SIGHT FOR SORE EYES
MLB’s catching ranks are slim, and the Blue Jays have a tough act to follow behind the plate — enter Danny Jansen, a man with a vision.
Danny Jansen concedes geeky. But also geekcool. “A nice touch.”
The spectacles, he means. Today’s version white frames and clear lens. Looks a bit like The Human Fly sometimes, all goggle-eyed. But the glasses bring his vision to 20/10, thereabouts. And he cannot abide the thought of contacts, sticking his finger in his eye.
“I tried it when I first got my prescription. I couldn’t get them in or out. My mom tried to do it. I remember it was miserable. I just said, you know what? I’m going to get these glasses and try them out. I wear them all the time now, on and off the field. I never really take them off unless I’m sleeping.”
The world began to lose its distinct edges when Jansen was about 16, 17. Blurring. Yet Jansen hardly gave his vision a second thought until tested two years ago. And — oh. Look at that. See the ball, hit the ball. “Best thing that ever happened.’’ Batting average nudged back up to .275 in the minors last year. “I’ve had a couple of good seasons with the bat. I always thought I could hit, that it would catch up with me.”
Jansen is among only a halfdozen or so catchers who’ve ever played Major League Baseball bespectacled. It’s not a position that historically has generated much offence, although with some notable exceptions, such as Mike Piazza, Pudge Rodriguez, Buster Posey and Gary Sanchez, who’s coming off shoulder surgery. Among 27 catchers with at least 300 plate appearances in 2018, only 12 hit at the league average or better. Indeed, since the turn of the millennium, backstops have ranked last in batting average (.232), second to last in on-base percentage (.304) and last in slugging percentage (.372).
“As a catcher, the priority is how to handle a staff,’’ Jansen noted after BP on Wednesday. “That’s more valuable, to have your guys trust you. Call a good game, throw guys out. You’re the backbone of the team on defence and that’s everything. They always say hitting’s a bonus. You always want to contribute as much as you can, but contributing behind the plate is more important, in my opinion.’’
In the Blue Jays brass’ opinion too, clearly. Russell Martin was reduced to spectator as last season wound down and Jansen was handed the keys from Aug. 31. In 31 games, Jansen posted a slashline of .247/.347/ .432 with 20 hits, including six doubles, and three home runs in 95 plate appearances. This spring, he’s hitting .286, including a hard single in Wednesday’s 6-4 loss to the Orioles.
But the bat isn’t what made Jansen most attractive to the Jays, who, though pleased with his work on both sides of the diamond, are in love with his defensive attributes. Enough so that they traded Martin to the Dodgers over the winter and anointed Jansen their catcher of the future, which starts now. Jansen admits it was a little awkward, eclipsing Martin through the final six weeks of ’18.
“Sad a bit. When it was over and I was able to think about it, I was just really grateful for the time I had up there to learn from Russ and to watch him. Just to be his teammate. I grew up watching him so that was pretty cool. Then, being teammates with (Luke) Maile, see how those guys go about their business, to watch them on film and then see them live, see them work. Just try to build off that.”
Manager Charles Montoyo has spoken glowingly of Jansen. “I think he’s going to be an all-star some day.” The professional prognosticators apparently agree, as per the analytics bibles, projecting superb numbers in the more abstruse stats for a player ranked No. 5 among catching prospects.
The skipper has already declared that the rookie will catch the bulk of this year’s games, spelled by Maile, with Reese McGuire ripening at Triple-A Buffalo.
Barring anything unforeseen, the 23-year-old from small- town Wisconsin will be Toronto’s backstop on opening day in a battery with Marcus Stroman, whom Jansen has caught in every Grapefruit League start.
“He’s ready,” proclaimed Stroman after his start Wednesday.
“He has been getting better each and every time out. It’s just a matter of getting that camaraderie, that friendship. We’re on the same page together and I think we’ve been able to develop that over the last three or four (outings).
“Going into the season, I told him I have a bunch of weapons, just use them. I said, whatever you’re confident in and whatever you want me to throw, in any count, put it down, I’m going to throw it. I think we have a good feel for each other.”
Jansen has spent the spring getting familiar with the pitchers, beyond the handful — Tim Mayza, Ryan Tepera, Danny Barnes — he’d caught in the minors. Caught John Axford for the first time earlier this week. Aaron Sanchez is a known quantity from 2018.
“Really good groove there with Stroman. And Sanchez as well, caught him last year for a lot of his starts. And I know Ryan Borucki of course. I haven’t caught (Matt) Shoemaker yet, but looking forward to it.”
Both Stroman and Sanchez are sinker-ball pitchers and Jansen’s learning curve has encompassed dealing confidently with that pitch that often spikes into the dirt, keeping it in front of him.
“It just takes a lot of reps. Patience is a big thing for that because you know the sinker is going to move, especially with guys that have a heavy sink like Sanchez and Stroman. You’ve got to anticipate it in your head and with the glove as well.”
Developing a rapport, a sync, with pitchers is crucial. “The biggest thing about this position is gaining trust,” says Jansen. “I think that’s one of my better qualities, to be able to get that trust. I genuinely really, really care about them. I know that’s my priority and I take a lot of pride in that.”
Jansen averaged around 25 per cent throwing out base stealers across six years in the minors; only five of 33 were caught stealing last year. Erased a few of them this spring.
“That was a big goal of mine coming in here, to clean things up with my throwing. It just takes repetition and work.”
Montoyo made it clear from the start that he wanted his catchers to throw to all bases. “Charlie gave us that freedom, to get used to back-picking and throwing,” he says, meaning attempt the pickoff at every corner of the diamond.
“You’re already feeling like you’re throwing it around the bag. So when a guy steals, you’re kind of ready for it. I’ve a couple of back-picks to second base, a couple of guys caught stealing, so I’ve already got a feel of the release.”
Jansen also figures he’s simply got the character for the position.
“You’ve got to be outgoing. And you’ve got to be fearless.”