The Warning Track: Was Steve Delabar’s Demotion Warranted?
Posted Mar 27, 2015 09:08:02 AM.
Last Updated Jun 15, 2015 09:10:58 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
If Blue Jays Spring Training camp were the game of Survivor, this would be its first official blindside.
In a somewhat surprising fashion, the Toronto Blue Jays optioned Steve Delabar to the minor leagues. Cuts to the roster are a normal part of Spring Training, but Delabar appeared to be on-track to return to the Jays bullpen. And instead, he’ll begin the 2015 season where he ended he ended his 2014 season – with the Buffalo Bisons.
Steve Delabar was just as surprised as anyone that he wasn’t going to make the Blue Jays Opening Day roster. Along with many others, he genuinely believed that he pitched well enough to warrant a spot on the roster. But clearly his superiors thought otherwise.
The road back to the majors hasn’t been an easy one for Delabar; last year alone, he was demoted on two occasions and couldn’t regain the form from his stellar 2012 and 2013 seasons.
And his Spring Training statistics were okay – in 7 games, Delabar struck out 9 batters while walking only one. However, he did give up a pair of home runs – most recently, a home run to Delmon Young in his last game on Wednesday against the Baltimore Orioles.
Again, Delabar looked okay in Spring Training, but he didn’t look great; and therein lies the problem.
The Blue Jays have had so many pitchers who have been so utterly dominant in Spring Training games thus far, most notably Miguel Castro, Roberto Osuna and Daniel Norris.
Steve Delabar had a great 2012 and 2013 with the Blue Jays, but his track record ever since has been quite spotty. So it’s not even like the Blue Jays could really give Delabar the benefit of the doubt as a pseudo-veteran reliever.
The bottom line is there were other pitchers who performed far better than Steve Delabar has in Spring Training, and that has made it apparent the Blue Jays will in fact head north with their best 25 man roster. That will likely include the likes of 22-year old rookies Miguel Castro and Roberto Osuna.
The fact that Steve Delabar still had options left and could be sent down to the minor leagues without being exposed to waivers may have had some small part to do with it. However, I don’t think it was the sole reason why he was optioned in the first place. Delabar just failed to wow the coaching staff this spring, while Castro and Osuna were simply lights out.
That doesn’t mean the door is closed on Steve Delabar forever to come back to the Blue Jays. Inevitably, an injury will occur down the road and he will likely be on the short list to be called up by the Blue Jays.
But in the meantime, Steve Delabar must patiently wait for that phone call.
