Jays Notebook: Carrera earns respect as ultimate team player
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons believes Ezequiel Carrera is the perfect role player as the Blue Jays’ fourth outfielder, and Carrera has been proving his manager correct.
“His defence is getting better and better,” Gibbons said as his Jays put an 11-3 thumping on the Philadelphia Phillies in a matinee game at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday.
“He accepts that role, he really enjoys the role now. Some guys get ticked off, they want to play every day, and it affects them. But Zeke’s done a good job for us.”
Carrera, after some outstanding catches deep in right field the past few games, connected on a two-run homer in the Jays’ six-run third inning Tuesday.
He now has two homers, five RBI and a .333 average as a backup. MAKING MOVES: The Jays announced after Tuesday’s win they have optioned left-handed pitcher Aaron Loup to Triple-A Buffalo and designated Scott Diamond for assignment.
Corresponding moves are expected before Wednesday’s game.
Those moves may revolve around Michael Saunders, who was pulled from Tuesday’s game for precautionary measures because of tightness in his right hamstring. HOME NOT SO SWEET: R.A. Dickey’s pitching record is less than flattering: the knuckleballer has yet to win at the Rogers Centre in seven starts this season.
In 14 starts overall, he is 4-7 with a 4.16 ERA.
In his last three starts, though, Dickey has posted a 2.45 ERA while receiving just 3.3 runs per game from the offence. Dickey also has received three runs or less from his offence in 10 of those 14 starts. SWITCH IT UP: Second baseman/ shortstop Ryan Goins took over for Saunders in left field after the third inning of Tuesday’s game.
With Saunders on the bench with a potential injury situation, Goins was asked to fill in, marking just the fifth time in his career he’s played the outfield.
But that number may go up — Goins was taking reps in the outfield last week under the guidance of first base-outfield coach Tim Leiper.
Goins may be the best glove the Jays have in their infield, but his .172 batting average has left him more of a role player and opened the door for Devon Travis to take back his former job at second base and Darwin Barney to take the role of backup infielder.
Goins’ playing time now is centred on how long Troy Tulowitzki remains on the injury shelf; once Tulowitzki comes back, Goins may find himself with the least amount of playing time between Travis, Barney and himself.
Traditionally, baseball takes a look at such players and tries them out at other positions; that allows the player (Goins) to remain with the team and still have some serviceable use.