When the Blue Jays acquired Brett Bateman at this year’s trade deadline, the majority of scouting reports projected him to be no better than a reserve outfielder at the major-league level.
asserted
him → acquire → level
Once Bateman arrived in Toronto, that notion was torn apart.
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notion → arrive → Toronto
The former eighth-round pick in the 2023 draft not only took over everyday duties in centre field but he also became a fixture at the top of the lineup.
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he → take → lineup
Not bad for a guy who prior to this season had never played a game above Double-A.
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who → play → A.
There were a lot of people, including this columnist, who initially criticized the return the Jays got from the Chicago Cubs for veteran starter Kevin Gausman.
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Jays → be → Gausman
Bateman not only heard some of those initial complaints, he understood they came with the territory after being traded for a fan favourite.
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they → hear → favourite
Instead of whining about it, he recognized the significance of what had just taken place and felt a responsibility to contribute.
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what → whine → responsibility
Across the final seven weeks of the season, Bateman proved a lot of people wrong, at least temporarily.
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lot → prove → people
He proved something to himself, too.
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He → prove → himself
“That I can hang with the big dogs, right?” said Bateman, who was acquired alongside minor-league infielder Ty Southisene.
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who → hang → Southisene
“I don’t really want to make it a big deal though because it really is the same game between the lines.
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it → want → lines
That’s what I’ve been harping on my entire life, it doesn’t matter the level.”
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it → ’ → level
One only needs to talk with Bateman for a few minutes to understand that his baseball IQ is well above that of the average big-leaguer.
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IQ → need → leaguer
There’s a maturity and calmness to him that is rarely seen in players his age.
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that → ’ → players
Bateman is always thinking at a high level during games.
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Bateman → think → games
He occasionally changes where he’s standing in the batter’s box in anticipation of a certain pitch.
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he → change → pitch
Other times he moves up in the box as a decoy only to move back when the pitcher goes into his windup.
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pitcher → move → windup
When Bateman is at the top of his game, he’s slashing liners all over the field and using his speed to take extra bases.
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he → slash → bases
Following his debut on Aug. 7, he led the Jays with a .329 average and an .826 on-base-plus-slugging percentage over his final 41 games.
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he → follow → games
No Blue Jay produced more wins above replacement than his 1.7 (according to FanGraphs).
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Jay → produce → FanGraphs
There are some rookies who would let that success get to their head.
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success → be → head
Bateman appears to be smarter than that.
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Bateman → appear → that
He’s thrilled by the first impression he left with the organization but he also knows there are never any guarantees.
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he → thrill → organization
“A lot of lucky hits, a lot of balls bounced my way,” Bateman said.
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Bateman → bounce → balls
“It’s great, though, I wish every rookie had a start like this, you know?
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you → ’ → this
“But unfortunately it’s baseball.
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it → ’ → ?
Baseball gives and takes.
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Baseball → give → ?
It’s a game that low-key sucks.
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that → ’ → ?
You fail 70 per cent of the time and you’re a Hall of Famer.
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you → fail → Famer
I’m just trying to take it day by day, but I’m super lucky and super grateful for this opportunity.”
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I → try → opportunity
Bateman will be hard-pressed to replicate his big-league numbers across a full season, but his success was prolonged enough that he deserves to enter camp next spring as the presumed starter in centre field.
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he → press → field
That matters because it will allow the Jays to focus on adding a power bat to one of the corner outfield spots while also preserving money or trade assets to upgrade at second base and in the starting rotation.
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Jays → matter → rotation
The only thing the Jays need to do in centre is add a right-handed hitting platoon option.
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Jays → need → option
That could involve bringing back Myles Straw or looking outside the organization for help.
uncertain
That → involve → help
Jays general manager Ross Atkins is keeping his options open.
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Atkins → keep → options
“Confidence plays, moxie plays, baseball intellect and IQ really play, and he’s checking all of those boxes,” Atkins said when asked about Bateman’s transition to the majors.
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Atkins → play → majors
“As it relates to next year, we need to be cautious of how much pressure we put on players and make sure we support them.
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we → relate → them
Sometimes supporting them means they’re not relied upon for 162 (games).”
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they → support → games
Jays fans don’t have to be reminded that there’s no guarantee a hotshot rookie will be able to maintain his success well into the future.
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rookie → have → future
For every Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk there are players like Brett Lawrie, Alek Manoah and Eric Hinske who never quite delivered on their early promise.
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who → be → promise
…and 2 more, not listed.
The Aporia
