Who’s Hot, Who’s Cold: Blue Jays Batters

Over the past two weeks the Blue Jays went 5-6.

Our hitters had a batting line of .245/.314/.438 with 15 home runs. They averaged 4.5 runs a game, which is a step up from the few weeks before that.

Hot

Cavan Biggio: Started 8 games. Hit .400/.526/.800 with 2 homers, 2 triples, 2 doubles (very democratic, but then 4 singles), 7 walks, 11 strikeouts and 4 steals.

I would think it won’t be able to catch teams off guard on the base paths soon. He seems like a very smart player. He’s not picking up all these steals because of blazing speed. The third cycle in team history and all three have been by infielders. Jeff Frye cheated a bit, stopping at first on what should have been a double, but that was a long time ago.

Bo Bichette: Started all 11 games. Hit .256/.340/.535 with 3 home runs, 6 walks, 10 strikeouts and 1 steal.

Defensively he has a 1.0 UZR/150, which seems about right to me. He’s having an excellent start to his career. Has a 1.8 fWAR (Cavan has a 1.9 fWAR. bWAR Cavan leads 2.6 to 2.1).

Reese McGuire: Started 6 games. Hit .364/.440/.591 with 1 home run, 3 walks and 3 strikeouts.

His bat has been a huge surprise and his glove has been what it was advertised to be. Charlie has been good with alternating him and Danny.

Randal Grichuk: Started 10 games. Hit .268/.268/.756 with 5 home runs, 0 walks and 11 strikeouts.

He is swinging at everything, but he’s hitting a lot of home runs. I guess if I was him, I’d be going all out for home runs too. His home run total is the only good stat he has. But, then home runs are very good.

Richard Urena: Played in 4 games, starting 3. Hit .333/.333/.500 with 0 walks and 4 strikeouts.

4 hits, 2 doubles. Really belongs in the ‘also played’ group but the Hot section looked a little thin. I’d like him to play more. I’d like him getting the utility infielder job next year. I’d also like several other things that aren’t likely to happen.

Cold

Danny Jansen: Started 5 games. Hit .235/.316/.235 with 2 walks, 3 strikeouts and 1 caught stealing.

Charlie has been playing Jansen and McGuire every other game. Jansen has had a tough season. I’m hoping next year is better, he has to be.

Justin Smoak: Played in 7 games, starting 6. Hit .130/.259/.304 with 1 home run, 4 walks and 9 strikeouts.

The idea that he should get to play a bunch to help out his numbers going into free agency just hasn’t worked out. I’m sure it is tough on him to be playing out the string on a bad season, but he really isn’t helping himself. He has a 0.6 bWAR. I’m not sure who will be wanting to sign him this winter.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Started 10 games. Hit .225/.273/.300 with 3 walks and 10 strikeouts.

He’s in a deep slump. It is best that he gets it would of the way this year. Scouts always say they like to see a player slump to see how he deals with it. I’d imagine there is some fatigue involved. His defense has looked better in the last few weeks.

Teoscar Hernandez: Played in 10 games, starting 8. Hit .212/.257.303 with 1 home runs, 2 walks and 18 strikeouts.

35 PA and 18 strikeouts, not what we’d like to see. He’s been splitting time between center and left field, which is the first sign we’ve had that they aren’t entirely happy with his defense. SABR’s defensive index has him slightly below average in center, but then Fangraphs UZR has him far below average at -14.5/150, which would put him never the bottom of the AL center fielders. Maybe they do need find better.

Rowdy Tellez: Started 9 games. Hit .200/.242/.433 with 2 home runs, 0 walks and 14 strikeouts.

I thought that he went down to Buffalo to work on his command of the strike zone. It doesn’t seem to have helped. His defense has looked pretty good. Getting benched for not running out a ground ball seemed like a comment on his character more than on that moment. It seems like they wanted to make a bigger point with Rowdy. I don’t know if Rowdy is our future first baseman or not. I think I’d give him the job next year and let him have 300-400 to at bats before making a decision.

Billy McKinney: Played in 6 games, starting 5. Hit .133/.176/.133 with 1 walks and 6 strikeouts.

His playing and Anthony Alford isn’t (I’m trying to limit my number of comments on Alford’s playing time. So, with every outfield, insert some comment that Alford should be playing more.

Derek Fisher: Played in 5 games, starting 4. Hit .000/.214/.000 with 3 walks and 7 strikeouts.

0 for 11. He hasn’t played in a few days.

Jonathan Davis: Played in 9 games, starting 6. Hit .174/.208/.217 with 1 walk, 9 strikeouts and 1 steal.

Insert Alford complaint here.

In between

Brandon Drury: Played in 6 games, starting 5. Hit .235/.350/.353 with 3 walks and 4 strikeouts.

I don’t expect much from him, so a .350 OBP makes me happy. He hasn’t played the last couple of games, which might be a sign that they have given up on him. I don’t mind him as a utility player, but he’s played way too much. He seems good defensively. But playing once or twice a week would be plenty.

Also Played

Lourdes Gurriel: Played in 2 games. Hit .429/.444/.571 with no walks and 2 strikeouts.

It really looks like he shouldn’t be playing, he can’t run at all, I have a hard time believing that he couldn’t cause himself more injury, but I guess the team knows better. But he is hitting well. I wasn’t happy with him not running on a two-out fly ball yesterday.

Anthony Alford: Played in 7 games, starting 1. Hit .375/.444/.375 with 1 strikeouts.

I don’t know what ease he could do to earn more playing time.

On the IL

Luke Maile: He isn’t on the IL anymore, he’s on the bench. I guess he isn’t likely to play.

Devon Travis: I feel really bad for him.