Blockbuster signing by the Jays!!!

[SPTO]

Re: Blockbuster signing by the Jays!!!

Shea will probably be the regular 1B
Koskie will play 3rd
Hinske would platoon with Shea or spend most of his time DH'ing

I have heard tho that if the Jays get Hillenbrand they will try to trade Hinske.

[SPTO]

Re: Blockbuster signing by the Jays!!!

Shea will probably be the regular 1B
Koskie will play 3rd
Hinske would platoon with Shea or spend most of his time DH'ing

I have heard tho that if the Jays get Hillenbrand they will try to trade Hinske.

[jt45]

Re: Blockbuster signing by the Jays!!!

Shea will probably be the regular 1B
Koskie will play 3rd
Hinske would platoon with Shea or spend most of his time DH'ing

I have heard tho that if the Jays get Hillenbrand they will try to trade Hinske.

He makes too much. Good luck.

[jt45]

Re: Blockbuster signing by the Jays!!!

Shea will probably be the regular 1B
Koskie will play 3rd
Hinske would platoon with Shea or spend most of his time DH'ing

I have heard tho that if the Jays get Hillenbrand they will try to trade Hinske.

He makes too much. Good luck.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Blockbuster signing by the Jays!!!

I can't resist making one more point. Yes it's another anti-JP post.

The acquisition of Hillenbrand means that Gabe Gross will not get the PAs needed to find out if he's capable of hitting major league pitching consistently. This is a sink-or-swim year for Gross - he needs to be tested. Gross has some good patience at the plate and some power. Within two years he could hit like Hillenbrand with about 40 extra walks.

Then there is defence, an aspect of this deal that its supporters (or those neutral about it) have not addressed. Gross is very close to being a super defensive leftfielder - he has a heck of an arm and good instincts. Cat, as the regular LF, is a converted infielder in his early 30s with leg problems. Whatever you gain by putting Hillenbrand in the lineup and taking Gross out offensively is offset by the weakening of the defence with Cat instead of Gross in leftfield. That's just this year. With the expected improvement of Gross's hitting in 2006 (if he were allowed 500 PA this year) versus Hillenbrand's expected decline in 2006 due to age, this deal harms the team for next year by slowing down Gross's development as a hitter. It might be even worse than that: Hillenbrand might stay with the Jays for 2006 and earn over 6 million in arbitration for his production if the Jays don't cut bait on him.

It looks to me like the organisation has completely soured on Gross and the Hillenbrand acquisition is the nail in the coffin for Gabe as a Blue Jay. That's a shame, as I was optimistic that Gross could provide cheap production for years to come. He's not exactly the most marketable commodity, so I'll be surprised if the Jays get anything substantial for him when they trade Gross later this year.

[VanCitySportsGuy]

Re: Blockbuster signing by the Jays!!!

I can't resist making one more point. Yes it's another anti-JP post.

The acquisition of Hillenbrand means that Gabe Gross will not get the PAs needed to find out if he's capable of hitting major league pitching consistently. This is a sink-or-swim year for Gross - he needs to be tested. Gross has some good patience at the plate and some power. Within two years he could hit like Hillenbrand with about 40 extra walks.

Then there is defence, an aspect of this deal that its supporters (or those neutral about it) have not addressed. Gross is very close to being a super defensive leftfielder - he has a heck of an arm and good instincts. Cat, as the regular LF, is a converted infielder in his early 30s with leg problems. Whatever you gain by putting Hillenbrand in the lineup and taking Gross out offensively is offset by the weakening of the defence with Cat instead of Gross in leftfield. That's just this year. With the expected improvement of Gross's hitting in 2006 (if he were allowed 500 PA this year) versus Hillenbrand's expected decline in 2006 due to age, this deal harms the team for next year by slowing down Gross's development as a hitter. It might be even worse than that: Hillenbrand might stay with the Jays for 2006 and earn over 6 million in arbitration for his production if the Jays don't cut bait on him.

It looks to me like the organisation has completely soured on Gross and the Hillenbrand acquisition is the nail in the coffin for Gabe as a Blue Jay. That's a shame, as I was optimistic that Gross could provide cheap production for years to come. He's not exactly the most marketable commodity, so I'll be surprised if the Jays get anything substantial for him when they trade Gross later this year.