Jerry Blevins Up in the Big Leagues

[CaliforniaRaisin]

After dominating for Sacramento in the PCL championship, Jerry Blevins is up with the A's now. Threw a scoreless and hitless first inning with 1 K.

 

:(

[CuseCubFan69]

Why do you torture yourself so?

[Rob]

From BP:

 

Jerry Blevins, LHP, Triple-A Sacramento (Athletics)

 

Blevins began the year as a little-known reliever who began the year with the Cubs’ High-A Florida State League affiliate, but he’s finishing it in the majors. He was arguably the best reliever in the postseason at any minor league level, finishing up with 20 strikeouts in nine shutout innings, while giving up only four hits. A 17th-round pick in 2004 out of the University of Dayton, Blevins was converted to a sidearm delivery by the Cubs last year, but ‘unconverted’ this year and absolutely took off. Including his postseason run, he recorded 122 strikeouts against just 20 walks in 86 1/3 innings across four levels, and he pitched a perfect inning in his big league debut over the weekend. This is quite likely not a temporary assignment, and Blevins will play an integral role in the Athletics bullpen next year.

[Guest]

he recorded 122 strikeouts against just 20 walks in 86 1/3 innings

 

 

wow.

[Guest]

he recorded 122 strikeouts against just 20 walks in 86 1/3 innings

 

 

wow.

 

Did you get a chance to see him in the playoffs?

[soccer10k]

he recorded 122 strikeouts against just 20 walks in 86 1/3 innings

 

 

wow.

 

Did you get a chance to see him in the playoffs?

 

I got to see him in Game 5 of the Sacramento-Salt Lake series. He struck out the side in both the seventh and eighth innings - allowed a single in the eighth - and then had a perfect ninth inning. His stuff was wicked.

[Anomalied]

Billy Beane knows how to pick 'em. I knew that Kendall trade was too good to be true.

[Post Count Padder]

I knew we shouldn't have traded Blevins. Oh well

[Banedon]

I don't understand. Don't young pitchers have to go up to the majors and then down the minors about 7 times or so before they can even possibly be considered for regular major league work? That's not a rule?

[CuseCubFan69]

My biggest problem with this whole deal is this. The Cubs should have called up Soto played him, and saw what he could do first before dealing for Kendall. If Soto stunk, then I would be ok with this deal.

[Banedon]

My biggest problem with this whole deal is this. The Cubs should have called up Soto played him, and saw what he could do first before dealing for Kendall. If Soto stunk, then I would be ok with this deal.

 

I posted this in the Soto thread in baseball discussions, but since you mentioned it here...

 

General manager Jim Hendry said whatever decision Piniella makes will be the right call.

 

"It's a good dilemma," he said. "Jason Kendall is a winning type of player. He's done awfully well for us, swung the bat very well here down the stretch. And it's good to see Soto come up and do well. It's another credit to (player development director Oneri Fleita) and our farm system this year.

 

"There weren't too many people mentioning Soto's name a few months ago, and he's certainly put himself in a great spot here for the future. [Piniella will] figure it out. He'll probably play them both. Enough to keep everybody happy, and then play the hot hand [at the end]."

 

It almost sounds like Hendry didn't know Soto existed until after the Kendall trade.

[CuseCubFan69]

My biggest problem with this whole deal is this. The Cubs should have called up Soto played him, and saw what he could do first before dealing for Kendall. If Soto stunk, then I would be ok with this deal.

 

I posted this in the Soto thread in baseball discussions, but since you mentioned it here...

 

General manager Jim Hendry said whatever decision Piniella makes will be the right call.

 

"It's a good dilemma," he said. "Jason Kendall is a winning type of player. He's done awfully well for us, swung the bat very well here down the stretch. And it's good to see Soto come up and do well. It's another credit to (player development director Oneri Fleita) and our farm system this year.

 

"There weren't too many people mentioning Soto's name a few months ago, and he's certainly put himself in a great spot here for the future. [Piniella will] figure it out. He'll probably play them both. Enough to keep everybody happy, and then play the hot hand [at the end]."

 

It almost sounds like Hendry didn't know Soto existed until after the Kendall trade.

 

No way would I believe that Hendry would be that ignorant. If he is he has to go and since he called up Hill and from what you wrote I wonder if the lead scouts praised Hill and didn't say much about Soto. Who's the people in charge of keeping Hendry up to date on the guys in the minors and when Hendry asks, OK....who do we have at catcher to call up, who answers that question?

[hawkeyecub]

My biggest problem with this whole deal is this. The Cubs should have called up Soto played him, and saw what he could do first before dealing for Kendall. If Soto stunk, then I would be ok with this deal.

 

I posted this in the Soto thread in baseball discussions, but since you mentioned it here...

 

General manager Jim Hendry said whatever decision Piniella makes will be the right call.

 

"It's a good dilemma," he said. "Jason Kendall is a winning type of player. He's done awfully well for us, swung the bat very well here down the stretch. And it's good to see Soto come up and do well. It's another credit to (player development director Oneri Fleita) and our farm system this year.

 

"There weren't too many people mentioning Soto's name a few months ago, and he's certainly put himself in a great spot here for the future. [Piniella will] figure it out. He'll probably play them both. Enough to keep everybody happy, and then play the hot hand [at the end]."

 

It almost sounds like Hendry didn't know Soto existed until after the Kendall trade.

 

Considering that he had called up Geo before that trade, I'm sure he did.

 

I'm guessing by "a few months ago" Hendry meant "before the season".

[Banedon]

Considering that he had called up Geo before that trade, I'm sure he did.

 

I'm guessing by "a few months ago" Hendry meant "before the season".

I didn't mean that as literally as I made it sound. And if he meant before the season, fine. That wasn't the way I read it...

[Guest]

he recorded 122 strikeouts against just 20 walks in 86 1/3 innings

 

 

wow.

 

Did you get a chance to see him in the playoffs?

 

I got to see him in Game 5 of the Sacramento-Salt Lake series. He struck out the side in both the seventh and eighth innings - allowed a single in the eighth - and then had a perfect ninth inning. His stuff was wicked.

 

Mid 90s FB, plus curve...gah. Would look nice replacing Ohman for the minimum.

[soapy]

My biggest problem with this whole deal is this. The Cubs should have called up Soto played him, and saw what he could do first before dealing for Kendall. If Soto stunk, then I would be ok with this deal.

 

I posted this in the Soto thread in baseball discussions, but since you mentioned it here...

 

General manager Jim Hendry said whatever decision Piniella makes will be the right call.

 

"It's a good dilemma," he said. "Jason Kendall is a winning type of player. He's done awfully well for us, swung the bat very well here down the stretch. And it's good to see Soto come up and do well. It's another credit to (player development director Oneri Fleita) and our farm system this year.

 

"There weren't too many people mentioning Soto's name a few months ago, and he's certainly put himself in a great spot here for the future. [Piniella will] figure it out. He'll probably play them both. Enough to keep everybody happy, and then play the hot hand [at the end]."

 

It almost sounds like Hendry didn't know Soto existed until after the Kendall trade.

 

that is so absurd, Hendry. people were clamoring for soto when you called up hill. hahahaha....

[CUBZ99]

Sisco looked decent for one year with the Royals, too. With the Cubs current bullpen, Blevins wasn't going to be seeing the light of day at Wrigley for a couple years anyways. Good for him, now he gets called up and has a chance to live his dream.

 

Kendall put up some tremendous numbers for a catcher in August .349/.438/.920. He has been well worth whatever they traded for him.

[Guest]

Why wouldn't he see the light of day? The Cubs seem like they really want to get rid of Ohman. Blevins has outplayed Cotts and Piggycould easily be the second lefty in the pen (and the primary one when Eyre is gone after next season).

[DiamondMind]

Whoever said we should have played Soto before trading for Kendall - well, what can you really add to that? Why isn't Hendry capable of such critical thinking? I was one of the people defending the Kendall trade at the time, but that was more due to lack of faith in Blevins than anything to do with Soto. Let that teach us all a valuable lesson: do not doubt GeoSoto.

[davearm]

Sisco looked decent for one year with the Royals, too. With the Cubs current bullpen, Blevins wasn't going to be seeing the light of day at Wrigley for a couple years anyways. Good for him, now he gets called up and has a chance to live his dream.

 

Kendall put up some tremendous numbers for a catcher in August .349/.438/.920. He has been well worth whatever they traded for him.

Well said.

 

If the A's get their money's worth on Blevins, then hooray for them.

 

The Cubs definitely are getting their money's worth on Kendall. Say what you will about the guy, but if Kendall hadn't filled the offensive sinkhole at C, then the Cubs are almost certainly looking up at the Brewers right now.

[nilodnayr]

Sisco looked decent for one year with the Royals, too. With the Cubs current bullpen, Blevins wasn't going to be seeing the light of day at Wrigley for a couple years anyways. Good for him, now he gets called up and has a chance to live his dream.

 

Kendall put up some tremendous numbers for a catcher in August .349/.438/.920. He has been well worth whatever they traded for him.

Well said.

 

If the A's get their money's worth on Blevins, then hooray for them.

 

The Cubs definitely are getting their money's worth on Kendall. Say what you will about the guy, but if Kendall hadn't filled the offensive sinkhole at C, then the Cubs are almost certainly looking up at the Brewers right now.

 

C wouldnt have been an offensive sinkhole if we would have brought Soto up and played him.

[NomarSammy]

I am sorry people but you are just flat out naive if you think that calling up Soto to be the everyday Catcher for July/August andSept would have panned out the same as him getting a few spot starts. Some of you just are just pessimistic to a fault. Kendall has been awesome, and until Blevins becomes an all-star or better yet even a reliable set-up man, then it was a good trade. Heck, even if he does, it was still a good trade. In order to get something, sometimes you have to get something.

[Keener98]

I am sorry people but you are just flat out naive if you think that calling up Soto to be the everyday Catcher for July/August andSept would have panned out the same as him getting a few spot starts. Some of you just are just pessimistic to a fault. Kendall has been awesome, and until Blevins becomes an all-star or better yet even a reliable set-up man, then it was a good trade. Heck, even if he does, it was still a good trade. In order to get something, sometimes you have to get something.

 

Kendall has been awesome for 1 month. The other 2 months his OPS is in the 5's thats not good. Couple that with his terrible defense and inability to throw out King Kong Bundy trying to steal, and his performance with the Cubs has been subpar. There is plenty of reason to believe Soto could have put up better numbers on the average then Jason Kendall.

[nilodnayr]

I am sorry people but you are just flat out naive if you think that calling up Soto to be the everyday Catcher for July/August andSept would have panned out the same as him getting a few spot starts. Some of you just are just pessimistic to a fault. Kendall has been awesome, and until Blevins becomes an all-star or better yet even a reliable set-up man, then it was a good trade. Heck, even if he does, it was still a good trade. In order to get something, sometimes you have to get something.

 

Kendall has been awesome for 1 month. The other 2 months his OPS is in the 5's thats not good. Couple that with his terrible defense and inability to throw out King Kong Bundy trying to steal, and his performance with the Cubs has been subpar. There is plenty of reason to believe Soto could have put up better numbers on the average then Jason Kendall.

 

Additionally, regardless of Soto's production, we would have a much better idea of what to do for Catcher next year.

[NomarSammy]

I am sorry people but you are just flat out naive if you think that calling up Soto to be the everyday Catcher for July/August andSept would have panned out the same as him getting a few spot starts. Some of you just are just pessimistic to a fault. Kendall has been awesome, and until Blevins becomes an all-star or better yet even a reliable set-up man, then it was a good trade. Heck, even if he does, it was still a good trade. In order to get something, sometimes you have to get something.

 

Kendall has been awesome for 1 month. The other 2 months his OPS is in the 5's thats not good. Couple that with his terrible defense and inability to throw out King Kong Bundy trying to steal, and his performance with the Cubs has been subpar. There is plenty of reason to believe Soto could have put up better numbers on the average then Jason Kendall.

 

Additionally, regardless of Soto's production, we would have a much better idea of what to do for Catcher next year.

 

Ya, that is exactly what I am thinking about these last 2 months. And by the way, I still think Kendall has been awesome for this team