In this week’s edition of Blue Jays Central: Ask the Insiders, the Insiders answered several fan questions including why the Blue Jays have not called up triple-A hitting sensation Jim Negrych to play second base and why Vernon Wells is having a solid comeback year for the Yankees.
Eric asks: Why haven’t the Jays brought up Jim Negrych from AAA Buffalo (.377 AVG and .436 OBP) to play 2nd? To date, the Jays current second basemen have only managed a lousy .210 average and .237 OBP between them. It’s not likely Negrych would do any worse at the plate than Izturis and Bonifacio have so far, right? Can you help me understand this situation?
Pat Tabler: On the concerns about second base let me give you a few reasons why Emilio Bonifacio is a better choice than Jim Negrych. It’s great that Jim is having a great year in Buffalo. He gets to play in his hometown and is having an All-Star type of season. He has never played in the Major Leagues and is 28 years old. Bonifacio on the other hand is the same age (Negrych actually is a month older) and Boni is in his fifth year in the Bigs. He has had seasons of 40 and 30 stolen bases. He hit .296 one season and his MLB batting average is .267 coming into this season. Bonifacio can give you so much more on the diamond being a better athlete. He is starting to show you why the Jays think so highly of him. Give him time and he will impress you.
Gregg Zaun: Eric, sadly it comes down to a bottom line in most big league cities. They’ve made a significant monetary commitment to Maicer Izturis and feel like his track record warrants the patience they’ve shown in his offence and defence. They feel like they need to get their money’s worth. Negrych isn’t on the 40-man roster either. Adding him would require a roster move.
Mike Wilner: Eric, you’re absolutely right that it’s unlikely that Negrych would do any worse than Bonifacio and Izturis have done in the early part of the season. Thing is, the Blue Jays expect that both Bonifacio and Izturis will improve — as their career track records suggest they will — and they’re committed to both of them. Bonifacio is out of options, and the Blue Jays would surely lose him on waivers if they tried to send him down, and they’re committed to Izturis for three years.
Shi Davidi: Numbers at the minor league level don’t always transfer to the majors and Negrych is hitting well beyond his career norms. Additionally, it’s unlikely that he’s a defensive upgrade. Keep in mind that both Emilio Bonifacio and Maicer Izturis are proven big-leaguers, and Bonifacio’s speed game has the potential to be a powerful and dynamic weapon.
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Jamie Campbell: I think you’ll probably see Negrych up at some point Eric. That said, expect the Blue Jays to give the veterans every chance to succeed first. You have to remember, just because Negrych is lighting up triple-A pitching, doesn’t mean he’ll do it at the big league level.
David asks: When a young pitcher comes up to make his major league debut, does he have a lot of input into how to handle the hitters or does he simply throw whatever sign the catcher puts down?
Jack Morris: Well, 99.9 percent they’ve got no experience so they’ve got to trust the catcher. The catcher gets the scouting report before the series begins and so ideally the kid does what he’s told. When I first came up, I trusted my catcher Milt May. He said to me “just hit my glove and trust me.” I did shake him off a few times but it was because I didn’t feel comfortable throwing a breaking ball in certain situations.
Mike Wilner: Before every outing – major-league debut or otherwise – the starting pitcher, catcher and pitching coach sit down and go over the game plan in great detail. They talk about each hitter’s strengths and weaknesses and how they want to pitch to them. Everyone has input into the plan, and then they go out and try to execute it during the game. If a pitcher is asked to throw a pitch with which he’s uncomfortable, he should shake off the catcher whether it’s his first start or his 500th. The wrong pitch thrown with complete commitment is often a better choice than the right pitch thrown half-heartedly.
ShootaCgy: When J.A. Happ was hit by the line drive from Desmond Jennings, why was Jennings allowed to reach third base when a player (Happ) was in obvious distress on the play? When does the play stop on an injury such as this?
Pat Tabler: Unfortunately on the Happ line drive the ball is in play and the umpires cannot stop play until the ball is dead. I was watching the umpire as the play unfolded and I could tell he wanted to do something but had to wait by rule until the play ended. J.P. Arencibia wanted to go out to the mound also while the ball was down the line to check on his teammate but couldn’t leave his position. It took a little time but it all worked out in the end. I heard J.A. has started to throw again. He should be back sometime in June.
Gregg Zaun: ShootaCgy, baseball doesn’t work like hockey. A hockey play could seemingly last forever as long as there are no goals or changes of possession. Baseball plays, like football and basketball plays, are finite. They end relatively quickly and no matter what happens, they must be allowed to finish. You can’t penalize a player or his team because someone becomes injured while fielding a batted ball. It’s not their fault. Sounds harsh, but that’s baseball.
Mike Wilner: Play stops when the play is finished. There are no whistles in baseball, no clock, and no way to stop play. In situations like Happ’s, it’s not right. Help should be made available to a player in obvious distress as soon as humanly possible, and one hopes that MLB will look into making that change. Don’t hold your breath, though.
Shi Davidi: Jennings was allowed to keep running because the play was alive. The umpires do have the discretion to call the play under such circumstances although the rule wording around it is vague enough to give them pause. In this instance, there was a collective state of shock for all involved and while play probably should have been stopped, most umpires don’t have much experience with these kinds of situations. Lucky for everyone that Happ wasn’t hurt worse.
Jamie Campbell: It’s been a part of baseball for a long time. They tend to an injured player when the play ends. I doubt anything will change in that respect.
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Patrick asks: It seems like Josh Hamilton will swing at anything that is thrown at him and has a reputation since at least last season of not being very selective. Is there anything the Angels coaching staff can do or his Hamilton kind of an uncoachable player? Certainly gives that kind of impression.
Pat Tabler: If you want the definition of a free swinger, Josh Hamilton is it. Everyone in the game knows it. That is just his style. It’s not that he is uncoachable. He just likes getting his hacks in while he is at the plate. Pitchers use this to their advantage. The Angels are just going to have to get used to it. They have him signed for a few more years!
Shi Davidi: Hamilton isn’t uncoachable per se, but he’s been a very productive player and you don’t just change someone because of one bad run. Coaches talk to players all the time and sometimes information comes across the right way and leads to adjustments. But it’s not atypical for players to stick with what they know, especially when they’ve had success.
Barry asks: You guys have spent a bit of time around the Yankees this season. What do you think are the main reasons for Vernon Wells’ recent success? Different off-season conditioning program? New batting stance? New coaches?
Jack Morris: Well Vernon is seeing the ball a lot better and he’s also in a new environment in New York. All of that contributes to him just feeling more comfortable.
Gregg Zaun: Barry, Vernon has always been one of the most gifted players in the game. Prior to Carlos Delgado’s departure, he was not the focus. After he left, teams started really dissecting Vernon as a hitter. He was too aggressive. Throwing him strikes was a mistake. Teams quickly realized how to get him out by not throwing him strikes. He struggled to live up to expectations in LA. When he went to New York, there were no heavy expectations on him. He’s surrounded by good players. It DOES however, look like Kevin Long has tweaked his stance a bit. He’s more patient at the plate. I’ve always said that he was very dangerous when he gets strikes to hit.
Mike Wilner: Barry, I really think Vernon is just having a good year. He’s only 34, not terribly over the hill, and I think he’s been revitalized by being traded to the Yankees. If you look at his slash lines, though, he’s basically having the same season as he had for the Blue Jays in 2010, his final year here.
Shi Davidi: Wells has always been this type of talent, and he did come into camp fitter after revamping his off-season program. But to me he looks rejuvenated playing for the Yankees and being in a less prominent role, he hasn’t had to carry the load. His best years in Toronto were with Carlos Delgado and Troy Glaus around him, and the secondary status may work better for him.
Jamie Campbell: I firmly believe there’s something to putting on that uniform. You’re expected to perform, and if you don’t, you’ll be shown the door. Wells did, and he stays. Ben Francisco did not, and he was designated for assignment.