Blue Jays Discussion: Alright, no more discontent. Just baseball | ST in Mtl: StL @ Tor | Mar 26/27 7pm ET/4pm PT

[Hoverhand]

Which is exactly one less than Shapiro (its 6 and 7 respectively but that's not the point).

Who built the team that he had?

 

[phillipmike]

I’ve gotta say reading that Biagini is likely going to aaa to be a starter is annoying me. Seems like a short sighted move with hopes for next season. It messed him up last year so we’re gonna try it again. Just let him be a good reliever. He was a great late inning guy. I know we need depth but this one annoys me.

I think its the right move given that we have some great RHP options in the pen. Barnes and Tepera to go with Oh (who im predicting a good season - at least 1 WAR), to go with potentially Axford and Clippard (though he likely isnt as good against RH hitting). The depth is there with Biagini and Borucki as your AAA starters to be called up first and then the aforementioned 5 relievers vs having your AAA next up guys as Borucki (who isnt ready) and Rowley/Deck/Guerrieri/Gaviglio who should be nothing more than spot starters. Biagini brings more value and depth back to that rotation side to balance it out plus if the 5 RHP i mentioned cant do the job then it is very easy for Biagini to go back to being a reliever than a starter than vice versa - its balancing risk in the pen and rotation where we have a lot in one and very little in the other.

The problem with Biagini last year was that he was yo-yo'd up and down too much and had too many roles - not enough stability;
April 3-29: Reliever
May 3 - Jul 2: Starter
Jul 8 - Aug 2: Reliever
Aug 27 - Sep 29: Starter

So he had to ramp up, stretch out, ramp up and stretch up all over the course of 6 months and in 2 cases out of 3 he had less than 6 days to adjust. The plan for his was incredibly stupid (more to due with circumstance) so it is hard to blame him for the results. He didnt have a shot to truly see his value as a starter and with the depth in the pen it is worth a shot - now he has had 6 months to prepare to be a starter (both physically and mentally along with his approach) so it makes sense to see what he can do. I rather try Biagini as the 6th guy in AAA then potentially rely on Borucki, Rowley etc in April and May in case there is an injury.

 

[stickty111]

AA was a "pretentious suit" who got the city of Toronto 5 wins away from a championship.

Leeway granted.

He was a prentenious suit who only made those trades because he cared about his image in the media. Hence why he is called reputation king.

Leeway not granted.

 

[Brown Dog]

Who even cares? Both are simple enough to understand if you have any command over the language.

More complaining about nothing when it comes to Shaprio.

I understand not agreeing with his on field moves, but complaining about how he talks seems petty.

Disagree. It would be petty to make fun of a speech impediment or something like that, but not for his choosing to spew that insufferable corporate-speak when communicating to fans through the media.

 

[zeke]

Will Pompey ever make to the major leagues as a player either full time or a utility player? Probably not with the Jays I'm guessing?

pompey has "Carpal Boss", a bone growth where the bone meets the wrist. it hurts but be should be able to play soon. eventually he'll have it shaved down or removed surgically.

 

[BlueForever75]

pompey has "Carpal Boss", a bone growth where the bone meets the wrist. it hurts but be should be able to play soon. eventually he'll have it shaved down or removed surgically.

This kid had the making of being our next Devon White....too bad for all his bad luck.

 

[zeke]

The Biagini starting experiment is clearly them preparing for the exit of Happ and Estrada next year. It hurts the Jays this year to have him go down this year obviously but I think he has the stuff (4 good pitches) to be a starter if he's properly stretched out.

All along Shapkins has been molding this team for the 2019/2020 seasons, I'm not surprised at all they're taking this avenue.

Inherit a back to back ALCS team - better than anything he had in Cleveland in his 15yrs - and choosing to punt, is the weakest move of all time.

especially since none of the key pieces we have now that make us excited about 2019 would still be here even if they had gone all in.

and starting in AAA instead of relieving in MLB isn't going to magically change his ability to become a starting pitcher in mlb at age 29.

 

[zeke]

I fail to see how stretching out Biagini in April of 2018 has any impact on him being a starter in 2019 or 2020.

Putting your second best reliever in Buffalo is asinine and at this point I can only think they're doing it in the hopes that he stays down there for a month and avoids Super Two.

even talking about "Super Two" for a 28yr old sounds off.

 

[Diamond Joe Quimby]

Disagree. It would be petty to make fun of a speech impediment or something like that, but not for his choosing to spew that insufferable corporate-speak when communicating to fans through the media.

Yep, corporate lingo was officially designated as hate speech somewhere in the Liberal budget announcement Feb 27th.

 

[zeke]

I think its the right move given that we have some great RHP options in the pen. Barnes and Tepera to go with Oh (who im predicting a good season - at least 1 WAR), to go with potentially Axford and Clippard (though he likely isnt as good against RH hitting). The depth is there with Biagini and Borucki as your AAA starters to be called up first and then the aforementioned 5 relievers vs having your AAA next up guys as Borucki (who isnt ready) and Rowley/Deck/Guerrieri/Gaviglio who should be nothing more than spot starters. Biagini brings more value and depth back to that rotation side to balance it out plus if the 5 RHP i mentioned cant do the job then it is very easy for Biagini to go back to being a reliever than a starter than vice versa - its balancing risk in the pen and rotation where we have a lot in one and very little in the other.

The problem with Biagini last year was that he was yo-yo'd up and down too much and had too many roles - not enough stability;
April 3-29: Reliever
May 3 - Jul 2: Starter
Jul 8 - Aug 2: Reliever
Aug 27 - Sep 29: Starter

So he had to ramp up, stretch out, ramp up and stretch up all over the course of 6 months and in 2 cases out of 3 he had less than 6 days to adjust. The plan for his was incredibly stupid (more to due with circumstance) so it is hard to blame him for the results. He didnt have a shot to truly see his value as a starter and with the depth in the pen it is worth a shot - now he has had 6 months to prepare to be a starter (both physically and mentally along with his approach) so it makes sense to see what he can do. I rather try Biagini as the 6th guy in AAA then potentially rely on Borucki, Rowley etc in April and May in case there is an injury.

Biagini's best streak as an SP came immediately after switching over from the bullpen. He only got worse the more he started. his struggles as an SP had nothing to do with to yoyoing.

The main problem is that Biagini only had one above average pitch as an SP - his changeup. his fastball and curve were below average, and his slutter was useless. he was fine, even good, 1st time thru the ordee but got smashed the second time through the order.

 

[Discoverer]

Who built the team that he had?

Is that really an argument you want to make after the team Shapiro left behind lost in Game 7 of the World Series the year after he left?

 

[phillipmike]

Biagini's best streak as an SP came immediately after switching over from the bullpen. He only got worse the more he started. his struggles as an SP had nothing to do with to yoyoing.

The main problem is that Biagini only had one above average pitch as an SP - his changeup. his fastball and curve were below average, and his ****ter was useless. he was fine, even good, 1st time thru the ordee but got smashed the second time through the order.

Its such a small sample size and he went from AA to the majors and pitched 67 innings in the pen. But then they asked him to be a reliever and starter 2 different times each while doubling his inning count if you include AAA numbers with very little warning or time to prepare. Just not conditions anyone can be expected to succeed.

He was more valuable from a WAR perspective as a starter than a reliever. Im willing to give him a full "proper" kick at the can and in all likelihood you havent lost anything considering the depth you have in the pen from your right handed guys.

 

[Nineteen67]

I fail to see how stretching out Biagini in April of 2018 has any impact on him being a starter in 2019 or 2020.

Putting your second best reliever in Buffalo is asinine and at this point I can only think they're doing it in the hopes that he stays down there for a month and avoids Super Two.

Are you sure he’d be the 2nd best reliever? He hasn’t pitched like it this spring.

 

[zeke]

Are you sure he’d be the 2nd best reliever? He hasn’t pitched like it this spring.

29k% / 5bb% pretty damn good.

 

[stickty111]

All I know is that Shapiro has accomplished more then AA.
AA failed to build a team the proper way, and once the knowledgable fans realized this, he trades a lot of the future for washed up veterans(thanks a lot Alex for a terrible Tulo)

Shapiro building from within the organization approach was succesful and as a result, his past team is further ahead then the team wheee AA used the "save my job and look good" approach. Now Shapiro needs to clean up the mess left by AA and his failed approach.

 

[phillipmike]

Good read on Granderson from 2016;

Curtis Granderson Is a Man on a Generous Mission

 

[TF97]

For those with MLB.TV, the upcoming game is being broadcasted by the Pirates, Vladdy Jr and Bo are in the lineup.

 

[The Nemesis]

For those with MLB.TV, the upcoming game is being broadcasted by the Pirates, Vladdy Jr and Bo are in the lineup.

do they still do that thing where MLB TV is free for Spring Training?

 

[TF97]

do they still do that thing where MLB TV is free for Spring Training?

I think so, but I am not 100% certain.

 

[The Nemesis]

I think so, but I am not 100% certain.

Now that I've checked: unless there's a code or something to enter, it doesn't look like it. Signup requires payment and the packages specifically mention getting spring training games.

 

[canucksfan]

Vlad with a double.

 

[supermann_98]

Good read on Granderson from 2016;

Curtis Granderson Is a Man on a Generous Mission

Thank you for the share. It’s so refreshing to read good journalism and a positive article with insight into a players background and especially a good guy like Granderson. When you compare it to the drivel that Steve Simmons comes up with, his “tell-a-funny-one-liner” column, or his single sentence random thoughts garbage ... it’s night and day

Honestly I didn’t know much of anything about Granderson as a person, only the games we played against him, watching some of his playoff performances, and his value as a player in a baseball fantasy league. After reading this article it’s sounds like he’s a great addition to this team, even more so when you consider he’s replacing a “diva-ish” kind of player in Bautista

 

[supermann_98]

Vlad with a double.

Haven’t been this excited for a prospect since Delgado.

Sounds like this kid is gonna be an absolute hitting machine

 

[The Nemesis]

Thank you for the share. It’s so refreshing to read good journalism and a positive article with insight into a players background and especially a good guy like Granderson. When you compare it to the drivel that Steve Simmons comes up with, his “tell-a-funny-one-liner” column, or his single sentence random thoughts garbage ... it’s night and day

Honestly I didn’t know much of anything about Granderson as a person, only the games we played against him, watching some of his playoff performances, and his value as a player in a baseball fantasy league. After reading this article it’s sounds like he’s a great addition to this team, even more so when you consider he’s replacing a “diva-ish” kind of player in Bautista

His in-the-dugout interview bit with Buck & Pat during one of the first couple of spring games was great too. It was refreshing to have someone give well-thought-out, reasonable, and well-spoken answers and be, quite frankly, incredibly engaging and personable when most of the time those sorts of interviews are just cliche storms (yeah, I'm just trying to go out there and get loose for the season, the guys are great, I'm trying to play within myself and do what I can, I like everyone here it's the best clubhouse I've ever been a part of, I came into camp in teh best shape of my life, etc.)


EDIT: Was reading the piece. Great to see that stuff about Granderson, but wow the writing. I'm all for sports journalism trying to be a little bit less barstool and a little more intelligent, but man does that scream overdone/try-hard. Just because you have the college english degree vocabulary doesn't mean you write everything as if it's being submitted for a professor's approval. Write to your audience. Or at least a slightly smarter version of your audience.

 

[canucksfan]

Haven’t been this excited for a prospect since Delgado.

Sounds like this kid is gonna be an absolute hitting machine

He could hit like Pujols or Miguel Cabrera. Not sure on the history of the Jays prospects but he has to be their best yet.