Jays use game as primer for broad evaluation
Regulars sit as team prepares to take inventory
TORONTO • On Friday, the day after the Toronto Blue Jays fielded their weakest lineup of the season, the club’s executives will meet with the manager and coaches to review another season of mediocrity, evaluate their players and kick around ideas for making things better.
Thursday’s lineup served as a reminder of some of the issues on the agenda. Granted, this was not a typical day in the life of the 2014 Blue Jays. Manager John Gibbons rested Jose Bautista, Jose Reyes and Dioner Navarro, three cornerstones of the offence. Forced into a “bullpen day” by Marcus Stroman’s suspension, Gibbons started left-handed prospect Daniel Norris, with mixed results.
But in a 7-5 loss to Seattle, one familiar remnant remained for the Jays. Collectively, six of the nine men in the starting lineup were batting .230 with a total of seven homers and 53 RBIs. For much of this month, four of them have been part of infield and outfield platoons that have generated precious little offence.
Canadian outfielder Dalton Pompey has been playing every day, partly because the Jays long ago gave up on Colby Rasmus and partly because they like Pompey a lot and want to get a sense of how he might fit into their near-term future. (He singled, walked twice and stole third base against the Mariners on Thursday batting in Reyes’s spot.)
With three games left — against division champion Baltimore, a team the Jays led in the standings in early June — Gibbons said the club’s brain trust will discuss the players they have and some of the rival players they might covet.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos will chair the meeting, with his chief lieutenants, the manager and the coaching staff in attendance.
“Areas where you think you need to improve the team, this and that,” Gibbons said in summary. “[Anthopoulos] will pick everbody’s brain a little bit. We’ll go over all the different players. Can they help, or do we need an upgrade? Are you satisfied with this or that? It’s good. It lets everybody have their say. What comes from that, who knows? But that’s important.”
The Jays have abundant questions as they enter the off-season. They will likely lose closer Casey Janssen to free agency. Melky Cabrera, one of their top hitters, will also probably test the free-agent market; his departure would leave a huge hole in left field. After a wretched season, Rasmus will head into free agency, leaving the Jays with a decision about centre field, where Anthony Gose, Kevin Pillar and Pompey have shared time this month. Second base has been a problem spot all season. Injuries again shelved Brett Lawrie for a big chunk of the season, leaving management to fill with fringe players.
Friday’s session, an annual event during the Anthopoulos regime, will collect information, but no decisions will be finalized. Nor are Gibbons and his coaches likely to learn whether they will be back next season.
“I’ve got a feeling I’m coming back, but I haven’t been told anything officially yet,” said Gibbons, who is currently under contract through 2015.
Norris and Pompey are expected to open the 2015 season at Triple-A Buffalo. Each has made a generally favourable impression as a September call-up.
Norris, a top-flight starting prospect, had been working out of the bullpen but got his first start and worked 3 1/3 innings. He held Seattle hitless over three innings, then gave up a bunt single and a walk before Gibbons lifted him after 59 pitches. Todd Redmond allowed both of Norris’s runners to score.
Gibbons said beforehand that Norris would be limited to 60 pitches. He had not started since late August, when he was pitching for Triple-A Buffalo.
The switch-hitting Pompey has five hits in 28 at-bats and has struck out eight times. But he has impressed Gibbons with his plate discipline, defence, speed and unusual maturity for a 21-year-old.
Asked whether he thought Pompey could contend for a big-league spot next spring, Gibbons replied: “I don’t know about that, but he’s playing great. He was on base three times today, couple walks and a hit. Good defence. Got some energy. We like everything we see.”
It was a bullpen day for both teams. The Jays used six pitchers, the Mariners nine. September call-up Kendall Graveman, pitching at his fifth level this season, held Seattle scoreless over the final two frames, striking out three. Pillar homered in the ninth against Mariners closer Fernando Rodney.