Gaudin sent to Minors
TORONTO -- The Blue Jays said one thing before the game and another after it ended. Despite a pregame vote of confidence for Chad Gaudin, the Blue Jays removed him from the rotation and the roster after Wednesday night's 5-2 win.The 22-year-old was optioned down to Triple-A Syracuse, making room for Gabe Gross on the active roster and Pete Walker in the starting rotation. Toronto manager John Gibbons said the move was in the works the entire time, even if he wasn't allowed to announce it.
"See, we listen to you," he said after the game. "Believe it or not."
Hours earlier, it was a much different conversation. Gibbons had tried to give Gaudin a vote of confidence, insisting that he'd probably make his next start. When his answers were questioned at face value, the skipper tried to avoid the topic altogether.
"Didn't you just ask that question last night? What did I tell you then?" asked Gibbons, a grin starting to creep out from both corners of his mouth. "We like his arm and we got him for a reason. We're trying to win every game, but we're still building. He's had three starts, but we'll see how it goes."
Those three starts all came during blowouts. Gaudin got his only win in his season debut, helped largely by seven Toronto runs in his first three innings of work. His next two outings were somewhat disastrous: The right-hander recorded 15 outs in his last two starts, but he allowed a total of 12 earned runs.
Despite his struggles, he still expected to make his next start and was a bit surprised by the team's decision.
"I didn't expect it at all. I was more surprised than anything else, but I can't say I pitched all that well," he said. "I'm just going to go down there and go after them."
Walker has been one of Toronto's most reliable relief options, working 15 games with a 1.08 ERA. The right-hander has usually been saved for multi-inning stints, a task that could easily fall to Gaudin in the future. For now, Walker will move into the rotation and make at least one start, but he may not be a long-term option.
"I was willing to take whatever role the team gave me," he said. "This is an opportunity to help the team in a different way."
"Somebody asked me yesterday if we've talked about it. Yeah, we talk about all those things," Gibbons said about Walker. "He's pitched so well out of the bullpen for us to bridge the gap, but we definitely give all that consideration."
Gross is needed because Vernon Wells won't be with the team this weekend. Wells is headed home for the birth of his second son and isn't expected back until Monday.
Early returns: The Jays have been thrilled with Aaron Hill, who's stepped in and played third base in Corey Koskie's absence. The former first-round pick has done well at third base, despite the fact that he spent nearly all of his Minor League career playing shortstop. So far, he's made just two errors in 11 games at the hot corner.
"We're just at a point where he's learning on the run and playing third base," said Brian Butterfield, Toronto's infield coach. "We've got to be careful not to overload him, so we're basically letting him play. I think the real teaching process comes in during Spring Training and the offseason. You take things incrementally, once they've established themselves."
The rookie has played just one game at shortstop -- his natural position -- but Butterfield isn't worried about his skills atrophying. He said the right-handed hitter will be able to move back to short when the timing's right, but he admits that he doesn't know when that will be.
"I don't know what we have in store for him," he said. "I told him, 'Until somebody tells us they want to see you at shortstop, let's keep working out at third base.' We'll see what happens, instead of bumping back and forth."
Fallout: The International League is still mulling over disciplinary measures for an on-field incident between Triple-A Syracuse and Triple-A Richmond earlier in the week. 21 Syracuse players were reportedly fined for their parts in the brawl, and Richmond outfielder Esix Snead was suspended indefinitely.
Snead sparked the brawl by charging the mound after a walk, attacking Toronto prospect Bush, who had turned his back to the play. Bush needed five stitches and is reportedly mulling over pressing charges for assault.
Meeting of the minds: Gibbons spent some time conversing with St. Louis manager Tony La Russa this week, but he chalked it up to nothing more than a baseball bull session. Toronto's skipper said that he likes to meet his more experienced peers and talk to them about the game. La Russa, true to form, had plenty of interesting things to tell him.
"Guys like him, as successful as he is, there are reasons why," said Gibbons. "I was just getting to know him and asking him questions about some things. He's got some good advice, and he's one of the best. Why not lean on those guys?"
Quotable: "Keep pitching Halladay. You're going to win a lot of games." -- Gibbons, relaying some playful advice he got from La Russa
On deck: The Jays get an off-day on Thursday before playing host to the Milwaukee Brewers this weekend. Ex-Jay Doug Davis will start for the road team in the series opener, and he'll be matched up against Toronto's Gustavo Chacin.
Source: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/
<< Home