Jays brass is sending a message to players: Only good performances will be rewarded on this roster.
Finally, a chance to exhale...
The Toronto Blue Jays are 18 games and 20 days into the 2011 schedule and a well earned off-day for all involved, for the players, coaches and those of us in the holier than thou media.
Well a half day off, at least.
Word came down early Thursday afternoon that Brett Cecil, fresh off his third five-inning performance in four starts this season, was the latest ineffective starter with options to be sent back to Triple-A.
The velocity he's lost of his heater makes him very hittable and unless he’s down and on the edges like Jimmy Key, he'll get beat around, like on that 88-mph fastball at the letters that he threw to Robby Cano. He can’t live up there, not against the good hitters.
Plus, let's not forget, Cecil's 15 wins last season, with an ERA almost a quarter run above four, had a lot to do with the six runs of support he received per start.
Now, like Jesse Litsch, he finds out that few jobs on this team are rock solid. Good performances will be rewarded, that’s all that everyone should remember.
Poor ones, with a new manager learning about all players/pitchers in his charge, will not be rewarded, especially from a skipper who has no loyalty to anyone after just three weeks on the job.
His choice for replacement on the roster is an interesting one.
With Aaron Hill slowed by a hamstring injury, leaving basically two men on the bench, they’ve decided to bring veteran utility man Chris Woodward up from Triple-A to deepen the bench.
Now labeled a journeyman, Woodward has made stops in New York, Atlanta, Seattle and Boston, as well as Nashville, Lehigh Valley, Tacoma, Pawtucket and Las Vegas in the minors.
What this also illustrates is the Blue Jays are looking at –- and evaluating -– everyone in the organization. Sure, injuries have forced their hand to make some of the moves –- now totalling 25 since the season began –- with more looming on the horizon.
Friday's starter leads the majors in most pitches per inning with 21.6 to get three outs -- almost a full pitch higher than such strike-throwers as Seattle's Canadian lefty Erik Bedard (20.8), the Mets’ Mike Pelfrey (20.8), Yankees disabled right-hander Phil Hughes (20.0) and Cardinals righty Jake Westbrook (19.5). I think Double-J better start throwing strikes or why keep him around if he can't go deep into games to save the bullpen, no matter how much the manager and general manager covet his arm.
Why keep Rivera around if they’re not going to even bring him in to pinch hit for Johnny Mac with the bases loaded and the Jays one swing from tying the game on Wednesday?
Everyone knows he has done nothing -- nada, zip, zero -- in his 12 games and 46 plate appearances. And everyone has also witnessed his horrible "I don't wanna be here" body language.
But can you blame him?
Two years removed from a 25 HR, 88 RBI season in Southern California, he has to be taken aback by the fact the Angels agreed to take on Wells' bloated deal. He knows who he is: a proud veteran used to more playing time, not enjoying his second tour of Canada (also spent 2004 with the Expos in their final season in Montreal).
Maybe they are waiting until Scott Podsednik's status can be improved from day-to-day before dealing with Rivera.
Here's hoping that the return of their most-talented starter from the second half of last season -- Morrow (his 13.01 K's per 9 IP after the All-Star break last season led all MLB starters) -- helps the rest of the suddenly wobbly rotation re-discover the strike zone.
While we realize that Ricky Romero will bounce back, not sure if his wildness and ineffectiveness at Fenway Park was just a one-off, the result of being tapped to start at 11 a.m. (that's 8 a.m. back in his East LA barrio).
The Red Sox were more than willing to wait until Ricky found the strike zone. That’s what veteran teams do and they made his day a short one.
One thing is for sure: the Blue Jays will be tested heavily again over the next chunk of games with the division-rival Rays in to close out the homestand this week.
Then yet another three-city road trip to Texas, New York and Tampa. No one said the climb towards contention was going to be easy.
WATCHING & WAITING
What's missing from the top two young everyday players?
J.P. Arencibia's base running faux pas was inexcusable -- and embarrassing. He rounded second and slid into third with no idea that EE was even standing there. Thank God we were at home and wouldn't have to hear what the smart mouths at ESPN had to say about that. Clearly the kid has some offensive pop, but his concentration tends to wane.
Travis Snider bounced back from his bat-breaking-over-his-knee episode to drive a walk-off double up the gap in the opener and then went 2 for 4 the next night.
But in the Yankee series he struck out in half of his at-bats, and remains 25 points below the Fitzsimmons line.
(Note: I use Freddie Fitzsimmons -- who played 19 seasons for the NY Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers from 1925-43 and had the most at-bats of any lifetime .200 hitter -– instead of Mario Mendoza, because in reality, Mendoza was a lifetime .215 hitter).
Sure Snider leads the club with 11 RBI, is second on the go-go Jays with five steals in six attempts, and has as many outfield assists as his strong armed/soon-to-be-silly-rich teammate Jose Bautista, something still appears to be missing.
