Gibbons will continue rotating players at DH
Bautista, Encarnacion, Donaldson among vets who benefit from rest
TORONTO Managing his pitching staff down the stretch isn’t the only thing on the mind of Toronto Blue Jays skipper John Gibbons.
He also has to manage his rest and relaxation days for a number of veterans.
On Friday, it was right-fielder Jose Bautista resting his 35-yearold legs in the designated hitter role.
Bautista, who has been inserted into the DH spot 21 times this season, isn’t the only one slated to put the leather away here and there during the final 10 games of the season.
First baseman Edwin Encarnacion, with 84 games as DH under his belt already, third baseman Josh Donaldson, who has been dealing with a nagging hip injury this month, and 33-year-old catcher Russell Martin are also in Gibbons’ daily DH conversation.
“I think Jose’s moving around pretty good,” Gibbons said Friday, prior to the opener of a four-game series at Rogers Centre against the New York Yankees. “Eddie definitely needs some. He’s been going out there a lot at first base. You know, Josh could use one. If there’s a game we want to get (Justin Smoak) in there, that could be Eddie. A game we want to get (Darwin) Barney in there (at third base) against a lefty, it might be Josh. But, against some lefties, too, Russ could use a day. I think Russ gets lost in it all. I think he’s benefitted from giving him a break every now and then, too.”
DUNEDIN DEAL?
The Blue Jays have spent every single spring training since 1977 in Dunedin, Fla., and that may not be changing anytime soon.
According to a report Friday in the Tampa Bay Times, the franchise and city officials have preliminary plans in place that would see $81 million in renovations done to the facilities, with the Blue Jays agreeing to make it their spring home for another 25 years.
Currently, the Blue Jays have two separate Dunedin training locations, with the team desperately wanting to centralize it into one spot. The report states Pinellas County will fund $46 million of the project through tourist development tax dollars, while the Blue Jays will chip in $15.7 million. The state of Florida would be on the hook for approximately $13.6 million, and the city will fork over about $5.6 million. There are many more steps, but, according to the Times, the city hopes to have the project completed in time for 2019.
The Blue Jays’ current contract with Dunedin expires following 2017 spring training.
A STARLIN IS REBORN?
While Yankees manager Joe Girardi claimed Friday afternoon he isn’t counting on getting Starlin Castro back in his lineup, the team is still holding out hope the second baseman’s tender hamstring responds favourably to some rehab work this week at the Yankees’ minor league complex.
Out since suffering the injury last Saturday, Castro hopes to return during the series against the Jays and help his team chase a wild-card spot that is looking less and less likely by the day. “I’ve been feeling pretty good,” Castro told New York reporters Thursday. “We don’t have a time yet, but I think we’ve progressed pretty good. Hopefully, it’s going to be soon.”
THE SANCHIZE
The show put on by Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez since being recalled from triple-A in early August isn’t lost on Gibbons. Nineteen home runs and a .411 on-base percentage in 192 plate appearances isn’t something Gibbons can explain, though.
“Oh, shoot, man, it’s hard to describe what he’s doing,” Gibbons said of the Yankees’ 23-year-old, who spent the series opener in the DH spot on Friday. “Somebody told me he had like 10 or 11 home runs in the minor leagues all year. He comes up here and what’s he got, 19, 20? I can’t explain that. Other than, maybe, they should’ve brought him to the big leagues earlier.”
While some wonder if Sanchez will be able to stay behind the dish long term — he’s allowed four passed balls in 31 starts at catcher, but has gunned down 38 per cent (10 of 26) of would-be base steal respect for the youngster’s arm.
“You can’t just look at his offence,” Gibbons said. “Defensively, I mean, the way he throws the baseball, shoot. He can shut down a running game.”