Who’s Up, Who’s Down: Blue Jays Batters

Over the past two weeks the Blue Jays are 8-4. The batters are hitting .270/.340/.508. They have averaged 5.2 runs per game.

Let’s see how each batter has done. It has been a good couple of weeks for the bats.

Up

Justin Smoak: Started all 12 games. Hit .318/.380/.682, with 1 double,5home runs,11 RBI, 5 walks and 7 strikeouts. He’s even taken some walks. He’s been very consistent, this season. He hasn’t gone more than 2 starts without a hit. And, other than the start of the season, he’s rarely gone more than a few days between home runs. If this is a hot streak, it has been an extended one. There are reasons why top prospects get multiple chances, while non-prospects must be great right from the start.

Russell Martin: Started 8 of the 12 games. Hit .321/.424/.571 with 1 double, 2 home runs, 4 RBI, 3 walks and 9 strikeouts. He started 3 of the games at third base. He’s had a real up and down time of it. Comes back from one injury, then misses a couple of days with a neck issue. Hopefully, he’ll continue hitting as he recovers from the neck thing.

Devon Travis: Started 10 of 12 games. Hit .333/.341/.615 with 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 10 RBI, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts and, of course, 1 hit by pitch. The doubles slowed, but he’s still hitting great. I wouldn’t mind seeing him walk occasionally. After watching Barney and Goins, yesterday, I really hope Travis can come back quick.

Ezequiel Carrera: Played in 10, starting 8 games. Hit .357/.471/.464 with 1 home run, 1 RBI, 1 steal, 6 walks, 8 strikeouts. Speaking of guys who are either hot or cold, Ezequiel must be the king of streaks. He is either great or awful. We talk about him bunting for base hits, but when he’s hitting like he is now, I’m not sure bunting is a good plan. When he’s cold, maybe that’s all he should do.....

Kendrys Morales: Started 11 of the 12 games. Hit .325/.391/.650 with 4 doubles, 3 home runs, 6 RBI, 5 walks and 10 strikeouts. He’s had the quietest hot streak. No one seems to have noticed. When he has a bad at bat, he looks so bad, it makes me forget the good at bats. He had a bad day yesterday, with 3 strikeouts.

Josh Donaldson: Started 9 of 12. Hit .250/.308/.667 with 2 doubles, 3 home runs, 4 RBI, 2 walks and 4 strikeouts. It took him a couple of games, after he was activated, to find his stroke again, but now he’s just hitting home runs. I can live with that.

Ryan Goins: Played in 7 games, started 3. Hit .364/.500/.727 with 1 double, 1 home run, 5 RBI, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts. It is only 14 PA, but it was a good 14 PA. Then, yesterday, he strikes out twice.

Chris Coghlan: Played in 6 games, starting 4. Hit .300/.417/.300 with 2 walks and 2 strikeouts. We really couldn’t ask for better.

Down

Kevin Pillar: Played in 12 games, starting 11. He hit .130/216/.239 with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 2 RBI, 2 steals, 3 walks and 5 strikeouts. He looked like he was going out of the slump yesterday. I’m curious to see how his season turns out.

Jose Bautista: Started all 12 games. Hit .227/.271/.455 with a 1 double, 3 home runs, 6 RBI, 3 walks and 10 strikeouts. His May was great....turn the page to June, he stops hitting. In 5 games, he’s hitting .053.

Darwin Barney: Played in 5 games, starting 3. Had 10 PA and had just 1 single and 3 strikeouts.

Somewhere In Between

Troy Tulowitzki: Started 9 games. Hit .233/.343/.400, with 2 doubles, 1 home run, 4 RBI, walks and 3 strikeouts. Not bad, not great.

Luke Maile: Played in 8 games, starting 7. Hit .273/.292/.409 with 1 home run, 3 RBI, 1 walk and 6 strikeouts. Really this could be in the Up section. For him, it is pretty good. And, with his defense, I’m pretty happy with numbers like this. He’s thrown out 28% of base stealers. To me, it seems, that if the runner is safe, he’s barely safe.

Injured

Anthony Alford: Broken hamate. Might be back playing in July.

Darrell Ceciliani: Separated shoulder. It will be awhile for him too.

Steve Pearce: I’m not expecting him back until July.

Dalton Pompey: On rehab assignment. Just moved up to the Bisons.