Wednesday Bits

by Tom Dakers on Nov 12, 2008 8:00 AM EST

Gregg Zaun didn't enjoy his last season as a Jay and wants to let people know about it. In this story in the National Post Zaun, among other things says he was disrespected and that he wasn't told why he lost his starter's job. Also he says that Ricardi lies (no!, couldn't be):

"It sure wasn't easy to take when J. P. in the papers was telling everybody in the baseball world that nobody wanted me, when I knew that that was in fact not the truth," he said in a telephone interview. "To say that nobody was interested in me was inaccurate and embarrassing and it really made me look bad. I wasn't happy with that."

Over at Amazing Avenue they have an interesting post up about the book Moneyball. I'll admit it is one of my favorite books. Is worth the read but wanted to quote the important part:

Beane's salient point was not that on-base percentage was king (even though it is). The most important thing to take away from Moneyball, at least insofar as it would benefit a team without limitless resources, is the constant search for weaknesses in the market.

People (ie Joe Morgan)don't get it. Small market teams, if they are going to win, need to find skills that help a team win that don't cause a player to be overpaid. If you are the Yankees you can overpay, but if you are the A's you have to find the bargains. Course I don't know where trading for Holliday comes into it.

Beyond the Boxscore has their list of Top Fifty Players of 2008. Top 50 none pitchers that is. There are 2 Jays on the list, numbers 51 and 52, Marco Scutaro and Alex Rios.

And Cito Gaston has won the 2008 Jackie Robinson Lifetime Achievement Award. I can't say I had heard of the award before but it is for 'career excellence in the face of adversity'. Congratulations Cito.

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I guess that sums up the sesaon

numbers 51 and 52 of the top 50 players, haha.

Congrats to Cito!

Tough to blame Zaun for being annoyed, though I don’t remember the J.P. comments he’s talking about.

By the way, Jon Heyman at SI.com again mentioned the Jays as suitors for Manny. I have a feeling that Boras’ nonsense about 5 years is just to get teams to go ridiculous on salary for fewer seasons, and here’s betting it will work.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Nov 12, 2008 8:44 AM EST reply actions

JP may have said it on the Wednesday phone in show....

He said that nobody was interested in trading for Zaun, I thought at the time that it seemed unlikely that no one would want him.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 12, 2008 10:51 AM EST up reply actions

Shhh

Jays have actually been really quiet on the rumour front, as a team that locally says they are going to compete they should really be out there making some noise as they have some major holes to fill at SP, SS and DH.

by bunner on Nov 12, 2008 10:19 AM EST reply actions

Marco

Scootaro!!!

I hate the fact that people are down on this guy and don’t want him to be the starting shortstop. He is the least of our problems.

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by eyebleaf on Nov 12, 2008 10:30 AM EST reply actions

Well I wouldn't say he is the least of our troubles....

But if they batted him at the back of the lineup I’d be much happier. If he is going to bat in the 1 or 2 hole, we need someone else. And even though he had a good season, I’m not sure his glove is up to the everyday shortstop role. But unless we can get Greene or Furcal I’m winning to see what happens with Scoot again.

I agree though that getting a DH and a Starter are 1 and 1a on out off-season job list

by Tom Dakers on Nov 12, 2008 10:46 AM EST up reply actions

I have to say

I was one of those people until I saw the defensive stats showing how good he was defensively (and the numbers at 3rd and 2nd suggest that it wasn’t a fluke, since he was well above average at all 3 positions). If he can put up a .700 OPS and play plus defense, he’s fine as long as he’s not batting 1st or 2nd all the time. We need to get runners on at the top of the lineup if we’re going to score runs, since power looks to be a weak spot once again. Scoot actually did a decent job reaching base last season, but career wise he hasn’t been anything special in that department. But if the Padres are looking to dump salary and don’t want much for Greene, who had a lousy season last year but good career offensive numbers (95 OPS+ quite good for a solid defensive SS) and will be playing for a contract, why not bring him in and let the two battle it out. Competition is a good thing. I also like Furcal, but I think that’s very unlikely at this point. I also agree with you that getting a DH and a starter are the priorities, but if we had the luxury of not missing Marcum, McGowan, and Burnett, I would probably be more concerned about SS than I am. It’s just a case of not being able to fix everything with limited resources.

"Let us go forth awhile, and get better air in our lungs. Let us leave our closed rooms... The game of ball is glorious." - Walt Whitman

by hugo on Nov 12, 2008 10:53 AM EST up reply actions

I saw the defensive stats....

But he has never been that good defensively before and it is pretty rare that a player reinvents himself defensively this late in a career, so I’m thinking maybe it is a fluke. But I’m willing to be proven wrong if they can’t find anyone clearly better this summer. Johnny Mac’s defensive numbers were down this year….which worries me some too.

But you are right, we’ll be lucky to have the money to fix SP and DH. I’m just thinking that in a perfect world a better SS wouldn’t hurt.

by Tom Dakers on Nov 12, 2008 11:06 AM EST up reply actions