Walking JP Arencibia

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Go Time: Dickey Day

Well.  That wasn't exactly what I was expecting from Sean Nolin.  Wasn't really set for him to dominate the O's either, but that was on the opposite end of the expectation spectrum.  At least it's Dickey Day.

Dickey was on Brady and Lang but isn't anymore.  Fortunately someone saved it on the internet and everything is listenable.

Other than that, Sean Nolin was optioned back to AA immediately after the game.  I'm sure he had some comments somewhere, but I'm not overly interested on hearing him say things like "it's a learning experience" or that he'll experience personal growth or whatever, so find it yourself if needed.  Thad Weber has been recalled to take his place.  Weber was claimed on waivers from San Diego this past week, and had a single outing for Buffalo.

I'm at work, so I probably won't be able to make a bunch of humorous statements on my twitter.  Sorry.

Prospect Sean Nolin Scratched from Friday Start?

I know I saw on my twitter feed the other day, something about a list of upcoming starters on Gibbons' desk that said something to the tune of "Friday-- Jenkins?" on it, but I can't see to find that.

On a related note, It would appear that Sean Nolin, Jays AA farmhand, has been scratched from his scheduled start Friday in New Hampshire.  This kind of thing usually only happens for a few different reasons: an injury, a trade, or a promotion.  Nolin was injured to begin the season, but if his last two starts are any indication, he's probably not hurt at the moment.  It's also too early in the year for a trade to go down, especially when we consider a lack of starting pitching depth in the high minors within the organization.

Basically, I'm trying to hint that we might see a callup.

Nolin has only made three starts in AA this season (his only three ever above A-ball), as he was dealing with a groin injury to begin the season.  He went just 2.1 innings in his return, but has since thrown 6 innings allowing 0 runs in each of his last two starts.  Shi Davidi tells us that Alex Anthopoulos went to watch his first start back from injury, which probably gives us a bit of an idea as to how high he ranks on the depth chart.

Having said all of this, I just checked Nolin's twitter page, and saw this:

@bigfourinsider friday
— Sean Nolin (@Sean_Nolin) May 23, 2013

Cryptic.

Update: Marcus Walden is starting for Buffalo in place of Nolin on Friday, according to Richard Griffin.

Marcus Walden is starter for Fisher Cats 11 am in Portland replacing Sean Nolin. Does that mean Nolin Friday for Jays? Likely! #bluejays
— Richard Griffin (@RGriffinStar) May 23, 2013

Update again!:

Nolin “physically fine” per Fisher Cats. He and Stroman bumped for additional rest. Both pitchers in Portland with Fisher Cats today.
— Ben Nicholson-Smith (@bnicholsonsmith) May 23, 2013

Gose Time: Fast Guy First

I was a little miffed a few minutes ago, but then I thought about it and now it's more of a depression.

Melky Cabrera gets the day off today, and Anthony Gose takes his place.  Seems reasonable.  Mark Buehrle seems like the kind of guy that would profit from having some quality defense available behind him, as a guy who gets guys to put the ball in play a lot.  Anthony Gose appears to be rather good at defense, while Melky Cabrera isn't exactly so, especially with those pesky old hammies acting up on him.

What I don't understand is the use of Gose in the leadoff position as well.  It's not like there are endless possibilities out there as far as leadoff-type guys, what with Reyes hurt, Cabrera sitting, and all remaining offense coming from the bats of Edwin, Jose Bautista, and Adam Lind.  That still feels weird to say.

Other options include Brett Lawrie, Colby Rasmus, JPA Arencibia, Maicer Izturis, and Munenori Kawasaki (aside from slotting Derosa or Boni in there) so it's not like we're facing anything other than an unconventional guy in the 1-hole.  JPA is probably the worst option, but Lawrie is currently rocking the sub-.300 OBP, and Rasmus just kind of hovering there as well.  Maicer Izturis hasn't been good by any stretch, and he might actually be just as bad as JPA as far as leadoff options go.

I'd personally stick Muni up there..237/.351/.303 isn't anything to go panic about, but it's certainly better than whatever the major-league equivalent of .227/.343/.325.  I suppose you could make the case that Colby Rasmus works there in a pinch vs. a righty (.254/.321/.451 career), but all those strikeouts make me want to punch someone.

Ultimately, there aren't any good options without Jose Reyes and Melky Cabrera in the lineup.  Cabrera needs to take a seat and let everything heal, regardless of how well he's hitting lately.  Giving him the day off today is probably the most reasonable scenario, given Buehrle's tendency to have lots of contact.  Melky covers little ground when healthy-- we don't need singles turning in to doubles.

Stuff
Fangraphs has a Q+A with Marcus Stroman.

Mike Harrington of the Buffalo News reports on Ricky Romero's start last night for the Bisons.  Harrington uses the power of hindsight to say that he'd have removed Romero after five innings and 76 pitches so that Romero could "feel good about the start."  Should have listened Skip, because Romero lost the zone in the 6th inning, walking four straight  Also within that piece, Dustin McGowan was supposed to throw two innings, but only recorded a single out, allowing three runs to score.

Finally, I'd like to point out that James Loney is currently sitting at a .377 babip for the season.

Early start today, by the way.

Lineups
Jays
Gose
Bautista
Edwin
Lind
JPA
Lawrie
Rasmus
Izturis
Muni

Buehrle

Rays
Jennings
Roberts
Zobrist
Longoria
Loney
Rodriguez
Johnson
Molina
Escobar

Hellickson

Go Time: The Bad Guy

Staff ace "Razor" Ramon Ortiz will go against the Rays tonight.  I'd typically do a crude job of MSPainting Ortiz' face on to the above picture, or something along those lines anyway, but I'm at work and probably won't get home until pretty close to game-time.  As such, this is definitely going to have to do.

My not doing photoshops is a story in and of itself, but I'd like to have a chat about this Anthony Gose fella.

See, I really don't think he's ever going to hit.  I saw a comp for Gose as "Pre-2013 Carlos Gomez," which I think is totally fair.  I doubt Gogo is suddenly magically good with the bat, but regardless, his career batting line, without looking it up again, is like .253/.300/.393, which is really only good if you're a gifted defender at a premium position.  Gogo is great in CF for Milwaukee, and from what we've heard, Gose will be the very same, meanwhile adding value with his baserunning and steals and whatnot.

There are rumblings going around that Gose isn't ready for MLB, using his mediocre batting as perfectly good evidence.  He's only hitting like .227 in AAA so far this year, so yeah, anyone saying this is probably right.  We certainly don't need another Ricky Romero situation on our hands again.

The issue I see with that is that Gose is probably never going to hit at anything near a league-average clip, so his growth probably isn't going to be stunted by this callup, even if the callup is permanent, since (a) hitting coach Chad Mottola had some success with him last year in Las Vegas (I know, I know, hitter-friendly PCL), and (b) his value as a defender and baserunner is probably at or near peak, and it certainly sounds like he's MLB-ready as far as fielding and running are concerned.

Beside, once Rajai Davis returns, Gose is probably sent back down, barring any other injuries or DL stints, to say, Melky Cabrera.  Gose was worth more per game, in a small sample, than Colby Rasmus was last year, and he did all of that with a below replacement level bat at a premium position.  I don't think the bat is anything to worry about, especially for a two-week callup where he won't be playing everyday.

Stuff
Josh Johnson threw for Dunedin last night or yesterday or something, going three reasonable innings in his first rehab start.

Marc Hulet scouted some Jays for Fangraphs.

Go Time: Hirok'ed

I did that to you again.

So maybe we can have less of Hiroki Kuroda for the rest of ever.  Really annoying.

Moving on.

Morrow today.  The last time he faced the Yankees, he really got his ass kicked, allowing 7 runs over like 5 innings or something stupid.  I was at the game.  I drank too much.  I'm sure one had a lot to do with the other.

Things went a lot better last time out, of course.  8 innings against Seattle, allowing 3 hits and 5 walks, striking out 8.  Baby steps, I figure.  Let's not forget that, between that start and today, Morrow had a start bumped due to back and neck spasms.  Because everybody's hurt.

If anything is certain, this season, a month and a half in, has turned me in to a bi-polar wreck.

Stuff
Injury updates!  Josh Johnson will begin his rehab stint this week.  Jose Reyes has rejoined the team, mostly to hang out, and will stay and practice with the club until his rehab games. Dustin McGowan will rehab in AAA for a while, before the Jays need to decide what to do with him.  He's on the 60-day DL for another while yet, so there's nothing pressing, but if guys like Mickey Storey, Edgar Gonzalez, and Ramon Ortiz are getting appearances in, there should be room enough for DMcG.

Lineups
Jays
Cabrera
Bautista
Encarnacion
JPA
Lind
Lawrie
Rasmus
Izturis
Bonifacio

Morrow

Yankees
Gardner
Cano
Wells
Hafner
Overbay
Granderson
Nix
Adams
Romine

Phelps

Go Time: Curse You, Vernon

Mark Buehrle will take the mound for the Jays tonight.  That's alarming enough on its' own merit, given the way he's performed so far this year, but to boot, Vernon Wells is playing for the Yankees.  Given Vernon Wells' performance this year, which may or may not be fueled by his holier-than-changeup attitude, that's nervous-making enough, but Wells has handled Mark Buehrle startlingly well over the years.

Through 55 plate appearances, most of which occurring while he has been one of those more terrible players in the league, Wells has hit .480/.509/.780 against Buehrle.  That's some success.

Of course, Buehrle pitched fairly well in his last appearance, holding the Red Sox to 1 run and 5 hits over 7 innings.  He gave up 7 runs to the Rays over 6 innings in the start before that, ultimately putting forth 5 good innings.  We're certainly not going to forget about the bad one, of course, but silver lining, I suppose, if we ever feel like getting rid of this contract.

Stuff

John Lott examines Casey Janssen's approach to pitching.  Of course, I already did that, without talking to the guy.

Dustin McGowan will continue his rehab assignment in AAA Buffalo, writes BNS of Sportsnet.  McGowan will be used as a reliever, and may very well see some time in the bigs soon.

The Astros are expected to explore an extension for a personal favorite of mine, Jose Altuve.  I mention this only because of how much I'd love for AA to try and acquire him from the Astros, if they're willing.  I don't expect the Astros to contend for another couple of years, so they might get the use of one good year out of Altuve, so trading him might be a fruitful endeavor, especially since he's still got three years of control left.  There's an awful lot of value in a 23 year old 2B with a career .294/.336/.397 batting line, especially when you consider how weak the middle infield market has been over the last few years.

Lineups

Jays

Cabrera

Bautista

Encarnacion

Arencibia

Lind

Lawrie

Rasmus

Bonifacio

Muni

Buehrle

Yankees

Gardner

Nix

Cano

Wells

Francisco

Overbay

Adams

Ichiro

Romine

HiroK