September Call-Ups: Inglett, Wolfe, Hayhurst -- Or, Are the Jays Even Trying?

by hugo on Sep 1, 2009 2:50 PM EDT in Analysis Comment 22 comments

Well, the Jays have apparently underwhelmed everyone by calling up three players: Joe Inglett, Brian Wolfe, and Dirk Hayhurst.

Now, I bow to no one in my Hayhurst man-crush and I am very happy to see him back on the Jays. But a team completely out of the playoff picture like the Jays should be using September callups as an opportunity to give players who progressed this season a taste of the big leagues, not just recalling AAAA types unlikely to be of more than marginal use to the team going forward.

Brian Dopirak was a perfect example of someone who the Jays should be calling up. Dopriak is 25 already, but his career has been held back by injuries as much as (more than, really) development problems. He torched double A this season to the tune of .308/.374/.576 with 19 home runs in and 29 doubles in 87 games. Then, after the all-star break, he similarly smashed up AAA with 21 extra base hits in 45 games and a .344 batting average. He's right at the age where you want to see your minor-league hitter getting a shot at the bigs, and he has certainly earned a promotion with a fantastic season. Perhaps craziest of all, the Jays have Kevin Millar in the lineup on an all-too-regular basis. And yet Dopirak doesn't get promoted.

How about Angel Sanchez? Yeah, it's the PCL but he's hit .305/.363/.428 and his arm has apparently healed enough from ligament replacement surgery for him to reclaim his place as a plus defender at shortstop. With Edwin Encarnacion still hurt, Marco Scutaro could move over to third base on days when Sanchez plays SS, thereby not hurting his stats for his impending free agency. With Scutaro set to leave unless the Jays pony up, shouldn't the Jays at least take a look at what they may have in Sanchez?

Fabio Castro or David Purcey? Neither has been fantastic, but both have had credible seasons considering how tough the PCL can be on pitchers. Purcey threw a complete game, no walk, 3-hit shutout his last time out on Sunday. I'd say the Jays could take another look at him, with two young pitchers set to sit out the rest of the season, instead of giving starts to Brian Tallet. Castro could get a look as well.

And what to say about Jeremy Accardo, who has 26 Ks and 7 walks in 29 innings for Las Vegas, with a 3.10 ERA and lots of groundouts. If they were going to recall someone, why not Accardo, and not Wolfe, considering Accardo has superior both major- and minor-league numbers this season and a much better chance of being a high-leverage reliever for a major-league team.

That doesn't even get into the marginal cases like J.P. Arencibia and Scott Campbell - neither of which has had a great season - but Arencibia has 19 home runs and 31 doubles and has improved his walk rate a little, and Campbell did post a .371 OBP between AA and AAA.

What do you all think? Who would you have called up?

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Might there be additional callups

Might there be more callups after the Pacific Coast League season is complete in a couple days?

by Sam S on Sep 1, 2009 2:58 PM EDT reply actions

I hope so

But I’m not sure there’s really a reason to wait – it’s not like Las Vegas is playing for the championship

"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 Sep 1, 2009 3:06 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

it's a money thing

Saw it written elsewhere—they don’t want to pay the major league salaries, travel costs, etc., and also don’t want to rack up service time for the younger guys.

Maybe it’s for the best, being on such a putrid team that has completely given up probably won’t do anything for these guys’ development.

by voodoomusic on Sep 1, 2009 3:02 PM EDT reply actions

the Richard Griffin theory?

I can’t buy that. And the extra month of service time isn’t likely to make any difference

"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 Sep 1, 2009 3:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

what's the reason then?

Not a Griffin fan and I don’t think that’s where I saw it, although I can’t remember. I can’t think of another explanation if indeed it has nothing to do with money. Makes more sense to give these guys some MLB experience than to just send them home (unless you’re worried about blowing out the pitchers’ arms, but even then, just bring them up and don’t use them that much).

Wondering what the rotation is going to be now that they’re shutting Cecil and Scrabble down. I guess Halladay, Romero (shouldn’t he be shut down too?), Tallet, Richmond (same?), and ? Who am I missing?

by voodoomusic on Sep 1, 2009 3:18 PM EDT up reply actions

richmond and romero are ok

I think, because they pitched more last season and spent time on the dl.

I have no idea who is making that argument now, but I called it the Griffin theory because he argued it back in the Spring when Brett Cecil was hurt and it made even less sense. I guess it could be true now, except it raises a pretty unsettling question if it is- what is the point of even being a major-league baseball team if you are too poor/cheap to pay for meals and hotel rooms to call players up when it is clearly in the best long-term interest of the team?

"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 Sep 1, 2009 3:28 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

totally agree

and I think we’re probably going to have to wait until well into the offseason to really suss out where Rogers is going with this team (if even then).

There are rumours on the internets that the Jays will “spend to the max” this offseason. What the team has done over the past month (trading Rolen, dumping Rios, the draft disaster, and now this) would seem to indicate the exact opposite, unless the “max” is $70M (as I understand they have $65M already committed). However I haven’t given up on the possibility of being surprised by this team, it actually baffles me on a pretty regular basis.

But I think you could pretty easily generate an offseason checklist to figure out where all this is headed:

1. New President installed? Yes/No
2. J.P. fired? Yes/No
3. Cito fired? Yes/No
4. Scutaro resigned? Yes/No
5. Meaningful free agents (not a fan of Bay but at least it would indicate some sort of desire to improve) signed? Yes/No
6. Mencherson(s) signed? Yes/No

You’ll notice I didn’t list one of the more important offseasons decisions, trading Doc, as trading him (or not) doesn’t necessarily signal giving up. In fact I would say it’s probably the right move for everyone if a good package can be had.

If the answers to 1 through 5 are all or mostly “no” by the time we hit spring training I think it will be very hard to convince anybody that Rogers hasn’t totally given up on the team. The only reason to keep JP and Cito for an extra year is to avoid having to buy them out as they’re surely not a part of the long-term plan. We’re talking about a relatively small amount of money (compared, say, to a B.J. Ryan buyout) so this would indicate that costs are going to be slashed to the bone.

That’s fine if Rogers is gearing up to sell and can complete the transaction quickly, but I fear what will happen if they decide to go the Tampa route spending nothing and hoping to catch lightning in a bottle. I would rather see the team sold and even moved if it comes down to it than have it become a perpetual laughingstock.

by voodoomusic on Sep 1, 2009 3:53 PM EDT up reply actions

measuring success by how much money spent is rarely a good strategy. Just look at govts (in Canada or the US).

I prefer to see money spent effectively than spent in large quantities as a goal unto itself.

by aagoodfella on Sep 1, 2009 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

when Cecil was cut, that is

"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 Sep 1, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

putrid team?!

them is fighting words!

by aagoodfella on Sep 1, 2009 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Huh. My assumption was that Purcey would be a no-brainer. Give him starts that really don’t matter, see if he’s toughened up a bit and can bounce back from the beginning of the year.

Wolfe makes sense, because I think they want him to get some innings, see what they can do with him in the off-season or bulk up the book for spring training to consider. Same with Hayhurst.

Brian Dopirak not getting a call up amazes me. The point of the expanded roster is to give some people a taste in a low pressure environment, and see how he looks leading into next year.

Personally, my moves right now would have been to release Kevin Millar outright, bring up Wolfe, Purcey, Castro, Arencibia and Dopirak. The only reason not to see Accardo and Hayhurst is that I think we’ve seen them enough to have a pretty good idea about what they can do. See if Purcey’s turned around a little, see what Castro looks like, whether Wolfe is back from injury, and give Arencibia a chance to catch some of these pitchers.

by dexfarkin on Sep 1, 2009 3:13 PM EDT reply actions

Let's wait and see

…I am as cynical about current ownership as anyone, but let’s at least wait until the PCL season is done and it’s more than 18 hours into September. I fully expect some of the names mentioned to be up shortly.

If not, then flail away.

by Jevant on Sep 1, 2009 3:25 PM EDT reply actions

fair enough

I guess I just don’t see the point in waiting

"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 Sep 1, 2009 3:31 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

for example

Castro and Purcey won’t be making anymore starts before the end of the season. So, if they were going to be called up, you’d think it’d be now to give them a few days on the mlb bench – no?

"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 Sep 1, 2009 3:45 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

won't be making any more

Starts before the end of the PCL season I mean

"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 Sep 1, 2009 3:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Good point, I am with you

Life as a Toronto Sports Fan?... *sigh*... It is what it is...

by JohnnyG on Sep 1, 2009 3:33 PM EDT up reply actions

There is absolutely no reason Kevin Millar should be getting any more at-bats...

…now that September is here. Give them to a callup like Dopirak with something to prove rather then wasting them on a guy who will be lucky to have a job in the majors next year.

by snaptoit on Sep 1, 2009 3:41 PM EDT reply actions

they must have made some deal with him about keeping him all season

or perhaps the Jays do not want to be known as a team that punts vets mid-season so as they can hire more guys, as needed, down the road. But contemplating only the current situation, fer sure Millar should be gone — awhile ago.

by aagoodfella on Sep 1, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Millar and Bautista should not be blocking guys like Dopirak and Sanchez, Arencibia, etc. Why do we need to see Brian Wolfe again? Why not Fabio Castro? Let’s see if he is the real deal. I have stood by this team’s decisions, for the most part, but this makes absolutely no sense. This season is lost, why not see if these prospects are able to handle it up here. Wolfe, Inglett and Hayhurst are not prospects or going to be a key part of our future. Castro and Purcey may be, Dopirak and Arencibia will be. Come on, JP…I’m done…

by Bont on Sep 1, 2009 3:50 PM EDT reply actions