Bunting - it's Griffariffic!
Stop the presses - Grimace is smiling!
The good news is that spectacular shortstop John McDonald confirmed he has agreed in principle to $3.8 million a two-year contract for the 2008-09 seasons. This ensures that the heart and soul of the Jays' defence will remain on the field supplying additional highlights like the double play last night, diving headlong up the middle then rolling and flipping the ball from his glove to Aaron Hill in one motion to set up the final out ... that never came.
Look, I watch a lot of Jays games, and McDonald has played outstanding defense. His play has been a bright spot in a trying season for Toronto fans. Bringing him back for $1.9 a year may not make a ton of sense, especially when the Jays appear to need an offensive upgrade or four, but given his D and the relatively low price, it's not a horrendous signing. Of course, guys like John McDonald are the definition of freely available talent; there are at least 5 guys in AAA who can do what he does and another guy (Ray Olmedo) doing it on the Jays bench for the league minimum. It's a PR move to keep a fan favourite, and reward a solid citizen. Nothing wrong with that. The problem is if you think that guys like John McDonald are players you can build a winning team around. Cause they're not. Especially as Griffin thinks that winning team is the 1985 Cardinals.
The biggest revelation this season has been the evolution of the likable McDonald from light-hitting utility man into an everyday shortstop. Never having been considered anything other than a bench player in five-plus major-league seasons, this is the first time he has not played on a one-year deal. This McDonald deserved a break today.
I would bet the biggest revelation would the emergence of MacGowan and Marcum as effective young starters making the league minimum (something that is actually a key to winning) than a bench player getting a starting job and playing like a bench player. Did you read that last sentence? Yeah, sorry about that. Grimace IS LOVIN' IT!!!
In this era of the "incredible shrinking slugger" the Angels are the only AL contender that seems to have noticed and made an adjustment to the new realities of major-league offence, relying on significant contribution from steals, bunts, defence and an aggressive running game. Other teams like the Jays are surely watching.
I didn't know defence was part of the 'new realities of major-league offence.' Trippy. The Red Sox and Yankees apparently have been too busy walking, hitting home runs, and leading the major leagues in scoring to notice. Poor saps. Where will they be in October?
One guy that wouldn't have to change to conform to a new "go-go Jays" theme is McDonald. He currently leads all AL shortstops in fielding percentage, but needs to play 18 of the last 19 games to qualify for the fielding title. He personifies any and all forms of potential Jays' small-ball.
There is an awful, but accurate word for this column. It is called 'wishcasting.' The Jays roster is not currently constructed to play small ball in any form. It is filled with low average hitters who walk, don't run. The amount of money invested in these guys means that isn't changing, no matter how devoutly Griffin wishes for a lineup of hitters who get on base 25% of the time.
McDonald is having the best year of his career, setting personal career highs in games, at-bats, hits, doubles and RBIs.
72 hits, 16 doubles, 28 RBIs. In a related note, I once again have the fewest losses in the majors.
Seriously, a guy having the best year of his career yet still putting up an OPS+ lower than Ne!f! Perez's lifetime mark is a pretty strong argument against this deal, you'd think.
For the signing of McDonald to be significant on a winning team, there must be eight other players contributing on offence while McDonald captains the D
And herein lies the problem. Playing McDonald everyday puts a huge drag on a lineup that has enough trouble scoring runs, and if he declines on defence at all, he's not good enough to be in the league. The Angels, who Griffin loves enough to copy and paste his mailbag love note into this column, have a SS who plays great defence too. His name is Orlando Cabrera. He also hits .300 with some pop and stolen bases. It's those types of players that are significant. But perhaps we should let Griffin enjoy the moment. He won't be this happy again till JP gets canned. Of course, if he fills his roster with John MacDonald's, it should be smiles all round by Christmas.
The good news is that spectacular shortstop John McDonald confirmed he has agreed in principle to $3.8 million a two-year contract for the 2008-09 seasons. This ensures that the heart and soul of the Jays' defence will remain on the field supplying additional highlights like the double play last night, diving headlong up the middle then rolling and flipping the ball from his glove to Aaron Hill in one motion to set up the final out ... that never came.
Look, I watch a lot of Jays games, and McDonald has played outstanding defense. His play has been a bright spot in a trying season for Toronto fans. Bringing him back for $1.9 a year may not make a ton of sense, especially when the Jays appear to need an offensive upgrade or four, but given his D and the relatively low price, it's not a horrendous signing. Of course, guys like John McDonald are the definition of freely available talent; there are at least 5 guys in AAA who can do what he does and another guy (Ray Olmedo) doing it on the Jays bench for the league minimum. It's a PR move to keep a fan favourite, and reward a solid citizen. Nothing wrong with that. The problem is if you think that guys like John McDonald are players you can build a winning team around. Cause they're not. Especially as Griffin thinks that winning team is the 1985 Cardinals.
The biggest revelation this season has been the evolution of the likable McDonald from light-hitting utility man into an everyday shortstop. Never having been considered anything other than a bench player in five-plus major-league seasons, this is the first time he has not played on a one-year deal. This McDonald deserved a break today.
I would bet the biggest revelation would the emergence of MacGowan and Marcum as effective young starters making the league minimum (something that is actually a key to winning) than a bench player getting a starting job and playing like a bench player. Did you read that last sentence? Yeah, sorry about that. Grimace IS LOVIN' IT!!!
In this era of the "incredible shrinking slugger" the Angels are the only AL contender that seems to have noticed and made an adjustment to the new realities of major-league offence, relying on significant contribution from steals, bunts, defence and an aggressive running game. Other teams like the Jays are surely watching.
I didn't know defence was part of the 'new realities of major-league offence.' Trippy. The Red Sox and Yankees apparently have been too busy walking, hitting home runs, and leading the major leagues in scoring to notice. Poor saps. Where will they be in October?
One guy that wouldn't have to change to conform to a new "go-go Jays" theme is McDonald. He currently leads all AL shortstops in fielding percentage, but needs to play 18 of the last 19 games to qualify for the fielding title. He personifies any and all forms of potential Jays' small-ball.
There is an awful, but accurate word for this column. It is called 'wishcasting.' The Jays roster is not currently constructed to play small ball in any form. It is filled with low average hitters who walk, don't run. The amount of money invested in these guys means that isn't changing, no matter how devoutly Griffin wishes for a lineup of hitters who get on base 25% of the time.
McDonald is having the best year of his career, setting personal career highs in games, at-bats, hits, doubles and RBIs.
72 hits, 16 doubles, 28 RBIs. In a related note, I once again have the fewest losses in the majors.
Seriously, a guy having the best year of his career yet still putting up an OPS+ lower than Ne!f! Perez's lifetime mark is a pretty strong argument against this deal, you'd think.
For the signing of McDonald to be significant on a winning team, there must be eight other players contributing on offence while McDonald captains the D
And herein lies the problem. Playing McDonald everyday puts a huge drag on a lineup that has enough trouble scoring runs, and if he declines on defence at all, he's not good enough to be in the league. The Angels, who Griffin loves enough to copy and paste his mailbag love note into this column, have a SS who plays great defence too. His name is Orlando Cabrera. He also hits .300 with some pop and stolen bases. It's those types of players that are significant. But perhaps we should let Griffin enjoy the moment. He won't be this happy again till JP gets canned. Of course, if he fills his roster with John MacDonald's, it should be smiles all round by Christmas.
First.