Toronto Blue Jays: The good and bad from the week that was
Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
The Toronto Blue Jays are thought to be an early frontrunner in some circles to win the American League East. After the first six games of the season and winning four of them, early signs appear to be showing that the Blue Jays are like King Midas and everything they touch will turn to gold.
Fans should be able to find some good things that have happened and some unsatisfactory things that have happened. The club has a winning record and separated themselves from division rivals the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles by winning each of the two opening series against them.
Week 1 of the 2015 Major League Baseball season is now complete and while it may be too soon to jump to conclusions, we now have a healthy enough sample size of most players on the 25-man roster and what their competition levels are like in real, live action games, each of which count in the standings.
The hope will be that the good stays good or maybe even gets better, while the bad we saw from the Blue Jays in week one does not linger around for too long and is only a matter of getting adjusted to the speed and timing of the game.
Next: The Good
Good: Duo of young guns in the bullpen
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Pitchers Miguel Castro and Roberto Osuna (pictured) share a few things in common. Both are imposing right-handed pitchers. Both have a fastball capable of touhcing over 97 mph on the radar gun. Both are foreign born and have never pitched at the MLB level before, and lastly, both Castro and Osuna are yet to allow an earned run this season after having pitching a combined nine innings so far.
Early indications are that the Blue Jays have found real gems in rookie right-handed pitchers Castro and Osuna. Some of their success could be because they have not been around the American League long enough for an in-depth scouting report to be out on them. The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles appear to have been left in a state of confusion trying to figure both of them out.
Osuna has been used in a middle relief role and struck out seven batters over five innings of work this season. His latest trip out of the bullpen was Monday night’s home opener where he pitched two scoreless innings. The first batter he struck out was Yankees veteran designated hitter Alex Rodriguez back on April 8 when he caught him looking.
Going into the home opener series at the Rogers Centre versus another division foe in the Tampa Bay Rays, Osuna and Castro have really impressed management and had been used consistently. After four innings of work against Baltimore and New York, Castro has two saves to his resume as the apparent new closer of the team. Castro was given the opportunity during the New York Yankee series in the Bronx. Castro’s stuff has all signs pointing to him being reliable in that role.
Next: Help in the outfield
Good: An emerging talent in left field?
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Michael Saunders, acquired by Toronto in an offseason trade, was slated to be the Opening Day left fielder after the departure of Melky Cabrera to the Chicago White Sox.
In December of 2014, Toronto traded left handed pitcher J.A. Happ to Seattle for the young Canadian outfielder. A freak accident occurred during Spring Training where he fell over a sprinkler fielding fly balls in practice.
After that embarrassing situation for Saunders, he was placed on the disabled list. Toronto was trying to figure out what to do next. They decided to put outfielder Kevin Pillar in left field. Early indications are that Pillar has filled the shoes. He made a couple fantastic catches in left field in Baltimore on Sunday. One was the catch he made in the 9th inning of a 10-7 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards. The catch was even recognized during ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball game broadcast between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. An earlier one in the sixth inning might have been even better.
Pillar is definitely being noticed by baseball fans as someone to pay attention to north of the border and he is helping to put Canada’s team on the map for their defense. After registering 27 at-bats, Pillar appears to be a successful substitute for Saunders, hitting .259 with a home run and six runs scored.
Next: Second base no longer a question mark?
Good: A new cornerstone of the middle infield?
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Second baseman Devon Travis had never played ball beyond Double-A, yet he finds himself with a line of .261/.346/.435 after Opening Week.
Since the days of All-Star Roberto Alomar at second base in Toronto, there have always been questions as to who can play the position anywhere close to Alomar’s caliber.
The original plan heading into Spring Training was to have Ryan Goins and Maicer Izturis platoon at second base. The rookie Travis was also acquired this winter in an offseason trade with the Detroit Tigers for outfielder Anthony Gose. He is now all that remains from the “Doc Deal” and appears to be a valuable addition to Toronto’s baseball club.
Sending him down to Buffalo to play with the Bisons seemed to be in the cards, but after an injury to Izturis, an injury to Ramon Santiago and the lack of production at the plate by Goins, the team decided to go with Travis.
He has early signs of flashing leather close to Alomar’s credentials and is not too bad at the plate either. Travis has scored five runs through seven games. In addition, he hit his first career home run at Yankee Stadium. That’s a dream any baseball player would want to fulfill. Travis hit the home run off Chris Shreve in the 7th inning. It might be too early to say that he will maintain consistent success at the plate, but you can’t deny how special a 24-year-old Travis appears to be.
Next: And now, the bad
Bad: A shaky Brett Cecil
Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports
Pitcher Brett Cecil was given an early vote of confidence in the preseason to become the Blue Jays’ new closer after losing Casey Janssen in the offseason via free agency to the Washington Nationals.
General Manager Alex Anthopoulos then appointed Cecil as the heir apparent. After one failed attempt to close, manager John Gibbons’ plans have changed. In a game last week versus the Yankees, Gibbons confused fans of the Blue Jays. Cecil was used in the eighth inning against all right-handed hitters with left-handed hitters due to bat in the ninth.
Things worked out successfully, but Gibbons always appears to leave fans and the media wondering what he is thinking in his management style. Cecil had always been perceived as a quality setup guy. His career began as a starting pitcher in Toronto in 2009 and the team found his play was not as good as they hoped. They moved into the bullpen later. His career highlight was being called upon to participate in the 2013 All-Star Game for the American League All-Stars in New York City at Citi Field.
Perhaps the pressure of being “the closer” has proved too much for Cecil to handle. At least in the beginning of this early season, Cecil appears to be a team guy and accepting the demotion of no longer closing out games for the Toronto Blue Jays in favor of Miguel Castro.
Next: Control issues
Bad: A touted prospect struggles in debut start
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Pitcher Aaron Sanchez was excellent for the Jays out of the bullpen last season.
Fans and management envisioned him starting the season as the team’s closer. Sanchez is considered a top notch ‘can’t miss’ prospect. However after the injury to Marcus Stroman’s ACL in his left knee, Sanchez was thrust to the starting rotation. His first career start in MLB did not go over so well.
Sanchez and left-handed pitcher Daniel Norris have been given unexpected gifts in April as opportunities to be in the rotation have presented themselves. However, Sanchez probably had one of his worst trips to the mound on Saturday night in Baltimore.
The team lost 7-1 to the Orioles and Sanchez had major control issues from his past come back to haunt him. He surrendered three earned runs through only 3.1 innings of work and walked two. Sanchez also had difficulties keeping balls in the park, coughing up home runs to Alejandro De Aza and Chris Davis. He then loaded the bases with only one out before being removed in the fourth inning.
Sanchez’s first start in the starting rotation was hard for him. It is too early to suggest he can’t find success there, but early signs are saying that he has to have a better start this week versus the Rays that will likely come on Thursday.
Next: Who starts in LF once Saunders is healthy?
Bad: A tough impeding decision for management
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
You might be surprised to see Michael Saunders mentioned among the three bad signs for the first week of the season. The team has started great out of the gate, winning four of their first seven games. With Kevin Pillar’s great defense in left field and apt bat, Dalton Pompey in center field and Jose Bautista in right field, it appears the club already has a winning formula to work with.
Yes, Saunders could be perceived as a weakness if he supplants Pillar. Saunders could also be seen as a positive because he brings experience to the game that Pillar lacks.
How do they get Saunders in and who do they take out? That’s the conundrum. Who stays and who goes? Early reports are showing that Saunders could be due back from the disabled list before April ends. Upon his return, management will have a tough decision on their hands.
Obviously, someone will have to be shipped to Triple-A Buffalo to play with the Bisons to make room for Saunders, which would likely be someone from the bullpen. It’s clear the team cannot afford to go backwards with any roster move. Going forward is the only option when a championship is the ultimate goal this season.