Kuzul

The Florida Marlins‘ haul when they traded away Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera was questionable at the time.  Now, in the past two days, the two key components that they received have been sent packing in separate deals.

Yesterday the team traded left-handed pitcher Andrew Miller to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Dustin Richardson, according to mlb.com (click here for the article).

Miller has never lived up to expectations, going 15-26 with a 5.84 ERA and 1.74 WHIP over 294.1 career Major League innings.  His control has always been the major issue, with a walk rate of 5.3.  However, the sixth overall selection in the 2006 draft has a ton of potential.  He stands at 6′7″, and taller pitchers tend to take a little bit longer to figure things out.

It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him mature in Boston, though his upside in 2011 is minimal, at best.

Richardson was a fifth-round selection in the 2006 draft and has only pitched 16.1 Major League innings.  He has a career minor league K/9 of 10.0 to go with a 3.95 ERA and 1.31 WHIP.  He certainly has potential, but has been working strictly as a bullpen arm since 2009.  He’s likely going to be a middle reliever in Florida, meaning he’s a name we can ignore for now.

Now, onto today’s trade, where the Marlins shipped Cameron Maybin to the San Diego Padres, according to Tom Krasovic via Twitter.  In return, the Marlins will receive relief pitchers Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica.

From a fantasy perspective, neither will have much value unless they develop into a closer (the Marlins job is certainly wide open at this point).  Still, you have to like the strides the Marlins are taking to solidify their middle relief corps.  If they can find a way to cover those last few innings successfully, their elite starting pitchers like Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco will look significantly more attractive.

As for Maybin, he has been a perennial disappointment.  He has hit .246 with 13 HR and 19 SB in 548 AB over parts of four seasons.  His defense is what most likely appeals to the Padres, but the wide expanses of Petco Park could help Maybin maximize his speed.

Don’t look for power, but if he can put the ball into the gaps and out of the air (he actually has a career flyball rate of 31.2 percent), there is reason to believe that he can utilize his speed and improve his outlook.  I’ll take a much more detailed look at him in the near future, but he certainly should be viewed as a high-upside sleeper in deeper formats at this point.

In Other News

The A’s claimed Edwin Encarnacion off waivers, all but ending Kevin Kouzmanoff’s tenure in Oakland.  Unfortunately for Encarnacion owners, he goes to a park that is extremely tough on power hitters, so don’t anticipate his power surge from 2010 to be replicated.

What are your thoughts on these moves?  Who is the big winner?  Who is the big loser?

Make sure to check out our early 2011 rankings:

Top 15 Catchers

Top 15 First Basemen

Top 15 Second Basemen

Top 15 Third Basemen

2011 Fantasy Draft First-Round Breakdown

This article is also featured on WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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Today, the Toronto Blue Jays lost a member of their elusive 20 home run club from last season, as Edwin Encarnacion was claimed by the Oakland Athletics.

This move was expected, as Encarnacion made around $5.175 million dollars last season and was pretty mediocre at third base. His inability to hit consistently and his erratic defensive game pretty much sealed Edwin’s fate in Toronto.

While being affectionately known was “E5” for his penchant to make errors at third base, to his credit, along with the tutelage of defensive coach Brian Butterfield, he was able to improve his defense as the season progressed.

Last season Encarnacion hit .244 adding 21 home runs and 51 runs batted in, amassing those totals in only 332 at bats. Those numbers stack up pretty nicely when you project them out over 600 at bats, which gives him a totals of roughly 35 homers and 100 runs batted in.

With the Athletics adding Encarnacion, this likely means the end of Kevin Kouzmanoff’s tenure in the Golden State.

Kouzmanoff, who is another non-tender candidate (like Encarnacion), will likely be out a job in Oakland with the likes of David DeJesus, Ryan Sweeney, Rajai Davis, Conor Jackson and Jack Cust getting time at third, the outfield and at designated hitter.

Kouzmanoff hit .247 last season hitting 16 home runs and adding 71 RBI in 551 at bats. Right now, according to the numbers, the Athletics upgraded at third, but you can also argue that the Athletics home stadium is one of the worst hitting parks in the majors, so his numbers may be better than originally thought.

Could he be an option at third base for the Blue Jays? That remains to be seen, but he will probably be on the Blue Jays radar nonetheless.

In other related Jays news, reliever Brian Tallet and outfielder DeWayne Wise refused Triple-A assignments this morning and were sent packing, becoming non-tendered free agents.

Tallet compiled one of his worst seasons to date last season, going 2-6 with a 6.40 ERA and Wise was used in a utility role with the Jays last season and gained more playing time when Fred Lewis was lost to bunion surgery in the latter part of the year. 

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As reported by Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun, the Blue Jays put both Vernon Wells and Edwin Encarnacion on waivers earlier in the week. News has come out that both of them have cleared waivers and can now be traded.

Wells comes as no surprise, given his monster contract, but Encarnacion clearing does raise questions on his future with the ball club. 

Wells is averaging .270 with 22 HR and 60 RBI’s on the season. He started off on an absolute tear, but he has slowed down some as he usually does. The 6’1″ 230 pound center fielder could draw attention from some of the heavy spenders such as the New York Yankees, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox. However, I truly believe a deal is unlikely to say the very least.

Encarnacion on the other hand is a more sought after commodity. Signed to a modest contract that expiries at the end of the year, Encarnacion could be a good piece to have on an AL team to play at 3rd or DH. His defense is pretty pedestrian, but he’s blessed with lots of power and has flexed his muscles since his demotion to the Las Vegas 51’s (AAA).

Encarnacion is batting .244 this year with 12 HR and 34 RBI, but has missed about 46 games this season due to injuries and his demotion. If healthy, he could potentially have 20 home runs this season at least.

There are lots of teams out there in need of a third baseman. The team that stands out is the Atlanta Braves, having lost their franchise cornerstone Chipper Jones to injury for the remainder of the season.

Also put on waivers by the Blue Jays and clearing was long reliever Brian Tallet. The 6’6″ 220 pound lefty is 2-4 this season with a 5.65 ERA in 57.1 innings pitched. 

Tallet could fetch something decent on the open market, but he will not get you something to help the Jays right away.

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There have been many rumours swirling about the Blue Jays, suggesting who they might be moving before the July 31st trade deadline.  Names like Scott Downs, Jose Bautista, John Buck, and Kevin Gregg are all being mentioned as possible trade chips.  The rumour mill on ESPN even suggests that they might be buyers.  So what are Jays fans supposed to draw from all of this?

Well, it certainly suggests that GM Alex Anthopoulos isn’t content to sit back and hope that the Jays regain the top spot in the American League East.  Toronto is currently 12.5 games back from the Yankees in the division and 9.5 back from the Tampa Bay Rays for the Wild Card spot. So, although they might gain on Boston, due to all the injuries the team has sustained lately, it is unlikely that Tampa and New York would struggle enough in the second half for the Jays to overtake them.

If the Jays are buyers, as ESPN suggests, who might they be after, and are they still dealing these names that are mentioned?  The Jays look like they are set with their pitching rotation, although Jesse Litsch has been struggling, so they could be after another arm with perhaps a little more experience.  But this seems unlikely, considering the young pitching depth that the Jays have.

So in what positions could the Jays use an upgrade?  Well, they have a few set positions right now filled in by the players that the team is going to build around.  Aaron Hill, Adam Lind, Travis Snider, and now Yunel Escobar are the Jays’ future and Vernon Wells is signed long-term and seems to be the leader of the club.  Both Fred Lewis and Jose Bautista are young enough and play important roles that could allow them to be a part of the Jays’ building. 

Then you have Brett Wallace and J.P. Arencibia tearing up Triple-A ball, waiting to get called up to fill first base and catcher.  So what does that leave?  Well, if Snider takes over right field in his return, that pushes Bautista to third base, which leaves Edwin Encarnacion the odd man out.  Encarnacion certainly has a powerful bat, and he is heating up lately with a nine-game hit streak, but on defense is where he struggles.  So if it is between Bautista and his league-leading 27 home runs, and Encarnacion’s streaky play, you can likely figure out who is going to win that competition.

Of course, this still doesn’t determine in which area the Jays need to improve the most, and if they were to be buyers, what would they be looking for?  With Snider’s inexperience, and Lewis’ streaky play at times, the team could be after another outfielder who could hit for average and be a threat on the base paths.  There is also the possibility that Wallace could still use some seasoning in the minors, and with Overbay becoming a free agent at the end of this year, they could deal their current first baseman for a more long-term solution, like they did in acquiring Escobar. 

Granted, this all seems rather unlikely.  The Jays are attempting to go with a youth movement right now and seem to want to allow their players to develop, and give their prospects a chance.  So if they make any moves, it would likely be dealing their veterans on expiring contracts for more prospects and draft picks.  If ESPN is right, and they want to be buyers, you can be sure that they would be pursuing a player signed for several years.  There is no sense in the Jays acquiring more players with expiring contracts for what would seem like an unlikely playoff run.

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After Roy Halladay was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies, fantasy baseball owners believed the only Toronto Blue Jays worth having were Adam Lind and Aaron Hill. Turns out there are a few other Jays not only worth owning, but that are better than those two.     

It is as if Coors Field has been rebuilt in Toronto. Sure, the Rogers Centre (A.K.A. SkyDome) has also been known as a hitter’s haven, but never like this season.  Somehow average-at-best (and that is being kind) part-time players with .230 batting averages for other teams in their careers have suddenly morphed into powerful sluggers you don’t want to throw 2-0 fastballs to. Either the air is getting thinner inside the Rogers Centre, or Harry Potter has conjured up a spell that is magically guiding Toronto’s fly balls over the fence.       

Here are the Blue Jays that have turned into fantasy heroes after spending the last couple years as fantasy zeroes:

Jose Bautista

This guy is leading the majors in home runs? No, couldn’t be. Let me adjust my glasses. Well, call me George Brett and put pine tar on my bat! Bautista and his 18 dingers are indeed ahead of Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, and everyone else in the sport.  

Bautista leading any major offensive category two months into the season is almost as shocking as Al and Tipper Gore’s separation. He has never brought many redeeming fantasy qualities to the table during his eight-year career.  

Most homers in a season? 16, which Bautista has already surpassed without breaking a sweat. Most RBI? 63, and he already has more than two-thirds of that now in only one-third of a season. His best batting average? .254, so Joe Mauer has one less person to worry about coming after his batting crown considering Bautista is only presently hitting .243.

Bautista has not suffered through one prolonged power slump yet, even though his uppercut swing has holes in it and he still chases breaking balls in the dirt like a greyhound chases mechanical rabbits. He may strike out like Mark Reynolds, but now he hits homers like Reynolds does, too.
       
We will all wake up from this dream very soon.  Bautista must have overdosed on four-leaf clovers last St. Patrick’s Day or something.  He might finish with 30 homers and 90 RBI at season’s end, but to think he will keep this pace up is plain crazy. He is the ultimate sell-high candidate if there ever was one.  

John Buck

The Kansas City Royals, not known for their intelligent personnel decisions (Leo Nunez for Mike Jacobs? Multi-millions for Jose Guillen and Gil Meche?), looked smart for a change in the off-season when they cut bait on Buck, who had worn out his welcome because of his low batting averages and lower on-base percentages.

Buck has always had pop in his bat, though. He hit 70 home runs in six seasons with the Royals. Of course, only fantasy owners noticed, and even they did not care much since his constant 0-for-4 games would deflate the value of his taters.     

The homers are coming faster and more furious this season for Buck with him catching for Toronto, though. The veteran backstop has nine homers and 30 RBI in just 49 games, so he is well on his way to obliterating his previous career-highs in both statistics. And his batting average is .255, which might be terrible for many players but for Buck is the equivalent of hitting .300.    

Buck’s track record suggests that he will not keep up this Darren Daulton routine much longer. An 0-for-the-week is on the horizon that plummets his average 20 points. So trading him now when his value is higher than the summit at Mount Everest would be an optimal idea unless you have no other options behind the plate or if you have faith he can actually finish with 25 homers and 75 RBI.

Alex Gonazlez

Toronto has always had a thing for shortstops named Alex Gonzalez. Now the second shortstop with that name to man the position for the Jays this decade has been providing more pop than a general store from the 1950’s.  

Gonzalez, known more for his golden glove and his cannon arm than his home run prowess, has been slugging like he is Brady Anderson circa 1996. A-Gon has 12 homers and 33 RBI in 57 games. To put this in perspective, he has only broken the 70-RBI plateau twice and the 20-HR barrier once since entering the majors in 1998, so to say this was unexpected is like saying a few extra people watched Stephen Strasburg’s first big-league start.  

Gonzalez does not walk, does not steal, and does not hit for a high average. Homers and RBI are all he is good for in fantasy circles. Can he keep up the good work? Every other Blue Jay has been blasting homers regularly since Opening Day, so why can’t he?  Because he is a shortstop and because he has a slightly better resume than Bautista and Buck, I would not be against holding onto him, especially in AL-only leagues where homer-hitting shortstops are scarce.              

Brett Cecil

I’ll bet Pacman Jones, Howie Mandel, and John Cena’s names were mentioned at more fantasy drafts in March than Cecil’s. Only 16-team, AL-only leagues would have brought Cecil up for discussion. You cannot blame fantasy owners for not thinking about him on Draft Day. Cecil posted a 5.30 ERA and 1.65 WHIP during his rookie campaign and was no lock to make the 2010 rotation.

Yet Cecil has worked as many wonders as televangelist Benny Hinn during the opening third of the schedule. He has mixed his pitches perfectly, keeping righties off-kilter with his combination of fastballs and breaking balls, while totally shutting down lefthanded hitters (.143 batting average). Cecil is 6-2 with a 3.43 ERA, a 1.01 WHIP, and a growing fantasy fan base with every quality start he has.    

And this is just the tip of the iceberg in the hero department for the Blue Jays. Vernon Wells, whose body looked shot the past two seasons, is a fantasy stud again (15 homers, 40 RBI). Edwin Encarnacion has been pounding balls over the fence—when he has made contact (eight HR in 90 AB). And Shawn Marcum has valiantly returned from another arm injury to pitch like an ace (5-3, 3.38). 

I am not sure who deserves all the credit for all of these amazing performances. Maybe the coaching staff. Maybe the ballpark. Maybe the strength and conditioning coach.  Maybe the fantasy baseball gods. Maybe the bat boy. Or I guess the players themselves deserve some kudos. Whatever the case, many players are having special seasons north of the border, and fantasy owners are benefiting big time.

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Mercifully, the Dana Eveland experiment is over.

Recently sent to the minors, the Blue Jays now have 10 days to either trade, release, or place him on waivers.

Maybe we can get Rios back?

I kid, though just slightly.

Eveland’s last start was abysmal. 1.1 innings of soft tossing BP where he gave up (handed over?) eight runs on eight hits and two walks.  In fact, only once this season did he strike out more batters than he walked: a six inning relative gem where he allowed two runs while striking out four (a season high) and walking only three.

Remember the time when Dana Eveland wasn’t a Blue Jay?  That was pretty cool.

But I digress.

Enter David Purcey.

THE WILD CARD IS OURS!!

Take it easy, Purcey is definitely a better option, but that’s not saying much.  Eveland was so bad he made me long for the days of Josh Towers and Luke Prokopec .

However, he’s not a starter.  Not anymore.

Purcey has been in Las Vegas rediscovering his inner Nuke LaLoosh but as a long reliever, not a starter.  So regardless how well he pitches, his time here may be short.

Eveland’s next turn in the rotation would have been June 1 so we can expect a reliever for starter swap with Vegas.  Its either Purcey or Josh Roenicke who will most likely be sent down.

So who is the lucky winner of the No. 5 Rotation Spot Sweepstakes (N5RSS)?

The money is on one of Brad Mills or Robert Ray.

Mills has been the Las Vegas 51’s most consistent pitcher.  With a 4-3 record and 3.60 ERA, his numbers seem to warrant a call up.  Although his 9.1K/9 ratio is tasty, he’ll need to watch his control as his 4.5BB/9 just won’t cut it on the big club (see Eveland, Dana).

Ace in the Hole

In 2008, Mills had a microscopic 1.95 ERA and 159 K’s in 147.1 minor league innings.

Ray, on the other hand, has had an up and down season but has maintained a respectable 3.83 ERA along with a 3-3 record.  However, he does have the 51’s only complete game of the season thus far (a shutout).

One area of concern is the trending drop in strikeouts.  Over Ray’s last three seasons he’s had a K/9 ratio of 8.6, 7.9, and now 6.4.  He’ll need his control to be extra sharp if he gets the call.

Ace in the Hole

Recently named PCL (Pacific Coast League) pitcher of the week.

My money’s on Millsie.  I like his pedigree. Besides, I’ve always had a soft spot for carny-esque (5’11”) strikeout pitchers.

In other news. Hey No. 12, who are you and what have you done with Edwin Encarnacion?

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You may have heard some rumblings about this Stephen Strasburg guy. Allegedly, he’s pretty good.

Check that: he must be good, as usually the only time a Washington National warrants media attention is in relation to a comedy of errors (cough, cough, Nyjer Morgan , cough, cough).

But from some of the trade proposals I’ve viewed in retaining Strasburg’s services, you would think this guy was the mutant lovechild of Sandy Koufax and Walter Johnson .

Make no mistake, Strasburg’s stats in the minors have been ridiculous (no earned runs in 18.1 innings at the AAA level, 0.89 ERA in eight minor league starts) thus far.

Yet, questions surround the status of the 2009 No. 1 overall pick.

For starters, while rumors and speculation abound, an official debut date for Strasburg has not been indicated by the Major League club.

Another hurdle is Strasburg’s monitored pitch and inning count. Considering Washington invested $15.1 million in his right arm, chances are a fairly-low workload will be non-negotiable.

Additionally, Strasburg’s opposition will be quite formidable, as the NL East has been the most competitive division in baseball in 2010. Yet these influences seem to be lost on the general fantasy public, as stalwarts such as Miguel Cabrera and Evan Longoria have been offered in exchange for young master Strasburg.

Which is why if you own the rights to Strasburg, trade him. Now.

Strasburg has already logged 40 innings this season. The earliest projections have Strasburg in the Washington rotation around June 5, meaning the San Diego State product will make one, possibly two more appearances in the minors.

Using fellow former No. 1 overall David Price ‘s 2009 campaign as a comparison (162.2 innings between AAA and MLB), Strasburg will probably appear in 110 innings or less the remainder of the season. Not exactly the allotment time a fantasy owner strives for from a supposed anchor of a staff.

The Cabrera and Longoria examples were extreme, but it’s not unfathomable that a second or third round selection (think Justin Upton or Robinson Cano ) will be presented in a trade for Strasburg.

Unless your rotation is depleted to the point where you are plugging in the likes of Brian Bannister and Aaron Cook , ship out Strasburg while his demand is high. You may not get the same enjoyment following an Upton or Cano, but your fantasy team will be better off for it.

Start ’em: Edwin Encarnacion , Blue Jays. Edwin had quite the series in Arizona,smacking five homers in 11 at-bats, including a three-run HR outburst on Friday. In his first six games since coming off the DL, Encarnacion has 11 RBI.

Sit ’em: B.J. Upton , Rays. Upton has four hits in his last 26 ABs, and is hitting a mere .213 on the season. With Desmond Jennings, a consensus Top Five prospect in baseball, waiting in the wings in Triple-A Durham, Upton may be running out of time to fulfill his promise that made him the second overall pick in the 2002 Draft.

Fantasy Flashback: 1885 John Clarkson . In 1885, John Clarkson started 70 games for the Chicago White Stockings , and in 68 of these contests, threw a complete game.

To give that some context, in 2009 National League pitching staffs compiled 76 complete games COMBINED. Other noteworthy Clarkson achievements in ’85: 53 wins, 623 innings, a 1.85 ERA, and a wicked handlebar mustache.

Waiver Wire Watch: For those of you looking to drop an under-performing player, make your first free-agent pick up a player currently on the DL.

Most leagues have a roster spot for those on the injured list, and by picking up and stashing someone like Jair Jurrjens , you’ll have possible trade material down the line. Furthermore, you can select another player who can contribute immediately, thereby allowing you to pick up two players for the price of one.

Rookie Review: Jaime Garcia, Cardinals. The St. Louis left-hander is 4-2 with a 1.28 ERA in ’10. Garcia has also posted a good K/9IP, with 42 strikeouts in 49.1 innings.

And since we’re on the subject of the Cardinals, has Tony La Russa aged in the last 30 years? I swear, the man is the real-life incarnation of Richard Alpert from “Lost .”

Think I’m full of it?

Here’s La Russa with Chicago circa late 1970s, La Russa with Oakland around 1988, and Tony in the present day .

And in memorial of the series finale of “Lost “, here are my theories to explain this ageless phenomenon.

1) He’s on the same steroid cycles as his Oakland teams from the late ’80s.

2) He a charter member of the Mike Krzyzewski Hair Coloring Club.

3) He’s on the same steroid cycles as his St. Louis teams from the late ’90s.

4) His exposure and proximity towards animals has somehow left him with a superhero-like power against Father Time.

The Week in Jonathon Broxton: Another solid week for the Ox, picking up three more saves to bring his yearly total to ten.

While he did allow a run in three innings of work (proving that no one is perfect), he fanned six batters who had the misfortune of battling the great Brox-bino (thanks to reader Sam for the nickname suggestion after last week’s Babe Ruth /Broxton comparison).

Trade Talk: This is usually the time of the year when owners start to lose favor with underachieving All-Stars. You can possibly capitalize on this opportunity by getting a proven player like Prince Fielder for 85 cents on the dollar.

Don’t offend a fellow owner with an offer like Jorge Cantu for Mark Teixeira , but make it enticing enough where you can pull of a potentially season-swinging steal.

Big League Chew Player of the Week: Ben Zobrist , Rays. The Zorilla has been kicking ass and taking names. Zobrist is 13 for his last 23 with two HRs (doubling as his first two bombs of the season) and seven RBI, helping Tampa Bay win seven of their last eight.

Spit Your Tobacco at: Dustin Pedroia , Red Sox. The 2008 AL MVP is hitting .080 in his last six games for Boston.

You’d think Nyjer Morgan would have this award wrapped up after his hissy-fit contributed to an inside-the-park home run on Saturday, but let’s be honest: it’s Nyjer Morgan.

The only way a dude hitting .259 with the Nationals is getting on TV is with a stunt like that, so if anything, Fantasy Fever applauds Morgan for getting his 15 minutes of fame.

That’s it for today. And in honor of my awkward interaction with a police officer this weekend, our “Dumb and Dumber” Quote of the Week:

Officer: Pullover!

Harry: (showing his sweater) No, it’s a cardigan, but thanks for noticing!

Until next week.

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Just as Travis Snider was on his way to an outstanding month of May at the plate he’s now on his way down to Dunedin, Florida for an MRI and rehab. Snider injured his wrist in Friday night’s game, a game in which he went deep for the second consecutive night. It’s not clear yet how long he will be out and wrist injuries can be a tricky injury to recover from.

Edwin Encarnacion , coming back from his own trip to the disabled list, will take Snider’s spot on the 25 man roster and take over the everyday duties at third base. Encarnacion played in just nine games this season before being hurt and hit .219/.270/.406 across 37 plate appearances. The Jays would like to see a quick return to his career averages at the dish. They didn’t see that last season after coming over in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds, Edwin hit just .240 with a paltry .306 OBP although he did show good power with a .202 ISO .

He’s never been much of a defender, making his offensive contributions crucial if he wants to provide the Jays with any real value. It’s not that long ago that Encarnacion was an above average hitter, in 2006 and again in ’08 he had an OPS+ of 108. In 2008 he had a good combination of power with 26 homers and patience walking in 10.5 percent of his plate appearances.

Edwin is still just 27 years old leaving some reason to think he can be that hitter again. But he did put up those numbers in the NL Central, which doesn’t often get mistaken for the AL East. He certainly had his troubles in his first American League go around. Fifty-one games and a couple hundred plate appearances with the Jays isn’t enough to write him off just yet.

Taking over in right field for Snider will be Jose Bautista who, like several Blue Jays, has been pounding the ball so far in 2010. Playing regularly at third base, Bautista has collected 10 home runs already in just 141 at-bats. His batting average(.241) and OBP(.347) are slightly better than his numbers over the last couple of seasons. He established a career high walk rate in 2009, 13.9 percent of his plate appearances, and has maintained it this year walking in 13.2 percent of his PAs.

He’s flashed some pop before in his career, but not like this. Between ’08 and ’09 he hit 28 homers in 706 at-bats, a homer in every 25.2 at-bats. Not bad, but nothing compared to this year’s 14.1 at-bats per home run. His ISO is also through the roof currently sitting at .291, .120 better than his career average of .171.

The best case scenario, of course, is a quick trip to the DL for Snider and a healthy return to the lineup. In the meantime, we’ll get to see how long Bautista can keep up the homer barrage, and hopefully get a better feel for the type of offensive player the Jays have in Edwin Encarnacion. The Jays can get by for a little while without Snider, but the sooner he gets back the better, long term and short term.

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