Travis Snider: It looks like the Blue Jays are going to give Snider an extended chance to show that he can handle major league pitching. In the small sample size of 2010, 57 PA, his skills have been a mixed bag. He is displaying outstanding plate patience, 14% BB%, slightly above league average power, 2 home runs and 2 doubles, but poor contact skills, 73% Ct%. However due to an obscene .094 BHIP%, his early season is looking like a disaster, 2/4/.143. The plate patience is just a continuation of what he did last year, 11% in 276 PA with the Jays, and the power should get better, 9 home runs and 14 doubles last year, especially as his 22-year-old body matures. While there is some upside to his batting average, his contact skills, 67% Ct% in 2009, tell you he is a .260 type hitter at best. As long as the Blue Jays stick with him, he will have value for his power, with some major upside, but you better have some high average guys on your team to offset the batting average damage.
Jhony Peralta: The slumping Peralta, 1/4/.140 in 54 PA, was not in the lineup yesterday against the Twins. It was just a couple of years ago that Peralta, at 25 years of age, looked to be entering his power prime years with already impressive numbers, 23 home runs and 42 doubles in 664 PA during the 2008 season. Since then his power has dropped to below league average, 11 home runs and 35 doubles in 645 PA last year, without any real change in his approach at the plate, 2008/2009 BB%’s 7%/8% and Ct%’s 79%/77%, so it is not like he is trading off his power for another skill. With his GB% reverting to previous levels, 2006/2007/2008/2009 GB%’s 47%/47%/44%/50%, 2009 is looking more like his real skill level.
Brian Fuentes: Despite injuries, a back problem, and some early struggles, 1 blown save in 2 chances, the Angels are sticking with Fuentes as their closer. The loss of dominance without improvement is his other skills, 2008/2009 K/9’s 11.8/7.5, BB/9’s 3.2/3.9, and GB%’s 33%/36%, had made Fuentes go from a dominant closer to a risky proposition. With his control trending downward and his FB% increasing, 2007/2008/2009 #’s 43%/46%/47%, and recipe for disaster could be brewing, especially if his HR/FB% even goes to the league average of 10%, 2008/2009 #’s 5%/8%.
Matt Carson: The A’s called up Carson to replace the injured Travis Buck and immediately inserted him in the starting lineup, where he went 0-3. He turns 29 years of age in July, so you have to discount his big year in Triple-A last year, 25/77/.264 with 15 steals in 493 PA, a bit. His approach at the plate in Triple-A, 2008/2009 BB%’s 6%/8% and Ct%’s 79%/79%, means he won’t hit for average at the major league, but he could provide a little pop and speed.
Pat Neshek: Neshek, who has not pitched in over week due to soreness in his middle finger, could be available as early as tonight. Before having Tommy John surgery in 2008, Neshek looked to have the skills of a future closer, 9.5 K/9 and a 3.5 BB/9. At 29 years of age, there is no reason to think that those skills cannot return, but he appears to be behind Matt Guerrier, in the Twins pecking order should Jon Rauch falter as the Twins closer.
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