Davidi: Jays to call up Gose if Bautista goes on DL

[Avenger]

Can Snider be sent down to the minors in spring training if we do not call him up this year?

no, he has run out of options. We can Yo Yo him up and down as many times as we want this season but after that you can't designate him to the minors without passing him through waivers

[LBJSeizedMyID]

Really terrified of this call up. Gose still has some flaws he needs to work out, ie. Hitting vs LHP, but agree with the consensus - think it's more about an interested team wanting to see how he fairs at the major league level. Either way, think this move just means we see Gose vs RHP while Francisco goes up against LHP.

Otherwise, I would've rather gambled on Eric Thames instead of gambling with Gose's development. I'm glad Snider hasn't been called up just quite yet, but could see him getting called up if Gose starts off terribly slow.

[TheMainEvent]

Ehhh, I kind of feel like wanting Snider up here instead, but really, I'm excited to see Gose play. I have my doubts about his hitting ability, especially at the major league level, but whatever... it'll still be fun.

I doubt AA has soured on Snider, though. He's said many times before that he likes calling people up while they're hot, and Snider hasn't been that good recently. Plus, AA's also said before that if they call Snider up, they don't want to send him back down -- Bautista probably wont be out for the season. As for Davis, I think that seems to be the manager's call, wanting to play him everyday (for a little while longer, anyway).

[Randle McMurphy]

I almost have to believe they're showcasing him because bringing him up right now makes absolutely no sense. His K rate is just too high and his power is too low (especially in Vegas) to expect much of anything from him in the majors.

Totally understand that sentiment but would he do any worse than Rajai Davis? He is at least a better fielder and baserunner (I would hope).

Yes, but there's no reason to think he's a better hitter than Davis (who isn't good himself).

[satyr9]

I almost have to believe they're showcasing him because bringing him up right now makes absolutely no sense. His K rate is just too high and his power is too low (especially in Vegas) to expect much of anything from him in the majors.

Totally understand that sentiment but would he do any worse than Rajai Davis? He is at least a better fielder and baserunner (I would hope).

Yes, but there's no reason to think he's a better hitter than Davis (who isn't good himself).

If all Gose is is Davis but with the splits reversed (career splits, I have no idea what Davis' splits are this year, but they can't be good either way), he's still pretty darn valuable. Obviously nowhere near what his big supporters are hoping for, but a .750ish OPS with super speed, and by every single account vastly superior defense, is nothing to shake your head at.

A .375 OBP at LV with a 20% krate is pretty interesting. Flawed no doubt, but interesting nonetheless. I don't think he's done anything to prove he's beyond AAA pitching, but if they're confident this is a two week placeholder and Jose'll be back, it's a good opportunity to give him his 2012 audition (he was going to get one at some point, although most would've expected it in September).

edit: I should also say 'cause I'm sounding like I think this is a great move, I'm not convinced this was the right or best move either, but I don't think there's this 100% obvious, "oh bad move" stink about the choice. It's questionable no doubt (and we're doing it), but I definitely see how they made their decision and I don't automatically disagree.

[Randle McMurphy]

Gose has a lot of developing left to do if you want him to become a .750 OPS hitter at the MLB level (which is basically what Rasmus, a clearly superior hitter to him, has been in the majors). He's not close to that yet.

[satyr9]

Gose has a lot of developing left to do if you want him to become a .750 OPS hitter at the MLB level. He's not close to that yet.

But there's a progression to how you get pitched. Lots of guys who have no shot at regular .750 can put it up for their first two-week stretch when they get tested by the pitchers their first time out. If you're just looking to see what he'll do for a couple weeks while Bautista heals, it's certainly not unreasonable.

Also, the .750 OPS was just Davis' career split against RHP as a RHB. I pulled the number not because it's my expectation, but because the contention was that being Davis was a bad thing, but being a left-handed Davis with better defense is actually quite good IMO. If Gose is just Davis mirrored, he's way more valuable since it's much easier to protect against LHP. Sure, he'd face some and make his overall more like .720 (if you give him Davis' putrid numbers against RHP), but if he could be Davis against RHP in the short term, he's worth quite a bit. In the longer run, he can't keep a split that bad. Every day players need to be semi-competent against their bad side and a 20% k rate at AAA is a pretty scary number to move up a level for a guy likely to make his bread and butter off contact rather than power.

So I think it's fairly obviously it's very very unlikely he's ready for full-time MLB duty. At least there's no reason to assume he is based on his minor stats and progression, but he's done enough at AAA and is a big enough calibre prospect that getting a small audition this year is appropriate. They get their first taste this year. He might need a second AAA year, he might split it between the two, or he might make a big stride and play most of next season up, there's a lot of paths he could follow. If he's likely to earn a trial, then why not turn a negative into a positive (or at least neutral) and let him get it now?

BTW, I know I'm a pretty serious hedger in my comments and therefore kind of annoying to discuss/argue with. I just tend to want to contend with definitive statements about guys that even the pro scouts have to have some uncertainty about.

[Hamyltowne]

BTW, I know I'm a pretty serious hedger in my comments and therefore kind of annoying to discuss/argue with. I just tend to want to contend with definitive statements about guys that even the pro scouts have to have some uncertainty about.

You're all right in my book.

[dagger]

Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi
Jose Bautista progressing "quicker than we all envisioned," says Farrell. Possibility for dry swings and hitting off tee at week's end.

John Lott ‏@LottOnBaseball
Farrell: Bautista could be swinging bat (maybe hitting off tee) by end of week. Wrist responding well to resistance/strength tests.

[J.Kim]

Shi Davidi ‏@ShiDavidi
Jose Bautista progressing "quicker than we all envisioned," says Farrell. Possibility for dry swings and hitting off tee at week's end.

John Lott ‏@LottOnBaseball
Farrell: Bautista could be swinging bat (maybe hitting off tee) by end of week. Wrist responding well to resistance/strength tests.

Nothing like good ol' Steroids and HGH.