Cecil out, Castro in as Closer

North_of_Border · Post #1 » by **North_of_Border** » Thu Apr 9, 2015 11:38 pm

[URL]http://m.theglobeandmail.com/sports/baseball/castro-takes-over-from-cecil-as-jays-closer/article23868502/?service=mobile
[/URL]

Brett Cecil is no longer Jays closer after the big collapse in game two. Miguel Castro is the new 20 year old closer of the Toronto Blue Jays by game 3 of 2015.

Cecil has lost velocity again. However things can still change. Jays will monitor his velocity.

Your thoughts?

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rarefind · Post #2 » by **rarefind** » Thu Apr 9, 2015 11:43 pm

Quick hook, but this was inevitable. Makes much more sense IMO as you keep Loup and Cecil in their roles from last year. Colt Hynes becomes expendable at this point. Much riding on Castro being able to hold his own in the closer role.

Graham's Cracker · Post #3 » by **Graham's Cracker** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 12:46 am

Closer or not, we need Cecil. Worried about his health.

Sticks · Post #4 » by **Sticks** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:02 am

Looks like Castro did a great job.

Lateral Quicks · Post #5 » by **Lateral Quicks** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:57 am

Remarkable how Cecil found an extra 3-4 mph on his fastball in 24 hours. Could be he was peeved about losing the closer's job without having a single chance to close a game (Wednesday doesn't count as he came in eighth).

LBJSeizedMyID · Post #6 » by **LBJSeizedMyID** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 12:45 pm

If memory serves me correctly Cecil didn't have much of a chance to warmup in Wedensday's game?

Post #7 » by **Nolan** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 2:51 pm

Surprised at how short of a leash Cecil was given but Castro has looked pretty solid so far.

CrookedJ · Post #8 » by **CrookedJ** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:29 pm

LBJSeizedMyID wrote:If memory serves me correctly Cecil didn't have much of a chance to warmup in Wedensday's game?

Thats true....Loup only threw 8 pitches.

Either way I think that this was the plan all along. Gibby :love:

Castro.

At this rate Castro is gonna get a ton of innings....

dagger · Post #9 » by **dagger** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:34 pm

Lateral Quicks wrote:Remarkable how Cecil found an extra 3-4 mph on his fastball in 24 hours. Could be he was peeved about losing the closer's job without having a single chance to close a game (Wednesday doesn't count as he came in eighth).

Cecil attributed this to a number of things: his injury shortened spring training meant he is only finding his groove, and he has a tendency to pitch better on the second game of two consecutive appearances. He was better on Thursday, so he claimed, because of his Wednesday appearance. At least that is what he claimed for public consumption.

Post #10 » by **Schad** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 3:52 pm

LBJSeizedMyID wrote:If memory serves me correctly Cecil didn't have much of a chance to warmup in Wedensday's game?

Yeah, he had a very abbreviated bullpen session...he was just starting to warm when the Jays began delaying the game to get Loup out.

Michael Bradley · Post #11 » by **Michael Bradley** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 4:32 pm

I was watching the YES broadcast, and Michael Kay was mocking the Jays for taking Cecil out of the role so abruptly. After Cecil ended the inning, Kay sarcastically said something to the effect of "maybe he won the job back now". Can't say I blame them (the announcers). The Jays brought him in during a bases loaded/0 out situation in the rain when he had a shortened Spring due to injury. If that wasn't setting him up to fail, I'm not sure what it was.

Once Stro got hurt and Sanchez had to start, I think it was only a matter of time before Castro became the closer. They were very non committal to Cecil as closer all Spring.

Graham's Cracker · Post #12 » by **Graham's Cracker** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 5:42 pm

Michael Bradley wrote:I was watching the YES broadcast, and Michael Kay was mocking the Jays for taking Cecil out of the role so abruptly. After Cecil ended the inning, Kay sarcastically said something to the effect of "maybe he won the job back now". Can't say I blame them (the announcers). The Jays brought him in during a bases loaded/0 out situation in the rain when he had a shortened Spring due to injury. If that wasn't setting him up to fail, I'm not sure what it was.

Once Stro got hurt and Sanchez had to start, I think it was only a matter of time before Castro became the closer. They were very non committal to Cecil as closer all Spring.

I would much prefer Gibby just to say that they'll be using the guys they trust in high leverage situations and not a 9th inning guy or 8th inning guy. If they did this from the beginning they would have save disrespecting Cecil after 1 game. I just hope Cecil's ineffectiveness was A) lack of warm-up or B) rust from missing time through spring. We really don't need a Cecil injury this year.

Skin Blues · Post #13 » by **Skin Blues** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 8:23 pm

Cecil's velocity was back around 90+ in his second appearance, in the same range as he was in at the start of last season. Velocity always ticks up as the season moves on. Pretty crazy to make a decision like this after one outing. Seems that Gibby wanted to do this all along and just needed an excuse.

Randle McMurphy · Post #14 » by **Randle McMurphy** » Fri Apr 10, 2015 9:43 pm

Skin Blues wrote:Cecil's velocity was back around 90+ in his second appearance, in the same range as he was in at the start of last season. Velocity always ticks up as the season moves on. Pretty crazy to make a decision like this after one outing. Seems that Gibby wanted to do this all along and just needed an excuse.

The team is probably better served using Cecil situationally anyway.

Skin Blues · Post #15 » by **Skin Blues** » Sun Apr 12, 2015 4:32 pm

So you think it was a bad decision to have him start the season as closer, then? In that case Gibby's first mistake has already cost us one game.

Anyway, it is very likely that Cecil is the best reliever we have. How do you justify purposely keeping your best pitcher, who shows no platoon split, out of the most high leverage position in the bullpen?

Lunchpailhero1 · Post #16 » by **Lunchpailhero1** » Mon Apr 13, 2015 4:55 pm

Skin Blues wrote:So you think it was a bad decision to have him start the season as closer, then? In that case Gibby's first mistake has already cost us one game.

Anyway, it is very likely that Cecil is the best reliever we have. How do you justify purposely keeping your best pitcher, who shows no platoon split, out of the most high leverage position in the bullpen?

I'm sure this was always managements plan. It seems like he was on a tight leash to begin with and obviously they don't like what they see, so better to make that change right away then to keep forcing it. Tigers did that with Nathan for a large chunk of the season last year and it never worked. Doesnt mean Cecil cant get it together eventually,i just think they were weary all along with him but figured that they would see him in a couple actual season games before completely making the change.

The other problem is the fact that there wasnt a clear cut option to close their games in the first place. so they might spend a significant chunk of the season trying to figure out someone permanent, or force AA to make a deal to get someone.