisnick, AJ Jimenez, Egan Smith, Drew Hutchison, Daniel Webb, Henderson Alvarez, Chad Jenkins, Sean Ochinko, Casey Beck, Matt Daly, Travis D’Arnaud, Mike McDade, Anthony Gose, Moises Sierra, Kyle Drabek, Alan Farina, Danny Farquhar, Trystan Magnuson, Zack Stewart, Brian Jeroloman, Adeiny Hechavarria, Adam Loewen, Darin Mastroianni, Eric Thames, JP Arencibia, Brad Emaus…and I wish Tiny TIm Collins was still in the organization – who couldn’t like that little critter.
A quick run through of the above list has me thinking over 30 of those guys are going to get to the bigs – at least for a cup of coffee and at least 20 look to me to have a full time regular future ahead of them. Some serious high end guys and LOTS of solid prospect. Not too bad a system if you ask me.
Eric Thames thoughts?
1. AAAA player?
2. 4th OF / bench bat?
3. Quality COF capable of putting up 15-20 HR while carrying a below avg BA?
Will we ever see an OF of Snider, Gose, & Thames?
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.
solid/decent regular with power and below avg defence
i’d put him in 20 ~ 30 HR range
isn’t his only real asset power?
agree on below avg BA
To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!
by YunelTheLazyLatino on Nov 11, 2010 6:30 PM EST up reply actions
Ibanez?
Ibanez played full time for 9 years and then parts of 6 more years when he was younger.
Ibanez was consistently a 280 to 290 BA guy. His last two years in Philly were 272 & 275. His peak in 2004 was 304. I don’t see Thames being anywhere near that high and never coming close to 300.
Ibanez did not have a drastic split between LH & RH pitching although he did hit RH pitchers a bit better. The knock I hear on Thames is that he will need to be a platoon guy.
Ibanez only struck out 100+ times in 4 years.
I guess I see Thames as a platoon guy with a low BA & high K rate. Ibanez doesn’t seem to be a decent comp to me.
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. It reminds us of all that once was good, and that could be again.
- why would you use only batting average?
- Thames’s splits are overblown. He actually hit LHP better than RHP in 2009. I wish minorleaguesplits was still around …
- why compare them? LHH, LF, neither is a tremendous defender, both walk ~9% of the time, Thames K’s a bit more (21% vs 16%) but also has shown more pop (220 iso vs 190). So if Thames were to continue on his current path, Ibanez is not a bad comp. Are they exactly the same player in every conceivable way, of course not. But they are probably much more similar as players than they are different.
Ye the platoon splits argument is overblown
He has never had problems with LHP in the past as you mentioned and it’s not like he was completely awful against LHP this year. Something like .255/.320/.455 if my memory serves me right. I honestly don’t see it as a big deal when your probably facing a RHP like what? 70% of the time anyways. A .900 OPS is a .900 OPS.
by TwoEyesForAnEye on Nov 12, 2010 2:41 AM EST up reply actions
Another thing about Eric...
The guy is a rock hard – weightlifting machine – or was… this past off-season he took up yoga. It’s starting to make a huge change in his flexibility and reflexes – I predict in 2011 we see it help him take it to the next level. Thames will be a SERIOUS SLEEPER ALERT guy in ’11 – you heard it here first.
High much?
To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!
by YunelTheLazyLatino on Nov 12, 2010 8:20 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Griffin Murphy
Doesn’t seem like he gets much love; as he’s overshadowed by some of the earlier picks, but I think Murphy is a pretty damn good prospect with a higher floor than most HS pitchers. He should fit somewhere in their Top 15-20.
+1
Was just thinking about him today. I remeber reading that he was the best lefthanded prep arm in this years draft, i believe. If that is trure and he can pan out then there take in this years draft just looks unbelievable. (McGuire, Woj., Sanchez, Snydergaard and that is just the arms.) Love were this team is going.
Biddle passed him in most people's eyes
but Murphy was still the 2nd best lefty by most accounts
If everybody likes you, then either no one knows anything about you, or you're dead.
We haven't done a discussion on the Blue Jays yet?
because I feel like that system has been talked to death.
If knowledge is the key, then just show me the lock.
Got the scrawny legs but I move just like Lou Brock.
I think David Cooper had a better year that his numbers suggest. If you look at his stats he had an incredibly low BABIP the first half of the season and when it evened out he really took off.
Henderson Alvarez started off the year fantastic but either fatigued or batters just plain figured him out. He didn’t seem like the same pitcher after the Rising Stars game and his WHIP ballooned thereafter.
Joel Carreno had a great year in Dunedin with very impressive strike-out ratios. Haven’t heard much talk about him so would like to see him in the top 30.
Zach Stewart had a slow start to his 2010 season but I think that can be attributed to learning a change-up and being forced to throw it with some regularity by the Jays. His second half of the season was quite good so I have to assume that he has learned how to use his change effectively.
Sleepers
If only because I don’t hear about them too much, the following guys should be looked at a little more deeply: Joel Carreno, Shane Opitz, Milciades Santana, Chris Hawkins, Jack Murphy (not really a sleeper, but intriguing), Marcus Brisker (toolshed, but will he ever be able to play?), Drew Hutchison, K.C. Hobson, Bobby Bell (last year was an injury mulligan), A.J. Jimenez (great athleticism for the position), Mike McDade, Mark Sobolewski, Kevin Ahrens (just to know – is there anything there at all?), and Aaron Mathews (I don’t think his numbers last year were fully a Las Vegas mirage – he deserved a cameo in Toronto – can he be a 4th OF?)
by ofsticksandbats on Nov 14, 2010 9:26 PM EST reply actions
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