http://thestar.blogs.com/baseball/2010/ ... bag-2.html
Q: Hi Richard,
In the last mailbag, you alluded to both the potential logjam at catcher in the system (J.P. Arencibia, Brian Jeroloman and Travis D'Arnaud) and Arencibia's recent work with infield coaching gem Brian Butterfield at first base. Do you see there being a chance of Arencibia seeing significant playing time at first to keep him fresh and his bat in the lineup next season while Jose Molina draws more of the plate duty to continue his mentorship of the young starters (potentially including rookies Kyle Drabek and Zach Stewart at some points)? And, that being the case, do you see the potential trio as Jays going forward, or will one of them likely become trade bait at some point? Or (most likely) is it far too early to make this kind of prediction with contention still a few seasons off?
Paul Boudreau, Waterloo
A: It seems that Arencibia is already being pigeon-holed as a strictly offensive catcher that has trouble calling a game and handling pitchers. That's a little harsh off the sample of a handful of major-league games. Jeroloman is the one among that threesome of Jays' prospects that is a given as a potential backup catcher throughout his career. At 25, the lefthanded linedrive hitter has mad defensive skills but a limited bat. There is no room for him as a second guy on a major-league team until the pitching staff has established itself more and until the No. 1 catcher has some solid experience in the majors. Backup catcher is the easiest need to fill in all of baseball. Supply and demand.
Arencibia has been working out at first base with Butterfield, but if it was done, it would not be to give him a rest every now and then. It would be a career move. The organization really likes D'Arnaud, but he is 2-3 years away from being a major-league hitter. If the decision was made to move Arencibia and his bat out from behind the plate, it would give the Jays the option of re-signing John Buck for three years until D'Arnaud was ready, but that would be totally unfair to Arencibia who has done all he can do at Triple-A and should not be sent back to learn another position. The Jays made the same effort with Adam Lind, trying to convert him to first base. In one of his first starts at first, Lind fed a high underhand toss to David Purcey who leaped high, came down awkwardly on the corner of the bag and was forced onto the disabled list. Lind became a first-base accident waiting for a place to happen. Bad perception and Lind should be given a second chance with Overbay as DH. Since then, Lind has been used sparingly and manager Cito Gaston has said he may be better off in left field (yikes) or as a DH. Gaston, of course, will not be there next year so Lind still is an option at first. Or is Arencibia the chosen one? Or is someone from outside the best 2011 option? Putting Jose Bautista at first would just be plain dumb, a waste of his arm. As for one of Arencibia, D'Arnaud or Jeroloman being trade bait, I don't think so for a while. If one of them is to become trade bait it would be J.P. but not yet.
