Pitching thinkers tinker with rotation
OAKLAND— Emerging from the all-star break, the Blue Jays were greeted by a new landscape, one that includes the need to shape their starting rotation to maximize a talented five-some.
Those sharp starters have amazingly worked 40 more innings than any other AL team and boast the lowest opponent batting average at .236.
That maximization needs to be accomplished while at the same time protecting assets, like Aaron Sanchez and his innings count and Marco Estrada and his wonky back.
Heading to O.co Coliseum, only Marcus Stroman had been publicly confirmed as a starter, taking the mound for Friday’s opener. But taking advantage of three built-in off-days before the end of the month, Jays manager John Gibbons and pitching coach Pete Walker have been able to construct a rotation that allows Sanchez — who the Jays say will be moved to the bullpen — to make just three starts in 22 days without missing a turn in the rotation.
The talented 24-year-old all-star pitched the fourth inning Tuesday for the American League but will have 10 days between starts since working July 9 against the Tigers. He will not pitch until the series opener against the Diamondbacks in Arizona on Tuesday. Following Sanchez at Chase Field on Wednesday will be buddy Marcus Stroman.
With R.A. Dickey listed for Sunday in Oakland and next Saturday against Seattle, it allows Gibbons to skip him pitching in Arizona, where the dome and a controlled environment launching pad for long-balls do not suit the capriciousness of his specialty, the knuckleball.
As for all-star right-hander Estrada, he is eligible and would be physically able to return from the DL in Arizona. But because he seems to aggravate his back when he swings the bat, he will be held back from the two inter-league games, pitching the opener against the Mariners at the Rogers Centre July 22.
Because three off-days allow for just four starters until Estrada’s return, the Jays will be able to add an extra position player for the inter-league pair against the D’backs, helping with late-inning double switches, pinch-runners and defensive substitutions.
The likely candidate is infielder Ryan Goins, currently on a rehab option at Triple-A Buffalo for tenderness in his right forearm after pitching in that marathon game on Canada Day.
So what about the two teams the Jays currently are battling for the AL East title?
The Orioles have the second-worst starting rotation ERA in the AL at 5.15, while the Red Sox are at 4.72. On Thursday, Boston GM Dave Dombrowski reached out to the Padres to make a deal for starting pitching help, obtaining all-star left-hander Drew Pomeranz for a top prospect, 18-year-old righthander Anderson Espinoza, rated as the top pitcher that was available on the 2014 international market.
But does the acquisition of Pomeranz automatically make the Red Sox favourites to unseat the Jays for the division crown?
He would seem to have the same innings issues as does Sanchez. Pomeranz’s career-high in innings at any levels or pro ball in a calendar year is 1471⁄ in 2012; his next high
3 est total is 1191⁄ 3.
With a record of 8-7 and a 2.47 ERA for the Padres this season, he already has logged 102 innings in 17 starts.
The Jays’ front office is very familiar with Pomeranz. He was drafted by the Indians under president Mark Shapiro in 2011, receiving a $2.65-million signing bonus — highest among all college pitchers. At 27, the Red Sox become his fifth organization in six years. At this point, he joins David Price, Rick Porcello, fellow all-star Steven Wright and Eduardo Rodriguez in a rotation that has sent Clay Buchholz to the bullpen and Joe Kelly to the minors to transition to relief.
The Padres are one of 11 teams currently under .500 headed into post all-star play and thus are more likely to be looking to the future, with useful pitching pieces available. However, the Jays are handicapped in any trade proposals by the fact they have few pieces in the minor leagues that match up to the quality of Espinoza, ranked No. 34 on MLB.com’s list of overall prospects.
The Red Sox are nothing if not aggressive. At the all-star game, the departing Big Papi, David Ortiz, the unofficial GM of the Sox, suggested Dombrowski trade for Marlins’ all-star pitcher Jose Fernandez and had this to say about a replacement for himself in 2017 after he insists he will retire: “The Red Sox know that they need to reinforce the middle of the lineup. And sorry Blue Jays, but who better than Encarnacion to do that?”
He also spoke to Encarnacion, who pinch-ran for him, about the possibility.
Hey, if that sounds like a classic case of tampering, then the Jays should be upset that while under contract, their pending free-agent may have been publicly influenced by another team.
When contacted, a spokesman for the commissioner’s office said: “We’re looking into it.”