Bautista out to prove he's no one-year wonder

[LittleOzzy]

Jose Bautista knows it's going to take more than one good series at the start of the season to silence his critics.

The native of the Dominican Republic has set out to prove he is worth every penny of the five-year, $65 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays during Spring Training.

Bautista realizes it will take weeks, if not months, to prove his 54-home run campaign in 2010 wasn't a fluke.

He started the process during Toronto's Opening Weekend series against the Twins, going 5-for-11 with a pair of home runs.

"People are going to have expectations when you sign a deal like that, and I don't mind that at all," Bautista said. "I hold myself accountable for playing good and keeping my production up.

"After I had the success I had last year, I know I can do it again. I'm not talking about the amount of home runs but being a productive player and I'm up for that challenge."

The difference between this year's version of Bautista and last year's is night and day. He entered the 2010 season having never hit more than 16 home runs in a season.

Without a track record of success, Bautista was asked to begin last year as the club's leadoff hitter. His main responsibility was to set the table for the heart of Toronto's order. The experiment ended after 12 games, with Bautista hitting .163 with one home run and five RBIs.

Bautista bounced around Toronto's batting order for the rest of April. He struggled to a .213 average with four home runs and 16 RBIs. As the season progressed, he found himself hitting in every spot in the lineup from No. 1 all the way through No. 7.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd ... b&c_id=mlb

[tecumseh18]

[double post]

[tecumseh18]

But he needs protection, and I'm not sure Lind is able to provide that. Maybe Snider eventually.

Here's why AA really should have signed Manny.

[edit] Or maybe someone equally cheap who isn't hitting .083 after 12 at bats this season. Maybe kept Napoli - .500/.636/1.250 so far after 8 ABs.

Not to get hung up on small sample sizes, and we're not going for it this year. But it would be a shame to waste a year of Bautista in his prime.

[RocLaFamilia]

I hope he doesn't over think this... Just playing your game dude.

[Randle McMurphy]

But he needs protection, and I'm not sure Lind is able to provide that. Maybe Snider eventually.<BR itxtNodeId="803"><BR itxtNodeId="802">Here's why AA really should have signed Manny.<BR itxtNodeId="801"><BR itxtNodeId="800">[edit] Or maybe someone equally cheap who isn't hitting .083 after 12 at bats this season. Maybe kept Napoli - .500/.636/1.250 so far after 8 ABs.<BR itxtNodeId="799"><BR itxtNodeId="798">Not to get hung up on small sample sizes, and we're not going for it this year. But it would be a shame to waste a year of Bautista in his prime.

It's a shame to waste any year when you have an owner like Rogers that can afford a $150M payroll.

[LBJSeizedMyID]

It's a shame that Rogers signed Jose Bautista when they could get Albert Pujols. Blah blah blah

[Randle McMurphy]

It's a shame that Rogers signed Jose Bautista when they could get Albert Pujols. Blah blah blah

Throw him 10 years/250M next year, why not?

[LBJSeizedMyID]

The argument is moot, Pujols is a Cards lifer, but somehow this will be Rogers fault for not going to $251M.

[Randle McMurphy]

The argument is moot, Pujols is a Cards lifer, but somehow this will be Rogers fault for not going to $251M.

Pujols isn't going to be a Cardinal if they aren't willing to pay him what he's worth. And there are no signs so far that they are.

There's absolutely no reason a team like Toronto couldn't sign him.