Mailbag: Changes in rotation
Pitching, catching and what to make of Aaron Hill -- it's another edition of the Mailbag, brought to you for your immediate edification.With Ted Lilly and Chad Gaudin not looking so reliable on the mound lately, wouldn't it be a good idea to give Pete Walker, who has some experience in the role, a chance at starting? -- Doug L., Grimsby, Ont.
This move has actually come to pass since the e-mail arrived, but it's still a meaty topic of conversation. Gaudin got hit hard in consecutive starts and was optioned to Triple-A Syracuse where he'll probably continue pitching from the starting rubber. The 22-year-old's strength is a vicious slider, and most analysts think he'll eventually wind up sticking in the bullpen.
Walker's in the rotation, but nobody knows how long that will last. For now, it looks like he may be keeping the spot warm for Dave Bush, but Walker certainly earned a shot at an expanded role. The right-hander worked more than 30 innings with an eye-popping ERA of 1.08, but part of his previous job meant that he rarely pitched late in the game or in close games.
Still, you can't perform that job any better than he did. The 36-year-old has completed at least two innings in 10 of his 15 appearances -- and he hasn't been scored on in any of those games. That includes a pair of three-inning saves, earned in games where the Jays won by a combined 12 runs.
One positive note for Walker, as Doug noted, is that the veteran has experience in the role. Two years ago, splitting time between the bullpen and the rotation, Walker finished second on the Jays with 10 wins. This year, he's basically been used at the same pace as a starter, often going four or five days between games.
Hanging in the background is Bush, who started the season in the rotation but was demoted after going winless in 10 starts. The Jays never expected him to last in Syracuse all that long -- he was just sent out to find himself and gain some confidence. He'll probably be back right around the All-Star break, which should cause another rotation shuffle.
Do you think the Jays should have drafted a catcher as their first pick? Gregg Zaun is a decent stopgap, Ken Huckaby is hopeless with the bat, and Guillermo Quiroz at Triple-A Syracuse seems to be injury-prone. Seems like they need some help at the backstop in a big way. -- Jonathan F., Vineland
If the perceived need behind the plate is as dire as it seems, drafting would be a bad way to go about fixing it. For one, that would take two or three years to work -- and that's in the best-case scenario. Drafting for need at the big-league level doesn't work in the baseball draft, and catcher is a position that's notoriously hard to evaluate and develop.
It's much easier to just grab a veteran catcher off the scrap heap and plug him into the roster. Just look at two of the three players mentioned -- Zaun and Huckaby, both acquired on waivers at low cost to the organization. Zaun has played well in his two-season run as Toronto's primary catcher, but Huckaby hasn't hit much in his second go-round with the team.
And that's OK. The Jays have always felt Huckaby's contribution goes beyond the box score -- they were never expecting him to make a big contribution with the bat. The pitchers like throwing to him and he's one of the most popular players in the clubhouse. Having said that, if he can't raise his average above his current mark (.118), Toronto may start looking for someone who can.
What's the state of young catchers in the organization? Quiroz is still highly regarded by the team, but he's missed two golden chances to step in and play over the last two seasons. Injuries -- a major occupational hazard for catchers -- have kept him off the field and from realizing his potential. Toronto will press him through the Arizona Fall League in October, and he'll likely get a chance to be the team's backup in 2006.
The Jays drafted a catcher high in the 2004 draft -- second-rounder Curtis Thigpen, out of the University of Texas. He's currently playing at Class A Lansing, hitting Midwest League pitchers at a .275 clip with five homers and 30 RBIs. The 22-year-old is probably at least two years away from even appearing on the big-league radar.
What do you think is going to happen to Aaron Hill once Corey Koskie returns from his injury? I see three options: No. 1, send Hill back to the Minors; No. 2, keep Hill in the Majors and have him platoon with someone, either at third, DH, or short; or No. 3, keep Hill in the Majors playing full-time and bench someone else (e.g. Koskie, Eric Hinske, Russ Adams?). -- Mike T., Toronto
Mike just might be a lawyer. This e-mail has been repeated in several other formats, but rarely laid out as orderly. The answer may just be somewhere been No. 2 and No. 3 -- call it No. 2.5, if you will. Hill looks like he's ready for the big leagues and will probably remain after Koskie returns, but there's no way to tell how he'll be used just yet.
First of all, let's get the obvious out of the way. Koskie isn't expected back until late July or early August, which means the whole "too many infielders" dilemma could be solved at the trade deadline. Someone else could also get hurt between now and then, but let's assume that everyone stays healthy. Koskie will go right back to third base, which means that Hill is searching for playing time wherever he can find it.
He'd likely platoon with Adams at shortstop, facing all the lefties and some righties to give Adams a day off. But the Jays have also expressed the desire to let Adams face more southpaws as the season wears on -- they don't want him to be a platoon player. Hill could slot in as the designated hitter on some days, spelling Hinske or Shea Hillenbrand as the situation fits.
Bottom line: Toronto will find at-bats for all the young players. They're going to get every chance to develop under the current regime's watchful eye.
Source: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/
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