I don't really have anything to post.
― clemenza, Monday, 5 February 2018 22:25 (six years ago) link
Last year of Donaldson?
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 5 February 2018 22:46 (six years ago) link
I changed my mind, I do have something to say: Roberto Alomar turned 50 today. Geez.
(I don't know...so many factors at work there.)
― clemenza, Monday, 5 February 2018 23:50 (six years ago) link
+ title
― earlnash, Tuesday, 6 February 2018 00:20 (six years ago) link
What's the over/under on Urena and Teoscar Hernandez?
― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 7 February 2018 00:01 (six years ago) link
I assume Teoscar has a job to lose, based on what he showed last year. I actually had to look up Urena to remind myself who he was.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 February 2018 03:01 (six years ago) link
I forgot how much clutter there is in the Jays' outfield right now. I guess Teoscar doesn't have a guaranteed job. I'd certainly at least platoon him until you know for sure that the .600 slugging average was a fluke.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 7 February 2018 03:20 (six years ago) link
as one would expect
https://www.sbnation.com/mlb/2018/2/12/17004262/blue-jays-roy-halladay-retiring-number-jersey-patches
― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 14 February 2018 17:02 (six years ago) link
there is still no way i am going to the yearly shit show that is the home opener.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 14 February 2018 21:49 (six years ago) link
And there he goes. (I'm the rare listener who always preferred Howarth to Tom Cheek.)
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/blue-jays-broadcaster-jerry-howarth-retires-36-seasons/
― clemenza, Thursday, 15 February 2018 12:24 (six years ago) link
I'm not a Blues Jays fan, but Howarth was a gem. Mike Wilner isn't a bad announcer, but he won't inspire me to listen to a game I'd otherwise ignore, just to hear Howarth's sheer professionalism.
― Ρεμπετολογια, Thursday, 15 February 2018 17:20 (six years ago) link
Lost arbitration. Is what it is. Looking forward to going out and dealing again. The negative things that were said against me, by my own team, will never leave my mind. I’m thick-skinned so it will only fuel the fire. Can’t wait for this year! #HDMH— Marcus Stroman (@MStrooo6) February 15, 2018
― mookieproof, Thursday, 15 February 2018 18:49 (six years ago) link
Stroman to the Yankees as a FA.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 15 February 2018 22:07 (six years ago) link
I don't know what the club said--clubs would say awful and ridiculous things 40 years ago, but I had assumed that they stopped that somewhere along the way (James has written that making up stuff during an arbitration hearing is a guaranteed way to lose). In any event, getting publically upset about it sums up why I'm not Stroman's biggest fan. "I'm thick-skinned"--obviously, thick-skinned people always air their grievances on Twitter.
― clemenza, Thursday, 15 February 2018 23:19 (six years ago) link
stroman is hardly alone -- though at least no jays exec has come out and publicly shit on him like randy levine vs betances. he was the fourth-best pitcher in the AL by bWAR last season; a $400k difference is maybe not worth going into an arbitration session and tearing apart your supposed ace
this is why the giants, for example, haven't taken a player to arbitration for almost 15 years
― mookieproof, Friday, 16 February 2018 00:24 (six years ago) link
This isn’t his first bizarre outburst on twitter tho. I figure the jays will have the money to extend one of him or Sanchez -obv I’m hoping it’s sanchez at this point. His twitter outbursts are becoming exhausting.
Also - just signed Jamie Garcia as their #5 thank god. Not that I’m over the moon with the guy, but he’s way better than Biangini for the role.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 16 February 2018 03:47 (six years ago) link
maybe the jays can trade stroman for shea weber
― mookieproof, Friday, 16 February 2018 04:23 (six years ago) link
Avoiding arbitration is of course better for both parties--if the Giants have done that for 15 years, that's sound management. But Stroman needs to realize that a) arbitration does happen, b) the club has to present some kind of case (they can't go in there and act as the player's agent), and c) players do sometimes lose. I'd want to know exactly what was said, but taking something personally in the normal give-and-take of an arbitration hearing strikes me as silly, just like getting all worked up over a couple of missed pitches in the third inning of a nothing game isn't the best approach to a 162-game season.
― clemenza, Friday, 16 February 2018 12:33 (six years ago) link
I mean, if the club's arguments basically amounted to "We think Marcus is a fine pitcher and an important part of our team, but he's not Corey Kluber--and here's why," then I'm with the club. If the club got petty, then Stroman's anger is justified. Just don't take it to Twitter.
― clemenza, Friday, 16 February 2018 12:41 (six years ago) link
The 2016 St Louis Cardinals: Your 2018 Toronto Blue Jays
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/blue-jays-continue-sneaky-good-offseason-with-jaime-garcia/
― i remember the corned beef of my childhood (Karl Malone), Friday, 16 February 2018 21:20 (six years ago) link
We already went through 20 years (1994-2014) of hanging around in the middle of the pack making "sneaky good" low-risk signings, never good enough to win and never bad enough to lose.
I did like the Garcia signing though.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Sunday, 18 February 2018 11:52 (six years ago) link
Re: Stroman, on one hand playing the public relations game on Twitter isn't going to help his financial situation in the short or long term, so why do it? OTOH, somebody needs to publicly shame this BIG MARKET club for being cheap and noncommittal with key players that real, contending clubs would pay good money to have.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Sunday, 18 February 2018 12:14 (six years ago) link
Jays probably working from the idea that Stroman would never sign an extension in Toronto. And even if he would, I'm sure the idea is that with his size and injury risk, they don't want a 100+ million dollar extension hung on the club.
Clubs are just going to get picky with the big deals, which they should.
Thing is that the Blue Jays seem more than just a player away, signing the big dollar guy is at best a stand pat decision and one that limits on what can be done going forward.
― earlnash, Sunday, 18 February 2018 21:50 (six years ago) link
If they're more than a player away and want to win in 2020 when the next gen of prospects will be ready, then they could have traded Donaldson and Stroman in the offseason and thrown in the towel on 2018.
If they want to compete now then they need to lock up their best players.
As usual, this team is doing neither.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Monday, 19 February 2018 10:48 (six years ago) link
I don't know if they are doing neither, the Donaldson contract is decent in terms of showing good faith for the future.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 19 February 2018 21:45 (six years ago) link
lol just saw the news for the next contract and you can erase what I said.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 19 February 2018 22:28 (six years ago) link
I’m out of the loop - which contract?
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 19 February 2018 23:09 (six years ago) link
starting rotation depth
The photographer thinks Tulo is a pitcher??!! Tulo doesn’t correct him and obliges..shhhhhhhhhh 😂😂#PhotoDay pic.twitter.com/3GlKtmDZPY— Hazel Mae (@thehazelmae) February 22, 2018
― i remember the corned beef of my childhood (Karl Malone), Friday, 23 February 2018 18:28 (six years ago) link
Gregg Zaun presents: Manalyst TV. Finally a sports show for MEN. pic.twitter.com/S8O0FVBltO— Stephen Campbell (@ScampbellTV1) February 23, 2018
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 28 February 2018 20:52 (six years ago) link
Of course it’s all caps.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 28 February 2018 22:08 (six years ago) link
except for: "can you smell that roast"
― na (NA), Wednesday, 28 February 2018 22:11 (six years ago) link
Tulo injured, not likely to be ready by opening day. Shocking!
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Monday, 5 March 2018 11:53 (six years ago) link
I guess he threw his arm out posing for that photo above.
― clemenza, Monday, 5 March 2018 23:08 (six years ago) link
Made the same joke on Reddit!
Anyways - a quick glance at the depth chart tells me not to get too broke up about it.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 6 March 2018 01:05 (six years ago) link
Bo Bichette with an RBI single to left in his second AB. Guerrero singled earlier, Anthony Alford has two triples and a double so far today. Good day for #BlueJays prospects.— Gregor Chisholm (@gregorMLB) March 8, 2018
― mookieproof, Thursday, 8 March 2018 20:02 (six years ago) link
Alford is my #1 prospect man crush.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 8 March 2018 20:31 (six years ago) link
vlad: 4-for-5bo: 2-for-3, stolen baseaa: 3-for-4, triple, two doubles
the orioles don't actually have any pitchers, but still
― mookieproof, Thursday, 8 March 2018 21:21 (six years ago) link
if they did, they're dead now.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 8 March 2018 21:30 (six years ago) link
Came on to post about Vlad too. I did hear he clapped his hands and pointed to the sky on a single, mind you. I hope that was the first one...
― clemenza, Thursday, 8 March 2018 23:09 (six years ago) link
That home run...
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 02:08 (six years ago) link
I was there. Can't believe it.
― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 02:18 (six years ago) link
Amazing!!!
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 02:25 (six years ago) link
<3
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 02:49 (six years ago) link
fuck it was so great
tonight was more magical than any spring training night has any right to be
― challops trap house (Will M.), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 05:16 (six years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r9Rd3RqiYQ
― Andy K, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 11:49 (six years ago) link
#priceless pic.twitter.com/dh3RUpcTjg— Vladimir Guerrero (@VladGuerrero27) March 28, 2018
― Andy K, Wednesday, 28 March 2018 12:01 (six years ago) link
Bo seems excited.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 28 March 2018 12:45 (six years ago) link
This is going to be a great season!
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 29 March 2018 22:34 (six years ago) link
Gibbons keeping Sanchez one batter too long was so infuriatingly obvious.
― Van Horn Street, Saturday, 31 March 2018 00:49 (six years ago) link
So that was exciting.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Sunday, 1 April 2018 01:32 (six years ago) link
And this has been fun
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 4 April 2018 02:33 (six years ago) link
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/lets-talk-about-the-jays-promising-projection/Good time to be a jays fan (as opposed to all of last season). Soak it up, fast!
my main takeaways from jaffe's article on how we'll add 10 wins despite a very modest off-season:-Our most talented guys will likely spend less time on DL, and will have actual back-ups-No more Bautista
― francisF, Wednesday, 4 April 2018 14:03 (six years ago) link
We are currently working to repair damage to the Rogers Centre roof caused by falling ice from @CNTower. We continue to work with @CNTower & @TorontoPolice to assess the situation, & will provide updates about tonight’s game shortly. Gates 1-6 remain closed until further notice.— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 16, 2018
― mookieproof, Monday, 16 April 2018 19:09 (six years ago) link
this city got pretty fucked up over the weekend. "falling ice from the CN Tower" is a terrifying thing that had never occurred to me.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 16 April 2018 19:29 (six years ago) link
You know the weather is O_o when even the domed games are getting PPD.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Tuesday, 17 April 2018 03:14 (six years ago) link
wow! has that ever happened at skydome before? one time i was at the game and it started raining pretty heavily but the roof was stuck, wondered the same thing
― francisF, Tuesday, 17 April 2018 17:43 (six years ago) link
weird to watch all the Jays wearing 42 and the Royals wearing their regular numbers.
― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, 17 April 2018 19:46 (six years ago) link
Hmm, so they mentioned during the Royals@Jays game today that a 2001 Royals@Jays game in SkyDome was postponed because metal siding fell onto the field when the roof was opening. It was the only other time a game's been postponed in SkyDome
― francisF, Tuesday, 17 April 2018 20:43 (six years ago) link
who needs Donaldson when you have Solarte?
― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, 17 April 2018 21:20 (six years ago) link
They needed that. Flip side of last year--when's the last time they started a season 11-5?
― clemenza, Wednesday, 18 April 2018 03:46 (six years ago) link
start of this season just shows I'm wrong about literally everything ... so far
― Louis Jägermeister (jim in vancouver), Wednesday, 18 April 2018 18:14 (six years ago) link
Last time they started a season 12-5 was 2009. They ended up 75-87, so perhaps I should curb my enthusiasm. Playoff years:
1985: 10-71989: 8-91991: 10-71992: 13-41993: 9-82015: 9-82016: 8-9
― clemenza, Thursday, 19 April 2018 00:14 (six years ago) link
To echo the radio guys this morning, please tell me they're not going to demote Teoscar when Morales gets back. In 107 AB, he's now slugging about .650 for the Jays.
― clemenza, Thursday, 19 April 2018 11:31 (six years ago) link
The answer, thank god, was “no”. And not a bad bebut for Gurriel!
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 21 April 2018 03:37 (six years ago) link
Extra inning walk off homer off Kimbrel? This could be one of those "circle this game" games.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Wednesday, 25 April 2018 05:43 (six years ago) link
Granderson has been a great signing so far.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 25 April 2018 13:28 (six years ago) link
Outstanding. .321/.424/.571, 10 walks in 66 PA, 7 XBH in 56 AB.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 25 April 2018 18:09 (six years ago) link
Stroman's XFIP around 3.80 which is not the worst considering he is doing spring training in April. The ERA will adjust pretty quick.
― Van Horn Street, Saturday, 28 April 2018 02:36 (six years ago) link
Vlad just called his shot and went deep off the tee for @MLBNetwork. Carlos Pena approves. 🤩 pic.twitter.com/SrcMlYvdjY— NH Fisher Cats (@FisherCats) May 7, 2018
― mookieproof, Monday, 7 May 2018 18:08 (five years ago) link
#BlueJays closer Roberto Osuna was arrested this morning and charged with assault on a woman, Toronto police confirm. Story coming shortly.— John Lott (@LottOnBaseball) May 8, 2018
― mookieproof, Tuesday, 8 May 2018 17:11 (five years ago) link
ya that's unfortunate. it's Osuna shirt day thursday too.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 8 May 2018 20:05 (five years ago) link
banner day for the blue jays here.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 9 May 2018 01:37 (five years ago) link
Jays starters are not doing well, it was supposed to be a strength.
― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 16 May 2018 02:42 (five years ago) link
They rank 26th on fangraphs, relievers are ranked 7th, but now with Osuna gone, well...
― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 16 May 2018 17:20 (five years ago) link
Speaking of which: https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/roberto-osuna-the-blue-jays-and-the-limits-of-presuming-innocence/
― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 16 May 2018 17:21 (five years ago) link
Sachez is struggling :(
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 18 May 2018 00:45 (five years ago) link
Teoscar out with back problems...
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Friday, 18 May 2018 01:43 (five years ago) link
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, May 17, 2018 8:45 PM (one hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
Sanchez too :(
― Van Horn Street, Friday, 18 May 2018 01:49 (five years ago) link
If I were a master impressionist, I'd make John Gibbons my first project. My Gibbons would have the same laconic, aw-shucks manner, but he'd be awkwardly, brutally honest, saying the things everybody knows. Try to hear this in his voice:
"Yeah, you know, we're doing okay. We're in this win-one, lose-one thing right now, just kind of piddling along, so we'll see where that takes us. The guys are out there playing, getting some hits, making a lot of outs, so, uh, it's not like we're not surprised or anything, we're really not that good. Pitchin's been good...I mean, sometimes, we've had some bad games too. We got a few guys like Biagini, and they're out there getting some outs, but, uh, you know, they're really not that good. I like our team, we're gonna be okay. We're really not that good, but we're out there playing baseball."
― clemenza, Saturday, 19 May 2018 01:16 (five years ago) link
Now behind Tampa.
― Van Horn Street, Saturday, 19 May 2018 20:41 (five years ago) link
Sanchez doesn't seem able to shake off his walk problem.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 24 May 2018 00:31 (five years ago) link
clippard has gakked two games in four days eh?
― johnny crunch, Thursday, 24 May 2018 02:47 (five years ago) link
we all knew this was where it would wind up.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Thursday, 24 May 2018 02:52 (five years ago) link
I suppose Clippard has 'closer' attitude.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 24 May 2018 02:57 (five years ago) link
A nightmarish top of the 9th goes really well with a nightmarish bottom.
― clemenza, Thursday, 24 May 2018 02:59 (five years ago) link
Russell Martin SS
― Andy K, Saturday, 26 May 2018 16:59 (five years ago) link
When one albatross is hurt, you try to replace him with an albatross.
― clemenza, Saturday, 26 May 2018 21:41 (five years ago) link
i love russell martin, but wtf at playing him at short and now left? they really needed to fit his 73 wRC+ bat in there somewhere? that's some serious mathenaging
― mookieproof, Monday, 28 May 2018 19:42 (five years ago) link
Gibbons is pretty solid on the Matheny spectrum.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 28 May 2018 20:03 (five years ago) link
https://i.imgur.com/KBKBR04.jpg
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 28 May 2018 23:28 (five years ago) link
Martin has a manager is happening one day and I'm very excited.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 28 May 2018 23:37 (five years ago) link
I just watched the condensed game, and every hit off sanchez seemed to be on a fastball grooved up the middle. where did his control go? :( this season hurtz
― francisF, Tuesday, 29 May 2018 03:17 (five years ago) link
Whatever I may have said before, at this point they should not bring Guerrero up. Besides the fact that they're going nowhere, and also the window-of-control issue, I get the feeling this has the potential to be a somewhat toxic clubhouse at some point. I might be totally wrong there, but I can see the seeds of that.
They ought to move him up to Triple-A, though, no? Shouldn't that be done immediately?
― clemenza, Tuesday, 29 May 2018 23:39 (five years ago) link
yeah maybe the contract situation with Donaldson and Stroman soured the clubhouse a bit, it's pure speculation of course.
― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 30 May 2018 01:35 (five years ago) link
I feel like being around stroman, even in the best of circumstances, must be exhausting.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 30 May 2018 01:37 (five years ago) link
Luke Maile leading the team offensively in fWAR
Stroman is beyond irritating
― francisF, Sunday, 3 June 2018 18:33 (five years ago) link
i am saddened to see joe biagini turn into a pumpkin
― mookieproof, Thursday, 7 June 2018 03:24 (five years ago) link
There’s Gaviglio now! He’s been a bright spot so far.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 7 June 2018 13:16 (five years ago) link
I'm wondering when they'll feel there's enough evidence that Biagini is not worth a roster spot. He's 28, and he's pretty much been belted around for two years. Or, to put it another way, he's accumulated 0.1 WAR in three seasons (including his pretty good first year). So go get a replacement player instead.
― clemenza, Thursday, 7 June 2018 20:00 (five years ago) link
free borucki imo. at least he's left-handed
― mookieproof, Thursday, 7 June 2018 20:22 (five years ago) link
who can take a rainbowwrap it in a sighsoak it in the sun and make a groovy lemon pie?
― mookieproof, Sunday, 10 June 2018 19:33 (five years ago) link
Ya - Grandy had himself a day!
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Sunday, 10 June 2018 20:38 (five years ago) link
Like Seinfeld, we finally met our perfect soulmate and it turned out to be us.
― clemenza, Sunday, 10 June 2018 21:00 (five years ago) link
Kelly GruberI loved Barker's "who's that?" replynot so much the misogyny and alcoholism-on-full-display :(
― francisF, Monday, 18 June 2018 19:56 (five years ago) link
Osuna: 75 games
http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23878504/roberto-osuna-toronto-blue-jays-suspended-75-games-mlb
― the ignatius rock of ignorance (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 23 June 2018 03:41 (five years ago) link
So - apparently the big problem when he’s eligible to come back is the charges might not allow him to cross the boarder?
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 23 June 2018 15:23 (five years ago) link
Every time they face one of my favourite pitchers, they suddenly play like a baseball team.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 26 June 2018 16:03 (five years ago) link
I'm a little nervous about Borucki today. i think he's talented and could be a solid, mid-rotation guy... but i don't think he's quite as good as his AAA numbers indicate and he's debuting against the frickin Houston Astros!
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 26 June 2018 16:12 (five years ago) link
2 runs in five innnings ain’t bad for a debut vs the World Series champs
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 01:34 (five years ago) link
Oh! He’s pitching the 6th...
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 01:49 (five years ago) link
Nice. 6 IP 2 er. Could not have asked for more.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 01:53 (five years ago) link
Bad news for #BlueJays: Josh Donaldson has a setback while rehabbing left calf. Suffered an acute strain while taking groundballs in preparation for a rehab game. Will be re-evaluated in three weeks.— Kaitlyn McGrath (@kaitlyncmcgrath) June 26, 2018
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 01:59 (five years ago) link
this thread is for Borucki related news only now.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Wednesday, 27 June 2018 02:58 (five years ago) link
Santiago Espinal's (Jays got him for Pearce yesterday) having a good year, but he's a 10th-round pick who's 23 and playing in A-ball, so I don't know.
― clemenza, Friday, 29 June 2018 12:34 (five years ago) link
pretty much about what I expected to get back tbh.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Sunday, 1 July 2018 05:03 (five years ago) link
Reasonably close to actual hell: sitting in the Rogers Centre in July watching the Jays lose to the Twins 8-1.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 24 July 2018 04:18 (five years ago) link
will biagini finally be gone? he's killing me holy shit. i actually sat and watched most of that game for some reason
― francisF, Wednesday, 25 July 2018 02:09 (five years ago) link
On the call-in show today--Jeff Blair, I think--the topic was whether or not the Jays, while they wait around for Guerrero, have let the supporting cast fall apart to the point that his arrival becomes a moot point. He mentioned how Trout, over his entire career, has spent a total of five or eight days in first place. In at least one instance, Donaldson, this has just been bad luck. But they have to get stuff done within the next year to have something resembling a team waiting for Guerrero (and Bichette).
― clemenza, Friday, 27 July 2018 19:26 (five years ago) link
His supporting cast will be a year or two behind. Bo, Biggio, Kevin Smith. Then there’s a good amount of fringier guys we need to see how they pan out - Alford, Borucki, Foley, Davis, Jansen.... I don’t see why we need a fully formed team waiting for the guy. Maybe he turns into a dud in the bigs! You can’t know for sure. Must of what I would call our teams strength is in the minors right now - and I think we need to plan around our young talent as a group.Our big, dud contracts come off the books in 2019 and 20. At that point we’ll know what we have in Vlad and we’ll have a better idea of the controllable talent we will have around him. That’s when we spend on free agents and go for it.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 28 July 2018 14:04 (five years ago) link
I don't think he was calling for a fully formed team--just something competitive enough that you don't end up with a situation like Trout's where the first five or six years of a (still only potentially with Guerrero, yes) generational player are kind of wasted. In particular, they were talking about a player filling the role that someone like Freddie Freeman does with the two phenoms in Atlanta: an established star who is already there as the foundation of the team. Donaldson would/could have been that guy.
The Jays right now fall short on all counts. But yes, I agree, the team is headed into a period of major change, so it's hard to gauge at the moment.
― clemenza, Saturday, 28 July 2018 14:34 (five years ago) link
we're fortunate that Guerrero isn't coming up alone tho. wouldn't be surprised at all if one of Biggio/Smith (or even Heraldo/Groshans further down the road) force him to 1B or DH. the timing of our big contracts is perfect as well. if by 2020 they not spending, then it would
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 28 July 2018 14:57 (five years ago) link
whoops... anyways – by 2020 they better have begun building around Vlad/Bo/Biggio/Jansen/Smith
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 28 July 2018 14:58 (five years ago) link
Biagini worked two-thirds of inning last night, gave up a couple of homers and three runs, and took the loss. His ERA is now 6.66. Really, how much of a signal do you need as to who he secretly is?
― clemenza, Monday, 6 August 2018 15:50 (five years ago) link
He’s secretly Aaron Loup?
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 6 August 2018 19:27 (five years ago) link
Ken Giles is apparently not the answer.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 8 August 2018 04:07 (five years ago) link
Jansen & Reid-Foley called up.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 13 August 2018 03:11 (five years ago) link
SRF starting today. Wondering if they’ll have Jansen catch for him.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Monday, 13 August 2018 12:25 (five years ago) link
Yes--first-ever first-game battery for the Jays.
― clemenza, Monday, 13 August 2018 15:05 (five years ago) link
First time in the AL since 1957, actually--surprised it's such a rare thing. Guess he got roughed up a little.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 14 August 2018 05:11 (five years ago) link
Ya. Wasn’t terrible - but could have been better. Jansen, however, did p great for himself!
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 14 August 2018 11:58 (five years ago) link
Having a forbidden thought in those Doug Ford days of summer: the future might be quite bright. Jansen, Reid-Foley, Teoscar, Borucki, Gurriel and perhaps Alford all look like solid players to build around Bichette and Guerrero. Plus the more experienced Grichuk, Travis, Sanchez and Stroman can help in the shorter term.
― Van Horn Street, Wednesday, 15 August 2018 02:10 (five years ago) link
The walls are closing in--conceding that I've hardly watched the Jays at all the last couple of years, I've never seen Gibbons chew out a player before.
https://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/pillar-thrown-stealing-third-draws-ire-gibbons/
― clemenza, Monday, 20 August 2018 16:16 (five years ago) link
Us and the Orioles, 162 games, winner take all. Come on, Baltimore, man up.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 21 August 2018 02:24 (five years ago) link
Yeah I'd be surprised if Gibbons was the manager next season.
― Van Horn Street, Tuesday, 21 August 2018 17:53 (five years ago) link
I was looking at a WAR leaderboard the other day, trying to find the first Jay. Had to go down to the 180th spot or something to find Smoak around 2.0 (Happ was about even with him when he left).
You've got to go back to 1979 to find a year when the Jays didn't have at least one guy (and usually more ) at 4.4+. So even when the team was terrible, there was always somebody to root for and a reason to watch--Hentgen, Wells, even Rios led one year in the mid-5.0s. And when the team was winning, there was usually at least one or two guys with MVP-type numbers. Depending upon how excited you are by the two young starters, there is literally nobody worth watching right now.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 21 August 2018 22:36 (five years ago) link
Obviously, you weren't rooting for Hentgen and Wells to achieve a certain WAR, which didn't exist then. I'm just using that as shorthand for compiling numbers and having good seasons--you could root for someone to his 30 HR, knock in a 100, compete for the ERA title, whatever. I remember James writing once that these benchmarks take on extra meaning when you're following a losing team.
― clemenza, Tuesday, 21 August 2018 22:43 (five years ago) link
I kinda forgot about Josh Donaldson... after spending almost a month in the start of the season on the DL for his right shoulder, he went on the 10-day DL in May for a low-grade calf strain and has not been heard from since.
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Wednesday, 22 August 2018 16:19 (five years ago) link
you liberated Canadians
http://awfulannouncing.com/local-networks/nbc-sports-philadelphia-intro-for-phillies-blue-jays-game-gets-a-look-at-naked-guy-in-toronto.html
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 25 August 2018 14:50 (five years ago) link
Some full-court second-guessing on the call-in show today: the host (not sure which guy it was) was all over Shapiro and Atkins for not trading Donaldson in the off-season. Honestly, I didn't want them to make that trade. I assumed Donaldson would be healthy and that we had a chance at the second wild-card.
― clemenza, Saturday, 25 August 2018 16:44 (five years ago) link
ya - a lot of people were saying to trade him in the off season and write 2018 off essentially. i don't blame them at all for seeing how the season went - there's no way to know your star player is going to be injured at the deadline. but it's a dumb call in show, where everyone is better manager than Gibbons the day after and i wouldn't put too much weight behind what they are saying. tho some people did earn the right to say "i told you so" on this one.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Saturday, 25 August 2018 19:37 (five years ago) link
kendrys homers again, 7th straight game
― johnny crunch, Sunday, 26 August 2018 18:57 (five years ago) link
I was at the game, had to explain the basics of the game to my parents and they really enjoyed it. Seeing 6 homeruns and Maikel Franco goofing around helps. Now, I’m almost certain learning about the game is easier when you see it live rather than on television.
Also the Skydome is not nearly as bad a ballpark as some people make it out to be, if only for the convenient location. I much prefer it to Nü-Yankees Stadium.
― Van Horn Street, Monday, 27 August 2018 02:52 (five years ago) link
Shi Davidi of Sportsnet reports that Josh Donaldson is out of the High-A Dunedin lineup due to soreness in his calves and legs.
Maybe time to take up chess or origami?
― Jersey Al (Albert R. Broccoli), Thursday, 30 August 2018 04:19 (five years ago) link
They did, they did--I am duly humbled.
― clemenza, Thursday, 30 August 2018 13:24 (five years ago) link
vlad (and bo) named to the arizona fall league, so presumably will not be called up in september
― mookieproof, Thursday, 30 August 2018 18:19 (five years ago) link
A few years ago, we started hearing about Rowdy Tellez. I saw him a couple of times in Buffalo, and he had such an air of career-minor-leaguer about him: .270 hitter, medium-range power, big and immobile first-base/DH-type. He finally got his first MLB AB last-night towards the end of a blowout. First pitch, RBI double. I was laughing out loud, it was such a great moment. Found out later that his mom died three weeks ago, so I was extra happy for him.
― clemenza, Thursday, 6 September 2018 16:08 (five years ago) link
― mookieproof, Thursday, August 30, 2018 2:19 PM (one week ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
The Arizona Fall League is a great place to improve defence iirc.
― Van Horn Street, Thursday, 6 September 2018 17:58 (five years ago) link
Watch the clip up top till the end: Rowdy's hit, plus him leaving a tribute to him mom in the dirt.
http://www.sportsnet.ca/baseball/mlb/rowdy-tellezs-big-league-debut-nothing-short-amazing/
― clemenza, Thursday, 6 September 2018 22:03 (five years ago) link
"his mom"
Rowdy has six doubles in his first 10 major-league AB--six! And he didn't even get a sidebar mention on the MLB site.
― clemenza, Saturday, 8 September 2018 13:35 (five years ago) link
Home run, Rowdy! He's got 7 XB hits in his first 4 games, first time since 1913. Slugfest going on, so he may get another AB.
― clemenza, Saturday, 8 September 2018 22:37 (five years ago) link
rip gibby
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 26 September 2018 15:58 (five years ago) link
Thank you John Gibbons for leading our @BlueJays and for all the great memories. I want to wish you good luck in the future! Toronto will miss you, Gibby! Proud to proclaim today as John Gibbons Day in Toronto. #BlueJays pic.twitter.com/ZwtJuJjTD9— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) September 26, 2018
― mookieproof, Wednesday, 26 September 2018 18:56 (five years ago) link
I wanted to see the end of the game but got held up at the dentist. Ended up with the second-most wins behind Cito, and today's win assures he'll finish up with a winning record (barely). No one will ever surpass him in Stengel-like post-game meandering.
― clemenza, Thursday, 27 September 2018 00:06 (five years ago) link
These days managers only need to keep the peace in the clubhouse while still finding time to memorize the reports from the analytics department -- not exactly Gibbons' best skills.
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Thursday, 27 September 2018 06:10 (five years ago) link
Russell Martin manager shows excellent judgement in sitting down Russell Martin player.
― clemenza, Sunday, 30 September 2018 19:15 (five years ago) link
so i didn't realize until he did it Sunday – but Kevin Pillar hit 40 doubles! was rather surprised. has only happened 25 times in Blue Jays history – with 16 players doing it. (two accomplishing it three times as Jays)
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Tuesday, 2 October 2018 16:26 (five years ago) link
Ed Sprague was interviewed for the managerial post today.
― clemenza, Friday, 19 October 2018 00:32 (five years ago) link
Oh god
― NoTimeBeforeTime, Friday, 19 October 2018 09:15 (five years ago) link
i'm hoping Stubby Clapp gets the job.
― Mad Piratical (The Cursed Return of the Dastardly Thermo Thinwall), Friday, 19 October 2018 13:48 (five years ago) link
I don't want Eric Wedge, otherwise no preference. Don't know anything about Sprague's credentials, other than his recent job with Oakland.
― clemenza, Friday, 19 October 2018 14:46 (five years ago) link
(xpost on Pillar)
He's been a pretty consistent doubles hitter the past three seasons: 35, 37, 40. As frustrating as he can be, I can envision him thriving in a situation where he's on a good team and can bat eighth or ninth and not be expected to carry any offensive load; just play defense (which has slipped the past couple of years), and any offense is a bonus. Because he does contribute with the bat--the doubles, 10-15 HR, and he keeps his average over .250. He's got one huge glaring weakness: the hideous walk rate (111 for his career now, in over 2,500 AB). Hidden away on a good offense (like the Jays three years ago), he can be the designated Caesar Geronimo, and his OBP is not that big a deal.
― clemenza, Saturday, 20 October 2018 14:28 (five years ago) link