The evolving bullpen is starting to take shape for the 2011 Blue Jays.
These are busy times for Alex Anthopoulos and his lieutenants in the Toronto Blue Jays front office.
Staring down a Tuesday deadline for arbitration cases, they swiftly got the names of pitchers Carlos Villanueva, Shawn Camp, Casey Janssen, Jesse Litsch, Brandon Morrow and infielder Yunel Escobar on 2011 contracts totaling just south of $10.8 million. Pretty good value for players expected to make the team coming out of this spring.
They also signed recently-acquired outfielder Rajai Davis to a two-year deal worth a total of $5.25 million with the club holding a $3-million option on a third year.
The signings came on the heels of Monday's news that they had signed gigantic reliever Jon Rauch to add him into the mix for what looms as a battle for the closer's role at the back of the Blue Jays’ evolving bullpen.
The 6'11" right-hander saved 21 games a year ago (in 25 opportunities) for Central Division champion Minnesota, filling in for Joe Nathan, the all-star closer who missed all of last season following 'Tommy John' surgery when he blew out his elbow during spring training.
Rauch joins the previously-signed Octavio Dotel (22 saves in 28 chances with the Pittsburgh Pirates, Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies) as manager John Farrell's two main closing options heading into training camp. Having a pair of veteran arms should calm down what could have been a bullpen in serious flux after Kevin Gregg and Scott Downs -- and their combined 130 appearances -- moved elsewhere through free agency.
As it stands right now, either Rauch or Dotel will close with the loser of the competition going into the set-up mix with Camp, David Purcey and Jason Frasor.
Just from my own optics, I'm hoping Rauch starts the season as the ninth-inning guy. I like his size (he stands a full half foot taller than the franchise's first-ever "BIG" closer, 'The Terminator' Tom Henke), his demeanour and his neck tattoo. He strikes quite an imposing figure from 60'6" away and the Jays haven't exactly cornered the market on intimidating pitchers in recent years.
But what the fans need to realize is that Rauch is being asked to replace Gregg and his 37 saves. Yes, I remember that some, at times, were ragged, causing quite a grumble to roll through the seats below our 400-level broadcast booth at Rogers Centre. This, however, is what you get for what you paid. Rauch, Dotel or Gregg would never be considered top-level closers and they aren’t paid as such. You'll get more good than bad. Unfortunately, the bad can be quite bad and terribly ill-timed. Get used to it.
Purcey could prove to be a key member of the relief corps, expected to step into the big void left by Downs, who averaged a 2.36 ERA in 66 appearances and held opposition to a .223 average. While Downs lived on the edge of the strike zone, Purcey will be most effective in the strike zone, having more of a power arm than Downs, if he assumes the role as the late left-hander.
But that's still a very big ‘if.’ Since being drafted 16th overall in the 2004 June draft, the now 28-year-old left-hander didn't exactly overwhelm in the Jays' rotation, going just 4-9 with an ERA of 5.81 over his first 21 major league starts. But as a full-time reliever last season, Purcey's effectiveness shot up, posting a 3.71 ERA in his 33 appearances while allowing just three home runs (he allowed 15 as a starter).
Jesse Carlson, who fought his way back into the picture late last season, could also shoulder a heavier load in the post-Downs era.
Janssen could also prove his value if he can get his former starter's stamina back up where can be a solid, once-through-the-order middle man, something that the team lacked last season. There's value in that.
There's still belief among many that Josh Roenicke should be pitching later in games although he's yet to show consistency in the A.L. after arriving from the Cincinnati Reds in the Scott Rolen deal of 2009.
A lot of good arms down, but the roles will emerge in February and March as the new manager sees what he'll have at his disposal when the season begins in April.
And then there were two
Monday's signings left Anthopoulos with a pair of players to deal with in arbitration. During a media conference call on Monday, the sophomore GM revealed that the only way Jose Bautista and Jason Frasor won't go to the arbitrator is if they sign multi-year deals. One-year contracts are no longer on the table.
Bautista's representative submitted a number of $10.5 million while the team offered $7.6 million. Frasor's people asked for $3.725 million and the Jays countered with $3.25. The team could lose both these cases and not be hamstrung by their salaries.
The $10.5 million for Bautista would actually be seen as a discount for the first-time MLB Home Run champion. It will be interesting to see where this negotiation heads moving forward. Keep in mind, hand wringers, that there is plenty of time between now and the date with the arbitrator to get a multi-year deal done, something that I would be shocked not to have happen before everyone reconvenes in Dunedin.
