Trading José Bautista

What should a team that's been rebuilding for 20 years do following a high-expectation, low-achievement season?  Well, if you read the media reports that have been dogging the Toronto Blue Jays since midseason, it seems to be to trade away the core of the team.  Before I go any further, let it be known that I am dead-set against trading either José Bautista or Edwin Encarnacion.  To build a team, there must be a central force around which everything else orbits--a core which the fanbase recognizes as its own.  It also determines where the team's strength is and which holes must be filled.  To trade from the core is to declare that core inadequate, which essentially sends a message that all of the hole-fillers are misplaced.

The Blue Jays may be a curious exception to the "inadequacy" argument.  With the acquisitions of a Cy Young Award winning pitcher, a batting champion, and multiple all-stars last season, the Jays expanded their core (or at least the potential "core") to bursting point.  Some may argue that there are too many stars on the team.  I'm not sure about that, but the number of stars does mean that losing one does not mean completely uprooting the franchise again.

To trade José Bautista is not only to surrender the centre of that core, but also a fan favourite, and the first star the Jays have had since Roy Halladay.  Although he's not technically "homegrown", he didn't come into his own, or really show any kind of potential, until he had spent some time in Toronto, and for that he feels as close to homegrown as one can get without actually being.  The Jays lack talent that is completely "theirs"; that is, developed in-house.  The only remaining homegrown stars are Adam Lind, Casey Janssen, and Brett Cecil, and the former hasn't shown star power in many seasons (and is rumoured to be on the trading block).

But let's say, just for a second, that the Jays did trade Bautista.  What would they get for him?  Better yet, what should they get for him.  Trading Bautista for the sake of trading Bautista is illogical, so what would be worth Alex Anthopoulos and the Blue Jays' while?

Let's start with who might be interested:
Texas seems like a likely candidate, particularly considering their rumoured midseason interest in Toronto's sluggers.  The Rangers probably aren't comfortable with Chris Gentry, Leonys Martin, and Alex Rios as their three outfielders heading into 2014.  Their interest in Bautista will be especially piqued as a result of the loss of Nelson Cruz.  So what can the Jays get from the Rangers?  There would have to be an outfielder coming back, so Martin is a given.  He was baseball's #97 prospect (as per MLB pre-season rankings) this past season and showed good speed in 2013, stealing 36 bases while batting .260 with 8 HR and 49 RBI.  A pitching requirement might see Derek Holland (long rumoured to be a target of Anthopoulos's) coming north of the border.  The lefty was 10-9 in 2013 with a 3.42 ERA and 1.29 WHIP.  As a #4 starter, he would be a solid fit in the Jays' rotation.  That he's been successful against the AL East is an added benefit.  To trade a 4 time all-star and 2 time home run champion would probably require at least one more piece coming to the Jays (although possibly with a small, minor league piece heading to Texas as well).  Perhaps a medium-level prospect such as RHP Cody Buckel or RHP Luke Jackson might fit the bill.
To sum it up:
to TEX: José Bautista, possible average prospect
to TOR: Leonys Martin, Derek Holland, B-grade prospect
Sound like too much for a guy who's been seriously injured the past two seasons?  It is.  But this is the only way Bautista goes anywhere.

We'll ignore teams in serious rebuilds (ie. the Astros) and those with low budgets (ie. the Athletics) as we continue.

So who's next?

The Cubs have been one of baseball's worst teams for a long time, but their infield is shaping up nicely and they may be a couple of big pieces away from contending (albeit in a tough division).  Unfortunately, Chicago may not have the pieces to make a deal.  Toronto's still interested in contending, which means Major League talent is a must--and to trade Major League talent would put the Cubs ten steps back.  Anthony Rizzo would be a must in the deal, and that likely puts the Cubs out of contention in the José Bautista sweepstakes.

The Giants could do with an upgrade on Gregor Blanco, but what would in cost?  Tim Lincecum would be an interesting possibility--and given his recent struggles the Giants would likely be more willing to move him now than previously.  But unless Buster Posey miraculously come available, the Giants don't have much that would upgrade the Jays roster substantially.

The Indians could be interested in bettering right field, currently manned by Drew Stubbs, who batted .233 in 2013.  Justin Masterson had a good season, and the Indians may be unwilling to give up their opening day starter, but with the Jays' need for pitching, he seems like a must-have in a trade.  Including Stubbs in a trade would seem likely, to balance the outfield imbalance which would be created in Toronto.  A deal this big would likely require many parts on behalf of both teams.  Here's a possible scenario:
To Toronto: Justin Masterson, Drew Stubbs, Jason Kipnis, Yan Gomes, a top prospect
to Cleveland: José Bautista, JP Arenbicia, Ryan Goins, a B-grade prospect

Again, Toronto wins this deal by a landslide, but Cleveland is far from left empty-handed.  Beyond Bautista, Ryan Goins showed some gold glove potential at second base last season, and if Arencibia can find his game, he could be an all-star catcher in the future.

The Mets and Pirates may be interested, but lack the Major League talent to close a deal.

The Reds have expressed interest in trading Brandon Phillips, which would fill the Jays' second base hole.  A much larger deal would be required on both sides, likely seeing Arencibia and Ryan Hanigan being exchanged for one another, a pitcher (such as Mat Latos?) coming north, and some prospects changing hands.

If the Royals are interested in a power bat despite their large stadium, a deal could happen.  Eric Hosmer would seem to be a definite part of the trade.  Alternatively, the Jays might try to wrangle gold glover Salvador Perez from Kansas City, although this seems unlikely.  Lorenzo Cain would likely come to Toronto, and there would have to be a pitcher in there somewhere.

If the Tigers wish to upgrade on Andy Dirks, they may look to Bautista.  Max Scherzer is already rumoured to be on the block and would be a likely candidate coming the other way.  Dirks would also have to be part of the deal.  With no other obvious Major League talent to send to Toronto (Alex Avila is not defensively sound enough to effectively replace JP Arencibia), a top prospect would have to round out the deal.

Finally, the White Sox may show some interest.  There have already been rumours of Anthopoulos pursuing Gordon Beckham.  Blue Jays rumours must always be taken with a grain of salt, but if there's truth in it, he could be a central part of the package coming to Toronto.  Either Avisail Garcia or Dayan Viciedo would have to be included, likely the former.  After this, a pitcher, such as Jose Quintana or Hector Santiago would close out a deal.  There have been rumours of the Jays having interest in John Danks, but he is not of high enough quality to be the lone pitcher in the trade.

In the end, I think the most likely scenario would see José Bautista start 2014 with the Jays.  But keep these possibilities in mind as the offseason wears on.

2013-4 Blue Jays Offseason Needs

To describe the Jays' 2013 season as subpar would be an understatement.  It was a season of attacks (see: JP Arencibia), lack of discipline, poor fielding, losses, strikeouts (see: JP Arencibia), and injuries (see: Brett Lawrie, José Reyes, Sergio Santos, Brandon Morrow, Josh Johnson x2, Melky Cabrera, José Bautista, Edwin Encarnacion, JA Happ, Ramón Ortiz, Colby Rasmus, Brett Cecil, etc.).  This is not to say that there were no positives: The selections of Brett Cecil and Steve Delabar to the American League All-Star team was representative of a cross-bullpen improvement that saw the Jays go from the worst bullpen ERA in the AL in 2012 to 4th in 2013; Casey Janssen emerged as the 'pen's best pitcher two seasons ago and proved his mettle as a closer in his first full season in the role (34/36 in save opportunities, 2.56 ERA, 0.99 WHIP); Ryan Goins jumped from off-the-radar to a favourite for the starting job at second base next season, making plays like this constantly.  (And while we're talking great plays, here's my pick for defensive play of the year).

While I'm sure I haven't named all of this season's positives (sorry Munenori), the point is that, after the hype of last offseason, no Jays fan was expecting individual improvements or achievements to be the only things to smile about in 2013.  So what to do with a team that went 74-88 last season?  The reflex answer is likely: uproot the foundations, get what you can for the veterans, and rebuild, rebuild, REBUILD.  The problem: this is the result of the rebuild.  This doesn't mean that the rebuild was wrong, however.  It means the talent is there and, with a few additions, may be able to achieve the expectations of this season.  So where need these additions/upgrades be?  Here's my list:

Manager:  GM Alex Anthopoulos announced long ago that incumbent manager John Gibbons will return in the 2014 season, so I will not dwell long here, but it is important to note that, while Gibby can't be blamed for all of the injuries and poor performances this season, never at any point did it feel as though he did anything to improve on even a small part of the problems the team experienced.  Where was the motivation?  Where was the central leader?  Where was the fire?  The manager can't force the players to play well, but he can at least contribute to their mental states.  And let's be honest, the Jays are a mentally volatile team of youngsters who are quickly losing confidence in their own abilities.

The Training Staff: To be clear, I don't blame George Poulis and Mike Frostad for the bevy of injuries the Blue Jays experienced this season, but it does feel, sometimes, as though guys who aren't really that injured are taking "precautionary" stints on the DL.  I think toughness definitely needs some work, and the training staff has to start picking and choosing which injuries are really serious.  (And in terms of player attitudes, the games in April are equally important as the games in September, so if they'd play with their injuries in September, why not play with them now and take September off, after you've clinched?)

Catcher:  With JP Arencibia's off-year (.194 BA, 148K, 18 BB, a league-leading 11 errors at Catcher) and inability to take criticism (read: the Gregg Zaun-Dirk Hayhurst incident), the potential the team saw in him (enough to trade top-prospect Travis d'Arnaud in the RA Dickey deal) is being drawn into question.  If this team has any intentions of competing next season, they need a sure-thing behind the plate.  And it's not Josh Thole, despite his fine fielding.  Some rumours have linked the Jays to the Angels' Hank Conger and Chris Ianetta.  A deal for either of these players would be illogical.  Neither is significantly better than Thole, so if the team sees either as a potential starter, they'd be better off to give Thole the job that give away assets to acquire Josh Thole 2.0.  (A deal that included either of these players as well as Angels 2B Howie Kendrick might make sense if the Jays do not overpay.  It would be especially sensible if Arencibia were going to Los Angeles in the deal, although I can't imagine Mike Scioscia would be happy with this.)

Pitchers: No, unlike Alex Anthopoulos, I don't believe this is the team's #1 concern.  But it's up there.  With Dickey, Mark Buehrle, and Brandon Morrow returning next year, there are only 2 spots in the rotation left to fill.  Kyle Drabek and Drew Hutchison (particularly the latter, who was recently named AFL Pitcher of the Week) have performed well in the Majors before and should get another chance at the rotation.  Dustin McGowan had a great year in the bullpen and is looking to return to his former role.  JA Happ is always a possibility to make a strong back-end starter.  Todd Redmond had some great appearances this season (although I wouldn't trust him long-term), and Esmil Rogers is a fine backup plan.  Yes, the team needs more than what they have, but perhaps not to the degree that is being declared by the media.  A Ubaldo Jimenez is too risky for a guy who struggled the past few seasons before finally figuring it out in a contract year.  A reunion with Roy Halladay would be too perfect, but (sorry, fans) it seems unlikely.  Bartolo Colon had some good games for the Yankees a few years back and pitched well for the A's this year, but can he handle the AL East again?  (the Jays have experience with PED-suspended players)  What about trades?  David Price is unlikely, as it would be an intra-division deal.  Max Scherzer would be a nice add, but is he worth Aaron Sanchez and the many other top prospects he would assuredly cost?  The Jays may be wise to bring back Josh Johnson, who will be available below value and has a lot to prove this coming season.  One must recall he was a 2 time All-Star earlier in his career and he's still only 29.

*Second Base: I put this here only because an upgrade can never hurt.  As previously mentioned, Goins was one of the few bright spots to the season, but he's also inexperienced and was not meant to be the second baseman of the future.  Nevertheless, he has a good chance at the job next season, especially if Maicer Izturis continues to play as he did this past season (.263/5/32 with 10 errors).  With top-end talent potentially in the market in former all-stars Howie Kendrick and Brandon Phillips, the potential exists to replace Goins, at least for the time being.  This is not an urgent need, but it is one to keep an eye on.

As for the rest of the prominent positions on the team, there are imperfections.  But to give up on the talent acquired in the 2012 offseason because of one off-season would be a tremendous waste.  It will be interesting to see how the Jays and Anthopoulos handle the 2013-4 offseason.

Bread and Circuses?

JP Arencibia's attacks on Dirk Hayhurst and Gregg Zaun surprised me. They seemed out of line with the jovial, glass-half-full kind of personality that Arencibia has nurtured through social media, media appearances and charitable works within the city. Then a thought struck me: what if JP was just being a good, solid company man?

After all, isn't that what he has been all along? He wears Toronto on his sleeve like a native. He proudly waves the flag of Canada even though he is of Cuban heritage and was raised in the United States. JP's blood runs Blue Jay Blue and we didn't have to beg him to feel that way.

So why put on the mean face and make personal comments about Dirk Hayhurst and Gregg Zaun? One Rogers employee taking shots at two other Rogers employees during an interview on Rogers Sportsnet. Let's not forget that he tweets about his intentions in advance (even though Twitter is not currently owned by Rogers). Was this really JP's idea? Or was it just a way to get the headlines focussed on something other than the seasonal woes?

Was it a masterpiece of distraction? No, but it did serve to generate new conversations with a different focus. Did the interview reflect badly on JP? You bet, but maybe the company thought it was worthwhile for him to take one on the chin for the team, knowing that he could bobblehead his way back into everyone's hearts on Sunday. After all, how mad can you stay at a guy with an inherently good nature who does selfless charitable work with underprivileged children and cancer survivors? A sell-out crowd at the Rogers Centre seemed to answer that with resounding cheers of "not long".

It's no secret that the blanket of World Series expectations that kept this city warm during the cold winter months has long since worn threadbare. When the bandwagon rolled out of the gate in April, on four flat tires, there was still a willingness for optimism. Give them some adjustment time! They are champions on paper, they just have to learn to play together! When the walking wounded return we will finally be at the top of our game!  Then Munenori Kawasaki emerged and taught us how to bow. His stringent work ethic, keen enthusiasm, and contagious sense of baseball fun galvanized the city into chants of Ka-wa-sa-ki and frenzied purchases of jerseys emblazoned with the number 66. Maybe we weren't winning, but we all felt a little more like winners as we discovered what it meant to be Japaneeeeeese!

Kawasaki was a glorious distraction. If he hadn't existed, the front office would have sold their souls to invent him. Then came that pesky eleven game stretch of victories and all of a sudden the World Series optimism was back. Jose Reyes - answer to all of the team's problems even though he hadn't been the answer in the first place - was about to return. Should Muni stay or should he go? Should he have gone and should he have come back? Even these debates helped defer attention as the winning streak turned into a stretch of nightmarish losses, despite Jose Reyes' presence in the lineup.

The excuses have become weak. The team has had time to adjust and to learn to play together. Reyes is back and, furthermore, the wounded Yankees seem capable of blowing away the competition with a team stacked with Blue Jay castoffs. With the All Star break looming, where is the accountability for a sub .500 record?

Cue the distraction. A fight around the family dinner table. Some name calling, some silly accusations. "No one on my team likes anyone on your team."  An effort at appeasement, a rebuff, a second round. No one gets sent to their room. Please pass the dinner rolls.

I would like to give JP the benefit of the doubt on this issue because it seems so far removed from his established character. With Steve Delabar's highly touted campaign for the final All-Star roster spot gaining momentum, the country will be distracted by endless on-line voting through Thursday. If the team can break even by the All-Star break then maybe, with a fresh start, the fans can get back to being distracted by good baseball rather than being distracted by the circus. And maybe the solid company man can get back to doing the job he is supposed to be doing, better.

 

Toronto Blue Jays Mid-Season Grades

For this post, I will not be grading those players who are no longer with the organization, nor those who have had only a minimal impact on the team.  Note that players have been rated based on overall performance, and not solely on numbers.

Starting Pitchers (W-L/ERA/WHIP):

Mark Buehrle: C+  After a shaky start to the season, Buehrle seems to have found his game.  He is one of the more trustworthy starters on the team. (4-5/4.81/1.40)

R.A. Dickey: C+  Dickey has been the best and the worst pitcher on the team, at times.  He seems to have found his knuckleball, which means an interesting second half is in store. (8-8/4.59/1.29)

Josh Johnson: D  Before this season if you had asked me which player in the league I most wanted the Jays to acquire, I probably would have said Johnson.  Unfortunately, he has been disappointing all season. (1-3/4.89/1.61)

Esmil Rogers: B  A shaky reliever at the beginning of the season, Rogers has been the greatest surprise for the Jays this season.  There is always a fear he will regress, though.  (3-3/3.12/1.25)

Relief Pitchers (W-L/ERA/WHIP)

Brett Cecil: A  Who would have expected that the player who struggled so much last season and in Spring Training would break the team record for most consecutive batters faced without surrendering a hit?  (3-0/1.47/0.81)

Steve Delabar: A-  The greatest thing he has done is not even his incredible performance: it is bringing Jamie Evans and the velocity program to Toronto.  (5-1/1.58/1.25)

Aaron Loup: A-  After coming out of nowhere last season, Loup has carried over his dominance--and confidence--into 2013.  Loooooooooooooooooooup!  (3-3/1.91/0.97)

Dustin McGowan: C+  After missing 2009, 2010, 2012, and most of 2011 with a myriad of injuries, McGowan finally looks healthy.  His performance is starting to come around after a shaky start.  (0-0/2.45/1.09)

Darren Oliver: B-  Oliver was the team's second best pitcher in 2012, and he has been okay this year, but he has blown 2 saves before the ninth inning and looks hittable.  (3-1/3.38/1.33)

Juan Perez: B  He looked incredible in Spring Training, and he brought the magic of his unhittable dancing breaking ball to the Majors.  (1-1/0.00/0.85)

Neil Wagner: B+  One of the few guys who seems to have control over his high-'90s fastballs.  (1-3/2.45/1.09)

Closing Pitcher (SV-BSV/ERA/WHIP/W-L)

Casey Janssen: A+  The most deserving player on the team of an All-Star selection, Janssen has been lights-out for his third straight season.  (17-18/2.03/0.71/2-0)

Catchers(BA/HR/RBI/OBP/F%/PB)

J.P. Arencibia: D  A promising player who has shown flashes of brilliance, Arencibia has struggled with the bat since April and has struggled in the field all season.  (.216/15/38/.244/.994/10)

Josh Thole: D+  After hitting .322 in the Buffalo, Thole has been cold with the bat in the Majors.  But his defence has been stellar (as a catcher, not as a first baseman).  (.103/0/2/.188/.981/0) * Only Catcher F% shown.

Infielders (BA/HR/RBI/OBP)  (F%:position)

2B/UT Emilio Bonifacio: D-  His speed is his only redeeming quality.  He has been unable to hit, field, or bunt all season.  (.210/2/13/.243/11)  (2B: .973/OF: 1.000/SS: 1.000)

UT  Mark DeRosa: C+  He is one of the best on the team in terms of baseball sense.  DeRosa has also come through in the clutch a few times.  (.205/5/24/.291/0)  (1B: 1.000/2B: 1.000/ 3B: .900)

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion: A-  He has been best hitter on the team for the second consecutive season.  He also stepped up when asked to play the dreaded hot corner.  (.270/23/66/.350/3)  (1B: .993/ 3B: .950)

UT Maicer Izturis: C  He has finally found his swing and his glove after a very rocky start.  (.228/5/20/.266/0)  (2B: .973/3B: .959/SS: .956)

SS/2B Munenori Kawasaki: B  His performance has been average--although he is very good at getting runners home from third.  Kawasaki's personality has been a galvanizing factor for this team.  (.224/1/18/.330/7)  (SS: .977/2B: 1.000)

3B Brett Lawrie: D  Injured at the start of the season, and now injured again, Lawrie struggled with the bat in his short time with the team.  He defence was still stellar, although it seems he may have taken a step back since last season.  (.209/5/14/.268/2)  (3B: .955)

1B Adam Lind: A-  Since 2009 he has struggled with the bat.  Now he is the only player on the team batting over .300.  (.322/11/33/.380/1)  (1B: .994)

SS José Reyes: B+  Reyes is hard to judge due to his long injury, but he hit well prior to getting injured and now seems to be finding his bat again, albeit slowly.  (.329/3/9/.383/5)  (SS: 1.000)

Outfielders (BA/HR/RBI/OBP/SB)  (F%:position)

José Bautista: B+  Bautista has been streaky this season, but he has come through in the clutch, hitting 4 game-tying home runs in the ninth inning or later.  And do not forget his great defence and power-arm.  (.264/19/50/.364/6)  (OF: .977/3B: 1.000)

Melky Cabrera: B-  Melky hit well in late-April/early-May, but has otherwise been fairly unnoticeable on the field.  Hopefully his DL stint will give him the rest he needs to be effective.  (.278/3/29/.321/2)  (OF: 1.000)

Rajai Davis: B  Davis seems to be working on his pitch recognition and has been much better as a starter than as a pinch-hitter this year.  (.304/1/8/.345/21)  (OF: 1.000)

Colby Rasmus: D  Unlike Davis, Rasmus's pitch recognition has been awful this season, and he has racked up 101 strike outs.  (.248/15/43/.321/0)  (OF: .995)

Manager

John Gibbons: D-  Early in the season, one could not blame him too much.  After all, his players were not performing.  Now, one starts to wonder if the lack of production may be because of him and not in spite of him.  He has yet to make an innovative managerial decision, although he has made some questionable ones.

Team Outlook

The Blue Jays have made a fantastic comeback this season, although they have struggled since their 11-game winning streak ended.  Nevertheless, they proved that they could win over that span.  If not this season, the Jays are set to be contenders in 2014.

Blue Jays Quick-Hits: Arencibia; Second Base; Lawrie; Rasmus's Slide; Bautista

J.P. Arencibia took shots at Blue Jays commentators/analysts Dirk Hayhurst and Gregg Zaun on TheFan590 this morning.  I understand that he is frustrated with his poor performance, but this is not the way to express his anger.  This outburst would have been more appropriate if Arencibia's game were being picked apart despite his performing well.  But he is not performing well.  Since picking up 8 HRs and 16 RBI in April with a .253 BA, he has struggled to put together a 15/38/.216 line on the season.  He has struck out 92 times.  And we haven't even started talking about his defence.  I do not care much about the Stolen Bases Against because it is an imperfect statistic, but the Passed Balls and questionable plate coverage are too much.  Not to mention that he calls for way too many pitches outside of the strike zone.  I think JP's tirade just confirmed what his performance already suggested: he needs some time in Buffalo.  I believe he still has options.  Who do they call up?  Maybe recently-signed Ramon Hernandez?

The situation at second base for the Blue Jays is becoming unbearable, with Emilio Bonifacio making another error yesterday.  Early in the season I was willing to give him a chance defensively, but that chance has expired.  Maicer Izturis is performing better of late, but is more suitable as a backup, like Mark DeRosa and Munenori Kawasaki.  If this team wants to contend, it is going to need a REAL second baseman--a true everyday player who is neither a hole in the batting order, nor the field.  Darwin Barney is an interesting option who is presently available.  Although his hitting will not be much of an improvement over the current quartet, he is known for his great defence.  He also may be cheaper than other options, such as Chase Utley or Ian Kinsler.  Utley is getting on and is owed a large sum of money, so it may be in the best interest of the team to avoid him.  Kinsler is the most intriguing option.  With Profar and Andrus up the middle, the Rangers are nearing the end of their need for the former All-Star second baseman.  With a struggling rotation, the team may be interested in rent-a-player RHP Josh Johnson--who, granted, has not had the greatest of seasons, but has history on his side, as well as a familiarity with warm weather.  Toss in a Darren Oliver (who will probably retire at the end of the season) or a Sergio Santos (who really does not fit in the Jays' powerful bullpen, anymore) as well as a prospect or two, and I think this deal could get done.  Such a trade may also see one of the quartet heading to Texas as a backup plan.

As Brett Lawrie recovers from his eerily José-Reyes-esque ankle sprain, one major question arises: should he be recalled?  Lawrie has a lot of heart and an intense attitude--something that has endeared him to some and antagonized him to others--and his glove would be an invaluable asset in the infield, but his bat has been weak all season.  I think he should stay in the Minors until that aspect of his game comes around, otherwise he is more of a liability than an asset.  As for his attitude, while he does go a little overboard on occasion, I do not mind the fire most of the time.  He is still young (23), and the rougher edges will likely soften over time.  He has too much talent to give up on, now.

Colby Rasmus kept his cleats down as he made a good, clean baseball slide into second, last night.  The Tigers are still reeling from a heated series in Tampa, they are upset about how close Cleveland is to them in the standings, and they do not appreciate that their second baseman got injured.  But honestly, they have to suck it up and stop whining.  It was a clean, albeit unfortunate, play.

This is related to an issue I stumbled upon a few weeks ago--long before this Blog existed.  Many people were upset with José Bautista's ejection on June 9th.  I did not mind it.  Bautista has exercised a lot of control this season, arguing much less.  In fact, this was the first time I had seen him argue since early in the season.  Furthermore, as it was the ninth inning and he was unlikely to come up again, there was really no better time to get ejected.  To be honest, the most irritating thing about the whole play was the way John Gibbons downplayed it and calmed the situation rather than trying to keep the fire alive under Edwin Encarnacion, who could have tied the game or even won it, had there still been any energy alive.  The manager MUST get ejected when his star player is ejected.