10 Game Report #12 - The Dog Days Are Not Over

Well we are at the 3/4 pole.  I presume the Jays are in a 1st place battle with Tampa and are looking like a pretty sound bet to at least get a wildcard?  Wait?  What?

Last 10 games: 5 - 5
Overall: 55 - 65 - Do you realize they were 40-40 at one point?
Projected Finish: 74 - 88 - Does it matter?  Dead last in the AL East

Tonight's win was nice, but mercifully this Blue Jays season only has 42 games left in it....that much I am sure of.  Otherwise most of my beliefs and predictions have been quite wrong this year.  I guess I could give out grades again.....

1st term grades

Mid-Term grades

but really what is the point?

Instead let's look ahead to next year and make more assumptions, suggestions and predictions!  Let's double-down on my wrongness!

DH - Please, please end the Adam Lind era.  He can't hit LHP and he doesn't offer any speed or defensive value.  One dimensional DH's are fine if they can hit both RHP and LHP.  But a DH that essentially needs to be platooned is not worth the $7M option it would cost to bring him back.  Cut bait please. I would also love to see Carlos Beltran fill this spot, but he ain't coming here because of the stupid turf!  Grass already please.  That being said, this spot should not be too hard to fill with an ageing slugger looking for a one or two year deal.

C - I don't know who I want gone more.  Lind or JP.  I have to believe that JP has some trade value, but I am not even sure of that. There isn't a lot of high end talent out on the free agent market next year except for McCann and Salty (two guys I wouldn't overpay for) but there is a large quantity.  C'mon AA, find the diamond in the rough.  At least a few of the guys on this list will have very productive years next season. You just have to pick the right one.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2012/02/2014-mlb-free-agents.html

1B - Do nothing, hope he stays healthy.  EE has turned into a premier 1st baseman.

2B - Welp Bonifacio is now gone. 

Bye bye boneface

Huh.  Nothing like Buying High and Selling Low.  Now I'm not going to argue he should have been the starting 2nd baseman next year, but I do think he has value.  True, Boni and Rajai were redundant as speed off the bench.  But the thing is....Rajai is a free agent and he may not be back.   Whatever.  They need an upgrade at second.  I loved the Izturis signing, but he is now clearly just a utility guy.  So I have no idea how they fill this hole, but it will be interesting.

3B - Do nothing, hope that Brett has finally figured it out.  I might not believe in his emotional makeup, but I believe in the talent.  DO NOT MOVE HIM TO 2ND BASE!!  Why was this even a thing?

SS - Do nothing, hope he stays healthy. Reyes is awesome.

LF - Is Kevin Pillar the answer?  Will Melky be better? I don't know, but this is the one question mark that I think can be left to the end of the off-season exam.  You have to hope Melky heals up and can remember how to hit.  If he doesn't, well I guess you scramble to find a solution later on.  Too many other priorities.

CF - This one is tricky.  I think they have to try and lock up Colby long term.  He is just coming into his own and could get quite expensive when he hits free agency.  If Colby balks at the Jays long-term offer then they need to explore other options.

RF - Do nothing, hope Jose stays healthy. Let's not forget he underwent very invasive wrist surgery less than a year ago.  Seems to be healing nicely.  Age may be catching up with him, but I think he is good for another 30 HR's next year. 

Starting Staff - I have no clue.  I have to believe AA can pick the right five out of Dickey, Buerhle, Morrow, Happ, Romero, Drabek, Hutchison, Rogers, McGowan, Redmond, Stroman, Nolin and possibly Johnson. There are also some interesting high risk/high reward guys you might be able to get on an affordable two year deal if you choose to move some of the others in a trade to fill other holes. This year was complete disaster in terms of starting pitching, next year can't be any worse....can it?

Bullpen - Oliver will be gone and Perez is injured, but everyone else should be back. Bullpens fluctuate year to year, I would grab another arm or two and figure it out in Spring Training.  No need to go after a high priced closer.  We have the closer for 2014 on the roster already.  I'm just not sure if it is Jansenn, Santos, Cecil, Delabar, McGowan or Wagner.

So sadly it's next year again for this team.  And we still have to get through August and September!

The dog days are not over.