Email a copy of 'Blue Jays Sign J.P. Howell' to a friend
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Email a copy of 'Blue Jays Sign J.P. Howell' to a friend
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Doc Halladay
Interested to see the money involved but he was slightly below average last year but was quite good the previous 4 before that.
jimmertee
Jays sign Howell. Needed addition. I wish they went for younger and better. Hopefully the Jays have caught lightning in a bottle like they did with Grilli and Benoit. But I doubt it.
ryguytheflyguy
I don’t see why he can’t succeed in Toronto? Apart from last year’s blip, he’s been an extremely effective reliever the past several years, posting some of the best groundball rates in the league. That should pair nicely with the Jays’ incredible infield defence. Look for Howell to have bounce-back year on the cheap, à la Grilli and Benoit.
bluejays92
Very good. I was hoping they’d go and sign him. I know that he’s not in his prime anymore but despite last season’s blip, he’s had four straight very good years. Still going to need at least one other lefty for the pen, however.
SamFuldsFive
People get worse with age.
Mo Vaughn
Tell that to David Ortiz
Gunnerson
it’s….something
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Good for J.P. he was nails for the Dodgers for three years. Hopefully last year isn’t his new norm. Good luck in TO!!!!! Thanks from Dodger fans.
politicsNbaseball
Yeah I was kind of hoping we’d bring him back
vtadave
You won’t miss his 1..40 WHIP and 85 mph fastball. Much better options already on the roster anyway – Liberatore, Dayton, Avilan, Wood, Nuno, etc.
Blue_Painted_Dreams_LA
Oh boy as you include Nuño in that list.
jimmertee
They probably got him very inexpensively, I am looking forward to hearing the financials…
Rickey O'Sunnyvale
He didn’t look good in 2016 and it seemed Dave Roberts lost faith in him fairly quickly. He might rediscover his slingy sidewinder, but wouldn’t count on it.
Vinny Time
Reliable mop up guy. That’s about it. Not to be used in high leverage situations anymore.
dave 38
Stats over last 4 years seem very comparable to Cecil. 1 year @ 3 mill sounds a lot better than 4/30.5.
jimmertee
Hmmmm, which would I rather have….Brett Cecil 92MPH fb, devastating curve or Howell with a 85MPH fb and a slurve that may not be slurving anymore?
dave 38
Last year they both kinda sucked…but ya I don’t think anyone is going to argue that Cecil’s better. I just find it interesting how different their pay checks are when comparing results.
dave 38
*sorry…I don’t think anyone is going to argue that Howell is better.
pd14athletics
I think that’s where the financials come in. One comes with a significant 30 million dollar commitment and the other comes in at 10% if that. Basically if they resign Cecil I’d imagine they don’t resign Bautista
Travis’ Wood
You can’t compare someone who got $30 mil to someone who got $3 mil…
gomer33
Yes you can.
patborders92
The AL East was all over Cecil, curve or FB, they crushed it. Not saying Howell is better though
jdgoat
He was good after he got caught up to speed after missing spring training. His stats also showed he was getting unlucky
patborders92
The year before he was good after he got caught up. Last year Cecil didn’t have a lot working for him, maybe I’m wrong but I don’t remember seeing it.
ryguytheflyguy
The speed of a man’s pitches does not necessarily dictate his effectiveness. Are you telling me that Marco Estrada is no good because he has an 89mph fastball?
Yes, Howell had a terrible year in 2016, but he was wildly effective before that. This is a solid signing. low-risk, high reward. Worst case scenario, we use him as a LOOGY.
Not to mention, last I checked, but Cecil’s curveball wasn’t curving very well last year, either. And Howell sure as heck didn’t run us $30MM over 4 years haha.
diddlez
This is a great deal if he regains his form from 2012-2015 and still not an awful deal if he pitches like he did last year.
patborders92
Just keep rolling th dice, I assume at least one of Grilli, Howell and Biagini is going to be a flop this year
gomer33
Outside of closer if you take three names out of most every bullpen one will be a flop this year.
patborders92
That’s fair and you usually have some unknown emerge
The baseball kid
Who’s roster spot does he get?
ethanhickey
My guess will be Bo Schultz. If they’re really as desperate as people think, possibly Ryan Goins
ethanhickey
Desperate as in relievers
sports101
legit he can take anyone’s roster spot in this bullpen heck if they really need someone to go down goins or smoak could go down (honestly have no clue why they signed smoak great player love him but there’s 0 spots for his barely over .200 average) either way we need a lefty and i still think this teams still needs another elite lefty and another good righty, but still howell was must needed especailly a guy with experience for such a young bullpen other than grilli and loup.
patborders92
Experience in Loup? The guy can’t stick on an MLB roster
Iron Mike
for what reason do you ” love smoak” and he is most certainly not a “great player” . and the only think loup is experienced in is the walk of shame back to the dugout after blowing a game.
SamFuldsFive
“great player” and “barely over .200 average” what.
blovy8
Good deal, that’s not much risk to take on for 3mil. I doubt he needs to throw more than 86 to be effective and get ground balls.
bobbyzedd
This is good, only if they still make a decent effort to get Blevins or 1 of those top 3 lefties remaining. The head office can’t really expect Howell and Loup to be their best lefties let alone their only lefties can they?
jimmertee
Jays are out of money and trying to buy a reliever on the cheap. If they catch lightning in a bottle like they did with Benoit and Grilli, or it could turn out like Bill Caudill. lol.
jdubs346
Impressive career ground ball rate (GO/AO 1.68) and it was 2.19 last year, great for the rogers centre