Ricky is baaaccccckkkkk!

dagger · Post #1 » by **dagger** » Mon Sep 2, 2013 11:07 pm

Eric Smith ‏@Eric__Smith 5m
Romero is back w/ the big club. Along with Drabek, Perez, Nickeas & Jeffress. as per: @BKennedyStar. #BlueJays #BlueJaysXpress

Not a fan of bringing RR back now. He had sort of a high note win yesterday, but a lot of his AAA numbers leave me nervous. His strike % is something like 53%, he is prone to bad inning syndrome, often known as Josh Johnson Memorial First Inning Meltdown Syndrome.

Drabek makes sense, Hutchinson needs more of a buildup from what I could see, the velocity is there but not the command. Nickeas gets the call because A.J. Jimenez is hurt, Perez has done alright in his TJ rehab, and Jeffress has turned into a closer, and yes, Schad, he has lowered his BB rate significantly in that role. Stroman - despite a great start today, 8IP, 2H, 1ER, 11K, and Nolin, a no hitter into the sixth inning in his last start, a strong win, are going to the AFL so they didn't get the call. A lot of people thought Weber would get called up, but he didn't. Add to this the return of Delabar and McGowan, and we have the bullpen from Ben Hur.

Post #2 » by **Schad** » Mon Sep 2, 2013 11:20 pm

Jeffress has turned into a closer, and yes, Schad, he has lowered his BB rate significantly in that role.

Yeah, he's merely walking 4.3 runners per nine in a small sample. It's a step forward in that it's only bad as opposed to appalling, so...success?

dagger · Post #3 » by **dagger** » Mon Sep 2, 2013 11:25 pm

Schadenfreude wrote:
Jeffress has turned into a closer, and yes, Schad, he has lowered his BB rate significantly in that role.

Yeah, he's merely walking 4.3 runners per nine in a small sample. It's a step forward in that it's only bad as opposed to appalling, so...success?

I think they are looking at his performance in the closer role. In his last 10 appearances, he walked one and struck out 14 in 10 innings pitched and was 7-7 in save opportunities. To me, this is a chance for him to stay on the 40-man roster over the winter, or pitch his way off it. With Stilson just as deserving of a September promotion (but doesn't have to be protected this winter), I get the feeling Jeffress will be auditioning for his last major league job. He earned that much.

Post #4 » by **Schad** » Mon Sep 2, 2013 11:37 pm

I fully agree that he deserves an audition. I'm just always dubious of the 'X is a closer' thing, because being a capable closer is largely a product of being consistently good more than anything, and Jeffress is notoriously prone to meltdowns. A 10 inning sample is not terribly meaningful, no matter the role; pitching in the ninth doesn't bestow (or require) superpowers.

Fairview4Life · Post #5 » by **Fairview4Life** » Mon Sep 2, 2013 11:59 pm

If Nuke LaLoosh got even a small semblance of command, I would like to watch that.

There There · Post #6 » by **There There** » Tue Sep 3, 2013 12:27 am

Yeah, it's a bit absurd to suggest Jeffress has succeeded as a result of getting the closer label put on him

He's succeeding lately because he is throwing strikes, simple as it sounds

And a 10 inning sample certainly isn't sufficient enough to have any expectations which differ from his career norms

But he does deserve another opportunity... he would almost certainly be lost in the off season if we don't keep him on the 40, so might as well give him some innings before deciding

Don't get the Hutch decision... who cares if his command is off ... A call up offers him the one thing he needs and won't get elsewhere now, innings.

dagger · Post #7 » by **dagger** » Tue Sep 3, 2013 1:24 am

There There wrote:Yeah, it's a bit absurd to suggest Jeffress has succeeded as a result of getting the closer label put on him

He's succeeding lately because he is throwing strikes, simple as it sounds

And a 10 inning sample certainly isn't sufficient enough to have any expectations which differ from his career norms

But he does deserve another opportunity... he would almost certainly be lost in the off season if we don't keep him on the 40, so might as well give him some innings before deciding

Don't get the Hutch decision... who cares if his command is off ... A call up offers him the one thing he needs and won't get elsewhere now, innings.

Having a defined role can improve a player's mental preparedness. A number of guys who have some through Buffalo this year have achieved their best results when they were given the closer's role. Wagner, Perez, and now Stilson all pitched exceptionally well, in the case of Wagner and Perez, well above their recent minor league norms. I understand the logic with Hutchinson, don't agree with the team's decision, but wonder if it has something to do with not wanting to burn an option in case he has to start at Buffalo next season.

Someone else is not happy about being passed over.

Marcus Stroman ‏@MStrooo7 14m
That feeling of being overlooked bothers me like nothing else. I'm hungry! If you're not starving, I can't relate.

There There · Post #8 » by **There There** » Tue Sep 3, 2013 4:58 am

If Hutchison starts next year in Buffalo, then the team burns an option.

Every player on the 40 man roster must be optioned if they are not on the 25 man... For example, they had to use an option to keep him in the minors when they took him off the 60 day DL.

So options are not a factor.