SHAW’S VERSATILITY COULD HELP BLUE JAYS
For Travis Shaw to be a hit with the Blue Jays as the team’s likely opening day first baseman, it boils down to the veteran infielder regaining the form that made him so dangerous at the plate earlier in his career.
If Shaw has a renewal of such success, the configuration of manager Charlie Montoyo’s infield could get interesting.
During his three seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, Shaw spent most of his playing time at third base where he was well regarded defensively. He hasn’t played first with any regularity since he held down that spot with the Boston Red Sox in 2015.
With the Jays, of course, third is currently the protected domain of Vlad Guerrero Jr. But we have to wonder — should the prized 20-year-old falter defensively at the hot corner, would Shaw suddenly become an interesting option there? No one with the Jays is willing to go that far just yet, but their assertions that Guerrero is the third baseman of the future aren’t as enthusiastic as they once were.
“I’m never going to say no,” Montoyo said when asked if he could see Guerrero shifting to first base. “There’s always a chance of that but I know if he ever goes to first base ... he’s got good hands. He’ll be fine. He’s our third baseman right now.”
The defensive versatility that Shaw brings is certainly notable given how Montoyo isn’t shy to move players around. In his three seasons in Milwaukee, Shaw played 321 games at third base and just 24 at first, plus 39 more at second.
Shaw has shown a willingness in his career to play wherever a manager wants him to and he certainly seems enthused at the prospect of reviving his career with the Jays. At age 29, he almost immediately becomes a veteran presence for the young Jays group.
“I think this is an exciting team,” Shaw said. “I won’t put a limit on this team. I went over to Milwaukee (in 2017) where we weren’t expected to be very good either and look what happened in a short year or two.
“So for me, a young team, if it all clicks and those guys all take another step forward, this could be a very exciting season.”
Shaw, of course, could be an underrated key in the potential steps forward department. After hitting 32 home runs in 2018 with a batting average of .241, he plunged to .157 and just seven round-trippers in 2019, a season that also included a couple of demotions to triple-a.
The five-year big league veteran believes he has ironed out the source of those struggles and is anxious to prove it upon his return to the American League.
“At the end of the year, probably the last week of September, I started feeling pretty good,” Shaw said. “So after the season, I hit for another week or two and then honestly just reset, took my mind off of baseball. Then I looked at some video from 2017 and 2018 and started hitting again.”
Guerrero led the Jays with 17 errors last season and if all his hard work in the off-season doesn’t pay off defensively, Montoyo may be pressed into considering alternatives.
“I love guys that can play different spots, that makes your team better,” Montoyo said. “We’re really happy to have (Shaw.)”
Even as things were going from bad to worse last season, Shaw felt he was conquering the funk. He rebuilt some of his confidence in the minors but on his last recall, there wasn’t a spot for him to log regular time with the Brew Crew.
“Confidence is a huge thing with hitting and for me when I feel good, the good results tend to follow. Right now I feel great and I’m excited and ready to go.”