Encarnacion

by Fuzzpuke on Aug 28, 2010 2:58 PM EDT

Can someone please tell me why Edwin Encarnacion continues to get regular playing time? It's not even so much that he's getting playing time, but that he's getting playing time over someone like Travis Snider.

He is a mediocre hitter with decent power, and I could tolerate his offensive production as I would any player with similar stats if they run smart and play solid defense. The latter two things are not part of Edwin's skillset, which basically means he has no value.

Add to that that he is taking time away from other players who deserve it and should be getting it and I am left scratching my head.

Snider is part the future of this team and needs to be out there. Bautista is preferred in RF, and rightly so, but the team is just better overall offensively and defensively with him at 3B and Snider in RF.

If this team is truly rebuilding, and we're not part of the playoff chase, why are we not commiting to our stars of tomorrow at this point? Are we really going to resign Encarnacion??

I actually think John McDonald is a much better option at third base. It isn't his primary defensive position but the guy has gifted hands and would probably adapt and be great at 3B just as he is at SS or 2B. He's not the worst hitter, not really any more a liability than Edwin, just doesn't have as much pop. I'm willing to bet he could be productive enough out of the 9th spot in the order if given the opportunity to play every day... of course they'd lose that key utility guy off the bench which is important to have.

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Because... Cito Gaston

As you said, Bautista is preferred in RF, and if he prefers something, he’s going to do it, despite if it hurts the team or doesn’t put the best possible team on the field. He’s done it over and over and over again and so close to him retiring as the manager, it’s not going to stop.

Encarnacion is a veteran, and while I don’t think he’s as bad as you say, I would still prefer Snider in the line-up over him. But because he’s seen as a veteran, Cito will keep him exactly where he is.

Ball.

by Casusby on Aug 28, 2010 3:15 PM EDT reply actions

Veteran?

I wouldn’t call Encarnacion a veteran, he’s 27 and in his 5th full season… but you’re right, that kind of makes him old on this team, and you’re right, that’s just how Cito rolls.

I appreciate everything Cito did for the team back in the glory days and I think he has done a good job in his second term. I believe the players like him and they like the confidence he shows in them, but I will not miss him when he is replaced next year. He is too old school.

by Fuzzpuke on Aug 28, 2010 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions

seems like the case for Snider to take time from Lewis

is much better than the case for Snider to replace Bautista and right and have Bautista move to 3rd. I’m not saying that should never happen, and I’d rather see Snider in the lineup every day than Edwin, but replacing Lewis with Snider seems like even more of a no-brainer

"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 Aug 28, 2010 3:35 PM EDT reply actions

Yah it does and I thought of that too… but I was taking into consideration the lineup.

Not that Lewis is outstanding but he has done a decent job and the lineup is much more fluid with Lewis/Escobar setting the table. Snider leading off was disturbing to me and I don’t think it suits him, or the lineup. The DH is in play as well, depending on the Overbay/Lind situation.

I want Snider to get playing time about as much as I wish to not see Edwin Encarnacion continue to play baseball for the Jays… so was trying to kill two birds with one stone

by Fuzzpuke on Aug 28, 2010 3:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Lewis has been awful since Snider rejoined the team

and he seems like a baby about playing time. I do agree he fits better as a leadoff hitter than Snider but to me that’s a secondary concern.

"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 Aug 28, 2010 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions

agreed

but I think Escobar-Snider is a better 1-2 than Lewis-Escobar or Snider-Excobar.

by ayjackson on Aug 30, 2010 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions

agreed

"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 Aug 30, 2010 10:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Snider in RF would be as bad as EE in 3rd

and while Johnny Mac’s 3B Defence might be good, his offence is way below EE’s level

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Aug 28, 2010 4:14 PM EDT reply actions

Snider isn't that bad in RF.

I don’t think he’s any better/worse in RF than LF.

by Tom Dakers on Aug 28, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

well point is

he’s not that good in the OF.

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Aug 28, 2010 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Other than arm strength I think he compares ok to Bautista for defense.

he isn’t terrible in the OF

by Tom Dakers on Aug 28, 2010 5:34 PM EDT up reply actions

and Encarnacion has just been DL'd

Ball.

by Casusby on Aug 28, 2010 4:24 PM EDT reply actions

yay?

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Aug 28, 2010 5:14 PM EDT up reply actions

And they recalled McCoy

Great.

Hopefully it is just to backup McDonald.

I don’t think McDonald is that inferior to E5 offensively, I actually prefer the tools that McDonald has to what E5 brings. E5 has more power. Who cares? Does this team really need the power out of the 9th spot in the order? Defensively, it’s not even a contest.

In light of this DL news, I say put McDonald in and try him out in the leadoff spot if we aren’t going to roll with Lewis.

Whatever the case… PLAY SNIDER!

by Fuzzpuke on Aug 28, 2010 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

Wait, you want a career .238/.275/.323 hitter with limited speed in the leadoff spot? Mcdonald just doesn’t have the bat to justify starting him at 3rd over anyone, regardless of his defense. Add to that, the fact that Mac starting at 3rd means Snider probably loses playing time and it’s a no-brainer. with EE out I say move Jedi to 3rd so Snider gets the AB he needs.

by TwoEyesForAnEye on Aug 28, 2010 6:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree that is best – I wrote the original article where I stated Bautista at 3B and Snider in the OF is the best scenario for the team.

I was giving an alternative if it persists that Bautista play RF.

Yah, I’d try McDonald in the leadoff spot if Lewis wasn’t starting, but I suppose Escobar may make more sense.

by Fuzzpuke on Aug 28, 2010 6:23 PM EDT up reply actions

McCoy being recalled gets me thinking, though...

Call me crazy, but would this be the time to shift Aaron Hill to third? He’s a good defender, and while he’s not exceptionally fast, he doesn’t really have to be to play third, just needs a quick glove. In which case, McCoy could play second and maybe lead off as he has pretty good speed if not the greatest contact ability, while Johnny Mac remains the utility guy and Lewis/Wise split OF bench duty. Then again, it’s Cito, so I know it won’t happen…
As far a leadoff hitters are concerned though, I think we need either speed or average up top, because this team doesn’t have a player like Ichiro who can do both. And with not a lot of average on this team, I’d go for speed, in which case I like McCoy.

I'm thinking that when the Leafs win the Cup, I'll lose my drinking problem.

by leafsfan4life94 on Aug 28, 2010 6:34 PM EDT reply actions

might be a good idea

but i think Hill will still be our starting 2B for 2011, Hech wont be ready yet IMO (who knows though)
I think Hill at 3B can wait until next year

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Aug 28, 2010 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Hechavarria is not going to play 2B. His SS defence is Major League ready now.

by TonyFernandezSavedMyLife on Aug 28, 2010 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah but Escobar is great in the field too. One of the best in the league.

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

by JohnnyG on Aug 28, 2010 8:07 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah i know Hech would play SS

which probably moves Yunel to 2B, which moves Hill to 3B

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Aug 29, 2010 2:12 AM EDT up reply actions

I think Escobar's arm is better than Hech's

So I’m thinking he plays SS, although up the middle we’re looking solid either way. I see Hech winning the Gold Glove at second while Escobar’s here. If Escobar stays with us, then he’ll eventually move to 3B (like Tejeda, ARod, etc.) I think because his range will slow down but his cannon will be intact. And then Hech can begin his run of gold gloves at SS.

by T_Mizz on Aug 29, 2010 8:34 AM EDT up reply actions

I understand that EE is not having the greatest season,

but here are a few bits of career stats

Mac: .238 / .275 / .323, wOBA: .266, OPS+ 59
EE: .258 / .338 / .448, wOBA: .343, OPS+ 103

You don’t have to like Edwin Encarnacion to realize that he’s a far superior hitter to John McDonald. This isn’t about who should play, it’s about who is the better hitter, and it’s Edwin.

"Look at me! I'm Tomokazu Ohka of the Montreal Expos!"

by jessef on Aug 28, 2010 6:40 PM EDT reply actions

but

defence matters too, although i’ll bet Johnny Mac at 3B is not as good as him at SS

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Aug 28, 2010 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Mac will be ok at third but not near good enough to have that bat in the lineup.

he really doesn’t have the strong arm you’d want there.

by Tom Dakers on Aug 28, 2010 11:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Well I have no statistics to back this up (because I know of none that would track it, his throws seem to be more lobbing over to first as oppose to strong straight throws.

Damn accurate though.

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

by JohnnyG on Aug 29, 2010 12:04 AM EDT up reply actions

at the moment

Johnny Mac’s fielding average is .941 and EE is .938. Limited innings for Mac, but Mac’s career FA at third is .939. Not that Fielding Average tells you much about how good they are at defense.

by Tom Dakers on Aug 29, 2010 12:37 AM EDT up reply actions

yeah he's had some unlucky errors

lost it a couple times in the sun, and hard shots that he couldn’t come up with

To Infinity. And BEYOND!!!

by YunelTheLazyLatino on Aug 29, 2010 2:14 AM EDT up reply actions

Hmmmmm

Mac’s lifetime FA and EE’s fielding average is the same but EE is terrible and Mac is unlikely? Oh well, and Mac lost the ball in the sun playing LF not third.

by Tom Dakers on Aug 29, 2010 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Maybe Snider’s game today will earn him some additional PT. He hit the ball hard all over the field… even his out was a rocket that required a nice catch by Inge.

Lewis was 0-fer albeit with a walk and a SB, and is 3 for 25 with five walks in the past seven games. Not exactly stats to be desired.

I just looked, and was surprised by how much Snider actually has been playing because it seemed to me like he was sitting more playing. But that is not at all the case. Yesterdays game was his 17th start out of 25 games and he made an appearance in an additional two games.

Personally I think he should be the everyday outfielder but starting 2/3 of the time really isnt so bad… and with Edwin injured and Overbay sick he may find some extra opportunities.

by Fuzzpuke on Aug 29, 2010 2:30 AM EDT reply actions