While our pitching was ok in August, our bats were a long ways short of ok. They couldn't have seen ok with a telescope. It was our worse month of the season for our hitters. Looking at the individual players isn't going to be fun but let's do it anyway.
Jeff Mathis: In 25 games, 22 starts, he hit .163/.190/.300, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 3 walks, 26 strikeouts. There was a lot of talk that we fixed Jeff's bat. Zaun goes on about how he would do a good job if he could play every day, well he's wrong. Mathis is the same batter we've seen for the past few years. He's ok for a backup, but playing full-time, that's stretching his abilities a little too far.
Yan Gomes: 10 games, 6 starts, hit .077/.143/.077, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 2 walks, 11 strikeouts in 26 at bats. And there is why Mathis played every day and why we traded for Torrealba.
Edwin Encarnacion: 27 games, starting all but 1 game in August. .270/.373/.510, 7 home runs, 18 RBI, 4 steals, 0 caught stealing, 15 walks, 15 k. Not one of his best months this season but still very good. It is tough to OPS over 1.000 when they can pitch around you all the time. We really need Bautista back. He started 11 games at first, 15 at DH and 1 in LF. I'm hoping we won't see him start in left again for a long time.
David Cooper: 19 games, 18 starts, .329/.338/.529 with 2 home runs, 5 RBI, 1 walk and 11 k. He was good, the 1 walks and 11 strikeouts thing scares me but then small sample size and all. I really wouldn't be excited about us going into next season with him at DH, but at the moment I don't think we have a better option in house.
Adam Lind: 5 games, .300/.333/.450, 1 home run, 2 RBI, 1 walk, 4 k. I don't know what their plans are for Adam, but they are paying him so they will see if they can get some value out of him. He shouldn't be hitting behind Edwin, but then we don't have anyone to hit behind Edwin that you wouldn't pitch around him to take your chances with.
Kelly Johnson: 25 games, 24 starts, .189/.270/.333, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 7 walks, 31 strikeouts. I really wish we had a decent bench so that he could have gotten a couple of week off to rest his injuries. Now, I don't know if he is still hurting or not, but I still think I'd give McCoy a week at second and let Kelly rest, though it doesn't matter now.
Yunel Escobar: 24 games, .239/.286/.337, 1 home run, 9 RBI, 3 walks, 13 k. I don't know, he seems to have a couple of good games in a row, I start thinking he's back to where he should be and then he doesn't get a hit for a week again. Good thing his glove has been terrific, Fangraphs has him at a 8.6 UZR/150.
Adeiny Hechavarria: 18 games, 18 starts, .208/.228/.296, 1 home runs, 5 RBI, 1 walk, 20 k. He's been improving but there are miles to go. 1 walk in 54 at bats isn't acceptable. I like watching young players improve. His defense has looked really good, great arm, it would be a waste of that arm to have him play second.
Omar Vizquel: 13 games, 8 starts, .229/.250/.257, 0 RBI, 1 steal, 2 caught, 1 walk, 6 k. He had a great career, I don't think he was useful this season, but he's given us a few good moments.
Rajai Davis: 28 starts, started every game in August. .223/.290/.304, 11 steals, 4 caught, 8 RBI, 6 walks, 21 strikeouts. He really can't be our starting left-fielder next year. A .304 OBP won't cut it. He did have that amazing catch.
Colby Rasmus: 22 games, 19 starts, .167/.222/.286, 3 home runs, 5 RBI, 5 walks, 33 k. Another that should have been allowed time of to heal up when he was hurting, but I don't know that he still hurting. I'd like someone to ask him if he still likes being a Blue Jay.
Moises Sierra: 24 games, 22 starts, .284/.312/.432, 3 home runs, 6 RBI, 1 steal, 3 walks, 20 strikeouts. A nice start, I am worried that teams are going to figure out that he won't take a walk. I do compare him to Eric Thames but I think there might be more potential there. He seems like the same sort of good power/low on base. He defense is, or should be better than Eric's, but we have seen him take strange routes a couple of times, and course he lost those 2 flies in the sun. He did get to show off his arm, saving us a win with it, one of the best throws I've ever seen.
Mike McCoy: 15 games, 10 starts, .132/.175/.211, 1 home run, 4 RBI, 2 steals, 1 caught, 2 walks, 5 k. I like him too much for his value, but he can pinch run, he can play everything but catcher. Those are some awful numbers for the month though.
Anthony Gose: 19 games, 15 starts, .185/.254/.259, 1 RBI, 8 steals, 1 caught, 3 walks, 24 k. Not a great start to his major league career but then I would start him over Rajai the rest of the way and see if he can learn.