Jays recall Gose. I mean GOSE!

[dagger]

Storey optioned back to BUF. I get it they want another position player, with so much inter-league play coming up, and they might want to DH Melky, but GOSE?

Seriously, his confidence is at an all-time low. He's not hiding it. He's hitting .230 which makes him the perfect fit for this team. His one virtue, when he gets on base he scores a lot, no one in Buffalo thinks he was the best option to promote

http://www.buffalonews.com/apps/pbcs.dl ... 18976/1086

Suddenly, the same kid who landed on ESPN’s highlight reel after stealing home couldn’t get out of his own way. He was in a miserable 6-for-40 slump in 10 games before Sunday’s matinee against Charlotte in Coca-Cola Field. He was 1 for 4 with a walk in the Bisons’ 11-6 victory Sunday, leaving him with a .228 average through 40 games.

“Right now, I’m probably at the lowest point I’ve ever been in my career,” he said. “It’s been frustrating. It has felt like the longest month of my life, honestly. It’s part of baseball. They say everybody goes through it, but I see guys hitting .390 and it doesn’t look like they’re going through it. It’s definitely back to the learning stage again.”

How he responds over the next few months will determine the timeline on his big-league career. He’s almost certain to be headed for Toronto, assuming he can figure out how to overcome inner demons that have shaken his confidence. It’s yet another necessary layer needed for the majors and an integral part of the growth process.

Mike Harrington ‏@BNHarrington 9m
Anyone watching #Bisons knows Sierra has been better but Gose provides that OBP threat. Somehow leads IL in runs despite .227 BA #bluejays

[SCF99]

ive just had my first ....faint... slight... WTF are u thinking thought in my head toward AA....

[dagger]

I'd like to hear Alex's thoughts on this, the reason for promoting Gose. Gose isn't going to benefit by sitting on the bench, he has to play to get out of this.

but it does raise a concern with me for this reason. We all demand accountability for poor performance, in every sport. But that kind of accountability should also apply to those who are playing well and deserving of promotion. There are three or four guys on Buffalo hitting .320 or better on any given day, one of whom - Sierra - boasts some power and a tremendous arm in the outfield. If you are going to sit someone on the bench, or use them as a pinch hitter, occasional player, why not Sierra whose theoretical upside is not as high as Gose, who should be playing every day. I've had the same debate over Thole and Negrych. Thole can catch Dickey, and even if you think he's a .220 hitter at best in the majors, I'd wager he could outhit Henry Blanco and give the team another left handed bat so maybe they could "rest" JPA, who has this massive sense of entitlement about being a major leaguer. Platoon JPA a couple of times and maybe he'll get the notion that a K:BB ration of 52 strikeouts to two walks, an OBP of .240 and indifferent defence, entitles you to nothing in particular.

One of the tests of a GM is being able to install an internal meritocracy which allows a liberal movement up the ladder of talent, even if it means embarrassing the GM on occasion when one of his prize prospects is leap-frogged by another less well known or less highly rated by Top 100 prospect raters, at the same position. One of Tampa Bay's successes, IMO, is that the organizational turnover they have at the MLB level ($$$$) makes it easier for the cream in their system to rise to the top. In the Jays' system, I wonder if talent gets trapped at lower levels because AA has to justify the whole Halliday trade now on Gose's shoulders, or has to justify a particular trade (Bonifacio) or free agent signing (DeRosa) or cater to the former - but not likely to repeat - Cy Yonge award winner (Blanco). Everything AA did made sense in the context in which it was made, but the context is now changed, the team has to re-tool and likely dump some vets who have market value, only I wonder if AA is ready to admit it to himself.

[flatjacket1]

He will likely only face RHP and/or be used as a pinch runner. I see no problem with the call-up as long as it isn't meant to be long term/permanent.

[dagger]

Mike Harrington's blog

By Mike Harrington

Anthony Gose is batting .200 in May with 23 strikeouts in 70 at-bats and only four extra-base hits. He's batting .227 for the season with 41 strikeouts in 154 at-bats -- well on his way to more than 100 Ks for the fifth straight year. In a column for today's paper, he told Bucky Gleason, "Right now, I’m probably at the lowest point I’ve ever been in my career. It’s been frustrating. It has felt like the longest month of my life."

May just got better for Gose. The Blue Jays gave him a surprise callup to the big leagues today, returning reliever Mickey Storey to the Bisons.

Gose somehow leads the IL in runs (36) but has been largely quiet since putting up a .309 average in the first 14 games. Full Gose stat breakdowns here.

Why Gose? Melky Cabrera is battling balky hamstrings and really can't play the outfield much. Gose can play both left and center to spell Cabrera and Colby Rasmus. Moises Sierra (.326-4-18) has been much better here but has played almost exclusively right field. If you were calling up an outfielder from Buffalo, he would be the guy who has played the best by a lot.

Then theres this: Prior to today's 1:30 game against Tampa Bay in Rogers Centre, Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told reporters that Gose will primarily be used as a pinch-runner and late-inning defensive replacement. And Gose is not in today's Toronto lineup.

Gose might be back in Buffalo sooner rather than later when Rajai Davis comes back from the disabled list too. So I'm thinking this is a short-term deal by need. It won't play well in the Buffalo clubhouse otherwise, e.g. the prospect gets the call no matter what he's doing even though out-of-organization veterans are producing much more.

A head-scratcher from the deep thinkers in Toronto for sure. If Gose is in the big leagues, he has to play. Sit the bench to pinch run or play defense in the eighth inning? That's goofy. He needs to be on the field every day in Buffalo figuring things out.

[MikeM]

But wait. Gose is getting called up as a pinch runner and defensive sub. Those are 2 skills that only he can provide out of that crop in BUF so is it really that curious a decision and would those vets down there really be upset?

If you're looking for those 2 skills, why would you call up Sierra?

[Kapono]

It's hard to understand this call up until you realize this is the year we are supposed to be going ALL IN. It is supposed to be the year where we say **** focusing on development, World Series or bust. Thus, if Gose is the best pinch runner/defender in the organization then call him up.


Too bad this hasnt worked out well so far this year.


The haul for Halladay is looking like **** so far.


Drabek - BUST
Dickey = borderline avg so far
Gose = looking like a guy with the ceiling of a Rajai Davis

[flatjacket1]

Drabek - BUST
Dickey = borderline avg so far
Gose = looking like a guy with the ceiling of a Rajai Davis

Gose has the ceiling of Rajai Davis???

Well, Gose has hit more HR's in his last 4 seasons in the minors than Rajai Davis has in his last 8 seasons in the minors. So yeah their power tool is comparable.

Oh yeah, and by the way, when Rajai Davis was 22, he was in A ball. Gose is in his second year of AAA, with some MLB experience at the same age. Gose could literally get sent down to AA and still be worlds ahead of Rajai.

[dagger]

John Lott ‏@LottOnBaseball 18m
It seems the only one more surprised than fans and media about Anthony Gose's call-up is Anthony Gose.

[Brinbe]

Well, I can't imagine this being anything but a smashing success...

[BramptonYute]

Well, yeah, they'll probably use him as a pinch runner, or defensive replacement. They might also be hoping that a change of scenery could help.

[BigLeagueChew]

Eventually we'll just have 9 hitters that bunt for base hits.

[Kapono]

Drabek - BUST
Dickey = borderline avg so far
Gose = looking like a guy with the ceiling of a Rajai Davis

Gose has the ceiling of Rajai Davis???

Well, Gose has hit more HR's in his last 4 seasons in the minors than Rajai Davis has in his last 8 seasons in the minors. So yeah their power tool is comparable.

Oh yeah, and by the way, when Rajai Davis was 22, he was in A ball. Gose is in his second year of AAA, with some MLB experience at the same age. Gose could literally get sent down to AA and still be worlds ahead of Rajai.

I should have said offensively. Obviously Gose's defense is already better than Rajai's every will be/was. I just see Gose a guy who will never hit lefties and will strike out a lot.

But I thought Travis Snider and Kyle Drabek were bonafide future all stars... so what the fu*k do I really know?

[Waylon Mercy]

Nothing AA does surprises me anymore

[frizzer1]

Eventually we'll just have 9 hitters that bunt for base hits.

A joking response is almost automatic here....but they are so putrid offensively that if everyone after the top 3 started bunting, how much worse could they be?

[flatjacket1]

I should have said offensively. Obviously Gose's defense is already better than Rajai's every will be/was. I just see Gose a guy who will never hit lefties and will strike out a lot.

But I thought Travis Snider and Kyle Drabek were bonafide future all stars... so what the fu*k do I really know?

Offensively? Rajai Davis may be a median projection but to say that's his ceiling is absolutely ludicrous. Not many 22 year old left handed batters can hit MLB lefties. As he gets older he may learn the skill, he may not. His eye at the plate at least means he can reach base the odd time.

He has a career best walk rate in AAA, and is still learning. If you stuck 22 year old Rajai in the MLB, I guarantee you he would fare significantly worse.

Even if Gose only hit .270/.317/.378 in the Majors, with his defense and baserunning you are talking 3+ fWAR.

Personally I would not at all be surprised to see the OBP and SLG to be higher than that line (which is Rajai's) but only time will tell.

Nobody can predict the future. Who would of guessed Josh Hamilton to have this kind of season. That's why prospecting is so hard.

[hyper316]

rather than allowing time for Gose to develop as a complete player, AA short changed Gose to be a pinch runner and defensive sub? You can get that from Mike McCoy. AA, this is almost as bad a calling up Romero for 2 starts.

[Schad]

The odds of Gose hitting .270 are pretty low, though; he only has one season above that threshold in the minors, and that was in Vegas.

[dagger]

Eventually we'll just have 9 hitters that bunt for base hits.

A joking response is almost automatic here....but they are so putrid offensively that if everyone after the top 3 started bunting, how much worse could they be?

I'd like to see Henry Blanco bunt. The infielders might be laughing so hard they would forget to make a play on it.

[Mehar]

I was hoping Thole would have been called up to replace Blanco, and Negrych up here as well instead of a guy like Derosa, but this team loves its vets, just like Vizquel last year.