Davidi: Norris getting call up (Update:Pompey, too)

[dagger]

The BlueJays youth movement is finally happening! How long has it been, like 4 years?! LOL!

If not for the Dickey trade, we'd be bringing up Syndergaard, too. Then again, he's a bit stuck right now in Vegas. Mets weren't sure they could find a 40-man spot for him this month. Actually, Norris got to the majors before two members of the Lansing 3. Justin Nicolino had a stellar season for Miami's system, but has played the whole year, I believe, in the AA Southern League. He's 22. Had he remained in the Jays system, he probably would have made the majors months ago. So either other teams are too conservative, or AA has decided to roll the dice on a youth movement that could blow up in his face.

I don't know if I'd call Nicolino's season "stellar" due to his terrible K rate (81Ks in 170 IP), which is a pretty severe regression from previous seasons and probably explains why he hasn't yet been promoted despite otherwise good results.

He had a stellar season. Just because he didn't have a high K rate doesn't mean his season was a failure in the context of where he was pitching. He was stellar in what he did - a 14-4 record, 2.76 ERA, which was best in the Southern League. I'll let the Marlins decide if he is promotable or not. He commands the zone exceptionally well. He has a very good GO/AO ratio. Jacksonville is in the playoffs, and I think it's reasonable to suppose they decided to leave him there for a purpose.

[Michael Bradley]

Nothing completely shocking. With Dickey, Buehrle, and Happ only having a year left (plus an option for Dickey), they'll need starters post-2015. I guess giving these youngsters some burn wouldn't hurt, since they'll likely need/use all of them at some point next season.

[BigLeagueChew]

TORONTO – Top prospects Daniel Norris, Dalton Pompey and Kendall Graveman headline the list of nine players the Toronto Blue Jays are adding as big-league rosters expanded up to 40 men Monday, multiple industry sources told Sportsnet.

Joining the promising trio in ascent are familiar faces like Anthony Gose, Ryan Goins and Sean Nolin, while Brandon Morrow and Dan Johnson are both being activated from the disabled list. Catcher George Kottaras, signed as a minor-league free agent last month, rounds out the list.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/pompey-tweets-hes-been-called-up-by-jays/

[dagger]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/LottOnBaseball/status/506847791713640449[/tweet]

[EH15]

So Lawrie pretty much missed more than half the season.

[satyr9]

I do not understand this at all. One really would have to value the experience Norris, Graveman, and Pompey will get riding pine for a month to do this to the 40-man. That's three other assets you can't keep or snipe from other teams through the offseason because you added these guys. And all three will start next year in AAA, barring spring training injuries, so what's the rush? I could conceivably be talked into Norris, because he had such a spectacular season, but it's a wonderful thing to be able to carry your 6th starter and 5th outfielder through the offseason into opening day without even having to spend a 40-man spot on them. This is very un-AA-ey IMO.

[Santoki]

I do not understand this at all. One really would have to value the experience Norris, Graveman, and Pompey will get riding pine for a month to do this to the 40-man. That's three other assets you can't keep or snipe from other teams through the offseason because you added these guys. And all three will start next year in AAA, barring spring training injuries, so what's the rush? I could conceivably be talked into Norris, because he had such a spectacular season, but it's a wonderful thing to be able to carry your 6th starter and 5th outfielder through the offseason into opening day without even having to spend a 40-man spot on them. This is very un-AA-ey IMO.

Who the hell knows. Maybe someone from our Rogers-owned media will get off their ass and ask AA why they felt the need to do all of this.

[Lateral Quicks]

The simple answer is that this could be AA trying to save his job. If they wouldn't let him spend any more money, which certainly looks to be the case, then the only way to compensate for the abysmal product on the field is to trumpet his drafting success. And there's no better way to do that than to promote some guys.

Fun fact: Norris, Pompey, and Graveman all started the year in Dunedin or lower (Graveman started in Lansing). Pretty jaw-dropping when you think about it.

[Michael Bradley]

AA doesn't have money to spend for next season and prospects cost nothing. I think that's pretty much the answer.

While Norris, Pompey, etc, should start the year in AAA, it doesn't mean they will, and if they do, they probably won't be there long.

Doesn't mean I agree with it, but Alex hasn't spent any real money to improve the team in nearly 24 months. The writing is on the wall. It's either prospects or scrubs.

[Sifu]

A September call up is a win- win if you intend to drive up the value of your prospects with the intent to trade them.

They do well, and value goes up. They don't do well and its understood to be their first taste of the big show.

I think AA has a plan here. I'm thinking it is to trade for a good young and controllable pitcher for a package that includes Pompey, Norris etc...

For that price we better be getting a really good pitcher in return.

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[Lateral Quicks]

I think AA has a plan here. I'm thinking it is to trade for a good young and controllable pitcher for a package that includes Pompey, Norris etc...

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The problem is teams just don't give up young and controllable pitchers because they're so valuable. I'd really much rather go forward with the likes of Norris and Pompey in the fold.

[Sifu]

I think AA has a plan here. I'm thinking it is to trade for a good young and controllable pitcher for a package that includes Pompey, Norris etc...

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The problem is teams just don't give up young and controllable pitchers because they're so valuable. I'd really much rather go forward with the likes of Norris and Pompey in the fold.

I didn't say it was a good plan, just that he had some kind of plan.

I hope AA isn't making rash decisions to try for job security.

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[C Court]

Most people close to the Blue Jays don't think Alex's job is in jeopardy. It should be, but in the eyes of those who make the decision - Alex is on solid ground.

[MikeM]

A September call up is a win- win if you intend to drive up the value of your prospects with the intent to trade them.

They do well, and value goes up. They don't do well and its understood to be their first taste of the big show.

I think AA has a plan here. I'm thinking it is to trade for a good young and controllable pitcher for a package that includes Pompey, Norris etc...

For that price we better be getting a really good pitcher in return.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RealGM Forums mobile app

Norris is most likely going to be a good young controllable pitcher as soon as next year. I don't think AA would do that but who knows.

[Michael Bradley]

A September call up is a win- win if you intend to drive up the value of your prospects with the intent to trade them.

They do well, and value goes up. They don't do well and its understood to be their first taste of the big show.

I think AA has a plan here. I'm thinking it is to trade for a good young and controllable pitcher for a package that includes Pompey, Norris etc...

For that price we better be getting a really good pitcher in return.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using RealGM Forums mobile app

I think if Alex wanted to make a short-term move like that, he would have done it last off-season when the prospects were further away from the Majors. Now that he knows Stroman is an MLB starter, Sanchez is (at worst) an MLB reliever, Norris might be ready by early next season, etc, it seems pointless to do that sort of move now because the controllable talent he seeks might be in the organization already. Plus, teams don't usually trade good controllable pitchers for prospects. More likely, you'll see starters one or two years away from free agency being traded to maximize value (Samardzija and Price this past year, or a little closer to home, Dickey and Johnson two years ago).

I think Alex is just seeing what holes he can fill cheaply with internal options next season because his hands will remain tied due to payroll and he'll have improvise his way to a winning team again. I wouldn't read any further than that. Prior to his spending spree, Alex's whole jargon was to build internally, and while he went off course two years ago, he's slowly starting to head back into that direction (whether out of necessity or choice).

[dballislife]

just keep norris down and let him keep getting starts and getting better...whats he doing sitting on bench for the month

[BigLeagueChew]

just keep norris down and let him keep getting starts and getting better...whats he doing sitting on bench for the month

Buffalo has 0 games left this year.