Outfield of Screams

Blue Jays search for help in the outfield. Here is a look at what farm hands are doing and if Wilkerson and Mench should be on the Jays and if Inglett and Suctaro should stay in the infield.

In New Hampshire, on a bad team it looks the Jays farm system may have some power. Of note, 26 yr old Aaron Matthews has 51 RBI’s for second on the club. He is hitting a respectable .263/.337/.454. At 26 he is too old to have much impact especially playing in AA. He has put up similar numbers throughout his MiL career and, dispite a steady SLG average has not hitmore than 10 HR in a season. Jays need that from an outfielder. It looks like MUD.com whipping boy/mancrush Travis Snider might be the real deal still. He started the season in A+ Dunedin and has been soild in New Hampshire. He leads the team in most offensive categories. The one figue that is striking, pardon the pun, is that he strikes out way too much. He has 101 K’s in 304 AB’s. This is an unacceptable ratio. This is only slightly higher than his minor league career. He has struck out 299 times compared to 116 BB’s in his MiL years. I was thinking maybe give Snider a look in the big leagues in September but with that kind of impatience at the plate he may be too easy pickings. All that said, he is playing right field and is still only 20yrs old. Look for him to be good…someday…maybe.

In Syracuse, many of the outfielders the Chiefs have used are bums. Of note, Jays hopeful Russ Adams has been reborn as a rightfielder. Even though he is playing RF at the AAA level the 27 yr old former middle infielder is hitting like a weakling. .206/.304/.333. Terrible!!! He is leading the Cheifs in HR and he draws a walk 1 in 10 of his plate appearances which is good enough. Still he has struck out more than he has reached on a hit. He is such a waste, he should quit. For some reason he is still on the 40-man roster. I can’t wait to see him in September. Hope I still fit into my Russ Adams jersey, and cheer until I choke.

As for Buck Coats, who started the season in Toronto has been having a decent season as the primary centrefielder. He doesn’t really have any power with only 5 dingers in 75 games. He is hitting a respectable .290/.354/.414. I think Coats would be better benefit that Wilkerson or Mench, or having Scutaro or Inglett playing in the outfield.