BOSTON – There tends to be reluctance toward using a big-league player out of position, the way the Toronto Blue Jays did in giving Russell Martin his first career start in left field Monday.
Toronto first base coach Tim Leiper doesn’t understand the hesitation.
“I’ve worked in the American League and the National League, in the National League you’re used to double-switch, things happen, guys get hurt, you throw players in and they play,” he said before knocking balls off the Green Monster to prepare Martin.
“Most of the time it doesn’t even bother you, so I don’t want to get over-analytical on it. I find when you work for American League teams, it’s like, ‘OK, we need two weeks of early work to get ready to do this.’ Where in the National League you just go play and see what happens. For me that’s a good approach. More times than not when those things happen, everything works out for the best.”
The outing in left field comes on the heels of Martin’s first career start at shortstop Friday and gives him starts at four different positions this year, plus time at six of the nine positions on the diamond. He needs only time at centre field, first base and on the mound to complete the set.
Manager John Gibbons has shown a willingness to improvise when situations have demanded it. Last year, for instance, he started Josh Donaldson at shortstop and Jose Bautista at third base in the same game, while this season he was going to use Kendrys Morales at third base had the Blue Jays and Angels made it to extra innings in a game last week.
That’s in part why, when asked about Martin in left field Monday, he replied: “Every time he plays a new position you guys going to make a big deal out of it?”
Eventually, Gibbons reduced his answer to this: “Lefty [David Price] on the mound, right-handed bats, get them in there.”
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Bullpen management
Gibbons extended Seung-hwan Oh for 1.1 innings in Sunday’s 5-3 win at Philadelphia, the right-hander getting one out in the seventh plus three in the eighth to set up Ryan Tepera for his second save in the ninth.
It’s not necessarily an alignment to get used to, as Gibbons decided to use Oh again in the eighth because he needed only two pitches in the seventh, and he doesn’t want to lock him into a role because he likes to use Oh in leverage situations with men on base.
“That’s where I determine things sometimes,” said Gibbons. “Do you want a guy coming in with guys on base?”
Whatever the case is, Oh has clearly earned his manager’s trust.
“Oh’s been on a nice little roll,” said Gibbons. “He doesn’t throw as hard as he used to, I can only imagine when he was in St. Louis bringing it, but he’s got great command, got a great breaking ball and just the way he carries himself on the mound. He’s just steady.”
As for Tepera in the ninth, Gibbons said: “You don’t like that leadoff walk [Sunday] but then he rolled the double play to end the game. I though he looked more comfortable than he did [collecting his first save Friday].”
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Injury updates
Shortstop Aledmys Diaz (right ankle sprain) is set to begin a rehab assignment with double-A New Hampshire on Tuesday, where he’ll meet up with Randal Grichuk as the outfielder continues to work his way back from a right knee sprain.
The timelines for either player weren’t clear but John Gibbons noted that the club will take its time with Grichuk, who was struggling at the plate before he was injured and now has a chance to build into shape.
“He needs the at-bats,” said Gibbons.
Meanwhile, Marcus Stroman (shoulder) continues to long-toss and is scheduled to throw a side session this week, Steve Pearce (oblique strain) is slated to start a hitting progression this week while shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (surgery to remove bone spurs from both heels) was to begin a running progression on the ground Monday.
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