The Official Jays Off-Season Thread (Rumours, Opinions, Etc)

[Wo1verine]

Keppinger is a putrid defender at 2B.

[Wo1verine]

Second basemen

Yuniesky Betancourt (31)
Brian Bixler (30)
Ronny Cedeno (30)
Mike Fontenot (33)
Orlando Hudson (35)
Maicer Izturis (32)
Kelly Johnson (31)
Adam Kennedy (37)
Jeff Keppinger (33)
Freddy Sanchez (34)
Marco Scutaro (37)
Ryan Theriot (33)

[BigLeagueChew]

Polanco had an injury filled season and might welcome a return to 2nd base. Question is if hes done or can return to his old form at 37. He had back injuries last season and shut it down with 25 games left.

[polo007]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/2012/1 ... infielder/

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Whispers and innuendo abound at the general managers meetings and among them is that the Toronto Blue Jays are closing in on a free agent middle infielder with big-league experience.

Alex Anthopoulos was his typically coy self during a lengthy chat with a small handful of reporters Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Indian Wells Resort & Spa, but a source suggested something might be coming down in the days ahead.

Who that might be wasn't immediately known, although the free-agent field is particularly thin this off-season. Marco Scutaro is probably the best option and unlikely to be in play for the Blue Jays, leaving names like Ryan Theriot and Maicer Izturis at the high end, and Ronny Cedeno and Yuniesky Betancourt on the lower end of the spectrum.

Either way, it sounds like the Blue Jays are set to fill in some degree their hole at second base, where they have only prospect Adeiny Hechavarria and utility-man Mike McCoy with incumbent Kelly Johnson a free agent who is unlikely to return.

[baulderdash77]

The guy they sign is going to cost less than the 2.3 million Aviles was expected to get. So I'm going to guess Ryan Theriot. He's cheap enough to put on the bench if Hech beats him out, but he's a bonafide MLB player who can play 2B or backup the entire infield as well as get on base at a respectable rate, if not for power.

Actually the more I think about it, the more I like the move if it happened.

[Kurtz]

Valbuena time?

[s e n s i]

looks like we're adding to the latino connection

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal
#BlueJays closing in on middle infielder, per @ShiDavidi. One rival exec expects free agent Maicer Izturis to be Toronto's choice.

[baulderdash77]

Maicer Izturis is that solid super-utility guy that every team can use. I wonder what the term is, but he's been a positive for the Angels for a long time and he's only 32 still. He's a good placeholder in case Hech can't make it as a full time regular, where we'd have a great bench option.

Actually he's a lot like another former Angel on our roster in Jeff Mathis in that he's a reliable backup who can get you full time work in a pinch.

It's also always interesting to have another ex-Montreal Expo on the club. Not too many of those around anymore.

[Michael Bradley]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS
Jays close to deal with maicer izturis

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS
#jays are the good fit for maicer izturis. Getting close. #ineedcoffee

I guess it will be Izturis. Not a bad short-term option at 2B. Hopefully he can have a bounce back season.

[baulderdash77]

Sounds like they signed him.

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS
Maicer gets $10M for 3 yrs plus club option. #jays
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[Kaizen]

Is this good or bad? I am not sure what to make of the fact he will be getting more than what Aviles would have got. Doesn't this mean he will be the starter?

[BigLeagueChew]

Good deal, we still pay about half the amount we paid Johnson last year. First switch hitter since Gregg Zaun and Orlando Hudson before that.

[s e n s i]

unless we were acquiring our 2B via trade, izturis is about what you'd expect outta the FA pool. decent defense, 8th or 9th bat in the line-up. obviously it woulda been nice to land a stud here but i don't think that was ever a possibility. we gotta get a serious upgrade in LF and DH if we want to have a potent enough offense to compete. having JPA, izturis, and potentially rasmus as semi-black-holes in the order is passable if those positions are upgraded accordingly. even if the rotation is better, the offense last season - despite leading the league in runs scored at one point - was kind of inconsistent. and if one big bat or more goes down again then this team will be toast if we don't add any more real threats to the order.

[baulderdash77]

He's not a black hole on offense, he just has no power. He has almost identical #'s as Marco Scutaro at .273/.337/.381.

If he's your utility infielder, you're doing just fine. He can start until Hech is ready and then he'll be fine as a backup after that.

[baulderdash77]

In other news- The agent for Jeremy Jeffress is reporting that his client has been traded to the Jays from the Royals. He seems like a depth guy since he's been bouncing between AAA and the Royals for a couple years.

*edit* sounds like we got him for nothing, which is always good.

Chris Toman ‏@Chris_Toman
From his agent: RT @39ontheline Jeremy jeffress traded to toronto #bluejays
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Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS
Jeremy jeffress traded to #jays for cash considerations. Big arm.
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Tao of Stieb ‏@TaoofStieb
Jeremy Jeffress is a reliever who throws mid-90's. Stop me if you've heard this one before.

[torontoaces04]

A guy who throws mid-90's for nothing...sign me up!

[baulderdash77]

It sounds like Jeffress likes to get his smoke on. Maybe that's why we got him for a nothing.

Drug tests
On August 30, 2007, Jeffress was suspended for 50 games after testing positive for "a drug of abuse," which was reportedly marijuana. This was not his first positive test; he was given a warning for his first offense. In June 2009, he tested positive a third time and was suspended for 100 games.[6] One more positive test will result in a lifetime ban for Jeffress.

[YogiStewart]

http://www.baseball-reference.com/playe ... je01.shtml

numbers ain't that sexy

[LBJSeizedMyID]

No risk considering he was once considered a top prospect.

[soulchild_07]

On Jeffress - if he escapes the roster crunch then could be a low risk/high reward guy...
BA report progression (regression) over the years.

2006 - Jeffress had more sheer velocity than any pitcher in the 2006 draft. The Brewers hoped for a quality college arm with the 16th overall pick, but changed gears and took Jeffress, who signed for $1.55 million. Despite control struggles in his pro debut, he rated as the top pitching prospect in the Rookie-level Arizona League. Jeffress regularly throws his fastball in the high 90s, hit 98 mph throughout 2006 and topped out at 102. He’s an excellent athlete with smooth mechanics and utilizes his lower half well. He flashes a hard slider, but the pitch is a work in progress. He showed encouraging signs of progress with his offspeed stuff in instructional league. It’s hard to succeed as a one-pitch pitcher, and Jeffress will have to refine his slider and changeup. His control is erratic and he wore down by the end of the summer. He’s a project, but the long-term payoff could be huge, as scouts compare Jeffress to Dwight Gooden for his velocity, athleticism and easy delivery. He should see low Class A at some point this season.

2007 - Jeffress has the best arm in the system, but he drew a 50-game suspension near the end of the 2007 season for testing positive for a drug of abuse. He failed another drug test administered by the team during instructional league, marking the fourth time he has been flagged for marijuana. Jeffress is one of the few pitchers who can actually hit triple digits on the radar gun. He regularly throws his fastball from 93-95 mph and has made progress with his curveball and changeup, making his heater even more devastating. A standout basketball player in high school, he's a good athlete with smooth mechanics and a strong lower body. Jeffress' biggest issue is committing to being a professional after failing four drug tests. On the mound, his control is still erratic, in part because he overstrides in his delivery. Jeffress will start 2008 serving his Minor League Baseball suspension, and the Brewers could impose further discipline for his latest failed test. He could remain a starter as he refines his curve and change, but many scouts believe his fastball velocity makes him a better fit as a closer down the road.

2008 - A 2006 first-rounder who signed for $1.55 million, Jeffress began last season serving the remainder of a 50-game suspension for testing positive for marijuana near the end of 2007. He returned in mid-May and earned a second-half promotion to Double-A, a move made so he could qualify for extra work in the Arizona Fall League. With a fastball that often approaches 100 mph, Jeffress is one of the hardest throwers in the minors. His heater doesn't have much movement but he delivers it with a free and easy motion that makes the ball explode on hitters. He throws from a high three-quarters angle that makes his 11-to-5 curveball particularly tough to hit when he gets it over the plate. It's easy to see why, but Jeffress falls in love with the radar gun at times. When he's having trouble commanding his curve, he becomes a one-pitch pitcher. He has worked on his changeup but it's not consistent enough for hitters to worry about it. His control is shaky, leaving him prone to big innings when he can't find the plate. He failed multiple drug tests in the past but has promised the Brewers there will be no relapses. Some scouts think Jeffress would fit nicely as an overpowering closer, but the Brewers still hope he can add enough polish to remain a starter. He left the AFL early with a shoulder strain, but with a big spring, he could open the season in Triple-A.

2009 - Jeffress has as much sheer talent as any prospect in the system. But his continued pattern of substance abuse casts doubt that he'll ever make it to the majors. He failed multiple drug tests before drawing a 50-game suspension for testing positive for marijuana near the end of the 2007 season. After another positive test last June, he received a 100-game penalty that will carry over into 2010 and leaves him one more strike away from a lifetime ban. The 16th overall pick in the 2006 draft and recipient of a $1.55 million bonus, Jeffress has one of the most powerful arms in the minors. His fastball sits in the mid-90s and has reached 100 mph. His heater lacks life, but he throws it so hard and with such an easy motion that he blows it by hitters before they know what happened. Jeffress throws from a high three-quarters angle that makes his big-breaking curveball tough to hit when he throws it for strikes. He has yet to come close to mastering his changeup, control or command, so his future may lie in the bullpen. He had such difficulty throwing strikes in Double-A last season that the Brewers demoted him as a wakeup call before he was hit with the suspension. Milwaukee had hoped Jeffress would be on the brink of the majors by now, but he spent much of the offseason in a treatment program and his future lies in doubt.

2010 - Many eyebrows were raised when Milwaukee placed Jeffress on the 40-man roster last June, five months before necessary. After two suspensions for marijuana use in the minors, the 16th overall pick in the 2006 draft was one strike away from a lifetime ban. Players on the 40-man roster can be tested but not suspended for recreational drugs, and the Brewers didn't want to lose the most electric arm in the system. They moved him to the bullpen to help him maintain a daily focus, and his performance on and off the mound earned him a September callup. Jeffress regularly pitches in the mid-90s with his fastball and hit triple digits at the Rising Stars Game in the Arizona Fall League after the season. His heater doesn't have much movement but he throws it with such an easy delivery that he blows it by hitters before they realize what happened. He also has a big-breaking curveball that he struggles to throw for strikes but is devastating when he does. He never mastered a changeup and won't need one as a reliever. Many scouts have projected Jeffress as a closer from the day he was drafted, and his success out of the bullpen did nothing to dispel those thoughts. Assuming Milwaukee opts to keep him in relief, he has a good chance to make their Opening Day roster.

2011 - Ever since the Brewers picked him with the 16th pick of the 2006 draft, Jeffress has had one of the best arms in the minors. But six seasons later, he's still is working to harness his overpowering fastball. A pair of drug suspensions for marijuana cost him 150 games and hurt his development. A third suspension would cost him a lifetime ban in the minor leagues, but because he's on the 40-man roster, he can't be suspended for recreational drugs. Acquired in the Zack Greinke trade in December 2010, Jeffress opened last season in Kansas City but his control problems landed him in the minors in mid-May. When he can't throw strikes, he relies too much on his 96-100 mph fastball and hitters can sit on it. His 12-to-6 spike curveball can be a plus pitch, but he struggles to locate it in the strike zone. After his demotion, the Royals tweaked Jeffress' arm slot, moving his hand slightly further away from his head. The adjustment made his curve more of an 11-to-5 breaker and allowed him to command it better. He uses a cutter/slider as his third pitch. Jeffress' lack of control and command limit his ceiling. He has the pure velocity to close games, but he's more likely to be a seventh-inning reliever unless he can find a way to throw more strikes. He'll compete for a spot in Kansas City's crowded bullpen in spring training.