NewsInbox: Will Hill make the All-Star team?
Beat reporter Jordan Bastian answers Jays fans' questions
By Jordan Bastian / MLB.com
07/02/09 11:36 AM ET
The Blue Jays are one contest shy of reaching game No. 81, completing half of the 2009 schedule. So far, it has been a tale of two seasons for the club. After one of the best starts in franchise history, driven by a high-scoring offense, Toronto's lineup has slumped and the team has slipped into fourth place in the American League East.The Jays head to New York this weekend to begin a 10-game road trip that also includes stops at Tampa Bay and Baltimore. It's a critical venture right before the All-Star break that could help shape Toronto's chances down the stretch. With three months to go, the Jays are still within striking distance of the division's top spot, but a number of things have to go right and a handful of issues currently face the club.
With that in mind, it's time to empty out the Inbox and answer a few questions:
Can we expect to see Blue Jays second baseman Aaron Hill at the All-Star Game this year? It would be a shame if he didn't make the cut.
-- Frank S., Toronto
Hill deserves to suit up for the American League in St. Louis -- there is no denying that much. Unfortunately, there is a realistic chance that he might miss out on the first All-Star appearance of his career. A few factors come into play when it comes to finding a way to get Hill to the Midsummer Classic this season.
First off, Hill would need a miracle to earn a roster spot through fan balloting, considering Thursday is the final day for fans to cast their votes. In the latest ballot count released earlier this week, Hill ranked fourth among AL second basemen with 892,006 votes, trailing Texas' Ian Kinsler (2,170,000), Boston's Dustin Pedroia (2,163,270) and New York's Robinson Cano (1,245,065).
|
Have a question about the Blue Jays?
 E-mail your query to MLB.com Blue Jays beat reporter Jordan Bastian for possible inclusion in a future Inbox column. Letters may be edited for brevity, length and/or content.
|
||||||||
The most likely route to St. Louis for Hill is through peer voting. Here's the catch: There is a good chance that the players will vote Kinsler as the league's top second baseman. Under that scenario, Kinsler might be selected as the backup by his peers if Red Sox Nation helps Pedroia -- the reigning AL Most Valuable Player -- pull off a late upset in fan voting. Hill would then be the odd-man out.
In another scenario, Kinsler wins the fan vote and the player with the second-highest vote total from his peers would earn a ticket to the All-Star Game. Given the type of season Hill has turned in for the Blue Jays, there's a chance he will finish first or second in peer balloting. In all likelihood, Hill would need Kinsler to earn the starting spot from the fans in order to have the players' vote send him to St. Louis.
Got all that?
Hill could also potentially wind up on the 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote ballot, which gives the fans an opportunity to vote for one non-starter. Unfortunately, a player for the Blue Jays tends to be a disadvantage in that type of voting situation due to playing in a smaller, less-publicized market. One look at Hill's stats and it's obvious that he is deserving of a spot on the AL's elite squad.
Through 79 games, Hill was batting .301 with a .341 on-base percentage and a .504 slugging percentage. He had 19 home runs, 56 RBIs, 104 hits and 48 runs scored. The AL second baseman closest to Hill's production is Kinsler, who has hit .267/.344/.521 with 19 homers, 51 RBIs, 82 hits and 55 runs scored through 75 games for the Rangers.
How long are the Blue Jays going to put up with the way Vernon Wells and Alex Rios have been hitting? Are the management and the players embarrassed with the way Wells and Rios have been playing? I know a lot of fans are. Are the Jays going to do something soon to help the team before its too late? From a frustrated fan.
-- Sarah H., East York, Ontario
I can tell you one thing, no one is more frustrated, and maybe even embarrassed, than Wells and Rios right now. They opened the season as the Nos. 3-4 hitters and have been dropped low in the order due to their persistent issues at the plate. Manager Cito Gaston has tried mixing up his lineup -- something he doesn't like doing -- to hopefully inject some life into the pair of outfielders' bats.
I'm sure the Blue Jays would entertain any trade offers for either Wells or Rios, but it'd be hard to find a taker for their contracts in light of their current production. Fans have also asked about possible Minor League demotions. Wells and Rios probably have options, but these players are considered key parts to the offense and there is still a big chunk of the season left to maybe turn things around.
What is the chance that Wells and his agent will allow the Blue Jays to restructure his contract to free up some money to re-sign Roy Halladay and to perhaps get another bat into the lineup? It appears he is entering the big-dollar portion of his contract, which is going to inhibit the Jays' ability to get better, in my opinion.
-- Craig Z., Calgary, Alberta
This is a question a number of Jays fans have sent my way. Wells is in the third season under the seven-year, $126 million contract he inked three winters ago and is scheduled to earn $12.5 million in 2010 and between $21-23 million from 2011-14. Halladay's contract expires after next season and he is primed for a large payday.
To fans, it makes perfect sense for Wells to offer to rework his deal. He is one of the faces of the franchise, he is struggling, the team's payroll has been dropped to $80 million and the club's near future could depend on re-signing Halladay. It's not going to happen. Remember, his contract was market value when he signed and I'm sure the Major League Baseball Players Association would have something to say about any restructuring.
The Jays will try to begin contract extension talks with Halladay this winter and the club is going to do what it can to hopefully keep him in the fold. Halladay wants to win, though, and the increased difficulty of playing in the AL East is not making Toronto's bid at retaining its ace any easier. Doc may want to see how 2010 unfolds before making a decision.
Since Cito is gaining an open mind about the lineup, is there any possibility he's open to flipping Scott Rolen and Hill? I love Scotty more than anyone, but with his average and Hill's power, it seems logical. Then again, given that Rolen is slugging .621 as a No. 4 hitter, it seems like Cito would default to "don't mess with what's working."
-- Will R., Ripley, Miss.
Hill has thrived as the Jays' No. 2 hitter all season long and Rolen has really taken to the cleanup spot of late. As you said, those don't seem like spots that Gaston is going to mess with right now. The main lineup spot that Gaston is trying to find the best solution for is the No. 3 hole. He's cycled both Rios and Wells in and out of that position, and is now turning to left fielder Adam Lind as the No. 3 hitter.
How is Travis Snider's back coming along? The last I read, GM J.P. Ricciardi said Snider would return to action in Triple-A Las Vegas this week. Is this still the plan? How did he initially injure his back, anyway?
-- Jeff K., Sacramento, Calif.
Ricciardi said Snider's back injury stemmed from something he did years ago -- not sure on the specifics. The latest update is that Snider is about to begin a rehab stint with Class A Dunedin that could last between a week and 10 days. From there, he'll rejoin Las Vegas and continue to sort through the issues at the plate that cost him a spot on Toronto's roster.
The Jays have been searching for a strong left-handed bat to replace what Snider was supposed to bring to the team this season. With him on the disabled list, and Russ Adams not providing that much to the Jays, what do you consider the team's options?
-- Jeremy H., Toronto
The first player that comes to mind is veteran David Dellucci, who was signed to a Minor League deal last month and has been playing for Las Vegas. The Jays are definitely in need of a left-handed bat and Dellucci fits that mold. There is also Triple-A outfielder Buck Coats, but he's currently on the Minor League seven-day DL. From the right side, the Jays have first baseman/designated hitter Randy Ruiz. One would think he could be a possible option if Kevin Millar keeps struggling with the Jays.
What is the Blue Jays' policy on tossing an opposing team's home run ball back on the field? Last week, I saw a post on Twitter that said a kid tossed a Phillies home run ball back on the field and was then ejected from the game. This can't possibly be their policy, can it?
-- Dave B., Vancouver, British Columbia
I also saw that tweet -- look for me on Twitter under @MLBastian -- and was a bit surprised myself, considering tossing home run balls back on the field is practically tradition at a lot of ballparks. After reading through the Rogers Centre's A-Z guide on the Blue Jays' Web site, it turns that fans who toss balls on the field do so at the risk of being removed from the stadium.
Here's what the rules state: "Guests are not permitted to throw any objects around or within the Rogers Centre seating areas (e.g., baseballs, beach balls, shoes, seat cushions, hats, food, drinks, ice, coins, etc.). Failure to adhere to this policy may result in guest ejection from the stadium."
Jordan Bastian is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
