Jeff Blair tweeted this:
As I mentioned on Sportsnet Connected on Wednesday, Aaron Sanchez has been moved to Bisons bullpen. Could be here within 10 days as reliever
— Jeff Blair (@SNJeffBlair) July 17, 2014I don't really understand it. If you are in the bullpen, I get that you have to stretch your arm out for the rotation, but why do you have to move to the pen to prepare for a call up to the Blue Jays pen? Shorten your arm?
I guess the team would like to see how his arm reacts to pitching back-to-back days and maybe see if he makes adjustments to how he attacks batters when he's not expected to go multiple innings. Personally, I'd rather see him build up the innings, so that, if he were to make the Blue Jays rotation next year, they won't feel the need to shut him down in September. And if they need him in the bullpen in Toronto, just call him out of the Bisons' rotation.
Sanchez seems to have improved his control recently, or at least he's limited the walks in his last starts. In 3 starts and 19 innings, he's only walked 5. On the flip side, he's allowed 3 home runs in that time. In all, in 6 Bison starts, Aaron has a 4.18 ERA, with 32 hits, 4 home runs and 17 walks allowed in 32.1 innings, with 25 strikeouts.
Our pen has been a problem. They have a 4.39 ERA, giving up a .255/.340/.398 batting line. July has been some better, 3.45 ERA and a .211/.313/.333 line against.
Gibby could use another right-hander that he could trust. Casey Janssen has been great but Dustin McGowan and Chad Jenkins have been inconsistent, Sergio Santos has been awful and Todd Redmond has been good, but he's only been used in a mop up role. Steve Delabar has gone from All-Star to minor leaguer (where he's given out 4 walks and a hit batter in 8 innings). So if Sanchez can come up and be decent, he would be a welcome addition. .