Wednesday Bantering: Stroman, Tellez

I’ve been kind of preoccupied by the bike ride I’m doing this weekend, so haven’t been posting enough lately. On the good side, I’ve raised $2951 for MS research. Thank you to everyone who has helped out. On the bad side, I’m not ready to ride to ride 190 k this weekend. It has been a crappy spring for weather around here and a very busy spring for me, so I haven’t been on the bike enough. But, I’ll ride it and hurt for the next week.

Anyway Blue Jays stuff:

Everyone is talking about the possibility of Marcus Stroman being traded, including Marcus (from a Ben Nicholson-Smith story):

I’m starting to really, truly understand the business of baseball and the business of sports. They’ve been throwing my name around in trade talks all the time. It doesn’t seem like I’m going to be signed here to a long-term deal. It’s just something you have to come to terms with.

I really don’t have an opinion on whether he should or shouldn’t be traded, until we see what the offers are. I don’t think anyone is untouchable, with the right offer, but they would have to get a pretty terrific haul for him.

I really like watching Marcus pitch. I’m not ready for that to end. He’s terrific and I like his personality. I like outspoken players and always have. I’m ok with him not wanting to be taken out of games, but then I’m older and I am used to guys who didn’t want to be taken out of games. I still see it as something to be admired.

I’d be very happy with an extension for Marcus.

I saw a headline saying that Justin Smoak being injured has thrown the Jays lineup into disarray. Personally, of the guys on the roster, he’s one that doesn’t cause too much trouble.

Not that I want Justin to be hurt, but I do want Rowdy Tellez to play everyday for a while, so we can see if trading Justin would be a good idea or not.

Tellez is hitting .214/.262/414 this season, with 11 home runs. Those numbers aren’t good enough for a first baseman, but I’d like to see what he does with everyday at bats. One the plus side when Rowdy hits a home run he crushes it. He doesn’t get a lot of wall scrapers, he doesn’t get many cheapies. I like guys who crush their homers. I think it is a good sign for the future.

On the other side, we really need Smoak to get on a hot streak before the trade deadline, if we intend to trade him. Smoak isn’t having a great season, hitting .225/.364/.423. How much would you be willing to offer for a first baseman hitting like that?

Sometimes I wonder what it would take to get Anthony Alford up to the majors. I know they want to see how Teoscar Hernandez does in center field, but, with Smoak going on the DL, and Teoscar day-to-day with a wrist sprain, it seems like the time to give Anthony a few days of MLB playing time.

Alford had a slow start to the season, but he’s hitting much better now, .375/.468/550 in June. You would think we could call him up now, while he is hot and let him play outfield some, giving a chance to rest the other outfielders by giving them time at DH now and then.

Maybe if Teoscar ends up on the IL, then Alford will get a callup?

So who do you think gets the start next time in Jackson’s turn comes around? Jacob Waguespack has had one rehab start and he pitched just 2 innings. I’m thinking I’d like someone who is ready to go deeper into a game.

Sean Reid-Foley’s last two starts haven’t been great. Two starts, a total of 7.2 innings, 8 hits, 6 earned, 6 walks and 13 strikeouts, but I might go with him.

Patrick Murphy, who would have been my choice, has had a couple of bad games in a row too. 6.2 innings, 15 hits, 11 earned, 5 walks and 5 strikeouts. I shouldn’t read too much into 2 starts, but I don’t want to call him up from AA after two bad starts.

Who would you put in that spot?