Back to the Minors 2

 

Andy LaRoche
Andy LaRoche

 

Another group of players were sent back to the minors today. Again, there were no surprises as the Blue Jays thinned the ranks of infielders in major league camp.

 

 

Headed back to the minors were shortstop Kevin Nolan, third basemen Andy Burns and Andy LaRoche (I guess there were too many Andys in camp) and outfielder Ricardo Nanita.

 

Nanita, 32, was signed to a minor league free agent contract in the last couple of months. He’s a veteran minor leaguer who really serves as depth for outfielders for the Blue Jays. He’s likely going to be DHing or playing in the outfield in Buffalo or New Hampshire. He’s never played in the bigs and, to be honest, he’s so far down the depth chart that if we see him there this year, all kinds of horrible crap has happened.

 

Nolan, is one of the game’s truly nice guys, got sent back to the minors after his first major league camp. An Eastern League All-Star a year ago with the New Hamsphire Fisher Cats, Nolan is likely going to start 2014 back in Double-A and look to improve on a solid (if unspectacular) season last year.

 

Andy LaRoche, 30, heads back to the minor league camp after one plate appearance in big league camp. He’s a veteran of both the majors and the minors and will likely be one of the first players up in case the Blue Jays need a third baseman. He had a very good season in Buffalo last year and will likely man the hot corner every day down across the border.

 

Andy Burns, 23, was also not expected to make the major leagues just yet. He broke out last year by dominating the first half of the season in High-A Dunedin before having some good numbers after a promotion to Double-A. A strong showing in the Arizona Fall League (including a Player of the Week Award) put Burns on the radar for a lot more fans. I think he’s going to be playing third back in New Hampshire to start the year but he could be seen in Buffalo by the end of the year.