Blue Jays Discussion: 2024-25 Off-season: The free agent watch begins (and sometimes old baseball radio broadcasts)

[arthurcason]

I didn't think he was very impressive in the few games they let him play at 3rd last year. And he was pretty bad at 3B when he first came up, it was no brainer they switched him to 1B and got a real 3B (Chapman).

But if we are going back to a scoring runs philosophy, I'd be willing to give Vlad a shot at 3B and have Alonso play 1B.

I wouldn't say he was pretty bad. I recall him making some nice plays at 3B like these ones.

https://www.mlb.com/video/paul-goldschmidt-reaches-on-a-fielder-s-choice-out-third-baseman-vladimir

 

[arthurcason]

In 100 innings (small sample), Vlad was 1 OAA and 0 DRS.

Above average fielder. I'll take that with his bat any time of the day!

 

[Discoverer]

100 innings is WAY too small of a sample to draw any conclusions from, but the plus side is that those numbers match the eye test (for most of us, at least).

I'm not sold on him being even an adequate 3B at this point, but it's well worth trying if it means bringing in a bat like Alonso.

 

[Bjindaho]

100 innings is WAY too small of a sample to draw any conclusions from, but the plus side is that those numbers match the eye test (for most of us, at least).

I'm not sold on him being even an adequate 3B at this point, but it's well worth trying if it means bringing in a bat like Alonso.

It's too small to say average or above for certain. Vladdy, in his previous stint at 3B, could not sustain that level for 100 innings, so I think concluding that he's better than Justin Turner at 3B is safe.

 

[MK78]

It's too small to say average or above for certain. Vladdy, in his previous stint at 3B, could not sustain that level for 100 innings, so I think concluding that he's better than Justin Turner at 3B is safe.

Lol are you seriously comparing a 25 year old Vladdy vs a 40 year old Turner? ROFL.

 

[Bjindaho]

Lol are you seriously comparing a 25 year old Vladdy vs a 40 year old Turner? ROFL.

Toronto signed Turner thinking he could play around 40 games of 3B. It turned out that he couldn't play the position at all.

In the little bit that Vladdy played it last year, he didn't look horribly out of position, so trying it a little more is not as horrible an option as letting Turner play more.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[smitty10]

Doesn't sound like we're very involved, which I'm ok with. I love Bregman, but worry he'd become another Springer in terms of decline.

 

[smitty10]

Anyone heard anything about King? Are we involved?

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[MK78]

Toronto signed Turner thinking he could play around 40 games of 3B. It turned out that he couldn't play the position at all.

In the little bit that Vladdy played it last year, he didn't look horribly out of position, so trying it a little more is not as horrible an option as letting Turner play more.

Yeah well that was dumb of Shatkins thinking a 40 year old could be an effective 3B.

 

[aingefan]

As if letting Soto walk wasn’t enough….the yanks follow it up stepping off Tim Mayza?

They just cemented their own demise.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[Dr.Funk]

 

[aingefan]

Quick check on Steward Berroa there.

Highlights: 30 gp, .397obp, 12/13 sb, 15 runs, more bb than k.

 

[Puckstuff]

Quick check on Steward Berroa there.

Highlights: 30 gp, .397obp, 12/13 sb, 15 runs, more bb than k.

A .397 obp with a .624 ops is quite the stat line

 

[Nineteen67]

Spring Training starts in about three weeks I would expect some movement fairly soon among players.

Yepper. Link to download tickets was in my inbox yesterday

 

[Ale Brew]

A .397 obp with a .624 ops is quite the stat line

Is that even possible? Seriously, he’d need to have a 200 BA with like no extra base hits and walk at least once a game. A very unique profile indeed.

 

[Bjindaho]

Is that even possible? Seriously, he’d need to have a 200 BA with like no extra base hits and walk at least once a game. A very unique profile indeed.

.226 BA, no extra base hits, 15BB in 30 games.

Steward Berroa Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics | Baseball-Reference.com

Steward Berroa Minor & Winter Leagues Statistics including batting, fielding, prospect rankings and more on Baseball-Reference.com

www.baseball-reference.com

 

[Discoverer]

Is that even possible? Seriously, he’d need to have a 200 BA with like no extra base hits and walk at least once a game. A very unique profile indeed.

.226/.397/.226

In 71 PA, he had 12 hits and 15 walks. No extra base hits, though he balanced that out by stealing a bunch of bases.

I always forget about him, but I don't mind him as a 4th/5th OF depending what the rest of the team looks like. Great defender, great baserunner, probably a poor bat even though he's been pretty solid the last two years in the upper minors. If the higher-upside guys need more seasoning in Buffalo, I'm not against him getting a bit of time as long as he's not needed to start a bunch.

He's basically Myles Straw.

 

[The Iceman]

I really want Pete as I think the middle of the order would be a lot of fun. If they can’t make it work I hope they are in on Louis Robert Jr, even if it costs one of our better prospects. We now have a bunch of guys knocking at the door of MLB and can afford to deal from that surplus if it lands us 3 yrs of Robert.

prospects and surplus should not be in the same sentence when discussing this version of the Blue Jays.
There are 25 other teams that have MORE surplus than us.

 

[Discoverer]

prospects and surplus should not be in the same sentence when discussing this version of the Blue Jays.
There are 25 other teams that have MORE surplus than us.

He's talking specifically about guys who are knocking on the MLB door. They Jays lack high-end talent, but they're not lacking for guys who look to be about ready for a major league shot: Barger, Jimenez, Wagner, Loperfido, Clase, Roden, Martinez, Schreck, McAdoo, Kasevich - they're all likely to start the season either on the MLB roster or in Buffalo on the verge of a call-up.

They don't all have a ton of value, but there's definitely a surplus of that kind of player.

 

[Bjindaho]

He's talking specifically about guys who are knocking on the MLB door. They Jays lack high-end talent, but they're not lacking for guys who look to be about ready for a major league shot: Barger, Jimenez, Wagner, Loperfido, Clase, Roden, Martinez, Schreck, McAdoo, Kasevich - they're all likely to start the season either on the MLB roster or in Buffalo on the verge of a call-up.

They don't all have a ton of value, but there's definitely a surplus of that kind of player.

The big thing about Toronto is that they have a few guys close (of varying value) but then there is a gap to the next group (not a lot of sure fire call-ups to AA and AAA from AA and High-A).

 

[Discoverer]

The big thing about Toronto is that they have a few guys close (of varying value) but then there is a gap to the next group (not a lot of sure fire call-ups to AA and AAA from AA and High-A).

There are quite a few guys with interesting statlines, but it feels like more of the same: a bunch of guys without particularly high ceilings and/or who have huge questionmarks (age, position, etc.)

Maybe the Jays have cornered the market on identifying Horwitz/Schneider types who get strong results despite not being viewed highly by prospect evaluators, but... I'm doubtful.