Diamondbacks acquire a ‘hitting machine’ in outfielder Jon Jay
Jun 8, 2018, 6:13 AM | Updated: 2:34 pm
Kansas City Royals' Jon Jay prepares for an at-bat during a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Tuesday, May 8, 2018, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
In trading outfielder Jon Jay to the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Kansas City Royals are beginning to rebuild.
Less than three years removed from winning the 2015 World Series, the Royals are on pace to lose more than 100 games.
Kevin Kietzman, the radio host of Kansas City-based Between the Lines on Sports Radio 810 WHB, told 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Burns & Gambo the Royals’ biggest mistake since 2015 was failing to make a trade at the deadline.
“They went right up to the end, they asked too much, their price was too high and they never got anything done,” Kietzman said. “Because of that, all their players left at once.”
With this trade, the Royals are starting to turn a new leaf.
In turn, Arizona has acquired a player Keitzman called a “hitting machine.”
“It’s just amazing how much the guy gets on breaks, he just flat rakes,” he said.
Jay, a career .290 hitter, is batting .307 this year. He became the first Royal to record 40 hits in May since Hall of Famer George Brett in 1979, Keitzman said.
There were five games in May where Jay had three or more hits. The D-backs failed to get more than three hits six times in the same month.
“He’s going to be on base all the time,” Keitzman said. “If Goldschmidt and some of the other big bats in that lineup can drive him in, the Diamondbacks are going to start scoring more runs.”
As for Jay’s defensive impact, Keitzman wasn’t sure how to properly rate the outfielder.
The Royals have had great defense in the outfield over the last several years; Keitzman said this, along with the bullpen, carried them to the World Series.
In left field, Alex Gordon has won five Gold Gloves over the last seven years. And in center, Lorenzo Cain posted a top-10 defensive WAR each year from 2013 to 2015.
“Judging (Jay) for us is a little hard,” Keitzman said. “He’s a good outfielder, he’s not a great outfielder.”
He’s versatile, though, which is something the D-backs desperately need. Arizona only has two healthy outfielders; Chris Owings and Daniel Descalso have had to take up right field with A.J. Pollock and Steven Souza out.
This season, Jay has played 27 games in left field, 15 in center and nine in right.
Over his career, he’s played more than 170 games in right and left field. Jay has played more than 660 in center.
This can afford Jarrod Dyson more rest, or an occasional move to a corner position. He has patrolled center field since Pollock got injured, with Owings stepping in during his days off.
Dyson’s speed might keep him in the middle of the outfield, though.
“(Jay’s) fast enough, but not the fastest guy,” Keitzman said.
Meanwhile, he said minor-league pitcher Elvis Luciano was the prize for Royal general manager Dayton Moore.
The 18-year-old was ranked No. 26 on Arizona’s top 30 prospects on MLB Pipeline. In 2017, he had a 2.86 ERA in 16 games combined with the Dominican Summer League D-backs, Rookie AZL D-backs and Rookie-Advanced Missoula.
“As soon as (Moore) got the green light that he was going to get him, there’s no reason to keep Jon Jay,” Keitzman said. “He’s better off down there getting 40 hits a month than up here.”
