2009 WAS an interesting season to say the least, as the Blue Jays "TRIED" to compete in the dangerous AL East.
Now in the offseason, the clock is ticking on the 2010 season.

Monday, July 6, 2009

I also love Johnny Mac, BUT...

Perhaps there is a better way to use his roster spot????

McDonald is making just his 4 start of the season for the Jays today. He's playing 2B today, while Aaron Hill is being utilized as the DH with left-hander Andy Pettitte on the mound for the Yanks.

Prior to today's game, McDonald has seen just 26 AB over hi 28 appearances, which have ranged from late-inning defensive replacements to pinch-running, to meaningless mop-up at bats.

Watching the resurgence of the stolen base across baseball this season, and in particular the speed utilized by the division-rival Tampa Bay Rays, it makes me wonder.. despite McDonald's defensive ability, wouldn't the Jays be better off with another bat of the bench (how bout a lefty) or a player with some speed to burn who could actually steal a base in a pinch-running situation (remember Dave Roberts for the Boston Red Sox in the 2004 ALCS)?

A quick glance down to AAA-Las Vegas shows there's only one player stealing any bases, Buck Coats who leads the team with 22. No other player on the team has more than 4 stolen bases. Coats is a lefty, and is hitting .321/.378/.440 down in Vegas which is a pretty nice line. The only problem here appears to be that Coats is an OF and removing McDonald from the roster would leave the Jays with just five regular infielders (Rolen, Scutaro, Hill, Overbay and Millar). Jose Bautista can play some infield as well, but mainly at 3B (he has only 5 career games at 2B), leaving just Scutaro and Hill with any experience in the middle of the infield.

Evidently, an infielder will be needed if McDonald is to be replaced and there are no solutions in AAA. Down in AA-New Hampshire, the only infielder with any steals is 2B Brad Emaus, who really climbed the Jays' organizational ladder both last season and in Spring Training. With the exception of an ugly .128/.202/.181 line across 94 June AB's, Emaus has continued to develop in AA this year after spending all of 2008 with A-Dunedin. Emaus is too far from the bigs, and doesn't possess enough speed to make it worth stunting his development with a call to the Jays' where he would be used mainly as a pinch runner.

Perhaps a trade outside the organization for a disgruntled or little used middle infielder with speed? Later tonight I'll take a look at some potential options. Stay tuned.

Oh ya, and Johnny Mac took Andy Pettitte deep for his 1st HR of the year today. One might almost think his ears were tingling as I wrote this. Good for you Mac.

Congratulations Ricky Romero..

on setting a new Blue Jays' rookie record for 24 consecutive scoreless innings pitched, surpassing Mark Eichorn's previous record.

Rotoworld's Blue Jays' Updates