JoJo Reyes designated for assignment (i.e. he's GONE!)

[youreachiteach]

He's been blocking Rzep for the entire season. That's reason enough to be pissed that he's stayed around so long, disregarding the fact that he's sucked for four months.

I don't think they ever saw Rzep as a starter. He got his kick at the cat and had trouble trying to get over five innings most of the time. He's got such a screwy release point you never know when it's going to leave him, and he doesn't have much stamina, either.

Rzep is a better pitcher than Jo Jo. But as a starter, he's just not good enough. Good enough to be filler? Yeah. Good enough to be better than Litsch/Jo Jo? Yeah. Good enough to face American League powerhouse teams? No.

I haven't looked up his record against those clubs, but I remember distinctly that he had trouble lasting deep into games. The guy is a long reliever. That's what the Jays saw and that's probably where he's best suited. It's the same with Mills. They got a long look already and have made up their minds about their ceilings.

Will they give Zep another chance? They might. If they do, he'll have to show a repetition of his release point he has here to fore never done. I'd rather they just let Drabek screw around up here for the rest of the season.

Jo Jo has better stuff than Zep--but unfortunately he couldn't find it in time. Zep has slightly worse control but more unpredictability than Jo Jo, so he'll be more effective in short spurts than Jo Jo would.

Meh, my point is, he really wasn't blocking zep if they thought he was a reliever coming in (a replacement for Downs) which I feel it was. Yes, they let him "compete"--but doesn't mean he really had a chance. Don't confuse the two because you hate Jo Jo so much.

[Randle McMurphy]

I don't think they ever saw Rzep as a starter. He got his kick at the cat and had trouble trying to get over five innings most of the time. He's got such a screwy release point you never know when it's going to leave him, and he doesn't have much stamina, either.

Rzep put up very good peripherals (8.27 K/9, 4.35 BB/9, 51 GB%) in his first two seasons against some of the best offensive teams in baseball after putting up fantastic numbers in the minors as a starter. If the Jays don't think he can be a starter (and I'm not convinced they actually believe that yet), that's a gross miscalculation on their part.

Good enough to face American League powerhouse teams? No.

If being good enough to beat the AL East powerhouse teams is your measuring stick, would any of our pitchers make the cut (see Romero/Morrow's careers vs. Boston)?

Jo Jo has better stuff than Zep--but unfortunately he couldn't find it in time.

Not really. He's got slightly better FB velocity (90 MPH to Rzep's 89 MPH as a starter), though his FB is completely straight, whereas Rzep's sinks. JoJo also can't get a strikeout or GB to save his life, while Rzep has both those skills.

Zep has slightly worse control but more unpredictability than Jo Jo, so he'll be more effective in short spurts than Jo Jo would.

JoJo keeps it in the zone more than Rzep, but that's not exactly a good thing when your FB has no movement and you can't command it at all.

Meh, my point is, he really wasn't blocking zep if they thought he was a reliever coming in (a replacement for Downs) which I feel it was. Yes, they let him "compete"--but doesn't mean he really had a chance. Don't confuse the two because you hate Jo Jo so much.

Except they didn't think he was a reliever coming in. JoJo's unfortunate presence pushed him into a relief role and kept him there for an entire season, essentially wasting a season of his development.


Outside of the "ability" to throw BP fastballs down the middle, JoJo Reyes has no redeemable skill. His command is poor, he doesn't K guys, and he can't keep the ball on the ground. There was nothing in his track record that suggested differently (nor anything to suggest that he had significant upside), and yet the Jays wasted over half a season with a guy that clearly didn't deserve to be in this league. For a team that prides themselves on their asset management, this was an obvious waste.

[Randle McMurphy]

I'll be the first to admit that I have not enjoyed watching Jo Jo reyes pitch at all this season. His win after all those losses was a great story and one of the noicer moments from this season, but he had his opportunity.

AA kept him around because he showed some promise and was out of options. I would have sooner seen him as a lefty out of the bullpen, but the Jays brass liked what they had there.

I feel bad for the guy as he does have some talent and is a great guy. I know we shouldn't keep guys around becaue their nice but I feel terrible for him. He worked hard, tried his best and hopefully he lands somewhere else. He is a class act.

His letter to the fans in the Toronto Star was special and something that should be shared with young people getting into sports of any kind :

http://www.thestar.com/sports/baseball/ ... or-success

just my two cents

He's a good guy, but professional sports are cutthroat. He knows better than anybody, I'm sure, that if you don't perform at this level, you'll soon lose the opportunity. Unless you have Andrea Bargnani's contract.