Roster Changes To Come

Toronto

Don’t look now but there are plenty of changes coming throughout the Jays organization both at the major league level and in the minors. Aaron Hill who is on the 15 day DL is due to be reactivated April 23. With the recent acquisition of Fred Lewis from San Francisco and the strong play of Mike McCoy in Hill’s absence, it begs the question who is the odd man out when Hill returns? With Cito Gaston’s commitment to Lyle Oberbay at first, and Adam Lind firmly entrenched that DH, it appears that Randy Ruiz has nowhere to go except back to AAA. Even then Ruiz has nowhere to play with Brett Wallace’s booming bat solid at first base and Brian Dopirak backing him up while spending most of his time at DH. Unless Lyle Overbay gets traded or someone gets hurt, it looks like Ruiz will again be passed over in his bid to have a fulltime major league career in Toronto.

Once again the question arises regarding Brian Tallet’s role on the Jays pitching staff after three starts. A respectable initial outing has lead to two marginal ones, and consistent with this history, Tallet has averaged less than six innings per outing and has an ERA over six. With the team so firmly committed to the future, and strong performances to open the season by Brett Cecil and Brad Mills in Las Vegas, why are the Jays filling a starter’s spot with someone who is not part of that future and whose best role is out of the bullpen? It’s time to promote one of Cecil or Mills, move Tallet back to the pen where we need another lefty anyway, and demote Jeremy Accardo who has been totally ineffective to start the season.

Las Vegas

How does one choose between the outstanding starts and Brett Cecil and Brad Mills? Mills is 3-0 and has struck out 24 in 17 innings with an ERA around two. Cecil is 2-0 in two starts, has struck out 11 and walked only 2 in 11 innings. Either of the starter is deserving of a promotion to the big team though Cecil has the edge due to his length of experience with the jays last year. With Mark Rzepczynski not due to begin throwing until the end of April, the promotion of one of the starters to Toronto, could easily be filled with a promotion of Luis Perez from New Hampshire who has been nothing short of the outstanding.

Surprises of Las Vegas to date include David Purcey’s continued inability to throw strikes in spite of his reduced repertoire of pitches. In contrast, 27 year old Rommie Lewis has continued his strong performance of last year with five saves through six appearances.

New Hampshire

Brad Emaus has continued is outstanding hitting from spring training notching 8 RBI and six walks in seven games. It will be long before the spot is made for Emaus in Las Vegas either its second base or third base.

Kyle Drabek may get the press but Luis Perez is getting the results. Through three games Perez has allowed only two hits in 17 innings and has been virtually unhittable. Daniel Farquhar has recorded four saves in five games and has yet to allow or an earned run while Tim Collins has struck out nine in 4 2/3 innings. Trystan Magnuson has been a tidy 7 2/3 innings striking and 10 and walking none.

Surprises at New Hampshire include Drabek and Zach Stewart who have struggled in the early going. Brian Jerolman and Adam calderone on the other hand have been very productive at the plate hitting over .300 and near the team lead in RBI’s.

Dunedin

Two names stand out through the first 12 games of the season-Travis D’Arnaud and Henderson Alvarez. D’Arnaud is hitting a paltry .400 with three homers and 11 RBIS to be near the league leaders in several hitting categories. In two outings Alvarez has been virtually perfect with a whip up 0.64. Look for both to be promoted to New Hampshire before summer.

Surprises include outfielder Brian Van Kirk who has played all 12 games hitting .283 and driving in 10. Charles Huggins is 1-0 in two starts striking out 11 and 12 innings with an ERA near two.

Lansing

Bradley Glenn has been stellar hitting .400 with three homers and appears ready for a promotion. Top prospect Kenny Wilson is hitting a respectable .279 but more importantly has seven walks and an on base percentage over .400 and five stolen bases.

The starting pitchers have been just average but three relievers Brian Slover, Aaron Loup, and Dustin Antolin have a combined 11 appearances and the ERA under 1.0. Look for one or all of these three to be in Dunedin for the second half of the season.

William Bruyea