What will happen if Edwin Encarnacion can't answer the bell this year?

by Tom Dakers on Mar 5, 2010 11:56 AM EST in Toronto Blue Jays News

Edwin Encarnacion was to play, today, but his wrist is still 'tender'. If this was a novel, we would call this foreshadowing. Foreshadowing is a literary devise where the writer plants the seeds for bad news to come. Course I'm no doctor but his wrist surgery was near the start of the off-season. Wouldn't you think he should be healed up by now?

I'm wondering what the backup plan is at third? This is a team with roughly 75 major league ready pitching arms, but we are as thin as tissue paper in most of the position spots (which is kind of interesting since many of our position players seem to be made of tissue paper). I guess what would happen is that Bautista would move to third. After that I'd like Snider to go into right, Lind in left and Ruiz or Dopirak DHing. But I don't think Cito would do that.

It is possible that McCoy would play third and the outfield would stay as planned. McCoy though doesn't seem to have the sort of bat that you'd want in a corner spot, but then Bautista doesn't either and he's our RFer. I don't suppose the Jays would let Wallace play third for the year?

My worry? They put Bautista at third and use Joey Gathright in RF.

We really need Encarnacion to play and hit well. With a lineup that includes Buck, Gonzalez and has Bautista leading off, everyone else needs to have a good year for us not to have a crappy offense.

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That is not good news about EE. Maybe if it does force the team’s hand to move Wallace to 3rd, it will be a hidden benefit. Than it would open up 1st and all kinds of wonderful options become available including maybe Lind at first or Ruiz etc … dare to dream. But I think AA is still commited to 1B Wallace, so not likely to happen.

by aagoodfella on Mar 5, 2010 12:14 PM EST reply actions

Yeah, they seem committed to Wallace at 1b. The only way I could ever see him playing 3b this year is if EE went down and Wallace had a monster spring forcing himself on to the roster. Long term 1b would still be the plan b/c the knock on his D is more that he’s just okay now and projects to get worse as he fills out. So while he MIGHT be able to hold his own today, as he matures 1b really seems to be where his future is.

by jayjay on Mar 5, 2010 12:58 PM EST up reply actions

I agree if EE is still having problems NOW, then it's going to be a gong show at third.

Possible replacements at third? I’d like to see Wallace but we all know Cito is going to put Johnny Mac at 3rd and bat him 8th, and then STILL bat Snider 9th.

I dont think Cito likes Snider that much to put JoBau at third and just give moonraker the job in the OF. (seeing as he still has to make the team)

Actually never mind Snider still having to make the team. It looks like he has to outplay Jmac for a better spot in the batting order.

by syc on Mar 5, 2010 12:14 PM EST reply actions

JMac can do a good job at third but then a batting order with JMac, Agon, and JBau is a little light.

by aagoodfella on Mar 5, 2010 2:30 PM EST up reply actions

My worry? They put Bautista at third and use Joey Gathright in RF.

That’s totally what they will do. Although it might be Reed instead of Gathright.

"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 Mar 5, 2010 12:18 PM EST reply actions

Come on EE

Get better! No Bautista at 3rd!

Ball.

by Casusby on Mar 5, 2010 12:20 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah pick out the way we have the least chance to score and that will be the way they do it.

Could be Johnny Mac at 3B leaving Jose in RF and us hoping for shutouts every game if we want to win.

by Tom Dakers on Mar 5, 2010 12:38 PM EST up reply actions

Agreed.

That is until Reed gets hurt, b/c he’s rarely healthy. I think we’d see a bunch of lineups, but that if Bautista was moved to 3b Cito would want to keep him there, so it would be Reed in RF, maybe Gathright, maybe a little Snider in RF w/ Lind or even Ruiz in LF.

All that said, I still think AA should and could very well make a play for an OF towards the end of spring. The odds are someone better than Gathright/Reed will be on the bubble somewhere, and I could see AA shopping one of our thousands of “blah” arms for a “blah” OFer.

by jayjay on Mar 5, 2010 12:54 PM EST up reply actions