Marcus Thames?

by Tom Dakers on Dec 11, 2009 6:13 PM EST in Toronto Blue Jays News

Jon Morosi from foxsports.comsays that the Jays (and Indians) are looking at Marcus Thames. I don't know, I guess he's better than Joey Gathright but is this someone we really want? This is the winning line:

Both teams need right-handed power and have yet to establish clear everyday left fielders for 2010.

Don't we have a few guys for left and would like someone to play RF? Thames also has played first so could platoon with Overbay if Lyle isn't traded and if we didn't have Randy Ruiz and Brian Dopirak to do that.

I'd hope there will be a better name among the guys none tendered tomorrow.

Tweet Comment 15 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

like you, I'm underwhelmed

but he does hit lefties well

"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 Dec 11, 2009 6:23 PM EST reply actions

But can he jump over a car?

Maybe its a good thing I’m not the GM but when I saw that youtube clip of Joey Gathright I would have thrown Vernon Wells money at him.

Johnnie Morton: The Man. The Myth. The Legend.

by craig in calgary on Dec 11, 2009 6:24 PM EST up reply actions

Seriously

So far, we have had the following guys either signed or “close to signing” or “serious interest”.

John MacDonald
Alex Gonzalez
Joey Gathright
Marcus Thames

4 guys with ZERO upside and marginal, AT BEST, usefulness.

Very depressing.

by Jevant on Dec 11, 2009 6:56 PM EST reply actions

looking at people is probably a good thing - we only have two outfielders

by ayjackson on Dec 11, 2009 7:33 PM EST reply actions

?

Last I checked:

Wells
Lind
Snider
Bautista

You can argue about how effective those guys are at OF, but all of them would be better than Gathright or Thames.

by Jevant on Dec 12, 2009 11:09 AM EST up reply actions

well, we find out today if JoBa is still around, yes? today is contract day

by aagoodfella on Dec 12, 2009 11:34 AM EST up reply actions

True. If we replace him with Gathright or Thames though, I think my head is going to explode.

by Jevant on Dec 12, 2009 12:45 PM EST up reply actions

You think Thames is that much worse than Bautista?

I see them as pretty similar, but Thames would be getting at best $1 million while Bautista would be getting $4 million.

by Tom Dakers on Dec 12, 2009 12:54 PM EST up reply actions

right

Bautista can fill in at 3rd, which is nice to have. Also, I suppose he can play a bit of centre in a pinch. But that’s just not worth the difference in salaries. I’ll be disappointed if Bautista is offered arbitration – I think they could non-tender him and resign him for less if they really want to keep him.

"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 Dec 12, 2009 1:06 PM EST up reply actions

Thames-Bautista

You may have a point regarding difference of salaries. But if this organization is willing to spend 3 million on Johnny Mac over the next 2 years, they should be willing to pay a bit extra for a guy with some versatility.

Acquiring Thames would give us 3 poor defensive OF (Lind, Snider and Thames), all of whom would be better served as a 1B or DH (with the possible exception of Snider). I can’t see a Thames-Wells-Snider OF being any better defensively than a Lind-Wells-Snider OF (both would be awful).

by Jevant on Dec 12, 2009 1:17 PM EST up reply actions

I certainly am not enthused about the possibility of Thames

as you say, ideally we need a backup CF and a good fielder to support Lind/Snider, not Thames. But a team that doesn’t plan to contend also doesn’t need a $4 utility man who can’t hit righthanded pitching.

You’re right that the Johnny Mac signing doesn’t comport with the 2010 Jays either. I think that signing was a mistake too (would much rather see what McCoy or some other kid can do and put that $3 million into the draft) and don’t think one mistake means the Jays have to go further down the rabbit hole with relatively expensive contracts for part-time players.

"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 Dec 12, 2009 1:41 PM EST up reply actions

Pretty much. Bautista is a superiour defender, Thames has a lot more power. I don’t hugely mind him on the bench if he’s cheap.

by dexfarkin on Dec 12, 2009 8:52 PM EST up reply actions

my point is

it’s okay to look, especially when you only have two certainties (Wells, Snider) in the OF.

by ayjackson on Dec 13, 2009 9:48 AM EST up reply actions

Whats wrong with Randy Ruiz?

The man tore it up at AAA, and did pretty well in the majors too. He’ll be the DH, then we trade Overbay for a C, and put Lind at 1st. Snider-Wells-Bautista in the outfield. We really don’t need Gathwright AND Thames. We just need either, and I prefer Thames. And I like Bautista playing the OF; the dude can cover ground and has a gun.

HEADING STRAIGHT FOR THEM, I PRESS DOWN MAH GUNS!

by BenjiDoc on Dec 12, 2009 8:34 PM EST reply actions