With the last individual player preview completed, it's time we look at this team as a whole. Is this team ready to contend for another trophy? They have the pitching... McArdle and Moser will get their starts each week, no doubt about that. But what about after the two aces? Who is going to pitch that third game in the week? Dobkowski? Fauvell? Wanderlingh? When Dobkowski pitches, who plays second? When Schmidt moves to second for Dobkowski, who plays center field? Let's not stop there... When Wanderlingh pitches, who plays shortstop? These are questions that will have to be answered in May when practices start up, because there are no answers at the moment. The biggest problem of them all is going to arise after Prinzivalli throws his bullpen sessions in preseason. If Coach Wanderlingh likes what he sees, Prinzivalli can play a huge role as a left handed pitcher, the only one on the roster. When Prinzivalli comes in to pitch, who the hell is going to play first base?
The lineup is a little bit less complicated but not by much. Wanderlingh has his spot at the leadoff position, but what about after him? Who hits in the 2 spot? Schmidt? Dobkowski? Prinzivalli? Fauvell? Gambardella? Is Morin poised to be the everyday cleanup hitter? Where does Fauvell fit in the lineup? Where does the new kid, Steven Krauth fit in? It seems the starting nine are established, but in no particular order at the moment. It seems Steinberg will be the DH for the starting pitchers, and then Morin will be the DH when Steinberg catches, but can McArdle make his presence known that he can hit for himself?
Defense is a lot simpler. Gambardella, Schmidt, and Krauth seem to be the starting three in the outfield at the moment, with Schmidt roaming in center, Krauth in left, Gambardella in right. Three of the core four in the infield are back and know where they belong. Prinzivalli at first, with Wanderlingh and Dobkowski manning the middle of the infield. Who is the starting third baseman on opening day? Right now, it looks like a two man race between Fauvell and Steinberg, with the loser poised to be the DH for the starting pitcher. Can Morin make things a little more complicated by being a third name in the mix for the starting job? Brian Coffey was the biggest loss for this team during the offseason, returning back to his former team, the Smithtown Bulls, a team that the Jays are going to see quite often this summer.
With everything that has been said so far, keep in mind that Coach Wanderlingh lost two of his assistants this offseason as well. He and Ed Morin are the only two coaches on the staff. Is that going to become problematic, especially during practices? Coach Wanderlingh has an eleven man roster, one small enough to raise questions about being able to put a team on the field every night, especially in the early goings when players have finals and regents and graduations still going on.
This team has a lot of questions that have to be answered in a short amount of time, with opening day less than six weeks away. Preseason begins in just three weeks. The talent is there, without question. The core of this team is going into year two together, and they could not have set the bar anyhigher for themselves, finishing last summer 22-3-1 and a championship trophy to show for it, a trophy that is sitting proudly at Marist College with Coach Wanderlingh. The Jays are not going to stop there, they are hungry for another one.
You don't think they can repeat a 22-3-1 season? You're right. They can't repeat it... Because they are going to top it! Come down and see for yourselves... June 3rd can't come soon enough!
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
#77 Nick Wanderlingh
The Wanderlingh brothers were interesting to watch this summer to say the least. From Nick telling his coach that he's staying in to pitch when Coach Wanderlingh was halfway to the mound to give his little brother the hook, to threatening to bench the shortstop for one game after a wrestling match with McArdle after a win, to Nick speaking freely even when his brother was trying to address the team, they were the entertainment on this team for sure.
Nick's season got off to a crazy start, as he walked a ridiculous 10 times in the opening three game tournament. But once he started seeing pitches to hit, he went off. Wanderlingh finished the season batting .279, just fifth highest on the team, but with an unheard of .476 OBP, thirty points higher than any other starter. He led off every game last summer for the Jays, stealing a team high 17 bases in the process. Despite just a .279 batting average, he hit an incredible .389 with runners in scoring position, best on the team. The everyday shortstop finished third on the team in RBIs (12), second on team in runs scored (18), and he led the team in both HBP (5) and walks (18).
Defensively, Wanderlingh and Dobkowski were automatic in the middle of the infield together. Their chemistry was outstanding all season long, which is why they were very rarely broken up. As far as pitching, Wanderlingh was the #1 reliever for this team. He threw 10.2 innings in 7 appearances, all relief outings. He recorded a win and a save to add to his resume, as well as an ERA under 1 (0.65). He struck out 11 but walked 8 in those 10.2 innings, so the control is going to need to improve if he wants a crack at the 3rd and final spot in the starting rotation.
Wanderlingh knows his spot on this team... First and foremost, he is the everyday shortstop. Second, he is the leadoff hitter to get this team going offensively. Finally, he is a guy to certainly keep an eye on as far as pitching is concerned... He throws sneaky fast and is a force to be reckoned with when he gets into the zone. As a leader of this championship team looking to repeat, this team starts and finishes with him.
#21 John Schmidt
John Schmidt played on another level in 2015, leading the Jays in batting average (.353), runs (22), singles (22), and overall hits (24). In addition to that, Schmidt was second on the team in RBIs (14), and fourth in OBP (.429). He was second on the team in stolen bases (14), and batted .333 with runners in scoring position. Schmidt started the season in left field and batting second. By the time the championship game came around, he was in center field and batting cleanup for the Jays. #21 was an enormous factor for the Jays both offensively and defensively, and Schmidt paired with Wanderlingh at the top of the lineup combined for the best 1-2 punch in the league. The problem with Schmidt is that he is way too great a hitter to bat second. He will most likely be sitting third or fourth in the lineup this summer, with the opportunity to drive in more runs for his club.
Schmidt's defensive play was just as impressive as his offense. He tracked down every ball within his range, and some not in his range. More importantly, he was so effective at cutting off the balls in the gaps, preventing runners from taking an extra base on him. Along with playing center field, Schmidt also saw some time at second base when Dobkowski pitched, and will be seeing even more time at second base with Dobkowski expected to get a lot more innings this summer. This would give Schmidt the opportunity to pair up with Wanderlingh in a different way, along with at the top of the batting lineup. Coach Wanderlingh will look to get other players a chance to prove themselves at second base as well because Schmidt is needed in center.
Expect another great year for Johnny, as he has quickly become a team favorite, and such a positive attitude in that dugout that consists of some hot heads. I'm expecting Schmidt to come out of the gates strong during the opening weekend tournament at Baseball Heaven in early June.
Schmidt's defensive play was just as impressive as his offense. He tracked down every ball within his range, and some not in his range. More importantly, he was so effective at cutting off the balls in the gaps, preventing runners from taking an extra base on him. Along with playing center field, Schmidt also saw some time at second base when Dobkowski pitched, and will be seeing even more time at second base with Dobkowski expected to get a lot more innings this summer. This would give Schmidt the opportunity to pair up with Wanderlingh in a different way, along with at the top of the batting lineup. Coach Wanderlingh will look to get other players a chance to prove themselves at second base as well because Schmidt is needed in center.
Expect another great year for Johnny, as he has quickly become a team favorite, and such a positive attitude in that dugout that consists of some hot heads. I'm expecting Schmidt to come out of the gates strong during the opening weekend tournament at Baseball Heaven in early June.
Monday, April 25, 2016
#23 Jason Moser
What can we say about Jason Moser? Time and time again, this kid continued to outdo himself every time he took the mound. Just like his teammate, McArdle, Moser had ten appearances on the mound in 2015. He started nine games compared to Bryan's eight. Moser finished with a 7-0 record and a 0.88 ERA. Both Moser and McArdle recorded a save last summer as well. He kept his WHIP under 1, finishing at 0.91. He walked fourteen and struck out 52 in 55.1 innings pitched. Oh, did I mention he threw a no-hitter in the championship game?
The biggest difference between Moser and McArdle in 2015, in my opinion, was the run support. It felt like every game Moser pitched, it was a 1-0 or 2-1 game, despite the two playoff games he pitched finishing in 7-1 and 6-0 scores. His best regular season start came late in the season, pitching seven scoreless innings, resulting in a 0-0 tie against the LI Riptides. His stuff just seemed to get better and better every time he took the mound. He started the 2015 season as the #3 starter in the rotation, but finished at the top with McArdle. This team does not have a clear #1, because they have two. We will see what happens next month if either one of these two dominant pitchers can establish any breathing room, and maybe stand out as the ace of this team.
Offensively, Moser did not see too much time at the plate, finishing just .143 (3-21). Again, Coach Wanderlingh does not like having his starting pitchers hit, usually opting to DH for them instead. He did see some more time in right field, and performed very well out there. He is extremely capable of playing seven innings in right field, but with the intent of keeping that arm as healthy and as sharp as possible, he will see more like three or four innings in the outfield per game that he does not start on the bump.
Expect another great season from #23 on the hill, as he will most likely start his season on Friday night, June 3rd, when the Blue Jays begin their season at Baseball Heaven for a tournament.
The biggest difference between Moser and McArdle in 2015, in my opinion, was the run support. It felt like every game Moser pitched, it was a 1-0 or 2-1 game, despite the two playoff games he pitched finishing in 7-1 and 6-0 scores. His best regular season start came late in the season, pitching seven scoreless innings, resulting in a 0-0 tie against the LI Riptides. His stuff just seemed to get better and better every time he took the mound. He started the 2015 season as the #3 starter in the rotation, but finished at the top with McArdle. This team does not have a clear #1, because they have two. We will see what happens next month if either one of these two dominant pitchers can establish any breathing room, and maybe stand out as the ace of this team.
Offensively, Moser did not see too much time at the plate, finishing just .143 (3-21). Again, Coach Wanderlingh does not like having his starting pitchers hit, usually opting to DH for them instead. He did see some more time in right field, and performed very well out there. He is extremely capable of playing seven innings in right field, but with the intent of keeping that arm as healthy and as sharp as possible, he will see more like three or four innings in the outfield per game that he does not start on the bump.
Expect another great season from #23 on the hill, as he will most likely start his season on Friday night, June 3rd, when the Blue Jays begin their season at Baseball Heaven for a tournament.
#25 Zach Morin
Zach Morin had a performance to forget during the Jay's opening tournament at Baseball Heaven. He struggled both at the plate and behind the dish throughout the weekend. In the third and final game of the tournament on a late Saturday afternoon, Coach Wanderlingh called Morin over before leading off the bottom of the 7th with his team trailing 3-2. Wanderlingh was in his face, and he wasn't sugar coating anything. He ended his conversation with a smack on Morin's helmet. Morin steps into the box and works the count to 3-1. Morin drives into the 3-1 fastball and belts it over the center fielder's head for a leadoff triple. Morin's season took off from there and he never looked back.
Morin's offensive numbers in 2015 were ridiculous. Let me put it in perspective for you. The Blue Jays hit 22 doubles in all of 2015, Morin had 10 of them. The Jays hit 7 triples, Morin had 2 of them. Morin finished his season hitting .343, including .378 with runners in scoring position, both good for second best on the team. He only struck out seven times all season, fifth lowest on the team. Along with leading the team in extra base hits, he also led the team in RBIs (19). The only downside to Morin's monstrous offensive season was that in 75 plate appearances, Morin walked twice. The team walked exactly 100 times in 2015, Morin only walked twice. That's extremely hard to do if you ask me. I'm confident that number will rise for Morin in 2016.
On the defensive side of the ball, Morin was the workhorse for this team behind the plate, part of the reason being Steinberg's injury for the first half of the season. Steinberg's health plays a big part in Morin's game because Morin is more than capable of playing other positions. We might see Morin at the hot corner, maybe at second, maybe in the outfield, we even saw him on the mound for an inning in 2015. The idea of being versatile is so crucial for this Jays team in 2016, working with just an eleven man roster.
Look for Morin to be the first name slotted in the cleanup spot early in the season, as the Jays will rely on him to have another big year with the extra base hits and driving in runs. He was the best in the business a year ago, and will look to be even better in 2016.
Morin's offensive numbers in 2015 were ridiculous. Let me put it in perspective for you. The Blue Jays hit 22 doubles in all of 2015, Morin had 10 of them. The Jays hit 7 triples, Morin had 2 of them. Morin finished his season hitting .343, including .378 with runners in scoring position, both good for second best on the team. He only struck out seven times all season, fifth lowest on the team. Along with leading the team in extra base hits, he also led the team in RBIs (19). The only downside to Morin's monstrous offensive season was that in 75 plate appearances, Morin walked twice. The team walked exactly 100 times in 2015, Morin only walked twice. That's extremely hard to do if you ask me. I'm confident that number will rise for Morin in 2016.
On the defensive side of the ball, Morin was the workhorse for this team behind the plate, part of the reason being Steinberg's injury for the first half of the season. Steinberg's health plays a big part in Morin's game because Morin is more than capable of playing other positions. We might see Morin at the hot corner, maybe at second, maybe in the outfield, we even saw him on the mound for an inning in 2015. The idea of being versatile is so crucial for this Jays team in 2016, working with just an eleven man roster.
Look for Morin to be the first name slotted in the cleanup spot early in the season, as the Jays will rely on him to have another big year with the extra base hits and driving in runs. He was the best in the business a year ago, and will look to be even better in 2016.
Sunday, April 24, 2016
#46 Chris Prinzivalli
2015 was very kind to Chris Prinzivalli in all aspects of the game. Prinzivalli opened the season at Baseball Heaven, starting in center field, and his name in the #8 spot in the lineup. He recorded the first ever out for the Jays by making a diving catch in shallow center field in the top of the first inning. When game three of the tournament came around, Prinzivalli had convinced Coach Wanderlingh to let him try and start at first base. Let's just say that Prinzivalli never saw another pitch from standing in center field the rest of the summer.
Sticking with the defense, Prinzivalli was a vacuum at first base. He only committed two errors all season, while being a part of eight double plays, and even a triple play. I think it is fair to say that his finest moment at first base was a double play that he started and finished by himself against the Hampton Surf.
Transitioning to offense, Prinzivalli played a huge role for this team. He finished the summer hitting .327, good for third highest on the team. His OBP was up to .422, good to finish top five on the team. He saw his name everywhere in the lineup from the #2 hole down to the #8 hole throughout the season. I would say his most memorable moment at the dish was in the same game against the Hampton Surf. No score, top of the 7th... There is a man on and Prinzivalli steps in. You can call it a home run, you can call it an error, I call it a statement W for the Jays, taking down one of the better teams in the league. The funny thing is that Prinzivalli's shining moments on offense and defense happened in the same game.
Expect another big year from the big fella at first base, both on the bag and on the rubber. Prinzivalli is the only left handed pitcher the Jays have, and Coach Wanderlingh would love to use him in relief, at least, this summer. He has all the makings of being a great piece to the puzzle on the mound, as well as a great mentor to whoever his backup first baseman is going to be. It might be Fauvell, it might be Steinberg, it might be McArdle. Whoever the head coach throws at Prinzivalli, he better be up to the task of turning that player into a durable first baseman, so that he can see some time on the bump this season.
Looked at as one of the true leaders of this team, Prinzivalli is a tremendous part to how far the Blue Jays go this season.
Sticking with the defense, Prinzivalli was a vacuum at first base. He only committed two errors all season, while being a part of eight double plays, and even a triple play. I think it is fair to say that his finest moment at first base was a double play that he started and finished by himself against the Hampton Surf.
Transitioning to offense, Prinzivalli played a huge role for this team. He finished the summer hitting .327, good for third highest on the team. His OBP was up to .422, good to finish top five on the team. He saw his name everywhere in the lineup from the #2 hole down to the #8 hole throughout the season. I would say his most memorable moment at the dish was in the same game against the Hampton Surf. No score, top of the 7th... There is a man on and Prinzivalli steps in. You can call it a home run, you can call it an error, I call it a statement W for the Jays, taking down one of the better teams in the league. The funny thing is that Prinzivalli's shining moments on offense and defense happened in the same game.
Expect another big year from the big fella at first base, both on the bag and on the rubber. Prinzivalli is the only left handed pitcher the Jays have, and Coach Wanderlingh would love to use him in relief, at least, this summer. He has all the makings of being a great piece to the puzzle on the mound, as well as a great mentor to whoever his backup first baseman is going to be. It might be Fauvell, it might be Steinberg, it might be McArdle. Whoever the head coach throws at Prinzivalli, he better be up to the task of turning that player into a durable first baseman, so that he can see some time on the bump this season.
Looked at as one of the true leaders of this team, Prinzivalli is a tremendous part to how far the Blue Jays go this season.
Saturday, April 23, 2016
#22 Josh Gambardella
Josh Gambardella's bat never really seemed to get going in 2015, finishing the year with a .115 batting average and leading the team in strikeouts (20). The silver lining for Gambardella offensively was that he was second on the team in walks (14), earning himself a respectable .299 OBP, considering how low his batting average was. He still managed to finish fourth on the team in runs scored (13), which was the reason why he continued to see his name in the #2 spot in the lineup. The last positive outlook on his offensive contributions was his 5 stolen bases.
Defensively, Gambardella roamed the entire outfield at one point or another throughout the season. He started out in center field, than moved over to left field once John Schmidt started coming into his own as the leader of that outfield. He also saw some time in right field, in which he seemed most comfortable playing. On most teams, Gambardella would be the #1 outfielder. The problem is that the Blue Jays are not most teams. John Schmidt went the entire season without committing an error, and added 11 assists to his incredible resume. But Gambardella was not far behind him... Gambardella committed just one error all season, and that happened to be in the semi final game against the LI Riptides. Luckily for Josh, the error did not wind up being disastrous. Gambardella's outstanding defensive play night in and night out makes it very hard for Coach Wanderlingh to take his name out of the lineup, considering Wanderlingh's style of coaching having a DH for the starting pitcher.
Nonetheless, Gambardella will need to prove himself in preseason and early on in 2016 if he wants to keep his name in the starting lineup offensively. His glove will always be out in the outfield for the Jays, without question, but if he wants to hit on a regular basis, 6-52 is not going to cut it.
Look for Gambardella to compete for the #2 spot in the starting lineup, along with newcomer Steven Krauth. Gambardella is by far the best bunter on the team, but is that enough to put him that high up in a very powerful lineup? A little bit more consistency at making contact is all Gambardella needs to reserve his spot near the top of the lineup for the Jays.
Defensively, Gambardella roamed the entire outfield at one point or another throughout the season. He started out in center field, than moved over to left field once John Schmidt started coming into his own as the leader of that outfield. He also saw some time in right field, in which he seemed most comfortable playing. On most teams, Gambardella would be the #1 outfielder. The problem is that the Blue Jays are not most teams. John Schmidt went the entire season without committing an error, and added 11 assists to his incredible resume. But Gambardella was not far behind him... Gambardella committed just one error all season, and that happened to be in the semi final game against the LI Riptides. Luckily for Josh, the error did not wind up being disastrous. Gambardella's outstanding defensive play night in and night out makes it very hard for Coach Wanderlingh to take his name out of the lineup, considering Wanderlingh's style of coaching having a DH for the starting pitcher.
Nonetheless, Gambardella will need to prove himself in preseason and early on in 2016 if he wants to keep his name in the starting lineup offensively. His glove will always be out in the outfield for the Jays, without question, but if he wants to hit on a regular basis, 6-52 is not going to cut it.
Look for Gambardella to compete for the #2 spot in the starting lineup, along with newcomer Steven Krauth. Gambardella is by far the best bunter on the team, but is that enough to put him that high up in a very powerful lineup? A little bit more consistency at making contact is all Gambardella needs to reserve his spot near the top of the lineup for the Jays.
Friday, April 22, 2016
#12 Steven Krauth
Steven Krauth is the one and only new face on the ball club in 2016. The team lost three players from a year ago, the biggest one being everyday third basemen, Brian Coffey. Coffey will be suiting up for the Smithtown Bulls this summer, a team in which the Jays will match up against at least twice during the regular season. The other two "losses" were Mike Barrasso and John Klouda. So with the team going with an eleven man roster, ten of them being returning players, where does newcomer Steven Krauth fit into the puzzle?
Believe it or not, Krauth went up against the Jays last summer playing for the LI Eagles. He is primarily an outfielder, currently playing high school ball in left field and center field, according to sources. The same source was quoted saying Krauth brings with him a good bat to add to this already strong offensive lineup.
Starting on the defensive side of things, Gambardella and Schmidt seem to be the only two outfielders with a solidified starting position to begin preseason. Schmidt will most likely be roaming in center, with Gambardella on one of the corners. The way things look right now, it seems Gambardella will start in right field, a position that he saw his share of time in last season. This will leave left field open for the newcomer to prove himself in a position that he is comfortable playing in.
Transitioning to the offensive side of the ball, things can become interesting for the Jays. The biggest concern for this lineup a year ago was filling in the two hole to follow Wanderlingh. Gambardella, Schmidt, Dobkowski, and Fauvell all saw their name in the #2 spot at some point last season. Schmidt is too great of a hitter to be in the #2 spot, considering he had the best batting average on the team last year. He needs to be in the #3 or #4 spot for more RBI opportunities. Gambardella fit great in the #2 spot because he is the best bunter on the team, and he would move Wanderlingh over to either or 2nd or 3rd base every time Wanderlingh started off the inning the right way.
If Krauth can prove himself in preseason and in the opening tournament with the bat, the #2 spot could very well be a spot for him in the everday lineup.
Thursday, April 21, 2016
#30 Bryan McArdle
What will McArdle do for an encore in 2016? For those of you who are not familiar with McArdle's 2015 campaign, let me sum it up for you with one sentence. When #30 stepped foot on the mound, whether he was starting or relieving, the Blue Jays did not lose. 10 appearances for McArdle, 8 starts, 9 personal wins, and 10 team victories. Yeah, I'll get into his impact offensively and defensively, but I cannot say enough about his pitching.
Let's start with offense, since there isn't all that much to talk about. McArdle finished with a .208 batting average (5-24) and a .240 on base percentage. He managed to go 1/1 stealing bases and had one extra base hit to add to his resume. Head coach Joe Wanderlingh likes to DH for the starting pitcher, so McArdle did not see any at bats when he was on the bump. However, he did his at bats when he was not pitching, most often playing left field. McArdle certainly held his own in the field, considering he never committed a single error all season, one of only three players on the team to not commit any errors.
Now, let's dive into his pitching and that 9-0 record. McArdle threw 49 innings, good for second best on the team. In those 49 innings pitched, he gave up TWO earned runs. Let me say that again... In those 49 innings pitched, he gave up TWO earned runs. Are you kidding me? An ERA of 0.28? That is beyond unheard of. He was most effective in the stretch, considering his WHIP was exactly 1, meaning he would allow a baserunner an inning. He had 35 hits allowed and 14 walks, while striking out 41. Seven runs total winded up crossing the plate against him, but five of them were unearned. The defense wasn't at its best when McArdle took the hill, as the five unearned runs charged to him were the most on the team. Moser, the other ace on the Jays who threw 6 1/3 more innings than McArdle, was only charged with one unearned run in 2015. One thing to make McArdle even better in 2016 is to have a stronger defense around him.
There is not much room for improvement for McArdle in 2016, and having Moser on the top of his game as well makes McArdle that much stronger. The two of them battling it out for being named the true #1 on the team brings out the best in both of them. It will interesting to see if either one of them can distance himself away from the other, and stand alone as the top ace of the defending champs.
Let's start with offense, since there isn't all that much to talk about. McArdle finished with a .208 batting average (5-24) and a .240 on base percentage. He managed to go 1/1 stealing bases and had one extra base hit to add to his resume. Head coach Joe Wanderlingh likes to DH for the starting pitcher, so McArdle did not see any at bats when he was on the bump. However, he did his at bats when he was not pitching, most often playing left field. McArdle certainly held his own in the field, considering he never committed a single error all season, one of only three players on the team to not commit any errors.
Now, let's dive into his pitching and that 9-0 record. McArdle threw 49 innings, good for second best on the team. In those 49 innings pitched, he gave up TWO earned runs. Let me say that again... In those 49 innings pitched, he gave up TWO earned runs. Are you kidding me? An ERA of 0.28? That is beyond unheard of. He was most effective in the stretch, considering his WHIP was exactly 1, meaning he would allow a baserunner an inning. He had 35 hits allowed and 14 walks, while striking out 41. Seven runs total winded up crossing the plate against him, but five of them were unearned. The defense wasn't at its best when McArdle took the hill, as the five unearned runs charged to him were the most on the team. Moser, the other ace on the Jays who threw 6 1/3 more innings than McArdle, was only charged with one unearned run in 2015. One thing to make McArdle even better in 2016 is to have a stronger defense around him.
There is not much room for improvement for McArdle in 2016, and having Moser on the top of his game as well makes McArdle that much stronger. The two of them battling it out for being named the true #1 on the team brings out the best in both of them. It will interesting to see if either one of them can distance himself away from the other, and stand alone as the top ace of the defending champs.
#31 Alec Fauvell
Alec Fauvell had an up and down season last year to say the least. He started his 2015 campaign towards the top of the Blue Jays lineup, but as the season went on, he went further and further down the lineup. He finished the season with a .151 batting average and a .308 on base percentage. However, Fauvell was one of four players on the team to finish with both double digit runs scored (10) and double digit RBIs (10). He finished tied for third on the team in walks (11) but also second place on the team in strikeouts (18). Finally, the last stat worth mentioning was that Fauvell finished tied for third on the team in stolen bases (9), and was only caught twice. So you can say it was a down year offensively for his standards, but Fauvell definitely still made a positive contribution to this team in 2015.
Fauvell was a rover for the Jays last summer defensively. He saw time in the outfield, most often in right field, and at all four infield positions, most often at second base. He committed 5 errors, which was tied for the second highest on the team. He was asked to do a lot of different things last summer that he probably wasn't asked to do before. Most players don't like playing all over the place at this age, but Fauvell did whatever was asked of him, and he was certainly not a liability at any of the positions he was asked to fill.
Fauvell did not see as much time on the mound as he expected to last summer, pitching just 14 innings for the Jays. Two of his three outings were starts, one was spectacular against the LI Eagles, resulting in a 2-1 victory, and the other was just as great against the rival LI Riptides late in the season, despite resulting in a 4-3 loss.
Expect Fauvell to begin preseason with tons of opportunities in front of him. Fauvell and Dobkowski will be fighting for that third and final spot in the starting rotation, and Fauvell is also in a position to see a lot of time at all four infield positions, especially at third base, where he can even get the opening day nod if he plays his cards right.
Fauvell was a rover for the Jays last summer defensively. He saw time in the outfield, most often in right field, and at all four infield positions, most often at second base. He committed 5 errors, which was tied for the second highest on the team. He was asked to do a lot of different things last summer that he probably wasn't asked to do before. Most players don't like playing all over the place at this age, but Fauvell did whatever was asked of him, and he was certainly not a liability at any of the positions he was asked to fill.
Fauvell did not see as much time on the mound as he expected to last summer, pitching just 14 innings for the Jays. Two of his three outings were starts, one was spectacular against the LI Eagles, resulting in a 2-1 victory, and the other was just as great against the rival LI Riptides late in the season, despite resulting in a 4-3 loss.
Expect Fauvell to begin preseason with tons of opportunities in front of him. Fauvell and Dobkowski will be fighting for that third and final spot in the starting rotation, and Fauvell is also in a position to see a lot of time at all four infield positions, especially at third base, where he can even get the opening day nod if he plays his cards right.
Wednesday, April 20, 2016
#7 Seth Steinberg
Seth Steinberg is one of the most intriguing returning players heading into 2016. Steinberg's campaign in 2015 started late when he was sidelined due to a shoulder injury. When he became healthy, he was a solid piece for the team's championship run.
The Blue Jays carried one other catcher, Zach Morin, and Steinberg quickly saw himself getting into a rotation with his teammate behind the plate. In addition to that, Steinberg also saw his name in the starting lineup as the designated hitter, mostly hitting for the starting pitcher. Steinberg had only eighteen at-bats in 2015, but was able to make the most of it, finishing with a .389 OBP. Despite batting just .154 for the season (2-13), his most memorable moment was clearly his pinch-hit, two-out, two-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning against the LI Riptides in the semi-final game, driving in the two runs that gave the Jays a 4-0 lead, a lead that would wind up being the final score of the game.
Steinberg has all the makings of creating a two-headed monster with Morin behind the plate, giving both players the opportunity to play other positions as well. With a small roster this year, the more versatile the player, the better the team will be moving forward. Steinberg never committed a single error behind the plate last year, and will look to start his 2016 campaign on time this year now that he is fully healthy.
In addition to sharing time behind the plate with Morin, look for Steinberg to prove himself in other positions as well, more specifically, any of the four infield positions. Prinzivalli, Dobkowski, and Wanderlingh are as good as it gets at their respective positions, but all three of them are going to see time on the mound this summer, and Dobkowski is the only one of those three that has a man behind him on the current depth chart, John Schmidt. When Wanderlingh and Prinzivalli step foot onto the mound, someone needs to fill that position, and that someone can very well be Steinberg. Also, with the loss of third baseman Brian Coffey, there is a vacancy at the hot corner, a vacancy that Steinberg might be looking to fill as well. He showed off the leather all throughout winter workouts, and will be getting his fair share of ground balls in preseason to see how he fairs once he steps foot onto the field next month with the rest of his teammates.
The Blue Jays carried one other catcher, Zach Morin, and Steinberg quickly saw himself getting into a rotation with his teammate behind the plate. In addition to that, Steinberg also saw his name in the starting lineup as the designated hitter, mostly hitting for the starting pitcher. Steinberg had only eighteen at-bats in 2015, but was able to make the most of it, finishing with a .389 OBP. Despite batting just .154 for the season (2-13), his most memorable moment was clearly his pinch-hit, two-out, two-RBI double in the bottom of the sixth inning against the LI Riptides in the semi-final game, driving in the two runs that gave the Jays a 4-0 lead, a lead that would wind up being the final score of the game.
Steinberg has all the makings of creating a two-headed monster with Morin behind the plate, giving both players the opportunity to play other positions as well. With a small roster this year, the more versatile the player, the better the team will be moving forward. Steinberg never committed a single error behind the plate last year, and will look to start his 2016 campaign on time this year now that he is fully healthy.
In addition to sharing time behind the plate with Morin, look for Steinberg to prove himself in other positions as well, more specifically, any of the four infield positions. Prinzivalli, Dobkowski, and Wanderlingh are as good as it gets at their respective positions, but all three of them are going to see time on the mound this summer, and Dobkowski is the only one of those three that has a man behind him on the current depth chart, John Schmidt. When Wanderlingh and Prinzivalli step foot onto the mound, someone needs to fill that position, and that someone can very well be Steinberg. Also, with the loss of third baseman Brian Coffey, there is a vacancy at the hot corner, a vacancy that Steinberg might be looking to fill as well. He showed off the leather all throughout winter workouts, and will be getting his fair share of ground balls in preseason to see how he fairs once he steps foot onto the field next month with the rest of his teammates.
Tuesday, April 19, 2016
#5 Sam Dobkowski
Sam Dobkowski spent the majority of his time manning second base for the Blue Jays last season, and definitely made a name for himself in doing so. The Dobkowski-Wanderlingh duo was stellar all year for the Jays, turning seven double plays. Dobkowski committed just four errors in twenty-six games, including tournaments and playoffs. Expect another solid year for the kid defensively, as he is one of the three returning pieces to that infield that was so strong a year ago.
Onto the offensive side of things, Dobkowski saw his name in the starting lineup every game, ranging anywhere from the #3 hole to the #6 hole. Towards the end of the season and into the playoffs, he sat comfortably in the cleanup spot. Sam finished the season with a .308 batting average, good for fourth best on the team. What was even more impressive was his on base percentage, which finished third best on the team sitting at .438. The most positive stat for Dobkowski in 2015 was the number he had in his strikeout column... That number was FOUR. Four strikeouts in 65 plate appearances, good for second best on the team. The only person that had fewer strikeouts than him only had 18 plate appearances all season.
The biggest change you are going to see in 2016 with Dobkowski is his innings on the mound. There were two reasons his innings were so low last season... The first reason is the two aces the Blue Jays have on their roster, McArdle and Moser, and the second reason is because of the scheduling the team had. The team played their games on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday nights, meaning that the two big guns at the top of the rotation were able to start all three games in the week. That will change this year when the schedule changes to Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. Even if McArdle and Moser remain on top of the Blue Jays pitching staff, a third wing will be needed for this team. That wing will need to be a starter, and Dobkowski looks to be the guy to fill that role. In his lone start last season, he pitched five innings of two hit ball, earning a victory for his squad in the process.
Look for Dobkowski to begin preseason in May as the team's #3 starter in their starting rotation.
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