Fantasy Spin: Toronto Injuries
The news just keeps getting worse for the Blue Jays.
Friday, Reed Johnson was placed on the disabled list with what was called a "sore" back. An MRI later revealed a herniated disk that will require surgery, and Johnson is expected to be out until at least July.
Sunday, B.J. Ryan was placed on the DL with a "strained" elbow. A subsequent examination by Dr. James Andrews revealed a sprain that is expected to keep Ryan out four-to-six weeks.
Monday, Troy Glaus was placed on the disabled list with a "sore" heel and a "tight" hamstring.
Can you blame Blue Jays fans if they're waiting for the other shoe to drop ... right on Glaus' knee?
While Jays fans can do nothing but send get-well cards to Ryan and his battered teammates, fantasy players must press on. Let's examine what each injury means going forward.
To replace Johnson, the Jays have already called up Adam Lind, their top prospect. The 23-year-old hit .330 between Double- and Triple-A last season, with 24 home runs and 89 RBI. Dating back to his professional debut in 2004, Lind has never batted below .310 at any level of the minors ... or majors for that matter, since he hit .367 in a cameo appearance in Toronto last season. Lind is almost certainly owned in most AL-only leagues by this point, but he's still available in a lot of mixed leagues and could provide significant value there. In his first two games for the Jays, he batted second and then eighth. Obviously, there's a big difference between those two spots in the lineup, but if Lind performs to his ability, he should settle into a favorable slot.
The important thing to note is that the Jays have no other serious candidates to play left field, even if Lind struggles for a stretch. Although Matt Stairs could get occasional starts, he bats left handed just like Lind and clearly isn't a long-term solution. Moreover, while Johnson could return in July, he also could be out quite a bit longer. All things considered, it's probably safe to pencil Lind in for at least 400 plate appearances and a minimum of 15 home runs.
The day Ryan went on the disabled list, general manager J.P. Ricciardi said that Jason Frasor would be the interim closer. Unfortunately, Frasor had just thrown 30 pitches in a one-inning appearance on Saturday, so when a save chance materialized on Sunday night, Shaun Marcum stepped in and shut the door. Ricciardi did say that Marcum and -- perish the thought -- Victor Zambrano could get save chances on days when Frasor wasn't available, so the Jays didn't contradict themselves.
Frasor is best remembered for saving 17 games for Toronto in 2004 when Kerry Ligtenberg and Terry Adams (remember them?!!) choked on the role. Since then, Frasor has pretty much been an unheralded middle reliever, though he did average better than a strikeout per inning last season. There's no reason to think Frasor can't hold onto the job for the duration of Ryan's stay on the DL, but remember that we won't be afforded the same leeway that an established closer would receive. If he blows two saves in a row, he could easily be back in the seventh or eighth inning. It's worth noting that Marcum was a closer in college and is off to a terrific start in the bullpen this season.
As for Ryan, the plan is to go forward with a rest-and-rehab program, a tactic that paid dividends for A.J. Burnett and Gustavo Chacin, who suffered similar elbow sprains last season. Owners of Ryan can do little but hope that he has similar success, because top-five closers don't grow on trees.
Barring a negative update on his status in the next 24 hours, Glaus should be able to come off the disabled list by the end of the month. The move to place him on the disabled list was retroactive to April 13, and all indications are that a couple of weeks of rest should be enough to get him back up to full speed ... at least the Troy Glaus version of "full speed."
Unfortunately for AL-only players scavenging for value, the Glaus injury shouldn't generate much of that. John McDonald and Jason Smith are expected to split time at third base, but, from a fantasy perspective, they might as well be Ronald McDonald and Steven A. Smith. In over 1,000 major league at-bats, McDonald has hit .240 with seven homers and 19 stolen bases. Smith has a .257 career batting average in over 2,700 minor league at-bats. He had a hot month for the Rockies last April but has been his usual substandard self since then. Neither of these guys would have much value in a full-time role, let alone a time share. Even in deep NL-only leagues, your FAAB dollars would be better spent elsewhere.
Nate Ravitz covers fantasy sports for ESPN.com
