Two Voices

by Tom Dakers on Mar 2, 2010 6:15 PM EST in Toronto Blue Jays Analysis

Ever have one of those days when there are two conflicting voices in your head? And no, not the normal voices that say 'if you started driving south you could be in Mexico in 4 days and no one would ever find you.' Oh? That's not a normal voice? I hear it a lot.

Anyway I've had the two voices in my head all day. The one voice is calm, sort of in the Jack Nicholson, the first few times he types "All work and no play make Jack a dull boy" way. That voice is saying "it is the first spring training game, who cares about the batting order". It is a very reassuring voice, if you overlook foreshadowing.

The other voice is a little louder. Ok, a lot louder. Maybe slightly more hysterical. "How the hell do you bat Travis Snider 9th in the order?" He is hitting behind such great hitters as Alex Gonzalez, he of the .635 OPS last year, Jeremy Reed, lifetime .669 OPS and John Buck with the lifetime .705 OPS.

This morning the calmer voice was winning. This afternoon? Not so much.

I know, Cito doesn't like Snider. I know he wants to 'put him in his place' or however why you want to say it. We keep being told that Snider has to win his way on to the team. Travis Snider has to win his way on to the team? This is a team where Jose Bautista, a player who at 28 just had his best season ever at the plate, with a big .235 BA, is installed as leadoff hitter before spring starts.

Travis Snider, with no end of potential, has to win his way onto the team. Jose Bautista, with the career .316 OBP against lefties leads off. Jose Bautista who couldn't keep a job as a corner infielder, gets a corner outfielder job. Travis Snider has to win his way onto the team. And he has to win it starting at the 9th spot in the order, hitting behind 3 guys who if they get on base at a .300 pace it would be some sort of miracle.

Anyway, I'm sure the calmer voice will win out again tomorrow. It is just the first spring game.

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Comments

We can only hope

that this isn’t a sign of things to come. This is supposed to be a year for building for the future. Last time I checked our future didn’t include Buck, Reed, Bautista nor Gonzalez. It would be a real disappointment to see a season wasted with guys like Bautista and Reed in the lineup every day. I realize that Buck and Gonzalez are there until someone is “ready”. But this had better not get out of hand or the team’s ever shrinking fan base is going to slowly trickle away.

by asal313 on Mar 2, 2010 7:04 PM EST reply actions

It was already out of hand last year

when they didn’t sign anybody at all, period.

They're not just hitting home runs. They're doing the little things, like hitting doubles.

by Torgen on Mar 2, 2010 7:07 PM EST up reply actions

I'm just going

to try and not get too upset about it until the real games start and we see if this is indeed their plan for the season

by asal313 on Mar 2, 2010 7:17 PM EST up reply actions

I really really just wish that this is just a spring training thing and since they will all most likely be subbed out after two at bats anyways it doesn’t matter.

But I know its not. Deep Down I know Snider will bat near the bottom of the lineup and probably miss out on an average of one at bat per game.

There is simply no excuse for that. None.

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

by JohnnyG on Mar 2, 2010 8:35 PM EST reply actions

I have been singing that song for awhile. If Joba is on the team there is a problem. He really offers no comparative advantage over other players, IMHO. Not exceptional with bat, speed or glove. A guy like Snider will presumably become strong at bat and even JMac, despite his weak bat, is a great glove. This is going to make me bananas this year if Joba gets starts even when righties are pitching.

Now think of all the MLB ABs Snider could have had over the past year if Cito had used him more. I really hope the team does not waste more ops to develop Moonraker.

by aagoodfella on Mar 2, 2010 9:47 PM EST reply actions

joba is a yankees pitcher. jobau plays for the toronto blue jays.

by Andy Mc on Mar 3, 2010 12:21 AM EST up reply actions

Young team, young manager

Someone with a new style wave of thinking is required.

I hate being anti-Cito, but he is not giving any reason for much confidence at this point.

Knights, Canucks, Dolphins, Jays and Raptors all the way.

by Jevant on Mar 2, 2010 10:55 PM EST reply actions

yahoo comments on Ruiz -- some good stuff

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Randy-Ruiz-a-32-year-old-rookie-tries-to-make-;_ylt=AqkyYTdjG5bJTYDo7glNlmARvLYF?urn=mlb,225146

by aagoodfella on Mar 3, 2010 3:44 AM EST reply actions

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Randy-Ruiz-a-32-year-old-rookie-tries-to-make-;_ylt=AqkyYTdjG5bJTYDo7glNlmARvLYF?urn=mlb,225146

by aagoodfella on Mar 3, 2010 3:44 AM EST up reply actions

Can we set up a donation/fund for Hentgen?

Pennies 4 Pat?

by JayLo Biafra on Mar 3, 2010 8:28 AM EST reply actions

In this line-up...

batting 9th would probably be better for Snider than hitting 6th… In the 6th spot, he has the likes of Reed, Buck, and Gonzalez hitting after him… which doesn’t exactly give pitchers much of a reason to offer anything up to Snider. Alternatively, no one wants to give up a free pass to the 9th hitter, so this might actually get Snider a few better pitches to look at (albeit with the potential for one less AB). Also, while batting 6th might lead to more RBI chances, the Jays will more likely be looking at a lot more of the technical merrits to Snider’s game, as opposed to a reasonably unreliable counting stat in a very small sample size.

by hilleraj84 on Mar 3, 2010 9:04 AM EST reply actions

very good point re: getting pitches to hit. hitting in front of Alex Gonzalez or John Buck (or gasp, Jose Molina) is a sure fire way to get pitchers to throw you nothing to hit. I said in the past I actually wouldn’t mind leading the kid off to get him ab and get him in front of a decent hitter, but I just don’t see that happening. yeah he’s not an ideal leadoff man, but if this team has one I must have missed the memo.

by jayjay on Mar 3, 2010 1:33 PM EST up reply actions

Off-topic...

Our heart of the lineup ledt 2 on base in the first spring game inning… ;) Well known from last year….

by jaysfanfromeurope on Mar 3, 2010 1:30 PM EST reply actions

But at least....

JoBau started with a hit… hes 1.000 at the moment ;)

by jaysfanfromeurope on Mar 3, 2010 1:32 PM EST up reply actions

Ohh..... Ricky and the long balls...

… Wells struck out with 2 runners on base and 0ne out…. Ricky got the longball…. So nothing has changed over the winter?

by jaysfanfromeurope on Mar 3, 2010 1:40 PM EST reply actions

Well, Hill and Bautista getting SBs is kinda a change.

And one of our pitchers picking off a runner seems pretty weird to see on the box score too.

Our 0-for-3 with RISP is about par for the course though…

And, for those interested, CC and Halladay’s first spring starts are against each other tomorrow and it definitely is gonna be on MLB.tv. Looking forward to those first few innings.

"Don't tell me it's impossible. Be honest and tell me you can't do it. Tell me you don't know how."

by wroth91 on Mar 3, 2010 2:06 PM EST up reply actions