Is Lyle Overbay’s time with the Toronto Blue Jays about to run out? Well, if you are a fan of the youth movement that is currently taking place in Hog Town, then you are probably leaning towards Overbay’s remaining contract being shipped out sooner rather than later.
For the Jays, the upside to moving Overbay is an immediate full-time position opening for super prospect Brett Wallace. Wallace, if you haven’t heard, is having an all-star year in Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League and is primed to get the call, while Overbay’s batting average is hovering around the diminutive .200 mark during the first quarter of the season.
At this point, you may question why a team would pick up a player with an average so low it’s making Mr. Mendoza giddy at the thought of a possible renaming of his currently owned “line”. The answer is simple, hold-off on offering name suggestions such as the “Overbay line“or “Lyle’s line” to media writers across North America and focus on Overbay’s career as a whole.
Despite a lowly .200 average, in actuality Lyle has raised his average from .167 in the last few weeks and gathered a majority of his rbi total in that same timeframe. In fact, with a career average of a respectable .275 and a bat that has shown some pop, I fail to see any extended failure. Moreover, if moved into the right scenario Overbay is more than capable of replicating his previous ability to consistently hit the two-bagger, knock out a few homers and score his fair share of runs.
With that in mind, Overbay is the perfect buy-low candidate. There are an ample number of teams in need of a veteran bat to fill their bench…can anyone else see Overbay as insurance for the Reds if Joey Votto’s injury persists? Or maybe as a short-term back-up if Alex Gonzalez is shipped out of San Diego? And a big vacancy just opened up in Anaheim with Kendry Morales learning the dark side of sport celebration with a “Gramatica-esq” injury. Last but not least, Overbay is a goner after this season regardless of what he does in the remaining games of this campaign, and although the Jays haven’t said anything publicly, it’s clear they don’t want him back when his current deal expires after this season.
So, let’s recap. Overbay is a great buy-low candidate for teams looking for a little insurance, he has career averages that would indicate a re-ignition of his ability at some point this year, Lyle’s contract is up at the end of the year, so if he falters throughout the remainder of the season it would cost his new club very little – and finally, let’s not forget that the Jays have Brett Wallace proving that he has earned a spot with the big club.
Trading Overbay is the right decision for everyone, the Jays know it, Overbay knows it, and it’s only a matter of time before it happens…so to Lyle Overbay I would like to say “this is your Blue Jays career signing off, Over(bay) and out”.
Buy Toronto Blue Jays Tickets | Buy Toronto Blue Jays Apparel
