Next season in Toronto, the Blue Jays will likely roll out an outfield of Jose Bautista, Travis Snider, and Vernon Wells. Meanwhile, Fred Lewis says that he considers himself an everyday position player. The veteran will be arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter and is due for a raise.
In 480 plate appearances this season, Lewis hit .262/.332/.414 with eight homers. While the soon-to-be 30-year-old jumped out to a hot start with the Jays, he received less playing time late in the season.
Even if Lewis does have a change of heart and agrees to stay on in a reserve role, Toronto could still go in a different (and cheaper) direction by using DeWayne Wise as their fourth outfielder. While Wise likely won't bring the same offensive production as Lewis, his defense (career 8.4 UZR/150) tops what Lewis has been able to do in the outfield (career -2.6 UZR/150)
With all of this in mind, do you believe that the Blue Jays will non-tender Lewis this winter? Click here to vote and here to view the results.
Even though he is a personal favorite of mine, he’s probably going to be non-tendered and signed by the Marlins or Royals.
He started his time with the Jays well but as the season progressed, he regressed. I always wish the best for Freddy but I hope the Jays keep him.
Fred Lewis is awful. .330 OBP with little speed, HORRIFIC defense and a whiny attitude. I cannot believe he was being played over Travis Snider for a while there..
Travis Snider was injured, and during the time Travis was healthy in the earlier part of the season, Freddy was playing better.
I don’t care who was playing better. John McDonald played better than Aaron Hill this year, should John McDonald have played 2B? In a rebuilding year, you play your best prospect.
Snider should have definetely played over Lewis, Lewis just gave somewhat of a lead off solution, just barely…
That being said, Johnny Mac definitely should have started at 2b lol
And the Jays should have had a better manager, capable to make even a justifiable decision. Instead we had Cito Gaston. Which should explain why our prospects were played the way they were.
The problem with Freddy Lewis is that he is a tremendous athlete, so he’s a naturally attractive reclamation project. He needs to improve his attitude, and he’ll be fine.
I would like to see Bautista go to third if Overbay leaves. Encarnacion would be a disaster without a great defensive first baseman. This would leave an open outfield spot.
The Jays are a better team defensively with Bautista at 3B. Wise past Lewis in the OF pecking order in August.
Fred Lewis is a waste of talent. He’s fast but takes terrible routes and has terrible baseball instincts, just look at the butchery he pulls on the base paths…
in a 4th outfielder role, I rather have a solid defender. Wise is okay with me.
That being said he can prob find an everyday job on a much worse team looking for a stop gap. . where he will probably put up similar numbers while having adventures out in left field.
I would cut him loose. Not only is he not worthy of being a starter, he could be a good 4th OF’er but I would be concerned about his attitude since he would not seem to be happy being a 4th outfielder.
bench players usually have to specialize in something, in the outfield you would like it to be his D, the D that he currently doesn’t have
His WAR was 0.9 which equates to a 3M+ salary so again, if he is a 4th OF’er he has value.
mostly do to his hot start, he fizzled pretty quickly.. and besides WAR isn’t a useful tool to analyze a 4th outfield position.
they should tender him a contract if he’ll be ok with being a 4th outfielder. the jays should have a decent outfield defense with bautista/wells/snider, so they don’t really need a defense specialist in dewayne wise. however, if they’re gonna pull bautista in to 3rd base and fill RF with a poor defender, then maybe they should keep wise over lewis.
Lind at first, Bautista at Third…
Wells in RF, Sinder in LF, Rasmus in CF.
Fred Lewis is just not as good as he thinks he is. As a Giants fan, it was tough to watch him regress in 2009 after a pretty promising 2008. He moped and sulked and lashed out at management as his playing time diminished. By his offensive numbers, he is a good 4th outfielder. But I wouldn’t want him in my clubhouse. He’d get more $$$ in arbitration than on the open market. Pretty clear non-tender.
First, does he have any, ANY trade value? If not, drop him. If so, get a low level prospect for him. I can see the Marlins, Royals, Padres, and Nationals being seduced by his talent.
just let manny be the 4th OF
I’m really interested to know where all the Jays fans are that were basking in the glow of what they thought was the deal of the century when they got Lewis. They were downright giddy and practically laughing at the Giants for letting him go. The Giants knew what they had in Lewis and it wasn’t much.
To be fair: The Jays only had to pay the Giants $75,000. His measly WAR numbers more than justify that. It still looks like a good trade, even if he is non-tendered.
I would be one of those fans – and I still stand by my guns – he was the best player money could buy. we gave up nothing for him and he did what we needed. Lead off and play lf while Snider was injured and getting back. so yes; thx.
As well we are letting him go. Wise is more valuable at this point. However I am also a believer that we should move snider to 1st. this is where he played his collegiate ball.
Snider has more than enough athleticism, to play the OF (mostly LF) and he also has an average-ish arm. Adam Lind has neither, so I cna see him settling in nicely at 1B. Travis will likely need to move to 1B as he ages, but we can worry about that when the time comes.
umm no. If he feels he’s an every day player he can decline arb and look elsewhere for work. Its not like he’s going to lose millions.
I hope AA makes the right move, and non-tenders. Our offensive production from the outfield will be good with the 3 we have now. But the D is suspect, so having a Defensive wiz like Wise out their would be a better choice for 4th outfielder.
He can not report to camp.
and he will be non tendered any ways so this pointless.
great insight, i suggest joining fox’s team of intelligent baseball minds.