Mailbag: Assessing the double-play duo
03/06/2006How does the new double-play tandem of Aaron Hill and Russ Adams look? Do they look comfortable with each other, or have balls been scooting into the outfield?-- James R., Los Angeles
Hill joined Adams in Dunedin, Fla., a couple of weeks before they had to officially report to the Bobby Mattick Training Center for Spring Training. The pair has been spending countless hours together on the field training with third-base coach and infield instructor Brian Butterfield.
So far, Adams and Hill have looked pretty solid defensively in practice. They have also been spending a lot of time with infielder John McDonald, who is very sound fundamentally and can serve as a valuable mentor to them as they continue to develop.
Butterfield said that Hill's main focus will be getting accustomed to turning the double play from the second-base side. Last year, Hill -- who played shortstop in the Minors -- mainly used a jump turn when turning double plays from second. The 23-year-old has been perfecting the pivot turn this spring, though. The pivot is the one aspect of Hill's new position that he'll be spending most of his time focusing on.
Adams struggled with throwing accuracy at times last season, but Butterfield saw improvement as the season wore on. So far this spring, Adams seems to be picking up where he left off last year, but it's still going to take him time to develop into an everyday shortstop in the Majors. He made 26 errors last year, but keep in mind that Toronto's four-time Gold Glove shortstop, Tony Fernandez, made 30 errors in his first full season with the Blue Jays.
Ben Weber was an outstanding pitcher when he was with the 2002 World Series champs, the Angels. What are the chances he will return to this form and start the season with the Jays? This would be a great addition to an already great bullpen. Who would be sent down in that situation?--Rhys W., Salmon Arm, British Columbia
Weber's chances of breaking camp with the Major League team seem to be slim to none. Toronto's bullpen appears to be set with seven relievers: B.J. Ryan, Scott Schoeneweis, Scott Downs, Pete Walker, Vinnie Chulk, Jason Frasor and Justin Speier. The only way for Weber to get a job seems to be if one of those pitchers goes down with an injury.
Speier is resting an injured right middle finger -- the same finger in which he had a strained tendon at the end of last year. Speier will be throwing in a bullpen session on March 9, and if he experiences any lingering pain, he'll be given a cortisone shot and will be questionable for Opening Day. Right now, it doesn't look as though the injury will lead to that, but it does raise questions about who the next option would be if a player does get hurt.
Weber would be one of those options, but not the only one. There is also James Baldwin, Dustin McGowan, Shaun Marcum and Brandon League, among others. If Weber has an outstanding spring and Toronto considers replacing someone in the bullpen, Pete Walker might be the one on the bubble -- emphasis on if and might. It doesn't look as though there will be room for Weber.
Weber had surgery in November to repair a ruptured disc in his neck, a condition that was causing issues in his throwing arm. Toronto signed the right-hander to a Minor League contract in order to give him the opportunity to get over the injury that led to ballooned stats over the last two years. If Weber doesn't break camp with Toronto, he has a clause in his contract that will allow him to talk to other teams later in the season.
Who's going to be filling the two-hole this year in the Blue Jays batting order? Would it be someone like Hill, or could Lyle Overbay be pushed into that spot?-- Ryan J., Kanata, Ontario
Manager John Gibbons has named outfielder Frank Catalanotto as the primary No. 2 hitter, but Catalanotto will be platooning in left field with Reed Johnson. Catalanotto will be used against right-handed pitchers. When lefties are on the mound, Adams could slide from the leadoff spot and hit second, with Johnson in the No. 1 hole.
If Gibbons wants to keep Adams in the leadoff spot and Catalanotto is not playing in left, another option could be Hill. You're right, though -- Gibbons could try Overbay second, or maybe even Alex Rios. But as of right now, it looks as though Catalanotto will be the main No. 2 guy, with Adams at leadoff, Overbay in the fifth spot and Hill probably batting ninth.
What are the chances of seeing League in the bullpen this season? And where will he be used with Frasor and Speier as the setup men?-- Drew K., Sudbury, Ontario
As is the case with Weber, there just isn't room in the inn for League. The bullpen is stocked with right-handers, and League probably won't be one of them come Opening Day. League will most likely start the season with Triple-A Syracuse, but he could be called up if the 'pen is hit with a few injuries.
As far as the setup situation goes, Gibbons said that he hasn't named any one pitcher to that role. He's more likely to use Speier, Frasor, Chulk and Schoeneweis in the eighth inning at various times. Gibbons didn't have a set eighth-inning pitcher last year, and that will continue to be the case. Speier would possibly be considered the No. 1 setup pitcher for Ryan, but Gibbons will probably just continue to play the hot hand.
I heard a rumor that Pat Hentgen is helping the Blue Jays this spring. He's one of the best pitchers the great city of Toronto has ever had. What kind of odds are there that he could end up coaching with them in the next few seasons? I don't see how it could hurt to have a former Cy Young winner in the dugout.-- Craig B., Fairport
Well, Craig, it isn't a rumor. Hentgen was asked to come to Toronto's Spring Training site to serve as a guest coach, and he gladly accepted the offer. He has been spending a lot of time working with the younger pitchers this year.
On his first day in camp, Hentgen was asked if he'd consider using this experience as a trial run for a potential coaching career. He didn't say yes, but he didn't say no, either. Hentgen said that he loves being around the game and helping the players, but that he wasn't sure he would consider going into coaching full-time just yet.
Source: http://toronto.bluejays.mlb.com/
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