TORONTO – This was supposed to be a series that meant something, a dog days matchup to push or pause post-season dreams, and for the American-League East leading Boston Red Sox at least, that’s certainly the case.
Not so much for the Toronto Blue Jays, who are trudging steadily toward a 20th straight playoff-free fall, still trying to sort through the ever-expanding mess of 2013 while determining what should remain in place for ’14 and beyond.
Even without the stagnating subplot of John Farrell riding high in his “dream job,” gutting losses such as Tuesday’s 4-2 setback, settled in the 11th on Shane Victorino’s two-out, two-run single, really, really sting, and are reminders of how the long lost promise of what might have been steadily disappeared.
Given all that, the club’s recent spate of injuries both acute and lingering offers the Blue Jays an opportunity to bring up a handful of prospects knocking on the door for a meaningful look before the fool’s gold games of expanded September lineups water down the measuring sticks.
While a six-week stint will be no means offer any definitive insight into what Marcus Stroman, Sean Nolin, Kevin Pillar, A.J. Jimenez and Anthony Gose may offer next year, it will only add to the sample base upon which to make any judgments, be it this winter or next spring.
Along with Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison, who will both be up next month, the youngsters would shake up and bring energy to a clubhouse that’s endured four-plus months of repeated stomach punches, while gaining experience you can’t replicate.
At minimum, the kids might give fans who continue to come out to the Rogers Centre, 32,816 of them Tuesday pushing the overall count past 1.96 million, something to get excited about.
“We’ve talked about all those guys at various times,” general manager Alex Anthopoulos conceded in an interview Tuesday. “They’re performing well at the minor-league level, and so on … I don’t know if a six or seven week sample size is enough to get a read on a young player. There’s never any harm in getting them exposed to the big-league level, they get their feet wet, you take a look, but I don’t know ultimately that you’re going to make a full determination based on an August and September look.”
Even still, with nowhere to go but up in the standings, giving extended opportunities to minor-league veterans who provide depth but not upside like Thad Weber, recalled Tuesday when Josh Johnson was placed on the disabled list, doesn’t make much sense.
While the Weber decision was hastily made with a need to get an arm up quick – he was scratched shortly before his start for triple-A Buffalo – and along with Esmil Rogers is an option to start Wednesday, the next turn should go to Stroman, who pitched Sunday at double-A New Hampshire, or teammate Nolin, who allowed four runs in seven innings to beat New Britain 5-4 on Tuesday.
Next Tuesday’s doubleheader at Yankee Stadium allows the Blue Jays to bring up a 26th player for the twinbill, and with a rotation spot in need of filling, one of the two kids is an ideal fit.
At the same time, the continued absence of Melky Cabrera and looming DL stint for Colby Rasmus (a call will be made Wednesday whether his oblique is getting better or not), opens spots in the outfield that can be shared between veterans Rajai Davis and Emilio Bonifacio plus Gose and Pillar.
Gose, of late salvaging what’s been a down year in Buffalo, is especially important for the Blue Jays given that Rasmus is eligible for free agency after the 2014 season and he’s the only real internal heir apparent.
The speedy 23-year-old performed well in limited work with the Blue Jays earlier this year, and he could also factor into left field next year should Adam Lind’s option be declined and Cabrera shifted to DH.
Pillar, meanwhile, is a gritty player projected to at least become a fourth outfielder, and seeing what he brings to the mix makes plenty of sense if the Blue Jays end up in need of cost-effective options to fill out the 2014 club, given they already have $110 million committed to 13 players.
At the same time Jimenez, who started in the Futures Game prospect showcase this year after returning from Tommy John surgery, could spell J.P. Arencibia, who has been playing through bursitis in his right knee.
While Arencibia’s toughness and determination are admirable, the Blue Jays could get him some more regular rest while acclimatizing Jimenez, a widely lauded defender, to the big-leagues.
And even if the sample size for the five prospects is too limited to make any internal determinations, solid showings could pique the interest of potential trade partners, which would only help Anthopoulos this off-season.
There are too many good reasons to not give the kids a chance.
“I think you still take it with a grain of salt that they’re young players,” said Anthopoulos. “They’re talented, you ultimately believe they’re going to be good players down the road, but I don’t know that you want to put too much of an onus on them going into the season, saying you know what, we’re counting on so-and-so to carry the rotation or so-and-so to carry the bullpen or so-and-so to carry the offence.
“With young players I don’t think it’s fair to do that. You always go in with the understanding that with young players, there’s going to be volatility one way or another.”
What this year of disappointment has shown is that even veterans with long track records have hiccup campaigns, too. This group of players didn’t fit together in the 2013 puzzle, and the Blue Jays have nothing to lose by swapping out some of the pieces to see if they can construct a better picture.