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Is Moises Sierra A Dead Man (Not) Walking?

Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

Currently, the Blue Jays have a three man bench with the flexibility of a 90-year-old woman the day after climbing Mount Everest. Moises Sierra broke camp with the team this year in large part due to his lack of options and lack of much competition from anyone else for his roster spot. With 21 games now played in the season, it might be time to wonder what on earth the Blue Jays are looking to do with Sierra and the waste of a roster spot he's taking up. The numbers show only a portion of the problem, but he's 2-22 with a walk in nine games, which is bad news any way you slice it. Unless there is an injury to an outfielder, Sierra sits on the bench being blocked by three players who are much better than him. When he does get into a game, like the series in Minnesota due to Colby Rasmus' injury, he looks lost at the plate and awkward in every other facet of the game:

via BlueJayHunter

When you start to look at what Sierra has done for the team, you start to wonder if the writing is on the wall and it's only a matter of time before the team tries to sneak him (probably unsuccessful) through waivers. If you need a fourth outfielder who can't hit, why not add the speed of Anthony Gose? In late game situations, Sierra has provided no benefit to the Blue Jays, which wouldn't be the case with the pinch running ability of Gose. He is also a superior defender who could come into the game defensively if Melky Cabrera started to look a little rugged out there.

In Buffalo, Gose is still striking out over 25% of the time, but his walk rate is up (SSS) and he's getting on base (.361 OBP) and making things happen. With Gose already on the 40-man it's getting hard to justify Sierra taking up the roster spot over the "future" centre fielder of the Blue Jays assuming Colby Rasmus leaves this offseason. If Alex Anthopoulos and friends aren't going to give Sierra a chance to show he's a worthy fourth outfielder, then they should have kept Gose with the team when he flew all the way to Minnesota for one game and tried to get Sierra through waivers.

Considering all that the front office has said about fielding the best team regardless of options, it's pretty clear that Sierra's lack of options is the only thing the Blue Jays are concerned with when making this decision. The Dominican native likely has a future of being a fringe fourth outfielder, but on this team he is providing no benefit and reducing John Gibbons options even further when making in-game changes.

What say you Banterers, #freeGose?

(Thanks to MookieG for making my title better)