HockeyThoughts
Delivering The Truth
As he should be. He disappeares for five years to play in a lesser league and when he comes back he's a world beater?
Blue Jays Discussion: It's a bird, it's a plane, it's Kevin Pillar!
- Thread starter The Nemesis
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As he should be. He disappeares for five years to play in a lesser league and when he comes back he's a world beater?
If anyone should see the flaw in this reasoning it's a Toronto fan, who bore witness to late-blooming power hitters like Bautista and Encarnacion. Sometimes guys just "get it." There's evidence of an underlying skill change for Thames. He's swinging at much, much fewer pitches outside of the zone. His patience at the plate and zone coverage has improved immensely. Didn't know PEDs helped your approach like that.
I mean, he could be juicing. But that's what the testing is for. And it's not right to single him out more than anyone else who's taken a leap forward this year.
He loaded up on those fancy new Korean steroids that help your pitch recognition and plate discipline.
Edo
The Mightiest Club
Eric Thames wasn't a bad hitter before he left for Korea. He had some power and was never really given a chance to play every day when he was in the MLB. It's not as if Ryan Goins went over and came back 5 years later hitting the **** out of the ball.
lebdafor norris
sleepy
- Mar 14, 2011
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Someone ought to give Salty the contact information of Thames dealer, he could use it more than anyone on this team.
Eyedea
The Legend Continues
His plate discipline was poor during his time with the Jays and Mariners. Really the only redeeming quality he had during his first stint was his power, and it's tough to tap into it when you're not well disciplined and make poor contact. His swing% is at 38.9% so far, 10-11% lower than his first major league stint. He's also swinging at 20% of the pitches out of the zone, which is a HUGE improvement in pitch recognition. Still only 90 PA, and he'll regress, but what he's showing right now is exactly what he learned in the KBO.
Northernguy10
Registered User
I know most have written them off for the year already but I try to look at it optimistically. "If" they can go 12-8 for the next two 20 game segments they'll be 30-30...Not impossible if the pitchers get back healthy and pitch up to expectations. .500 after 60 games is far from great but they shouldn't be too far back with 102 games to go...
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
he's clearly garbage and an anchor and dragging the team down.
Him and Smoak are going to be the death of this roster
he's clearly garbage and an anchor and dragging the team down.
Him and Smoak are going to be the death of this roster
I like how Martin's demise was a real discussion we had two weeks ago based on him struggling (the way he always does) for the first couple weeks of the season, and certain posters were convinced he wasn't a major league catcher anymore.
Bad News Benning
Fallin for Dahlin?
I'm usually more concerned about prospects with serious splits if they hit right handed. It's also very early so I expect his numbers against lefties to be respectable at season's end.
I'm not sure what the numbers are this year but there tends to be a heavy % of RHP compared to LHP in MLB. Tellez is likely to face righties the majority of the time and it's easy to find a lefty mashing 1b/dh option to platoon if necessary.
Coming into today:
OPS vs. RHP - .727 in 39 PA
OPS vs. LHP - .238 in 26 PA
Not a good start, but it's obviously a ridiculously small sample (and the vs. RHP has gone up quite a bit today). Plus, if he turns into a middle-of-the-order bat against righties but needs to be platooned, that wouldn't be the worst result.
ShaneFalco
Registered User
Absolutely, it's way more fun when they are playing well. I have sat threw some dreadful games at skydome this year, lol.
Eyedea
The Legend Continues
Outside of the grandslam to Andrelton Simmons, not bad. Would've been a similar start to this Latos one if he managed to get a groundball hitter (Simmons) to ground into a double play.
Bad News Benning
Fallin for Dahlin?
Sorry but the team is done.
Too big of a hole and not enough depth to battle through injuries. More injuries will happen and the team just doesn't have the horses to compensate.
metafour
Registered User
- Apr 6, 2008
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They're done. Going into today the team would need to play at a 95-67 pace just to reach 89 wins (which is pretty much what you need for a WC spot). This team obviously isn't good enough to play at a ~60% win pace the rest of the way.
ShaneFalco
Registered User
Agreed now. Sadly they're not the kind of team that is going to go on a tear
stickty111
Registered User
- Jan 23, 2017
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Home run number 5 for Pentecost. If only injuries didnt play a factor, he might have been one of the better prospects. Potentially could have been a gem and maybe a top 5 prospect for us. There is still a decent chance he turns into something good as his power is starting to come it seems even if he might not be a catcher, could still be though.
Do they move him to AA soon?
Do they move him to AA soon?
jcollins
BJ Elitist/Hipster
- May 13, 2009
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BuppY
xGoodwillx
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